DirectDraw: Full Screen App loosing focus and I can't restore!

Problem:

When DirectX 7.0 app window looses focus and minimizes, I loose my surfaces (that's expected.) When I try to restore my window to full size, and call restore I recreate the DirectDraw flipping surfaces, and reload all my bmp for the surfaces.

Before I can do any blt'ing, the window AGAIN minimizes itself and refuses to restore itself. I know it's not just my app. The "Windows 2000 Graphics API Black Book" and my older "Inside DirectX (for DX5.2)" do the same thing when recompiled. Neither is allowed to fully restore the window and usually result in lockup and/or failure.

When I run from Visual Studio debug mode, after a few seconds, the window automatically looses focus.

Changes in display res or bitdepth makes no difference.

System Information:

I have DirectX 9 SDK installed from this past January.

I am using Visual Sudio 6.0 with SP2 installed.

I am running on Windows XP Pro with all patches installed.

I'm running the latest certified ATi radeon drivers across two monitors. The app runs on the main #1 display and the code on the right #2 display.