Games won't Maximize

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
S

shybull

Distinguished
May 2, 2002
24
0
18,510
Most all the games that my kids play start minimized and they have a hard time getting them to maximize on all 3 of our PCs. Games like, Sims, Counter Strike, Commmand and Conquer Generals, Morrowind, Splinter cell. Sometimes if they click repeatedly real fast on the minimized game on the task bar it will eventually come up and they are able to play. All PCs are running XP Pro, so I'm thinking that has something to with it. I have used the task manager to try to maximize them but that doesn't work. I have went into the shortcut and changed it to run maximized with no results. If they get a game working it runs with no problem. Other than this problem all 3 PCs run fine.
PC#1 AMD2100XP
1G DDR2100
MSI KT3 Ultra 2
40G Maxtor
Sound Blaster Live
ATI 8500LE

PC#2 AMD1800XP
1G DDR2100
40G Maxtor
Shuttle AK31A
GeForce4 MX 440
Sound Blaster Live

PC#3 AMD 1.2 Tbird
768 PC133
40G Maxtor
Biostar M7VKB
GeForce2 MX
OnBoard Sound

Thanks
 
Do all these PC have more then one user account, and maybe a limited account at that? I don’t know why, but I wonder if that has something to do with it. Maybe something has more priority, you can check the game priority by right clicking the game in the device manager. Sounds like something is interfering with the game starting normal. But if it is minimize I would think one click should get it to open up, which can take up to 10 seconds or so.

***************************************
When you feel that reality does not suit you, live a fantasy life.
 
you can also trying right clicking and then clicking either restore or maximize. Also if thats does work, press ALT + Tab key and scroll to the application you work with and it will open it. I know that if you are playing like counterstrike or any thing that uses the HL engine if you use right click , restore (maximize) it will cause the sound to be muted on the game. Hope this is helpful.

==Is a Processor supposed to Smoke Like THAT?===
 
All PCs have only one account each on them, the Administrative. There are no pass words. But I guess sonehow it could be the way it's setup, I'll look into it. If I right click on it in the task bar to restore or maximize, no menu appears to do so. One click doesn't maximize it, but it tries to. When you click once it will go to black screen and then right back to the desktop with the game minimized at the bottom. jiffy, where in Device Manager can I check on the games priority, all I see is the hardware.
 
I tried the task manager but no good, same results. I think I might have the answer. When you right click on the shortcut of a game or program you can chose what user account to run this program and a place to put a check mark that says "Protect my computer and data from unauthorized program activity" if I uncheck that, it appears the games will run normal. But it doesn't leave it unchecked, you have to uncheck everytime. We'll see if all the games run alright.
 
Hmmm, my looks the same. Current user and protected is checked. Here are a couple other settings I have. While right clicking the short cut properties in compatibility I also have nothing check. Same with shortcut/advanced run with different credentials is. Run in separate memory space is grayed out.

It sounds like you getting closer. Is there any software that you loaded on all three PCs that could interfere, like a virus protection, something?


***************************************
When you feel that reality does not suit you, live a fantasy life.
 
Speaking of shortcut properties, what is the Run option set to? You should see Normal Window, Minimized, or Maximized. Try Maximized.

<b>99% is great, unless you are talking about system stability</b>
 
The run option is set at maximized ands this doesn't help. I thought I'd found the answer by unchecking the Protect my Computer and data thing but that didn't correct the problem. All 3 Pcs have Norton System Works on them and I've tried disabling it and this did not help. I have tried turning off all unnecessary programs. One of the PCs has recently been rebuilt with new motherboard and processor and vidoe card, I reformated and reinstalled XP Pro. It did it before the new parts and reformat and it still does it. It has to be some setting in Windows XP.
 
I had something like what you were describing happen to me.

I had been playing with using TV-out as a second monitor. Didn't work out because the quality of TV just isn't there so I disabled the second "monitor".

The problem I ran into is I had moved the the windows of some of my apps onto the second display and forgot to move them back. Even though the second display was no longer active the windows did'nt appear on primary display. They were "off screen" if you will.

When I tried to maximize nothing apparently happened. I assume the apps were maximizing on the non-existent second display.

To fix the problem I right-clicked on the application in the taskbar and selected <b>size</b>. This allowed me to use the arrow keys to resize the hidden window (useful because you can't drag with the mouse what you can't see). I moved left, right, up and down until part of the app's window expanded into the primary display. Once I could see part of the window I could drag and resize it on the primary display.

Months later I ran into the problem again but this time some java script had moved the windows of all my apps. This was tougher to fix. Did some searching and found a registry setting or perhaps it was a win.ini setting (I use Win98SE) that moved the default location for a normal window outside the boundries of the primary display.

I wish I had kept notes on that problem.

It was a royal pain because all apps opened off-screen.

Pop-up windows aren't the nastiest things that mischevious programmers can do.

<b>99% is great, unless you are talking about system stability</b>
 
I only have one monitor on the system. The second monitor that I was talking about was just a TV with which I was just playing.

The monitor is a 19" Viewsonic E95. I run it at 1152x864 for daily use and 1024x768 for gaming.

<b>99% is great, unless you are talking about system stability</b>
 
This probably won't work, but nobody else said it so here goes. Try the Windows keyboard shortcut for maximize/minimize: <font color=blue>Windows Key+F4</font color=blue>.

-Today I will talk as fast as possible so that I can feel superior when people misunderstand me. -<i>Daily Affirmations for the Cynic</i>
 
Have you tried this?

Programs-Windows Explorer-(Folder which stores the game)-Find the app that has the most bits.

This helps me when I'm having trouble loading a game from the desktop, but with the problem your having I don't think so.


Reformat???

No Cats or Geese where actually harmed in the making of Might & Majic IX
 
One of the PCs recently had a new processor and motherboard installed and then I reformated. This PC did this before the reformat and now also after it. Could it be SP1? I don't remember if they did this before SP1.
 
[Hey ,thanksfor the info!!!I had the same exact problem and your advice was a fix! I was dreading a call to tech support to try and sort it out,

Thanks


quotemsg=7021,10,446]I had something like what you were describing happen to me.

I had been playing with using TV-out as a second monitor. Didn't work out because the quality of TV just isn't there so I disabled the second "monitor".

The problem I ran into is I had moved the the windows of some of my apps onto the second display and forgot to move them back. Even though the second display was no longer active the windows did'nt appear on primary display. They were "off screen" if you will.

When I tried to maximize nothing apparently happened. I assume the apps were maximizing on the non-existent second display.

To fix the problem I right-clicked on the application in the taskbar and selected <b>size</b>. This allowed me to use the arrow keys to resize the hidden window (useful because you can't drag with the mouse what you can't see). I moved left, right, up and down until part of the app's window expanded into the primary display. Once I could see part of the window I could drag and resize it on the primary display.

Months later I ran into the problem again but this time some java script had moved the windows of all my apps. This was tougher to fix. Did some searching and found a registry setting or perhaps it was a win.ini setting (I use Win98SE) that moved the default location for a normal window outside the boundries of the primary display.

I wish I had kept notes on that problem.

It was a royal pain because all apps opened off-screen.

Pop-up windows aren't the nastiest things that mischevious programmers can do.

<b>99% is great, unless you are talking about system stability</b>[/quotemsg]
 
Possible fix:

I brought this on myself trying to get Hitman Blood Money to work when it kept crashing, here's what I did for the fix:

Go to any game .exe, right click, hit properties then go to the Security tab.

Hit Edit then:

"SYSTEM" and "Administrators (NAME\Administrators)" in the list should have the tick boxes greyed out and have full control, however, I have one called Users (STEVEN\Users) as the third one.

Now trying to fix that game I ticked the Full Control box, retracing my steps to before the minimizing issue brought me back to untick it and so far Diablo 2, Empire Earth 2 and others stay maximised.

If you have kids ask if they remember adjusting these settings (just to confirm)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom