This latest patch...

[Gworlonson]

The problem exist because the desktop is getting focus instead of EQ. This happens to me almost every time I log into EQ now. Use Alt-Tab to give focus back to EQ and you be on your merry way.

[Herbert Dypp]

tried alt-tab with no luck, but Ellar found the mouse-left-click trick the other day. seems to work every time

[Jullious]

Yep.

Got a way to fix my issues. When EQ patches I go into ZA and deauthorize EQ from "OK" to "ASK" (but not "NO") and this keeps it from locking up.

Which also seems to indicate that Herbie was right and the problem was in ZA. Or at least how ZA, EQ & WinXP work together.