Games alt tabbing randomly in Windows 7

[sotfoun10]

Hi guys and Happy holidays! So this a kind of new issue for me that drives me crazy!Since Sunday my PC keeps alt tabs once .It has happened in OveWatch and Nba 2k18 but I am sure that it will happen in others too.The weird thing is it only happens once in every launch of a game(one time when I played OverWtch for only 20 minutes it didnt even happen),when it alt tabs I go back to the game and it doesnt happen again.In OverWatch I don't have a big problem of it happening because I get back to the game in 2 seconds but in Nba when it happens,when I get back the controller doesn't respond in-game(it says "press start to re-enable the controller",then I do it I can start and stop the game and change options but I can control my team).It is a issue that was happening to me last year with fifa and maybe 2k but not in sych extent.The things I have done are:
1)Update my Radeon drivers
2)Reinstall my Avast Antivirus and Adobe Acrobat DC
3)Go to Event log but I didn't understand much
When this happens I see no notification in my task bar and it's not like I have many applications open.Just Steam or Battlenet and Avast.I think it started occuring the time I updated Avast but I may be wrong.The only two things I have thought that could be:
1)Avast because even though I have the gaming option enabled I don't see right away Windows Update automatic scans being disabled.But that was happening and before I think but my main suspect is Avast
2)Adobe Acrobat Update Service.I saw this process running today.I don't think it's very likely this causing it since I have Adobe Acrobat DC for two years with no problems so it must have been running all the time not just now.
I can't think of anything else .Any help will be appreciated!

 

[SgtScream]

Try temporarily disabling Avast while gaming.

 

[sotfoun10]

You mean the shields?I don't if it's that because it happens just once usually in the first 15 minutes and then for the next 2 hours no issue...

 

[SgtScream]

If you doubt or assume without verifying, you'll never find out what is causing the problem.

 

[sotfoun10]

If you doubt or assume without verifying, you'll never find out what is causing the problem.

You are right I will do it and get back to you!

 

[sotfoun10]

Tried it it isn't that SgtScream...But after that I played OverWtch for about 20 minutes with no problem and I saw that The windows update automatic scans were disabled...I still think it has to do with point number 1 I suggested

 

[sotfoun10]

Any other ideas?

 

[marksavio]

can you try to do a "sfc /scannow" console command on your system right now before we continue to troubleshoot? coz this sounds like a bizarre problem and hopefully ur system isnt corrupted. also do a full system scan with Windows defender. i also use avast myself but there are times my weekly windows defender scans do pick up stuff avast failed to do.

 

[sotfoun10]

Hi mark thanks for the reply!By corrupted do you mean malware?Before if it's that the case no there is no way I have malware,since I scan my PC every day with Malwarebytes,AdwCleaner,RogueKiller and Sophos.Also,I don't think that my PC has any problem since it's working just fine even in gaming.Even when this happens,there is no error pop up or anything and I can continue normally my game so I don't think there is anything wrong with my Windows.This is a pretty common problem for PC gamers.Today I played for about 20 minutes 3 different times there was no problem.

 

[marksavio]

"corrupted" could also mean that the registries and dll files and what not were wrongly setup by previous install or windows updates or from unexpected shutdowns. it doesnt mean it came from malware/virus. the sfc scannow just check if your system files are all 100%. theres also a silent mode in avast i believe. or a game mode that adds software to be included in the list for uninterrupted game play. wel ive never heard of my friends or me myself getting alt tabbed to windows all of a sudden. but i guess we just dont have too many apps running in the background i guess for that chance to happen :/

 

[sotfoun10]

Every once in a while I use CCleaner in order to repair or clean Registry values or Dll's.No no I don't think it's possible for my Windows to be corrupted since my computer is not buggy and I am not experincing crashes or BSOD.I know about the Avast game mode I have this enabled since it came out.I have no apps running in the background while gaming just my antivirus and well either steam or battlenet depending of what game I am playing.That's the weird thing because that problem is what a notification from skype or TeamViewer would do.The only thing I can think of is the automatic Windows Update scans that I have enabled.I don't know what else would take priority over my game only once every time.I am fairly sure that has something to do with Avast but I can't find exactly what.This has happened in the past multiple times but not in such extent.

 

[SgtScream]

Then uninstall it.

 

[sotfoun10]

Of course if it's continue to do the same thing,I will have to in order to fix it if it's indeed avast.But these things used to go away randomly by themselves...I had this issue in a lesser extent some years ago and it stopped withoum me doing a thing.We will see let's hope it's nothing serious.

 

[SgtScream]

Of course if it's continue to do the same thing,I will have to in order to fix it if it's indeed avast.But these things used to go away randomly by themselves...I had this issue in a lesser extent some years ago and it stopped withoum me doing a thing.We will see let's hope it's nothing serious.

Purchase an extra hard drive from a store that is close then when you're finished with the troubleshooting, return it. Install a fresh copy of windows on this temporary hard drive to see if the issue persists. Make sure to unplug your existing hard drive so accidental data lost does not happen during the test windows installation.

 

[sotfoun10]

So you are suggesting like mark above that it may be a windows corruption issue ? As I said , this is highly unlikely because if a system is corrupted you experience more serious problems( error popups, unexpected shutdowns,BSOD,system freezes) which is not my case. System is working as it is supposed to. When a game alt tabs it means that another process stole the focus of the game so thats why it goes to the desktop monitor

 

[sotfoun10]

Hi again guys ! Yesterday I was able to find what causes this issue.Turns out it is caused due to the newest avast update! This is going to be fixed probably in the next update so until then I maybe just have to keep up with it or just uninstall the program every time I play a game. I post this in order to help people with similar problems. Thanks for the help and I hope you have a wonderful year with the ones you love !