dGPU Switch and Freeze Problem

[RBalt1]

Hi,

there is a problem with laptops which have Intel CPU + GTX 1050/1050Ti/1060/1070/GT 640M. The problem is, whenever you try to do some action on the OS, discrete GPU is triggered and it causes a 0.5s freeze.

Some actions, which cause the dGPU to wake up and lock up the whole system for about 0,5 seconds are:

• Left click on battery-icon in task-bar
• Opening Chrome-browser
• Opening Windows Image Viewer (app + classic Foto viewer)
• Opening system control panel
• Provocation any animation on task bar (e.g. thumbnail-preview, ...)
• Loading a new tab in Firefox

Here is a video demonstrating Display Setting Freeze:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7K1SpCQgAY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7K1SpCQgAYAnother video showing dGPU switch on a lot of simple tasks:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-euiZmHZwlc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-euiZmHZwlcAnother one:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txQZWfWFhlc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txQZWfWFhlcWe have tried updating every software possible, but no luck.

• Intel driver
• NVIDIA driver
• Chipset driver
• BIOS
• Firmware

The problem can be found on all laptop brands: ASUS, Acer, Clevo, Dell, Gigabyte, HP, Lenovo, MSI, Razer.The problem can be solved by either disabling Intel GPU, which forces the system to always work with NVIDIA, or disabling NVIDIA GPU. Both of them is not an option though, as if you disable Intel, not only you will drain the battery faster, but also some games will stop working. If you disable NVIDIA, then what is the point of buying a laptop with a discrete GPU?There is a also a workaround: configuring https://github.com/jobeid/TrayPwrD3 TrayPwrD3 to always work with NVIDIA in the backgound. This keeps the NVIDIA GPU alive but also drains battery faster. And there is no poaint in that as it renders Optimus useless!So, manufacturers have to come up with a fix.Thank you.

Reported Models:

• Acer VN7-793G

• Acer Nitro 5 (AN515-51-536M)

• Acer Nitro 5, i5 7300HQ, GTX1050 Ti

• Acer Predator Helios 300 (PH317-51)

• ASUS N580VD

• Asus GL503VD

• Asus GL503

• Alienware 13 R3

• Alienware 17 R4

• Dell 7567

• Dell XPS L521x

• Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming 7577

• Dell 7510 (Early 2017)

• Gigabyte Aero15W

• GIGABYTE P37XV6

• Gigabyte P35 v6

• Gigabyte Aero 15

• HP Omen 15

• HP Omen HD630 + GTX1050

• HP Pavilion

• Lenovo Y720

• Lenovo Y520

• Lenovo W530

• Lenovo P51 Xeon

• MSI GE63VR 7RF Raider 4K

• MSI GS60 2PE

• MSI GS43VR 7RE

• MSI GS63VR 4K

• MSI GS73VR 7RG Stealth Pro

• MSI GS73VR 7RF

• MSI GP62MVR 7RF

• MSI GE72MVR 7RG

• MSI GE73VR 7RE

• MSI GE73VR 7RF

• MSI GP72MVR

• MSI GX63VR

• Monster ABRA A7 V7.2 (Clevo)

• Razer Blade 14

• Razer Blade 14 2017

• Razer Blade 2017

• Samsung Odyssey i7 7700 + GTX 1050

• XMG A517-dnj

• XMG P507

Non-Effected Models:

• MSI PL62 7RC

Effected Windows Versions:

• W...

[GSain]

Dear Intel Team,

Do anyone please care to respond with respect to the availability of the permanent solution for this issue, which is been lingering around since June 2017.

Awaiting a reply at earliest.

[AlHill]

There was a response on January 31st. Look at post # 175 in this thread by Bryce@Intel :

And, yes, patience is key. Complain all you want, but the issue is being addressed.

Doc

[GSain]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. Just put yourself in our shoes and try getting the same response which is being given to us. As this issue is pending since June 2017, isn't patience is key. It isn't about complaining, its about that is this issue so complicated/complex or is there not a single person available to address the issues or close it ASAP, which will eventually benefit the community.

As per your response, Its been another month since the reply. Do you think, in case of such issues, as raised by so many of the community members, that its been taken lightly. What about Meltdown or Spectre, why is then there a need to work on those.

[AlHill]

I am not going to debate the issue, and Meltdown and Spectre have nothing to do with this problem, and nothing to do with this thread, which is 5 months old.

The point is that there is a lot of needless complaining, and coarse/foul language that is unnecessary and disrespectful, especially when it has been acknowledged and is being worked on. Behave like mature adults, and understand that a fix has to be done carefully and properly, and tested, so as not to break something else you are unaware of.

Just be patient.

Doc

(my own personal opinion, and I am not an Intel employee)

[Mjagg1]

it is happening to me right now, am on windows 10, 16GB Ram, everything is updated, drivers, windows all. i will try to use following solutions you guys suggested here and will post my results here. lets hope for the best

Mathew Jagger

Writter

[JLine1]

Here too.

MSI GS43VR Phantom Pro. 1060, Pascal Architecture. 1500 dollar computer that freezes all the time. Right click? Freeze. Open browser? 2 second freeze. Freeze, Freeze, Freeze. What an incredible waste of money. I own a 350 dollar Toshiba Laptop (valued in 2013) that may be slow, but one thing it doesn't do is completely lock up for a second or two every time an action is taken. Affects games, too, as Rocket League and Mass Effect, two games that the 1060 should breeze through, both stutter constantly.

Ridiculous. Not sure if it's Intel or Microsoft's fault, but the fact that this pervasive of a problem could have passed through development in this many laptops (just froze again while typing LOL) is outrageous. And considering the fact that this issue took 7 months to be acknowledged by Intel and we are currently in month 9 of waiting for even the slightest remedy is indicative of something fishy.

My guess? It can't be fixed. Donning the tinfoil hat here, but it's not that far fetched. They must, must have encountered this problem in their labs with dual GPU laptops. Zero chance that no one encountered this. Zero. They came across the problem, realized that it would take an entire rewrite of the OS, saw that the industry could potentially lose hundreds of millions of dollars, and kept it quiet. If normal people knew that laptops of any kind ran this poorly, especially with the ridiculous amount of horsepower in these machines today, they would blacklist them and it would become common knowledge not to buy them. So they slipped it under everyone's noses, said nothing and remained silent when people started to complain. And will continue to do so, and delay, delay, delay (oh we're working on it... be patient... not a huge priority...etc. etc. etc.) until Windows 11 rolls around and ostensibly fixes the problem, leaving two new ones in its wake.

That's my theory, anyway. I'm giving the computer a few weeks to wait for the drivers that the simps who commented on this thread promised (HA), and will then be returning my laptop and buying a top-end ultraportable workstation, with no dedicated GPU, for half the price. I thought the extra money to add considerable gaming horsepower to a 14 inch laptop would be a nice thing for me to get myself.

Boy, was I wrong. I will be returning, and I highly suggest everyone who reads this thread does the exact same.

Shame on you, Intel, Nvidia and Microsoft.

[AlHill]

Let's see: Yet another nonsense post with claims of facts, collusion, lies, conjecture, deceit, and skullduggery. Sounds like a chapter from The Pickwick Papers.

Doc

[JLine1]

Refute a single thing I said. I claimed nothing of "facts". I am interpreting. I quite literally said it was a "guess". Try again.

I am relaying my awful experience with my machine, as has been parroted quite literally hundreds of times on this thread alone, and drawing conclusions from it. It's a startlingly horrendous issue that was given the OK for machines worth thousands of dollars by corporations around the world who excel in this field.

Snore.

[AlHill]

"Not sure if it's Intel or Microsoft's fault, but the fact that this pervasive of a problem could have passed through development in this many laptops (just froze again while typing LOL) is outrageous. "

Your claim, not mine.

So you experience has not been the best. There are many factors at play here. Just wait and see what the results are.

Doc

[JLine1]

... that is a fact. Otherwise, i wouldn't be holding this computer, in my lap, experiencing microstutters even with TrayPw3r on, at this very moment.

Unless you believe that they (MS, Intel, NVidia) simply never tested dual GPU systems, one time, before releasing them to the public. Which is a stretch longer than MJ's dunk against the Monstars, and even if it was true, would be the result of gross negligence by these companies and making them unworthy of any customer.

[AlHill]

Believe what you want. You will still have to wait for a solution.

No longer following you on this thread. I have no time for you and your nonsense.

Doc

[JLine1]

This is we call, in my profession, a "non-answer".

Nothing to see here. No points to be made, no support, no news, no constructive discussion of any kind.

[SUrso]

I need an advice. I have yet to write the review of my DELL 7577 (630hd + 1060) on the manufacturer's website and I wanted to point out this problem (freeze) to warn future buyers. According to you is right? Through this review can the manufacturer itself (in this case DELL) solicit or give us guarantees for this future fix? I want to clarify that I'm not in a hurry I just do not want it to be a fake news. Sorry for my English

[JAyda1]

drakans_ita Hi!! There is no guarantee for a fix. Some configs seems to be more buggier than others. I have a Lenovo Y720, and experienced different behaviours in it. For example, one windows installation for another notebook, gave me almost no problems, but the original stock from lenovo, was getting me crazy. Also, the last insider update (17107) + igpu 4944 + nvidia 391.01, is giving me a lot less problems, but it´s not fixed. In games or app that use GPU, there is NO problem at all.

[ANett]

Hi everyone. I was considering pulling the trigger on a Dell Inspiron 7000 (7577) which has the Nvidia GTX 1060 and from the looks of it is impacted from the stuttering issue. Is this ONLY an issue when the laptop is on battery or does it happen when plugged in as well? Also it sounds like the temporary fix i.e. TrayPwrD3, may not solve the issue 100% of the time - can anyone confirm? Thanks!

[JAyda1]

TonyinFL The freezing happens me mostly when plugged (because thats when the discrete gpu pops in), but when on battery, happens too. There is no impact when gaming. Also, the TrayPwrD3 fix worked always (but when in battery, it drains a lot of power).

[ANett]

Thx for the heads up!

[CProl]

The latest windows insider update ver.17110 basically solved all those issues it occurred since last main update aka Fall Creation, aka 1709, pretty notorious.

If you don't care much about your privacy or whatsoever, give a shot and you will be happy.

it is a shame for those three companies which can't or won't or don't give a damn about such a hitting problem. Esp. on MS side because of my laptop's significantly discernable beef-up after installing 17110. I know little, if not any, programme knowledge or in another word, software drivers, but I could easily guess with my ass that neither Intel nor Nvidia should be blamed for this awkward and shameful situation simply because, 1) both cards are working perfectly under single usage which means either of these two cards can get their job done by disabling the other one. If there were some driver issues for either of these cards, I could experience glitches and hiccups like I had before, but so far no substantial evidence has proved it had happened whatsoever, which means both drivers are okay. 2) then the question is getting simpler: who takes control of the whole system, makes arrangements for software and apps, straightforwardly, tells which card activate itself or not? eh? Micro..something?

So even if Intel claimed that they'd found the rooted cause for this problem--which I seriously doubt it, for me it's just some sort of rhetoric you could hear everywhere nowadays, besides if there were some solutions, don't you think Intel just want to hide it from you for no reasons? Probability tells me if there were one company who cares less about their customers than others, the title would definitely go to Microsoft. But the fact is more or less, they are same money grabbers and don't give a damn about nothing.

[RBalt1]

Then why there is no mention of that bugfix in the release notes?

[KLong1]

So that means that Intel is not really working on a fix as previously mentioned. It's actually a Windows problem and they are simply waiting for Spring Creators Update to be released. Makes sense now, I couldn't believe that Intel would take almost a year to fix a problem and they couldn't exactly blame Microsoft.

[RBalt1]

No, Intel IS working on the fix and the driver 23.20.16.4958 is the first step. It fixed the right click. I think that we will have a proper fix at least by Summer.