Windows stuff

[Bikeman17]

Hi there

This is for Windows Litterate only. When a filemaker file is on idle, Windows puts the program in back to perform unknown tasks. Unless you shake the mouse, it will remain that way.

Is that related to the screen saver? (my screen saver never kicked in when that happenned) Is that related to the disk defragmenter? Is there a way to disable those tasks?

Must be simple but I am not a Windows litterate myself!!

[MoonShadow]

It's probably your power settings. Right-click on your desktop, select Screensaver tab. At the bottom you will see power settings for your monitor. It is probably set to turn off the monitor after a certain length of time. Check your System Standby also.

[Bikeman17]

I used these settings:

Power Schemes: Always on and 'never' is selected for the 4 other files

but I still experience the same problem.

[MoonShadow]

When you shake the mouse, it re-awakens the system. I can't imagine a memory-resident program doing this but it sounds rather as a power-down issue.

If your Screen Saver shows Never and your Monitor and System Standby show Never, then you might check the hibernate tab in your power settings. Is this a laptop? What Power Scheme are you using? You must also click 'Apply' after you've made a change. What 'four other files' are you referring to? These settings affect your system, not a particular file.

And it would help to know your version and platform. Please fill out your profile to reflect these settings, if you would be so kind? They can be accessed in the left panel here - right under your name is a link to Profiles.

[Bikeman17]

Sorry if I used a few misleading terms...

I have to click in order to bring back the window to front or out of the gray out.

I was referring to the 4 fields. Never is selected for all of them.

I made sure to click Apply before closing the window. I went back to see the new settings and everything was OK.

I hit the Hibernate tab and uncheck the box.

I have XP installed on a PC tower.

And nothing positive happenned. It took roughly 2 minutes before the top blue bar turned to gray once again.

[QuinTech]

Windows puts the program in back to perform unknown tasks.

Can you elaborate on that? What do you mean "in back" -- does another window appear on top? Or is the title bar grayed out?

When this happens, hit Ctrl-Alt-Del and click the Task Manager button, then the Processes tab. Make a note of all the processes listed (especially anything with a non-0 number in the CPU column) and publish them here. Maybe something will jump out at someone.

Jerry

[Bikeman17]

No window appears on top. I mean that the top bar which is blue won't be that color after a few minutes (random). It will be grayed out until someone click on the page to make it alive. It is very unpleasant because the program is put in a find mode to scan a keytag. When that thing happens, the member cannot check in because the program is not on top.

I performed the ctrl-alt-del when the top bar is grayed out but nothing happenned.

Mike

[QuinTech]

I think there must be some process shoving FM into the background. That makes this less of a Filemaker question (i think) than a Windows question, so you may get more help on a Windows knowledge base. That said, if nothing happens when you hit Ctrl-Alt-Del, then either (A) your rights as a user are severely restricted and you need to talk to the system admin, or (: you're not pressing it right (you DID say you're a Mac guy )

Make sure you hold down both Ctrl & Alt while you're hitting Del; also please note that Del and Backspace are different keys.

J

[Bikeman17]

I know that it is a Windows issue. "Windows stuff" says it all.

Perharps I am wrong but the Delete key is located above the Enter key, I hit the keys in order and nothing happenned. Do I need to open a window or a program before hitting those keys?

I operate the pc on the admin password!?

Yes, I am a Mac guy using a PC. Sorry, nobody is perfect!

[QuinTech]

Don't press them in order, but at the same time. Hold down Ctrl, also hold down Alt, and with those still depressed, hit Del. On most keyboards Del is above and a little to the right of the Enter key.

---

I'm not trying to be a hard-ass about the question. But please bear in mind that you are asking a question about an operating system on a Filemaker board. I'm simply suggesting that you may also want to try a Windows OS board. To me, the subject line "Windows stuff," when used in the context of a Filemaker board, implies "This is a question about using Filemaker on Windows," not, "This is a question about the Windows OS on a computer on which Filemaker happens to be installed," which is what this question boils down to.

Yes, I am a Mac guy using a PC. Sorry, nobody is perfect!

You are in safe company on this forum, then. If i got too negative about Macs, i would probably soon find myself out the door.

J

[Ano Nimus]

Perharps I am wrong but the Delete key is located above the Enter key

No, directly over the Enter** key is the Backspace key. That is NOT the same as the Del (delete) key, that is in the block of keys that is to the right of the Enter key.

(**To be completely pedantic, it really is the 'Return' key, as opposed to the Enter key that is on the number block on the right hand side of the keyboard, but that distinction has all but disappeared in the day to day PC lingo.)

Yes, I am a Mac guy using a PC. Sorry, nobody is perfect!

I'm more of a windows guy, sometimes using a Mac. Profanity only knows how many times I've looked for the Del key on a Mac keyboard and 'used His name in vain' when again I didn't find it

[Bikeman17]

At first glance, I thought that problem could be solved easily by a Windows litterate even if this forum is dedicated to FM issues.

Yesterday, I contacted a real Windows litterate and he told that problem is caused by other files running in the background. I've seen them in the Task Manager. Those files come from old programs or have been installed by adwares without my knowledge.

Now the question is: How to get rid of those unwanted files? Few people have the knowledge to delete the right files without messing up with Windows itself. The other solution is to start from scratch with Windows. I have been told to run Windows XP Pro or 2000 instead of XP Home Edition. I guess I will upgrade to get rid of this problem.

Now you understand why I am still a Mac addict. Does someone have ever heard weird things like that on a Mac? OK Mac is not a perfect tool. There are pro and con for both machines.

Mike

[QuinTech]

At first glance, I thought that problem could be solved easily by a Windows litterate even if this forum is dedicated to FM issues.

But as you found, it's not so simple. Hence my dogged insistence that you post this in a Windows OS board.

Yesterday, I contacted a real Windows litterate and he told that problem is caused by other files running in the background.

I'm tempted to be offended by this comment, but instead i'll just point out that this was the exact thrust of my first post on this topic. I'm glad to see that a "real" Windows literate agrees with me.

Now the question is: How to get rid of those unwanted files?

There are several third-party utilities that you can get for free that do a good job of removing unwanted files without messing up Windows. I personally use Ad-Aware from Lavasoft, which you can get from http://www.lavasoft.de

You're right about the pros and cons... i find that all of Windows' background processes are both a pro and a con. As for all the stuff like adware that gets installed on Windows machines but not Macs, well, Microsoft systems are a bigger target because there are so many more of them. If just wouldn't pay for an adware developer to write a program that targets Macs.

Somebody stop me, i'm WAY off topic...

J

[Oldfogey]

This is almost definitely a Win problem not FMP. I have had similar things shappen. It is/can be due to another program starting up under Windoze control or scheduled and running hidden. Have you got anti-virus software scheduled to scan at frequent times? Check your scheduled tasks. Some rotten packages just do their own thing without bothering to ask if you want them started every two minutes.