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Follow-up - Occasional issues on apps running via integrated graphics on my Acer Nitro 5

Murilo211205
Beginner
6,628 Views

This topic is a follow-up of my previous one (https://community.intel.com/t5/Graphics/Occasional-issues-on-apps-running-via-integrated-graphics-on-my/m-p/1451177#M113483).

 

All issues have returned after an NVIDIA Game Ready driver update through GeForce Experience.

 

The best way to know if issues returned is to execute the Basemark browser benchmark, since whenever that happens, Intel's driver crashes in the WebGL part, returning an error at the end.

 

Before the driver update, I could pass the test normally, as I had reinstalled Chrome and all my Chromium-based programs, which had solved all issues.

 

After the Game Ready driver update was done, they returned.

 

Looks like there are some incompatibilities between Intel and NVIDIA's drivers.

 

I also suffered from a similar problem in my previous laptop, a Samsung Expert X50 with an Intel Core i7-8565U and an NVIDIA MX110. Whenever I updated my NVIDIA drivers, I would get Intel's driver to randomly crash sometimes when using Chrome. It happened less intensely though.

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Hugo_Intel
Employee
5,279 Views

Hello Murilo211205

 

Thank you for your understanding. Answering your question there were no crashes, flickering, or distortions, in BaseMark, we only saw the error message once the testing is completed (see attached) on now of the systems we tested. This is why is better to report the issue to that app developer.

 

Since the support will continue with the manufacturer of your system we will be closing this thread. We appreciate the information and feedback that you have provided to the community.

 

Best Regards,

 

Hugo O.

Intel Customer Support Technician.

 

View solution in original post

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Hugo_Intel
Employee
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Hello Murilo211205


Thank you for posting on the Intel Communities. We would like to confirm some information in order to further assist you:


  • Did you already try the troubleshooting that was done on the previous thread?
  • What is the Intel driver installed on your graphics card?
  • Please share a short video showing this issue.


Best Regards,


Hugo O.

Intel Customer Support Technician.


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Murilo211205
Beginner
4,700 Views

Hey Hugo!

 

Thank you for showing up again.

 

Well, of course reinstalling again all of my Chromium-based programs will fix the issues, but they will come back right after installing a NVIDIA Game Ready driver update.

 

I contacted my cousin who owns the same laptop model as me, and he also has updated his NVIDIA drivers once, and he realized his issues started after that like how happened with me.

 

NVIDIA Game Ready driver updates are necessary to guarantee the best performance on games. And it's bad to to have the need of reinstalling a huge number of programs after doing them.

 

This is very confusing since (at least mine) Chromium-based programs are relying on the integrated GPU, and the driver that is updated is the dedicated GPU's one

 

When a Chromium-based app is uninstalled, its "GPUCache" folder is erased. When the app is reinstalled, that folder is regenerated. I think the driver update makes the content of that folder outdated, or invalid in some way.

 

To reproduce this issue, the Chromium-based app must have been installed and at least opened once before the NVIDIA Game Ready driver update you are going to do. After the update is done, you'll start to see the issues happening.

 

The best way to view a issue happening is executing the Basemark browser benchmark on Chrome. It is 100% certain that Intel's driver will crash and show some graphical glitches in its WebGL part. When I had my Chromium-based apps reinstalled before my recent driver update, no crashes were occurring and the benchmark would always succeed. When issues are occurring, the benchmark always fails at the end.

 

Issues also happen randomly and when some actions are done, as stated in my previous topic.

 

As per your request, I have recorded some videos. I have attached them to this reply. Looks like when I'm recording the screen through Xbox Game Bar, the driver doesn't crash in the benchmark, but more graphical glitches are shown. I also noticed when there's a higher GPU usage when Chrome is opened, more graphical glitches occur, even out of Chrome's window. Seems like the integrated GPU can't handle the high usage. Everything freaks out. The second video is me viewing the first video I made at Google Photos' website. Glitching as usual. But once I get all my Chromium-based programs reinstalled, none of these issues happen anymore.

 

Also, the Intel's driver version I have here is 30.0.101.1273, which is the latest one made available at Acer's website. But I also have tried the latest generic driver, same thing though.

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Murilo211205
Beginner
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Hello Hugo!

During this weekend I went deep in researching and understanding these issues.

I fully reinstalled Windows and all the drivers. Did a clean install of NVIDIA's driver. Tried latest Intel driver available at Acer's website, tried latest generic one. No matter what, I still suffer from these issues from time to time. Mostly randomly -- but some things seems to trigger them with ease, such as the Basemark browser benchmark at its WebGL part (running on Chrome), as I mentioned many times here. Also most times I share my screen on Discord (Chromium-based program) the stream flickers for people watching it and even for me on the preview.

Apparently, feeling that the problems were solved by reinstalling Chromium-based programs, or that a NVIDIA driver update caused them was just an illusion. They were always there.

I never have any issue when I'm gaming using the dGPU. Everything just works fine. If the iGPU was faulty, it would occasionally fail to receive the dGPU rendering output, right? (*Since the iGPU controls the laptop's screen, it receives the rendering output from the dGPU to display. This technology is called NVIDIA Optimus.)

After doing many Google searches, and reading many forums out there, I became aware that all of these issues are common to occur on Acer's Nitro laptops with the CPU Intel Core i5-11400H (models starting with AN515-57), which mine is included (AN515-57-520Y).

Acer since the launch of these models have been launching BIOS updates with changes pointed to the display. Apparently they have been trying to fix all of these issues people were reporting. When I bought this laptop, in November, the latest BIOS version was already available, and at the same day I got it I already updated my BIOS to the latest version. Even with that, I still suffered from issues from time to time. But according to what people were posting when the latest BIOS version wasn't available yet, these issues looked to be more frequent and intense before the BIOS updates.

Fact is that they are still around, happening from time to time with everyone who owns an Acer Nitro with an i5-11400H, even if it's not that frequent. People still report issues to this day. And something must be done. Possibly at this point a BIOS update won't fix them, and maybe this is the case of a driver problem. Who knows if Acer tried to contact Intel for a fix?

Some details I am aware that I can share are that whenever the driver crashes (TDR), some of the errors that are shown at Windows' Event Viewer are:
- LKD_0x141_Tdr:6_IMAGE_igdkmdn64.sys_GEN12LP_DX10_BBHANG
- LKD_0x141_Tdr:6_IMAGE_igdkmdn64.sys_GEN12LP_DX10_GPULOOP
- LKD_0x141_Tdr:6_IMAGE_igdkmdn64.sys_GEN12LP_DX10_RINGHANG

Well, I hope for a cooperation between Acer and Intel to fix everything. I'm thankful that Intel has this forum with many employees working to analyze each report. Things get actually fixed. Everyone gets the attention they need. Acer, on other hand, only has "contributors" (common users who are rewarded with badges) answering people on their forums, and there is no way to contact people who actually would analyze your problem and forward the case to the right people to fix it. Please Intel employees, if there's any chance for y'all to send this to the right Acer people, please do it. If it's something that can be fixed on a driver update, please make it happen!

I'm willing to share any information that can be useful for this case. Please just let me know how I can do it. I hope the videos I attached in my last reply are useful for something.

I have compiled all the links I found for reports from people having the same issues I do have. Maybe taking a look at them would help gathering more information regarding all the issues. It's funny to notice how all of the topics from Acer's forum end with no solutions at all, and people who answer are just common users, or whatever you wanna call them. This NEEDS a fix, and many people are waiting for it. Notice the amount of people who comment on the YouTube videos telling they have the same problem.
- https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/672976/why-does-my-acer-nitro-5-s-an515-57-50agkeep-on-glitching
- https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/676357/my-acer-nitro-an515-57-laptop-screen-randomly-becomes-shaky-multiplies-make-glitches-please-help
- https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/666138/nitro-5-an515-57-57-video-glitch-and-freeze-for-few-seconds-after-disconnecting-the-ac-power-supply
- https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/661387/random-screen-display-flicker-on-nitro-5-an515-57
- https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/659554/i-just-bought-acer-nitro-5-an515-57-used-for-3-days-and-now-my-screen-flickers-almost-everday
- https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/666222/screen-flickering-in-nitro-5-gaming
- https://www.amazon.com/vdp/04529b145c6f4673abb36644cd03be60?ref=dp_vse_rvc_2
- https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/671466/acer-nitro-an515-57-display-flickering
- https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/675716/screen-flickering-on-windows-11-laptop-when-variable-refresh-rate-is-enabled-an515-57-nitro-5
- https://www.reddit.com/r/AcerNitro/comments/v9t2z6/an51557_screen_flickering/
- https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/my-laptop-screen-flickers-in-games-if-variable/015115c8-23cf-44f7-99da-d3d51d36cb22
- https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/why-is-my-screen-flickering-every-few-minutes-when/6cdbe617-8d59-4cce-bbf3-c6d2182fca2e
- https://www.reddit.com/r/AcerNitro/comments/r8yh81/i_recently_got_a_acer_nitro_5_and_suddenly_the/
- https://www.amazon.in/gp/customer-reviews/R3G9KRDKN0GXFF?ASIN=B0B3XPG9WG
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WNlvCEQMNJI
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/v8xCH8KfzY0
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwKvI-j_RX4
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/R7XCAIJxZHU
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/799599/display-issue-that-is-recurring-especially-after-t
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VDJGsXo7rLI
- https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/619375/random-screen-flicker-glitch-nitro-5-515-54

Most people, just like me, agree that most times issues occur they're browsing the web, or with something Chromium-related open, but it's impossible at this point to affirm anything at all. This was my suspicion since the beginning of my journey within this case, as y'all read since I made this Intel account. I think it's time for this case to get into an internal analysis and be fixed ASAP! I no longer got the skills to debug this further.

To end this reply, I'll add that I've tried stressing and benchmarking the iGPU using a tool called Basemark GPU. No issues at all. Well, it's not Chromium-based. Not a web browser. I don't know anymore.

Thank you Hugo for your attention, and thank you Intel for having people who can hear and help users. 🙂
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Hugo_Intel
Employee
4,565 Views

Hello Murilo211205 

 

I appreciate all the information as well as the videos you shared. Also, all of the forums from Acer that you shared are pretty useful. Before we look further into this, please let's try the following troubleshooting and testing and share with us the outcome: 

 

  • Go to device manager > Display adapters 
  • Right Click on the Nvidia RTX 3050 Mobile Adapter 
  • Click on disable device. 


After completing the above steps, test your system and check if the issue persists as this will allow the system to only use the Intel driver and adapter. If the issue continues, please do the same steps but disable the Intel® UHD Graphics and only enable the Nvidia RTX 3050. 

 

Best Regards,  

 

Hugo O. 

Intel Customer Support Technician.


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Murilo211205
Beginner
4,559 Views

Hi Hugo.

 

Forgot to mention that I've already tried that out.

 

Disabling NVIDIA's driver and leaving only Intel's driver → issues still occur.

 

Disabling Intel's driver and leaving NVIDIA's driver → no issues at all, poor performance (NVIDIA Optimus doesn't work well).

 

I don't know if you saw, but on YouTube people actually suggest in their videos to disable Intel's driver to fix issues. Well, that actually works, but it's not an acceptable solution. There was a particular video I watched where it was suggested to disable Intel's virtualization technology in BIOS to fix issues, and commenters were saying that worked. But that video wasn't for my Nitro model, though.

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Hugo_Intel
Employee
4,536 Views

Hello Murilo211205


Thank you for letting us know the results of the troubleshooting steps. We will continue checking this issue internally, I will post back once I have an update for you or in case I need more information.


Best Regards,


Hugo O.

Intel Customer Support Technician.


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Murilo211205
Beginner
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Hugo_Intel
Employee
4,519 Views

Hello Murilo211205


I appreciate your patience. Please let's try the following troubleshooting steps and let us know the results:


  1. Try an external display and check if the same issue happens.
  2. I understand this issue happens on chromium-based apps, however, just for testing please access the system Bios and navigate through the options for a while and check if the same problem occurs.
  3. Follow this instruction to disable Panel Self Refresh.
  4. Follow these instructions to disable Desktop Windows Manager:
  • Access the Power User menu by right-clicking the Windows taskbar icon.
  • Select Run.
  • Type “services.msc” into the Run dialog box.
  • Locate Desktop Window Manager Session Manager.
  • Right-click it and select Stop.
  • Right click Desktop Window Manager Session Manager again.
  • Select Properties.
  • Under the General tab, modify the start-up type to Disabled.
  • Press OK.


Let us know if there is any change in the system behavior after trying the above troubleshooting steps.


Best Regards,


Hugo O.

Intel Customer Support Technician.


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Murilo211205
Beginner
4,515 Views

Hi Hugo!

 

1. I don't have an external display to test things out. However, I can set the dGPU as the primary GPU for the system. When I I do that, mentioned issues stop occurring.

 

2. No issues at all on the BIOS screen, nor on the boot one with Acer's logo.

 

3. Panel Self Refresh is only applied when the system's on battery, but I use it plugged in most of the times. I tried disabling that out anyways, but as expected no changes at all.

 

4. Disabling Desktop Windows Manager didn't change anything.

 

Let me know if you need any other information. 🙂

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Murilo211205
Beginner
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I think something that happens inside Chrome triggers the issues.

 

For example, whenever I do the Basemark test, issues start happening and they take over everything, even things being rendered by the dGPU (it's understandable since the dGPU output passes through the iGPU to be displayed). I need to restart the computer for them to stop. Of course by doing the Basemark test I'm forcing something to happen, but problems occur in normal browsing too, but not as frequent.

 

WebGL seems to be problem, to be honest. The driver gets in trouble in the WebGL part of the Basemark test. Most times my iGPU goes crazy/crashes is when I'm accessing WebGL-intensive websites through Chrome. After something is triggered, the driver won't stop freaking out until I restart the computer.

 

The graphical glitches never appear in the 3D rendered content (no matter if it's by the iGPU or the dGPU), though, but on the top of UIs, on the surface of things. I don't know if y'all can understand me, but this case is driving me crazy. My laptop is new.

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Murilo211205
Beginner
4,486 Views

The driver doesn't crash in the Basemark test when I have Task Manager opened. As long as I close it, a crash happens. These things are really driving me crazy......

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Murilo211205
Beginner
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Found this Reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/Dell/comments/rbkuz1/can_anybody_help_me_fix_this_glitch_on_my_g15_its/

from someone who owns a Dell G15 with the same hardware specifications as my Acer Nitro 5.

 

The same happens with me if I do that with the window while a video is running on YouTube.

 

Made my cousin do the same test. Same result.

 

Really looking like a driver problem.

 

 

Edit: found someone with identical problem on another laptop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbRozSwC4Cg

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Hugo_Intel
Employee
4,422 Views

Hello Murilo211205


Thank you for sharing this information and for completing the advised troubleshooting. We will need to continue researching this issue., however , I would like to confirm the following:


Is this distortion noticeable on screenshots or screen recordings? Could you please do a video with a screen recorder or take screenshots while the issue is happening and share it with us.


Best Regards,


Hugo O.

Intel Customer Support Technician.


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Murilo211205
Beginner
4,415 Views

Good afternoon, Hugo.

 

The issues are not visible on screenshots nor screen recordings.

Edit: the distortions and glitches seen on the videos I did won't appear on screenshots nor screen recordings. But, the time when Chrome went all black and positioning the mouse over content in its window was the only way to make them show up, was visible on a screenshot, as I attached in a reply at my previous post.

 

Also, I have found this article from NVIDIA which seems to relate to my case:

https://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5157

 

I disabled MPO using their registry tweak and the distortions/artifacts have stopped, at least they no longer appeared in my testing. On the other hand, the crash on Basemark benchmark haven't stopped. 

 

According to my research, it seems like MPO has an history of incompatibilities and problems with drivers from NVIDIA, AMD and even Intel. Since I have GPU both from NVIDIA and Intel, it's hard to tell the driver of which one is causing the issues.

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Hugo_Intel
Employee
4,367 Views

Hello Murilo211205


Please monitor the system for a couple of days to make sure the issue of the distortion does not happen again before we continue researching the problem.


As for the BaseMark crash, that one was not visible on the video that you shared on previous posts, we would need a short video of the crash to further research it as well.


Best Regards,


Hugo O.

Intel Customer Support Technician.


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Murilo211205
Beginner
4,352 Views

I ran Basemark today, and the artifacts/distortions appeared again. They mostly appear after the Intel's driver TDR crash at the WebGL part of the benchmark, sometimes during common web browsing, and are not visible on screenshots or screen recordings. Really weird.

 

Disabled and enabled Intel's driver in Device Manager during that and everything went back to normal.

 

MPO is not the one to blame.

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Murilo211205
Beginner
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I'd like to try a clean install of Intel's driver, just like I did with NVIDIA's one, for the final verdict, using the OEM version from Acer.

 

To start, what's the best way to uninstall it? Using the Uninstall option present in the installer, Device Manager, etc.?

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Hugo_Intel
Employee
4,276 Views

Hello Murilo211205


Thank you for letting us know. The method we would advise to uninstall the driver would be using Display Driver Uninstaller, please follow the instruction in the following article:

How to Use the Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) to Uninstall an Intel® Graphics Driver


Let us know if this makes any difference in the behavior.


Best Regards,


Hugo O.

Intel Customer Support Technician.


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Murilo211205
Beginner
4,272 Views

Alright. I'll try that out and reach back to you.

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Murilo211205
Beginner
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Uninstalling and reinstalling the driver didn't change anything. Did the Basemark benchmark once again, it started rendering the WebGL part, then the driver crashed, as usual, giving the RINGHANG error in the Event Viewer. This time, the artifacts/distortions didn't appear after the crash.

 

I contacted a Microsoft MVP specialized in Windows regarding my case, and he said the errors that are usually given (BBHANG, RINGHANG and GPULOOP) are hardware-related. Since those errors are named by Intel, I'd like to know exactly what they mean. 

 

I attached a video for the driver crash in Basemark's WebGL test, as requested earlier. Courtesy of my cousin, who has the same laptop as me.

 

Sometimes the artifacts/distortions start after the Basemark crash, sometimes they don't. Sometimes they randomly happen. Usually when they happen, I'm browsing the web, or using a Chromium-based application. I haven't ever had anything when I just turn on the laptop to go straight to a game. I actually never got them while only playing games. I can stress/benchmark/test the iGPU using any program, but when it's something resource-demanding coming from Chrome or something Chromium-related, all issues occur.

 

I've been constantly searching about my case, and interesting enough, all people who have issues just like me have a gaming laptop with similar system configuration:

- 11th gen. Intel Core i H-series CPU (commonly 11400H, like me)

- NVIDIA RTX Mobile GPU series (commonly 3050, like me)

- 1920x1080 144 Hz screen (possibly the same model? Possible incompatibility from Intel's driver with the screen?)

 

Again, I don't believe this to be caused by hardware malfunction, since my cousin has the same issue, nor Acer-specific. We both have new laptops.

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