program tabs freezing in windows bar

spaceman5

help needed, i dont know the correct terminology, but say i had 6 programs running all at the same time, if i left the computer for a while,and came back and tried clicking one of the programs tabs on the windows bar at the bottom of the screen, every so often i will find that all of the tabs have froze, so i cant click on any of them, i find the only way of getting around this, is to press ctrl, alt, del, and click one of the programs and press switch to, which seems to free them all up, so i can use the tabs again, does anybody know what causes this, and if so is there a fix, its not a big problem, but i have only just reinstalled my operating system and dont fancy doing it again so soon, i am using xp if that helps, many thanks Dave

MoneyTown

Could be an installed program causing this - remove any software you don't need and look for the latest version of those you do.

Could be a Windows problem that needs an update - get the latest Windows updates.

Could be a driver issue with your hardware - get the latest drivers for motherboard and graphics card etc.

Do a virus scan.

thomas01155

Try using system restore to see if that fixes the problem. Could you post a hijack this log post could be some sort of spyware or virus http://www.filehippo.com/download_hijackthis/ .
Right click your tool bar and press properties and make sure its set up like this.

spaceman5

here is a copy of a scan i did with hijack this:-

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 09:48:11, on 31/05/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16640)
Boot mode: Normal
Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTsvcCDA.exe
C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET Smart Security\ekrn.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET Smart Security\egui.exe
C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Search Protection\SearchProtection.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Rundll32.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\XpertVision\TBPanel.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RUNDLL32.EXE
C:\Program Files\Creative\SBAudigy\Surround Mixer\CTSysVol.exe
C:\Program Files\Nokia\Nokia Software Launcher\NSLauncher.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger\MsnMsgr.Exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\Creative\MediaSource5\Go\CTCMSGoU.exe
C:\Program Files\Creative\MediaSource\Detector\CTDetect.exe
C:\Program Files\Nokia\Nokia PC Suite 6\PcSync2.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\PCSuite\Services\ServiceLayer.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\Nokia\MPAPI\MPAPI3s.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WLLoginProxy.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://uk.yahoo.com
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R3 - URLSearchHook: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O2 - BHO: &Yahoo! Toolbar Helper - !!02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - !!761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - !!7E853D72-626A-48EC-A868-BA8D5E23E045} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: Windows Live Sign-in Helper - !!9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Notifier BHO - {AF69DE43-7D58-4638-B6FA-CE66B5AD205D} - C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\2.1.1119.1736\swg.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - !!2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [egui] "C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET Smart Security\egui.exe" /hide /waitservice
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [YSearchProtection] "C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Search Protection\SearchProtection.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [P17Helper] Rundll32 P17.dll,P17Helper
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Gainward] C:\Program Files\XpertVision\TBPanel.exe /A
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CTSysVol] C:\Program Files\Creative\SBAudigy\Surround Mixer\CTSysVol.exe /r
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UpdReg] C:\WINDOWS\UpdReg.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CTXFIREG] CTxfiReg.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NSLauncher] C:\Program Files\Nokia\Nokia Software Launcher\NSLauncher.exe /startup
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [YSearchProtection] C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Search Protection\SearchProtection.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [swg] C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MsnMsgr] "C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger\MsnMsgr.Exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Creative MediaSource Go] "C:\Program Files\Creative\MediaSource5\Go\CTCMSGoU.exe" /SCB
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Creative Detector] "C:\Program Files\Creative\MediaSource\Detector\CTDetect.exe" /R
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [PcSync] C:\Program Files\Nokia\Nokia PC Suite 6\PcSync2.exe /NoDialog
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'Default user')
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - !!08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - !!08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: Blog This - !!219C3416-8CB2-491a-A3C7-D9FCDDC9D600} - C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Writer\WriterBrowserExtension.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: &Blog This in Windows Live Writer - !!219C3416-8CB2-491a-A3C7-D9FCDDC9D600} - C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Writer\WriterBrowserExtension.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: !!30528230-99f7-4bb4-88d8-fa1d4f56a2ab} (Installation Support) - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\Yinsthelper.dll
O16 - DPF: !!67A5F8DC-1A4B-4D66-9F24-A704AD929EEE} (System Requirements Lab) - http://www.nvidia.com/content/DriverDownload/srl/2.0.0.1/sysreqlab2.cab
O16 - DPF: {F6ACF75C-C32C-447B-9BEF-46B766368D29} (Creative Software AutoUpdate Support Package) - http://www.creative.com/softwareupdate/su2/ocx/15035/CTPID.cab
O23 - Service: Creative Service for CDROM Access - Creative Technology Ltd - C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTsvcCDA.exe
O23 - Service: Eset HTTP Server (EhttpSrv) - ESET - C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET Smart Security\EHttpSrv.exe
O23 - Service: Eset Service (ekrn) - ESET - C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET Smart Security\ekrn.exe
O23 - Service: Google Updater Service (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: ServiceLayer - Nokia. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\PCSuite\Services\ServiceLayer.exe
--
End of file - 7683 bytes

thomas01155

Looks fine probably one of the issues money town said.