B580 Bad audio, high DPC latency from dxgkrnl.sys

[Pepijn7]

Thanks in advance for anyone able to help.

I was advised by an advisor on the Microsoft forums to contact Intel here for my issue. I will leave a link here to that thread in case it helps to see what I tried with that person, below is also a pastebin with a list of everything I tried: 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/bad-audio-high-dpc-latency-from-dxgkrnlsys/e9b286a5-8251-4ba2-8c97-1aa9bc7a8e4e

I recently build a new PC, everything is working fine except the audio. It works mostly fine for video, streaming and music, but during certain games the audio will go bad very fast, mostly when a lot of different sounds or continues sound is being played. Stuttering, clicks, popping, tearing and delays. The game it is most notable in is Arma 3 and for some reason it gets worse when opening the map in this game. It is NOT exclusive to this game, the problem is present in other games and even just watching videos or streams. It might not give audio artifact but the underlying problem is present, just not to the extend as with this and some other games.

After running LatencyMon, I found very high ISR and DPC execution times, with Wdf01000.sys being the highest for ISR and dxgkrnl.sys for DPC.

I heavily suspect the Arc driver for my B580 are the cause of these problems for the following reason. I did a clean install of Windows, let windows update get all the updates except for the GPU driver and updated all motherboard drivers from the motherboard vendor Gigabyte. If I then try to replicate the audio/DPC latency issue, it is NOT present. If I then install the latest Arc driver and replicate the issue, it comes back immediately.

I tried this for both Windows 11 and Windows 10 and the issue is the exact same as far as I can tell.

Below are pastebin for LatencyMon logs, these are all on fresh Windows 11/10 installs up to date with all the newest windows updates and motherboard drivers. the only difference is the GPU driver is either installed or not.

LatencyMon log Windows 11 WITH NO Arc driver installed:

https://pastebin.com/86CEuu4m

LatencyMon log Windows 11 WITH Arc driver installed:

https://pastebin.com/fZsaqEsn

LatencyMon log Windows 10 WITH Arc driver installed:

https://pastebin.com/zFG9v4Vk

I've tried all the solutions I could find with google but none seem to be able to solve the DPC issue. I will leave a pastebin link with everything I have tried in the interest of post length.

https://pastebin.com/jyGTwLDz

The ISR issue did get fixed by using PowerSettingsExplorer to set idle demote/promote thresholds to 100%. But also after a fresh windows install, ISR latency seems much more reasonable even without this step but the DPC issues remain.

I could not download Intel System Support Utility, if I click the download button nothing happens except my browsers starts to lag and eventually very slowly the page reloads so below are my specs.

System info:

OS: Microsoft Windows 11 Education

Version: 10.0.26100 Build 26100

Motherboard: A620M GAMING X rev 1.1

Bios version: FB5

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600

GPU: ASRock Steel Legend Intel Arc B580

Arc driver version: 32.0.101.6881

RAM: Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5 6000MHz CL36

Storage: Samsung 990 PRO M.2 1000 GB PCI Express 4.0 V-NAND MLC NVMe

How to reproduce:

1. Clean windows 10/11 install.

2. Let windows update get you up to date, do not let it install GPU driver, or use DDU to uninstall drivers later if you want to test without the audio/DPC problem present. Install latest motherboard drivers. Install latest Arc driver.

3. Install steam and Arma 3. The problem is NOT exclusive to this game, but it has been the fastest way for me to confirm the problem persist. You can also just open a stream or video to see a milder version of the DPC latency.

4. Install LatencyMon.

5. Start Arma 3 and start logging with LatencyMon.

6. Go to Single Player -> Showcases -> Helicopters. Run to the helicopter, enter the pilot seat with by scrolling down while standing next. Press shift to start the engine and the constant sound, optional to fly around a bit to get audio artifact faster. After a couple of minutes, audio will become more and more distorted, depending on extra sounds beside the helicopter itself. Open the map with M to increase audio distortions.

7. Check LatencyMon for DPC latency.

Thanks for any help,

Pepijn

[Pepijn7]

Hi, 

Small update after trying some stuff:

1. I still can not download Intel SSU from your site. I will provide a log as soon as you fix the problem. If I click the download button nothing happens except my browsers starts to lag and eventually very slowly the page reloads. I'm on Firefox but Edge and Chrome show the same behavior.

2. I went through every WHQL version that I could download from your website ( https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/785597/intel-arc-iris-xe-graphics-windows.html ). A new version also came out today which I also tried and am running now.

I tried:

32.0.101.9613

32.0.101.6881

32.0.101.6874

32.0.101.6790

32.0.101.6737

32.0.101.6734

Driver from windows update, 32.0.101.5xxx (I forgot the rest but I can if needed)

I could not try 32.0.101.6651 and 32.0.101.6647, they appear sometimes in the drop down menu but when you select them the page just reloads to the newest version.

Alas, all versions I tried, including the one that comes with windows update give me the exact same DPC latency and accompanying audio issues.

3. On advice from someone on your Discord that I could have deleted some OEM drivers by selecting "clean install" during the Arc driver installation (which I have always done in the past, even after DDU), I did another clean reinstall for Windows 11. I let windows update, except for the Intel display driver and reinstalled the drivers via gigabyte control center again. I installed Steam, Arma 3 and LatencyMon and checked if the audio/DPC problem was present and it was not, as expected. I then installed the latest version of the Arc driver, making sure this time to NOT select "clean install". After a reboot, the audio/DPC problem was immediately back again.

I can disable my internet, uninstall the driver with DDU, fix the problem, reinstall and the problem returns. So it doesn't seem like any drivers are getting deleted on install and secretly reinstalled upon DDU-ing GPU driver.

I did however see that the driver installer does delete some stuff even though clean install is not clicked. Suspiciously there are things called AudioFix being deleted and created and then deleted again. I don't know if that's related or just a coincidence but it stood out to me. I'll attach screenshot of those deletions.

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Pepijn7,

Thank you for sharing your detailed issue in the community. I will review the link you provided and conduct a thorough analysis on my end. I will get back to you once I have completed my review. I appreciate your patience as I work on this matter.

Regards,

Randy T.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Pepijn7]

Hello Randy,

Thank you for your attention. My replies keep getting deleted, I will try again without pastebin links.

Over the weekend I have done some more testing, I will report on that below. I was also able to download SSU. A log is attached to this reply.

Thing I tried:

1.I went through every WHQL version that I could download from your website. A new version also came out Friday which I also tried and am running now.

I tried:

32.0.101.9613

32.0.101.6881

32.0.101.6874

32.0.101.6790

32.0.101.6737

32.0.101.6734

32.0.101.6252 (Windows update driver)

I could not try 32.0.101.6651 and 32.0.101.6647, they appear sometimes in the drop down menu but when you select them the page just reloads to the newest version.

Alas, all versions I tried give me the exact same DPC latency and accompanying audio issues.

2. On advice from someone on your discord that I could have deleted some OEM drivers by selecting "clean install" during the Arc driver installation (which I have always done in the past, even after DDU), I did another clean reinstall for Windows 11. I let windows update, except for the Intel display driver and reinstalled the drivers via gigabyte control center again. I installed Steam, Arma 3 and LatencyMon and checked if the audio/DPC problem was present and it was not, as expected. I then installed the latest version of the Arc driver, making sure this time to NOT select "clean install". After a reboot, the audio/DPC problem was immediately back again.

I can disable my internet, uninstall the driver with DDU, fix the problem, reinstall and the problem returns. So it doesn't seem like any drivers are getting deleted on install and secretly reinstalled upon DDU-ing GPU driver.

3. On advice from someone else on your discord I tried the following steps:

-Disabled MPO (Multiplane Overlay) in Windows registry. Did not fix the issue.

-Disabled Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling in Windows settings. Did not fix the issue.

-Installed the latest AMD drivers from AMD’s website instead of my motherboard's. Did not fix the issue.

-Disabled ReBAR in BIOS. This DID lower DPC latency significantly. Latency still seems a little on the higher side, but doesn't get nearly bad enough to start producing audio artifacts, at least not for the short time I was able to test it. I let LatencyMon run for a bit, a log is attached to this reply. 

However, as I understand it, the B580 needs rebar enabled to function correctly and will have big performance drops when not enabled. I haven't done any fps tests yet, but from what I've seen so far during testing for the DPC latency it does seem to be preforming much worse fps wise.

4. I also tried using different USB slots for my mouse/keyboard and different DP ports on the GPU for my monitor. I also tested using my monitor's speaker and my headphones plugged into the jack out of my monitor (my headphones use audio jack, not USB). None of this fixed the DPC latency/audio issues.

Thank you,

Pepijn

[Pepijn7]

Hello Randy,

Thanks you for your attention. Over the weekend I have tested some more things, which I will report on below. I was also able to download SSU today, I have added the logs to this reply.

1. I went through every WHQL version that I could download from Intel's website ( https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/785597/intel-arc-iris-xe-graphics-windows.html ). A new version also came out friday which I also tried and am running now.

I tried:

32.0.101.9613

32.0.101.6881

32.0.101.6874

32.0.101.6790

32.0.101.6737

32.0.101.6734

32.0.101.6252 (driver from windows update)

I could not try 32.0.101.6651 and 32.0.101.6647, they appear sometimes in the drop down menu but when you select them the page just reloads to the newest version.

Alas, all versions I tried give me the exact same DPC latency and accompanying audio issues.

2. On advice from someone on Intel's discord that I could have deleted some OEM drivers by selecting "clean install" during the Arc driver installation (which I have always done in the past, even after DDU).

I did another clean reinstall for Windows 11. I let windows update, except for the Intel display driver and reinstalled the drivers via gigabyte control center again. I installed Steam, Arma 3 and LatencyMon and checked if the audio/DPC problem was present and it was not, as expected. I then installed the latest version of the Arc driver, making sure this time to NOT select "clean install". After a reboot, the audio/DPC problem was immediately back again.

I can disable my internet, uninstall the driver with DDU, fix the problem, reinstall and the problem returns. So it doesn't seem like any drivers are getting deleted on install and secretly reinstalled upon DDU-ing GPU driver.

3. On advice from someone else on Intel's discord I tried the following steps:

-Disabled Multiplane Overlay in Windows registry. Did not fix the issue.

-Disable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling in Windows settings. Did not fix the issue.

-Updated my AMD drivers to the latest versions from AMD's website instead of my motherboards's. Did not fix the issue.

-Tried different USB ports for my keyboard and mouse. Other DP ports on GPU for monitor. Did not fix the issue.

-Tried using my monitor for audio, both on the monitor speakers and with headphones jack plugged into my monitors jack out. Did not fix the issue (My headphones are audio jack, not USB.)

-Disabled ReBAR in BIOS. This DID lower DPC latency significantly, and for the shor4t time I was able to test the audio issue did not appear. I will try a longer test tomorrow when I have more time. The latency did still seem slightly elevated but didn't get nearly as high as before.

However, as I understand it, the B580 needs rebar enabled to function correctly and will have big performance drops when not enabled. I haven't done any fps tests yet, but from what I've seen so far during testing for the DPC latency, it does seem to be preforming much worse fps wise.

Here is a LatencyMon log of me trying to recreate the issue with ReBAR DISABLED:

https://pastebin.com/sRUU3Vhe

Thank you,

Pepijn

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Pepijn7,

Thank you for your detailed troubleshooting efforts. I reviewed the thread you submitted to Microsoft Support, and it seems the issue may be related to the Intel graphics driver according to them. To further investigate, I need to recreate the issue on my end using the different driver versions you've tested.

I aim to identify the cause of the latency and audio issues on your system. To do this, I need to isolate certain factors, such as system build parts and compatibility. It's important to determine if the issue arose after setting up your rig or when launching the game, as changes prior to the issue could be significant.

Please help by answering the following questions:

1. Which digital distribution platform did you obtain the game from (e.g., Steam, Epic Games Store)? If possible, provide a working link.
2. Do these issues occur only when you initiate the game, or do they happen whenever using the system that requires sound?
3. Have you tried using the graphics card in another working system to see if the issue persists? This will help us determine if there's a problem with the motherboard. Note that swap testing should be done with the same series or family card, not a third-party GPU.
4. Can you provide a video recording of your experience so we can see what's happening on your end?
5. Please provide a screenshot of the Task Manager with the issue recreated, so we can analyze the readings.

I'm impressed with your troubleshooting efforts, and we're here to assist you further. Please allow us to thoroughly check what's happening with your rig. If you haven't visited this article yet, please do so Intel® Arc™ Graphics – Desktop Quick Start Guide

Looking forward to your response.

Regards,

Randy T.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Pepijn7]

Hello Randy,

Here are the answers to your questions:

1. Arma 3 is available for purchase on steam. https://store.steampowered.com/app/107410/Arma_3/

2. The issues appears to be present whenever sound is being played, such as games, videos and live streams. For video and live streams however, the issue doesn't become bad enough for audio artifacts to appear, maybe only the occasional popping sound. If I close any application that is playing sound at that moment, there is also some popping noise. Across different games I've noticed different manifestations of the audio issue. For example in Arma 3 the sound pops and tears, and in Shadow of the Tomb Raider the audio is delayed by about 0,5-1 second in cut scenes.

3. I have not been able to test in other systems. I'm the only person in my circle with a PC. My old motherboard and CPU are ~10 years old and can't support the B580. Unfortunate I do not have enough money to buy another board for testing.

4. I can't upload the video to this post as it exceeds the max file size, so I uploaded it to YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDvBJ7ySwwA

As you can see the DPC latency spikes when opening the map, but the audio artifacting also happens when not having the map open after having played for a while. That would require me to make a significantly longer video, but I can do that if it is needed.

What I did notice from watching the video back was 2 things:

-The audio quality from the video is much better than live in person. Live there is much more popping sound whenever the map is open.

-Whenever DPC latency spikes, the video playback stutters. This does not happen live in game. I assume this is a problem with recording during DPC spikes?

5. Which tabs do you need screenshots from? I have added screenshot from Processes, Performance and App history while running ARMA 3 with the map open.

I have read the starter guide.

-My PC meets the requirments.

-CMS is disabled. UEFI enabled.

-Above 4G Decoding is enabled.

-ReBAR is enabled (Disabling lowers DPC latency significantly as described in my previous reply)

-ASMP is enabled, but I do not see any options for  "PCI Express root port ASPM or L1 Substates" in my BIOS.

-Link State Power Management set to on, was off before, but problems persist with either option.

-DP cable is in the middle DP port on B580.

Thanks,

Pepijn

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Pepijn7,

Thank you for sharing this information. I will begin investigating the issue and attempt to replicate it on our end. I'll post an update here or notify you directly once there are any developments. If I need further details, I'll reach out to you here. I appreciate your patience as I work on this matter. 

Regards,

Randy T.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Pepijn7,

I wanted to provide you with an update regarding the audio issues you've been experiencing with your Intel Arc B580 graphics card.

After conducting prolonged testing with the Intel Arc B580 while playing ARMA 3, our team was able to recreate the findings using LatencyMon. This has given us valuable insights into the situation, and we are actively working on identifying the root cause of the audio issues.

Please rest assured that Intel is fully committed to helping you address these concerns. Our team is dedicated to finding a solution that will enhance your experience with the B580 graphics card. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue to investigate and resolve this matter.

Regards,

Randy T.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Pepijn7]

Hello Randy,

Thank you for the update. It's good to hear you were able to re-create the issue. 

Do you need anything else from me for now? I've been playing a few different games over the past weeks. I was not running LatencyMon during that time but I did notice that a few different games like Diablo 2 Resurrected and Shadow of the Tomb Raider crashed sometimes without any error message or crash logs. This seemed to happen during parts where there was a lot of overlapping audio sounds. I'm not sure if this is the latency problem as well, I will retest and open a new topic if these crashes persist after the latency issue has been solved.

Are you able to provide any rough ETA for when you expect to have more information?

Thanks for everything,

Pepijn

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Pepijn7,

I’m currently performing a root cause analysis, as the issue can be consistently reproduced. Additional testing is needed to determine whether the problem is software- or hardware-related. While I don’t have a specific ETA at the moment, rest assured I’ll get back to you as soon as the analysis is complete.

Regards,

Randy T.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Felipe_Intel]

Hello all, this issue is currently under investigation by our driver team. As soon as I have more news, I will post them here.

[Pepijn7]

Thank you for the update.

[Pepijn7]

Hello Felipe,

Is there any update on this issue?
I just installed the latest driver (32.0.101.7028) that got pushed and the issue is still there.

Thanks,

Pepijn

[Pepijn7]

You guys probably know this, but just in case I wanted to report the issue is still present with the latest driver update (32.0.101.6989) pushed yesterday.

[kreiger1234]

Hi,

I'd like to add to this that I have a very similar problem.

In my case, due to pci-e x16 slot issues, i had to move my card to another slot which is unfortunately pcie x4.

When I test my Nvidia 1660 Ti, that has no audio problems on this slot, but as soon as I put my Arc B580, I get severe popping/clicking sounds.

These issues disappear when the GPU is under full load, but other than that, these remain regardless of what I do 

I tried moving back to pci e x16 slot to check and the issue is a little better but not at all in a cured state.

It's much easily reproducible if you use MSI Kombuster and start stress test. When the loading happens, the audio stuttering and clicking happens a lot, almost insane. After loading is done, it goes completely normal. Feel free to try it. There are absolutely no issues whatsoever when I use my Nvidia card. 

Sadly, when testing this with removed gpu drivers, the issues exists the same as before so I am suspecting this is related to some hardware or vBios level issue and maybe not a driver one. But I couldn't be any happier if it could be fixed and I could enjoy my music again.

Specs -

MSI Z690-A DDR4 Motherboard 

32 GB 3200MHz RAM

Asrock Challenger Arc B580

Intel 12400 Processor

650W CX650F PSU

[kreiger1234]

Forgot to mention, I use an external USB Audio DAC ( Ibasso DC-03 PRO).

But that DAC is not the problem because -

1) Things are ok when I use my Nvidia GPU

2) I have tried the DAC with my mobile and it works fine.

It probably has to do with what the GPU is doing with PCI-E given that issue improves when moving card to pci-e x16 (but to say again, not cured, only improved).