The Window.focus method does not work in Internet Explorer 8

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Symptoms

You develop a Web page that uses the Window.focus method to set the focus on the Internet Explorer window. Then you browse this Web page in Windows Internet Explorer 8. After you minimize the Internet Explorer window, the Window.focus method does not return this Web page to the foreground of the screen. This issue occurs when you browse this Web page in a security zone that enables protected mode.

For steps to reproduce this issue, see the "More information" section.

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Cause

This issue occurs because of a Loosely Coupled Internet Explorer architectural change in Internet Explorer 8.

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Resolution

Security update information

To resolve this problem, install the most recent cumulative security update for Windows Internet Explorer. To do this, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

For more technical information about the most recent cumulative security update for Windows Internet Explorer, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/current.aspx

Note This update was first included in security update 980182 (MS10-018). For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

980182� MS10-018: Cumulative security update for Internet Explorer

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More information

For more information about the focus method, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

Introduction to the focus method

Steps to reproduce this issue

Construct the following Web page:

<html><head>
<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="5" />
<title>this is a test page</title>
<script>
function foo()
{
   window.focus();
}
</script>
</head>
<body onload="foo()">
Hello World
</body>
</html>

Browse the Web page in a protected mode-enabled security zone in Internet Explorer 8.
Minimize the Internet Explorer window and wait for about five seconds.

In this case, the Web page is expected to return to the foreground of the screen. However, the page flashes in the taskbar instead.

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