BUG: dwm.exe uses memory leakage with Intel HD Graphics 630

[Cody]

Hi,

dwm.exe (Desktop-Window Manager) uses high memory with Intel Intel HD Graphics 630. This problem has been reported before:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/desktop-windows-manager-dwm-memory-leakage-in/c2968fb0-ee26-4483-9f08-dfa19149cd24

https://www.reddit.com/r/windows/comments/iqttw5/windows_10_dwmexe_high_ram_usage/g4umzyn/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

Here's a screenshot of my dwm ram usage after 2 hours (1.6 GB):

Please, this bug is already known for 3-4 months, and I do not want to reinstall a 2019 driver...

[TurboTacho]

Hi there, 

I've just installed driver version 9955 into my laptop and for the past 12 hours with mixed use (i.e. gaming, video streaming, audio/video recording for games, photo editing, etc.) and it's seemed to be working good with under 100MB. Though my laptop's on full shutdown instead of Windows hybrid shutdown.

However, I do emphasize that the plausible workaround now is to perform a full shutdown, in which you shut the system down using Start > Highlight Shut down > Hold Shift key and press Shut down

If you performed a hybrid shutdown, the bloating may occur after some usage. Same scenario when you put the computer to sleep/hibernate.

(Though these symptoms are visible up to driver versions 9684, and after 7985.)

[Gabriela_Intel]

Hey everybody. I just wanted to clarify that 100.9955 includes the same fix that I previously mentioned was in 9922. Though, we've received mixed results on if the "fix" actually reduces the memory leak. I'd still recommend you all to try it out and see if you have any improvement (and comment on your results here).

There's been a lot of movement on this internally so I'm hoping I can report some substantial updates back to this thread soon.

[TurboTacho]

Hello Gabriela,

Good news, I've managed to successfully replicate the DWM memory leak on the latest driver version 30.0.100.9955. However, I'm not exactly sure if the dump files generated were correct, after following the closely guided instructions.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1o6si4q3ZQXqS4Z--4uBt45xWe2De5i5a?usp=sharing

As for the replication steps, here's what I did:
1. Update to latest driver (30.0.100.9955)
2. Perform Windows Hybrid Shutdown (i.e. Start > Shut down)
3. Start up computer again
4. Open Start menu, scroll up and down the tiles and menus for while
5. Open Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based)/Google Chrome
6. Browse through YouTube videos
At point 4 onwards, DWM will start accumulating memory and not release the usage back.

For the most extreme case while DWM is leaking, try live streaming video games via Discord video chat. Extreme caution though, this may cause the system to reach 100% RAM usage, and possibly "freezing" the system.

Do let me know if the files are of the correct one as requested.

Cheers!

[HKlum]

@MrX1980 You dont need to post new drivers on this thread if there is nothing in the change logs saying anything about the issue. Intel's "official" status also is "cant reproduce" still.

[Bryce_Intel]

@HKlum Official status? Not even working on it? Where are you getting this stuff? Gabriela updated a while ago she replicated internally. She's been working with the debug and dev teams nonstop, I've seen so many emails back and forth. Please stop spreading false information. If you want to know something or status, just ask instead of making up your own version. I get you're upset and impatient, Gabriela and I are too, belieeeeeve me, but making up Intel's status doesn't help anyone. Don't get me wrong, you can be grumpy if you're grumpy, I mean even though you've been grumpy up until now you've still been helping and your help has been appreciated (I plan to send helpers some cool swag for helping, including you), but don't put others down and don't make up stuff or its grounds for getting booted.

.:Bryce:.

[Ansuel]

Just can we help by giving more debug stuff? Anything to help you to debug this more? 

[HKlum]

@Ansuel What was said 100 times before:

If you can and want to, please post a dump file like this:

1. Enable app verifier. Windows SDK has the app verifier. In the search bar, open Application Verifier (x64). Please select file -> add application -> dwm.exe. **important step**
2. Enable gflags and capture a dump file. GFlags is included in the Debugging Tools for Windows 10 (WinDbg). Once installed, run gflags from command line. Open CMD and navigate to the gflags.exe tool path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Debuggers\x64, then select "Run as administrator".
   1. In the UI, enter dwm.exe as the Image name.
   2. Check the box – Create user mode stack trace database and Apply the settings.
   3. Restart the computer.
   4. Reproduce the scenario and let dwm.exe accumulate memory.
   5. Right click on Desktop Windows Manager in the Task Manager and select “Create Dump File"
3. Attach the dump file in your response, upload it to some cloud storage and post the share link.

Change 10 for 11 if you use Windows 11 obviously.

Best with Windows 11 and 30.0.100.9955.

[HKlum]

I didnt mean you nor Gabriela with what I said. I totally exclude any support team members from my statement of Intel not "working" on this. Gabriela did great work so far and I appreciate her time on this post. Yet it cant be, that it is the job of the forum support team to try to reproduce this, and the official Intel driver dev team is not able to. Before Gabriela could reproduce it herself, Intel wasnt even believing any of us here. It got better since she could also see it happening. So I still have some  hope left this gets resolved in the end. Though a time window of over 1 year of a problem like this is not acceptable. Frustration and how this was handled is irrelevant at this point. Management needs to put this on a higher priority.

[Reck]

Hi, in my case since I use windows 11, the problem continues, as indicated in some places with disabling Fast Startup the process stops consuming memory without control, but with Fast Startup it does so just by turning on the computer, In my case, in minutes it can consume 1GB of ram or more just by logging in, opening the menu, notifications, calendar, file explorer or moving the windows increases the consumption of ram more, I attach the dump of the process when I get to consume 2.2GB of ram to avoid system crash and also the ssu.txt to help.

Dump File: https://mega.nz/file/MYkEVB4L#QoSuI7g6mXkQHuxRgnw1qbt8M9ig2L68gnRk_8cLoV0

Driver version: 30.0.100.9684

Thanks.

[HKlum]

@Reck Update drivers to 30.0.100.9955 and do another dump file when it reaches 2GB and post it, thanks.

[Reck]

Hi, if you tell me where to get this version, I could try it, since neither by windows update or by Intel Driver & Support Assistant there appear more versions available than the one indicated above, also check in beta versions if there was said version that you indicate and not is listed

[HKlum]

@Reck The same place where it always has been, intel.com

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/19344/intel-graphics-windows-dch-drivers.html

Also please remove the Intel Driver & Support Assistant, and also disable driver updates through Windows updates, if you have Windows 10/11 Pro, you can use gpedit for this:

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-disable-automatic-driver-updates-windows-10

[Reck]

thanks, I will try and submit the dump when the problem occurs

[HKlum]

Just to comment on 30.0.100.9955 too from my side:

Was easily able to make dwm.exe leak to 1.2GB in just 10 Minutes by my procedure how to reproduce the issue I posted several times before. Letting videos play in Chrome, trigger hibernate and modern standby a few times, waking up, repeat. After just 10 Minutes dwm now broken and leaks with 2MB/s with videos playing.

[Reck]

Well, I installed version 30.0.100.9955 and within minutes of starting the system it used up the RAM memory as before, I did the same as always open some file explorer windows, I moved them around the desktop and resized several times and left The system stopped for a few seconds and consumption increased as it always has.

I also attach the ssu again but with the latest version of the driver

Dump file:  https://mega.nz/file/ABkxwYhR#oHy_3nZSQYUTJEVkbNHrID9kcsT7htW2GCEbKYr0wdM

[Jessy16d]

hello with this new driver DWM.exe only reaches 150MB, (normal use) playing around a bit and watching videos, the errors I said before no longer occur 

but when I don't restart the pc DWM.exe reaches 2GB or more (4 days without restarting) this is better, since before DWM.exe occupied up to 10GB of RAM on my system and I had to restart daily.

I hope with a new DWM.exe driver it will occupy 50mb as it did before.

[TheGuidingLight]

The only working Driver I have on this issue is version: 26.20.100.6911. idk if its worth a try for anyone, but I personally haven't been able to update passed that Driver version. the next version windows update is trying to have me update to is: 26.20.100.7584, which is causing the desktop windows manager issue, where i go from having 16GB available memory to 5GB available memory, because the new driver update is eating 11GB of memory in 2 hours. so yea try that top version if possible.

[McStef]

Toujours la même chose ici

Machine : KUU K2s (Celeron J4115 - UHD 600)

Dernier pilote sans fuite : 27.20.100.8476

Mes prochains notebook seront des AMD

[Gabriela_Intel]

Thank you everyone SO much for your efforts!! I really appreciate you rallying up to provide me with all the extra info we've been asking for. 

From our end, it looks like we are finally making some progress. Validation was able to reproduce the issue again (thanks @HKlum for the new detailed steps!). With MSFT's help, we were also able to see the dump's heap statistics to observe what stacks are heavy hitters. That info helped pinpoint where the problem appears.

The latest update is that there is a proposed fix in an internal driver that validation will be testing soon... I'll keep you posted on any other updates as they come to me.

__________

10/21: The problem is with the shader profiler indeed, as pointed out by <redacted>. Working on a fix now.

...

10/21: Can Validation/submitter check if <internal driver> helps?

...

10/22: The proposed fix from <internal driver> suspends metrics gathering after reaching some point (during a single FULL_SENDING session).

[TurboTacho]

Hi Gabriela, 

Thank you for the update on this piece of great news! Any progress is still progress, and I'm happy to hear from the teams.

I've heard that there's a dev driver 30.0.100.9976 released for Windows 11 testing... unfortunately I don't have Win11 so fingers crossed for a proper solution!

[Dallas]

That's great news, @Gabriela_Intel !

I don't know if it will be of any help at this point, but since I collected and uploaded a dmp file I might as well share it. My system has the UHD Graphics 620, not 630, but after upgrading to driver version 30.0.100.9955 and participating in a handful of video calls using Teams and Zoom, over the course of 2-3 hours the dwm.exe process on my machine climbed to almost 7GB of memory.

The 6.9GB dmp file can be downloaded from https://mega.nz/file/lJsQUKYI#emL3VOJeL6Q_6VSUg7iPoJTLSTLEzENw_nlJYEQbM1w