basically when i try to launch the game, the screen goes black, then minimizes to the taskbar, and everytime i click on it, it simply goes black then boots me back to the desktop,
tried running as admin and compatability mode etc
4ghz processor,
4gb ram
note: it ran fine initially after i launched it from the installer, but when i minimised and tried to remaximise it, my issues started
regards,

FS2 Open might solve your issue. Various methods for installing it can be found at http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Getting_started#Installing_FreeSpace_Open .
If you don't want to install the graphical improvements and the user-made campaigns, you can use Turey's Installer or follow the manual installation instructions and grab just the bare minimum components that include the FSO game engine and the new Launcher.
Also remember to install OpenAL.
If you don't want to try FSO... well, at least I'm at a loss. I don't remember hearing about this kind of an issue regarding FS2 and 7 before.

I've tried running both vanilla FS2 and the SCP on Windows 7. it installs fine. but when I try to run it, a process appears in the task manager, but the game never launches. It always used to work for me on XP and then Vista, I've got no idea what it could be.

I have this issue as well. I could probably get FS2 open working, but it annoys me that this product that is promised to have perfect compatibility...doesn't..
Anyway, I remember hearing something about the original executables having trouble with more than 2 GB of RAM. How much ram do you all have?

Again, FreeSpace Open would have no issues with RAM. I'm not entirely sure about the GOG version, but the original FS2 indeed fails, if there's 2GB or more RAM in the machine.

I use Windows 7 64-bit on a PC with 2GB of RAM on board. And experiance no problems with vanilla FS1/FS2 (from GOG). I agree with Jeff Vader, you should try installing FS Open. Actually, there are many purposes of installing FS Open, not only solving this issue.

I have win 7 64bit with 8GB RAM and I actually had this automated minimising thing going straigh from the first launch with FS1. Problem solved itself after I tweaked my windows themes like removed background picture. Even after I put all back to normal FS1 continued working. Not sure what was the actual trick but it helped me.