Texture downloading when SL window is minimized?

I have been trying out new skins for my alt and I've run into a puzzle.

It takes textures so long to load (or download or crossload or whatever they do) that I like to just browse the forums while waiting for them. Today I noticed when I come back to SL to check if the skin is still blurry, it has made no progress at all!

I remember once reading about your avatar textures having to download to your video card and are then upload again (?) so everyone else can see them as you do. Is this not happening when the window is minimized - or merely temporarily abandoned for the forums?

If this is true does the same thing happen with slow loading textures in store displays for instance?

Do I need to start reading a book instead of the forums? (Wait - don't answer that.)

I am running an nVidea on MicromanageSoft Windows Vista.

With the typical viewer minimizing the window sends a message to the sim telling it to put you on "pause," and you don't receive images during that time even if you request them.

I always avoid minimizing the window regardless, if I minimize it for too long I seem to get really poor performance after bringing it back up again. So to browse the forums and stuff I just alt+tab over to my browser and leave SL to do its thing

That's what is was! I have a habit of keeping all windows full screen, so it never occurred to me to use ALT TAB. I usually use the tabs on the navitgation bar and may have this Vista abomination set to minimize the window not in use - or some such.

Anyway, it's working much better now. Thanks!