MAME RESETS TO DESKTOP

[kernzy]

Hi all,
i've had this problem for a while, and now i have had enough!
when i'm playing mame, the pc resets to the desktop, on every game, sometimes multiple times. every game i play is a record attempt, and it is doing my head in!! i am uising wolfmame 0.106, i am running mame with no other programs on in the background, and also with the internet off, to avoid disruption, but it still happens.
any suggestions, anyone?
thanks i advance,
paul.

[mahlemiut]

Might need a bit more info - does your PC actually reset, or is MAME simply exiting back to the desktop? Any errors displayed? Anything unusual in console output (if you use the commandline)?

[kernzy]

hello again Barry,
thanks for your reply.
during the game, the screen goes back to the desktop. no errors are displayed. i can click on the mame tab and get back to the game, but normally i have died already. so is terrible for gameplay.
it is driving me crazy. and ruining every single game i play.
cheers pal,
paul.

[BeeJay]

What are you using for your input device for the games.

eg: Are you using a keyboard and, if you are, could you inadvertently be hitting the Windows key on your keyboard?

If you're using the default Mame keyboard layout, this is quite likely given that the Windows key is right between the Ctrl and Alt keys.... I used to do this all the time until I decided it would be better to just remap the keys into a more natural "home" position on the keyboard. I now tend to use I/J/K/L for Up/Down/Left/Right and F/D for buttons 1 & 2.... then I'm at very little risk of pressing that pesky Windows key and ending up back at the desktop.

Actually, to be fair I use the Windows key all the time when I'm at work, especially on Windows 7 with its Aero Snap shortcuts, useful shortcuts for swapping between monitors on a multi-monitor setup, and the new Win+Num shortcuts on the enhanced Win7 task bar, so I really shouldn't call it a pesky key when it's actually one of my favourite productivity keys.

Cheers,
BeeJay.

[mahlemiut]

Yeah, sounds like you are hitting some key combination that is causing something else to take focus from MAME. The Windows key, Alt+Space, or something similar. Later versions of MAME may handle this better, also. SDLMAME, for example, will disable most key combinations like that when running full-screen.

[kernzy]

hi chaps,
there is no chance i touch the windows button. i use an x arcade stick.
when mame resets to desktop, the "start window" is not displayed, as it is when i press the windows key.
i read that i need to update my sleep timers/monitor timer, which i changed to "never" sleep. also was running in a window, and it still reset to desktop. happens with more than 1 mame also. i'm fast running out of sturdy things to punch whenever it happens.
i will set a timer up for how long between each reset, see what it says. sometimes, mame resets to desktop right at the start of the game, sometimes after 15 or 20 minutes. feels random. the layout of my controller is mapped to keys 2,4,6,8, and s.
thanks for your help, chaps.
all the best,
paul.

[kernzy]

ok,
I experimented, and pressed all the buttons on my x arcade. the sticky keys box came up, and i turned it off. however, the buttons pressed for this are not the buttons i use for gameplay, they are on the left hand side, and i do not press them by mistake.
just played 2 games. mame reset to the desktop after so long, i started my timer. i played another game, and exactly half an hour later, it reset to the desktop again. so at least we can tell it is a time related event. what other time related options is there? i have turned them all to never sleep or turn off.
i will try again and see if it resets after another half hour...

[kernzy]

ok,
i played another game immediately. mame reset to the desktop after a further 45 minutes. so now that theory is screwed. this time i had other windows open in the background.
what the hell.

[Chad]

ALT + ESC

this seems like the combination of keys that can do this, put the current window in the background (if it is full screen it will take it off view and go to the desktop). While playing mame try hitting ALT + ESC on your keyboard (on any windows XPish machine) and it will probably do the same thing that is happening.

It could be windows is mapping this key combination ALT+ESC to something else on your keyboard/joypad, or your cat is sleeping next to your keyboard while you play.

[kernzy]

HELLO AGAIN,
yes, pressing alt/escape does exactly the same thing.
still experimenting.
just played bombjack for 1 hour. it reset after 15 minutes, then again at 45 minutes, then again at 1 hour, almost to the second. i wonder why not at 30 mins?
on the last time out, i got to a safe place and left it running. on the hour, mame reset to the desktop, and i was not in the room. (and my cat was outside!!)
here is my layout, just for the record.
http://www.xgaming.com/support/question ... ton+Layout

[mahlemiut]

Sounds like some external application could be taking focus from MAME. Is there anything you installed or updated when this started? Or perhaps some unknown program is running (check Task Manager)?

[kernzy]

no mate,
it happens no matter what is going on. stripped pc of all non used programs, defragged, chkdsk, virus scans, unplugged ex hard drive, registry checked, i think i've done everything apart from restore.
happens every 15 minutes, sometimes it skips a turn. getting tired of trawling forums and restarting the game. trying to think of when it started. it was happening during the gegotw as well. some may have noticed i just stopped moving and died once or twice!!
it is testing me...
what else is there i could turn off? some kind of updater? i really don't want to use the lap top. that would be like using a black and white portable tv!!!
oh yeah! when i used mame this week, on two occasions, i got a trojan horse threat from avg. blocked it first time, allowed it 2nd time. i was not even on the internet at the time.
maybe i should reinstall wolfmame?

[kernzy]

i have now tried 4 different mames. all reset to desktop after 15 minutes.
i have to give up. been doing this for 3 straight days.
what a pisser.
theres no point playing any game that ends after 15 minutes.
thanks everybody.
be lucky,
paul.

[kernzy]

one last thing,
i have noticed a tray icon, wasn't there normally, which says "backup in progress".
i have turned everything off, but this still remains.
related, d'ya think?

[mahlemiut]

Could possibly be. Like I said earlier, check Task Manager for any unknown or unusual programs running.