I found this with the last unstable to. If you install a fresh install then try and go to either single player or MP without configuring the graphics first, it will show the intro screen then minimise to the taskbar. Then pressing the taskbar button will being the black up but then it will minimise again, then have to end process. If GFX settings are configured then it runs as expected.
I'm currently downloading. I won't configure anything and start the sim. I'll report back as to what happens. After installing Brianza and civic, I was able to go to a single player race w/o setting any graphics. Nvidia card btw.
This is also without installing mods, plainly just clicking either Single player or multiplayer after an install. ATI 5770 card. (Drivers: 13.251-131206a-166389C-ATI) Nothing should be stealing focus really, I have had firefox running plenty of times when running rF2. Logo appear, screen goes black, then back to desktop with the game process still running on the taskbar (doesn't even have a not responding label). Even installing a car and a track it still does the same thing, and sure enough I uninstall those mods, configure the sim graphics and it will run as normal. Should the sim not recognise this is the first run and mandate a configure graphics option?
Something like that happened to me, but only when I start single or multi without having starded the logitech profiler before. The profiler steals the focus even if it ends in the tray. Once I changed back to the rFactor process using taskbar it works ok. It had been happening from the first versions.
Yeah, I am pretty certain something is stealing focus because of the default gfx settings. Once they are set, it's less likely something will steal focus. The default settings allow for it really.