Happy New Year !
This problem has been discussed under a different heading, but i wanted to try and pull it all together. I am still having the intermittent problem of some games being minimised and being returned to the desktop, despite all the helpfull advice i have been given.
I have found that when i am returned to the desktop, if i press Control/Alt/Delete and end process for ccApp.exe (which i believe is to do with Norton Internet Security) then i can run the game from the icon in the task bar. I wonder if i should un-install Norton Internet Security but i am unsure of what to replace it with so that i am still protected when on the internet.
Also, though it my not be connected to the main problem 1) I have a message on Norton which says urgent attention - to do with virus definitions - I am unable to update these even though my subscrption does not run out unti 31/01/2003
2) The AOL icon no longer appears in my system tray
3) The F lock key on the keyboard no longer automatically comes on after start up
4) The boxes that come on when the mouse pointer is over icons in the system tray are sometimes partially hidden beneath the task bar, and the viewing box when i am on the internet overlies the task bar at the bottom of the screen.

Is this still this 'beta' version you were talking about the other day, PWS?  If it won't update, that will cause problems, but I don't know if would cause the problems with your games.

You could try re-installing it, and you may need to run Live Update several times before it gets all it needs.  I believe the Common Client is ccApp.exe, and it sometimes takes several consecutive Live Updates to get it up to date.  Don't know why, but that always seems to happen to me, whenever I install Norton Anti Virus and Firewall.  I suspect, however, that if you only have the 'beta' version, it had a limited lifespan, so may well refuse to re-install.

Do you think the other issues i mentioned are connected?

Being no expert, but reasonably familiar with Norton products, my guess would be no.  One way to find out would be to try alternative Anti Virus and Firewall software.  You can find free versions of a selection of these in our PC Pals Guides at the bottom of these pages.  I can personally recommend the free version of Sygate Personal Firewall, but I have not tried any of the free Anti Virus packages.  You would be advised to uninstall Norton before installing the alternatives, as sometimes they can fight each other, so download what you want, then stay offline as far as possible until you have the new softwares up and running.

Judging by what you have said about your existing Norton package, it seems that to continue using it, you will have to renew your subscriptions.

I have un-installed Norton Security suite and replaced it with agnitum firewall and AVG antivirus which were both on a free disc with a magazine. All games are running fine at the moment, but the minimised games problem has been intermittent so its hard to know if it is really all OK now. If the Norton security suite was causing the problem, i will let them know as well.
I used to have an icon in my system tray which enabled me to see the desktop behind active windows when i am on the internet, but it is not there now and i wonder if there is a better way of seeing the desktop other than dragging all the windows, by their top blue bars, out of the way. Could this be connected to the problem of the main internet window overlying part of the task bar. I can only see all of the task bar if i drag the main AOL window upwards by its top bar. Many thanks

Don't forget to download the AVG updates PWS.  The magazine disc will be at least a month out of date.

It is version 6. The disk directed me to the site you mentioned to obtain a regisration number. There is a scheduled task option which is set to run every 24 hours. Do you think i should uncheck this item ?
Also i did not realise that XP has its own firewall accessed via the control panel, but i do not have this enabled at the moment.
I have had no problems with games being minimised so far, but i have noticed that when i run Emperor Rise of Middle Kingdom, after the title sequence has run, the screen flickers 3 or 4 times before the main game control screen appears.

Thanks for the advice.
I have been on the Norton Internet Security website, but i cant find mention of the intermiitent problems i was having, although a previous response to my problem mentioned someone else had the same problems and un-installed it and all was fine. Do anti-virus programmes run in the background all the time, and i wonder why it will sometimes allow games to run and sometimes not. All seems well for now.

Also, i think the scheduler is set to do a system check every 24 hours. I can cehck for updates manually but does the anti virus scan of the C drive need to run every day ?

It depends how paranoid you get    no serious it is down to you, I run mine once a week and also depends on what dodgy sites you may visit   etc etc.

Hookstar