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Screenshot results in mstsc.exe stealing focus

Even after several updates since this started happening, whenever I take a screenshot, a process starts stealing Windows keyboard and UI focus repeatedly, roughly every 0.5-1.0 seconds, without stopping.

Recently, I've discovered using WindowsFocusLogger that this process is mstsc.exe, a process that should be responsible for remote desktop management; however, I don't have remote desktop enabled nor TeamViewer or similar running, so I'm a bit perplexed by why this is happening.

Looking into Windows services, I have "Remote Access Connection Manager" running, which apparently manages VPN connections. So I tried disabling the services for PIA and VPN Unlimited, which somehow seemed to work at first but then the problem quickly returned.

Now, I don't know if this is or even can be a problem *caused* by ClipClip, but it consistently occurs after I take a screenshot with ClipClip and the only "solution" I've found so far is to lock the computer, wait a few seconds, and log back in, which seems to stop the focus-stealing spiral.

I have tried googling every possible combination of "focus stealing", "mstsc", "clipclip" and the VPNs I use with zero mentions of my actual problem, so I hoped someone here might have encountered a similar problem or could share insight as to why taking a screenshot could result in mstsc suddenly fighting for my attention.
Any help would be much appreciated, this has been a real pain for a while.

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2 replies

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Y

Hello,

Unfortunately, you did not provide any additional information that can help us to solve (or figure it out) your problem.
For example,
- We do not know the version of the ClipClip app that you use.
- We do not know the version of the Windows OS that you use.
- We do not know the monitor resolution that you use.
etc.

You can provide this information automatically, by sending the report directly from the ClipClip app.
To do this:
Go to the main menu => "About" => "Report a problem" command.
Fill in the required fields and click the "Send" button to send the report.
This report will have an attached log file that contains errors and warnings that have been occurred in your ClipClip app.
In addition, it will contain Windows OS build and monitor resolutions.
We hope this report will help us to solve your problem.

In any case, before sending the report, the best way is to uninstall your ClipClip app completely:
- Close the ClipClip app if it is running;
- Uninstall the ClipClip app (use "Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Programs and Features").
NOTE: Use the clean uninstallation (perform the clean uninstall in the dialog) to remove all settings and data that were created by the ClipClip app:
1) The saved clips (clips that are placed in the connected folders) will not be deleted from the hard drive.
2) The latest clips will be deleted from the hard drive. So, if necessary, save all of them (or select some clips in the grid) in any folder before uninstalling the ClipClip app.
- Optional: restart your computer.
- Download the ClipClip installer from the website (https://www.clipclip.com) and install the ClipClip app.
That's all.


Thank you for your cooperation.


Best Regards,
Vitzo Team.

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P

Thank you for the response and I'm sorry I didn't think to include this sort of information before.

I've now submitted a ticked through a clean install of ClipClip "Report a problem" under #6468

Y

Hello,

You wrote:
"I've now submitted a ticked through a clean install of ClipClip "Report a problem" under #6468"
...
We already received your report.
After his checking, we will answer you.

Thank you for your cooperation.


Best Regards,
Vitzo Team.

P

Update:

I've done a little more digging now that I finally had something to look for and it seems that WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) might be the culprit since wslhost.exe is the process starting mstsc.exe, having it crash, and then trying again indefinitely.

When the problem occurs, running `wsl --shutdown` stops the loop, and if WSL isn't running at all the problem never seems to happen (I've only tried a few times with no events). While ProcessMonitor shows other apps like Logi Options+ and Acronis Cyber Protect Service querying mstsc.exe for some reason, killing them doesn't seem to do anything; although notably, Acronis seems very hard to actually kill, so there's still a maybe there.

All in all, even though WSL is inevitably the process throwing me in this loop, why on earth is it happening after I take a screenshot with ClipClip? Does ClipClip try to communicate with WSL in any way? Does it do something that would cause WSL to start querying and restarting the remote desktop service?

I get the same result if I simply kill mstsc.exe from Task Manager – it starts restarting and crashing indefinitely. What I don't understand is why this would be happening after using ClipClip.

Comment
MH

Just wanted to add that the exact same thing is happening to me except when using FastStone Screen Capture. Maybe it's checking for all available monitors and if Linux subsystem has a hidden virtual display it gets executed and fails when queried. It doesn't happen all the time. Maybe once per system restart... I have no idea.

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