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Some kind of program is stealing focus from the active window, it's quite strange. I am using Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit.

So for example I open Notepad++ and start typing. After some time (few minutes, sometimes even less), the window loses focus and the program does not receive input anymore. Same with other programs, it's quite annoying.

I already checked for malicious programs. The only change I made to the computer before the problem started occurring is the installation of a new TP-Link USB wireless adapter.

Anybody have an idea?

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Because the only change I made in a reasonable time was adding the wireless adapter, I thought the problem should be related to that. I investigated by reverting things I have done step-by-step, first removing the wireless adapter, then closing software that came with it (using the Task Manager).

Turned out it was the TP-Link Wireless Utility.

Got rid of it and it is fine now. It is not necessary for the wireless adapter to function.

@Andrew Thompson reports that one and a half year after I posted this question this problem still has not been fixed by TP-Link.

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  • Is there any method you used to track this down? Or just trial and error? Otherwise this question would simply be too localized to the one situation you had, and thus not really helpful for other visitors with the same issue.
    – slhck
    Dec 30, 2012 at 10:08
  • @slhck Basically started closing running programs from Task Manager. Since then I found out that this wireless utility is causing a lot of problems for other people too, so I thought it would be useful to share this. But no matter, this is my first closed question on SE, it seems to be fun :).
    – kapa
    Dec 30, 2012 at 16:21
  • DYM the 'TP-LINK Wireless Configuration Utility'? I seem to be having the same problem! Jul 15, 2014 at 4:09
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    "Since then I found out that this wireless utility is causing a lot of problems for other people too" (raises hand) Just solved the problem on my machine over a year and a half after your answer, thanks to your heads-up. And this was for a new card (the guy that supplied it was grumbling that he'd quoted it to cost $X for the motherboard connector he was expecting, but it used the 'new style connector' and cost $X+10), some year and a half after your report. I disagree that it is 'too localized', though it seems a very poor software support effort on the part of TP-Link. :-/ Jul 15, 2014 at 4:44
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    Sure thing, seems useful.
    – slhck
    Jul 25, 2014 at 14:06

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