xp is sp3, video drives and directx is up to date...I have not been able to sacrifice gnomes though..that could be the issue.

I usually run in windows mode, issues happens in either. 

Nothing in taskmanager that could be the issue.  minimal tasks and all appropriate.

I have an odd problem that I can't seem to fix.  Any time that I Alt-Tab out of EQ, it takes 7 seconds until that next window becomes active.  Then when I alt-tab back in to EQ, it takes 20 seconds.  I have excluded the EQ files from my virus scan, changed graphic settings, run in full screen, run in windows, update video drives...doesn't change anything, it's always 7 seconds out and 20 seconds back. 

The computer shouldn't be the issue, but it's a Pentium duel core 3.00ghz with 2 gig ram.  It's running Win XP and I'm using an NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT.  It's an older machine, but newer than the one I use to run EQ Live on back in the day.  No one in my guild has seen this issue and I can run it on my laptop without this problem.  So it's something going on with this machine.  I checked these forms and ones on EQEmu and don't find anything related.

Any thoughts/assistance would be greatly appreciated.