[SOLVED] Latency after clean W10 instal. Popping & stuttering in audio, video & games. FIX: I updated LAN, chipset and USB drivers.

IHateDPCLatency · May 7, 2019

Greetings,

So reinstalled windows a few days ago because i got a SSD.
I noticed DPC latency after installing pretty much everything so i did a clean/fresh reinstall of windows, formatted all drives etc.
As soon as it installed i downloaded LatencyMon and i have high DPC latency even without any drivers/software installed.
Since then i've tried every possible fix i found on the internet and none of them work, so here i am asking for help.
Is it possible that the new SSD is faulty in some way and causing the DPC latency?
I will honestly very much appreciate any kind of insight that could lead to a solution.
The latmon data is in the spoiler
PC specs:
Processor: AMD FX-6100
Motherboard: ASRock 960GC -GS FX
8 GB of ram DDR3
GPU: AMD MSI R9 270X Twin Frozr gaming
120 GB Kingston SSD
1TB Seagate HDD

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CONCLUSION
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Your system appears to be having trouble handling real-time audio and other tasks. You are likely to experience buffer underruns appearing as drop outs, clicks or pops. One or more DPC routines that belong to a driver running in your system appear to be executing for too long. Also one or more ISR routines that belong to a driver running in your system appear to be executing for too long. At least one detected problem appears to be network related. In case you are using a WLAN adapter, try disabling it to get better results. One problem may be related to power management, disable CPU throttling settings in Control Panel and BIOS setup. Check for BIOS updates.
LatencyMon has been analyzing your system for 0:14:43 (h

ss) on all processors.

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SYSTEM INFORMATION
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Computer name: DESKTOP-Q5TBVNV
OS version: Windows 10 , 10.0, build: 17763 (x64)
Hardware: ASRock, 960GC-GS FX
CPU: AuthenticAMD AMD FX(tm)-6100 Six-Core Processor
Logical processors: 6
Processor groups: 1
RAM: 8175 MB total

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CPU SPEED
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Reported CPU speed: 3307 MHz

Note: reported execution times may be calculated based on a fixed reported CPU speed. Disable variable speed settings like Intel Speed Step and AMD Cool N Quiet in the BIOS setup for more accurate results.

WARNING: the CPU speed that was measured is only a fraction of the CPU speed reported. Your CPUs may be throttled back due to variable speed settings and thermal issues. It is suggested that you run a utility which reports your actual CPU frequency and temperature.

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MEASURED INTERRUPT TO USER PROCESS LATENCIES
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The interrupt to process latency reflects the measured interval that a usermode process needed to respond to a hardware request from the moment the interrupt service routine started execution. This includes the scheduling and execution of a DPC routine, the signaling of an event and the waking up of a usermode thread from an idle wait state in response to that event.

Highest measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 43562.0
Average measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 10.139245

Highest measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 34895.50
Average measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 3.494999

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REPORTED ISRs
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Interrupt service routines are routines installed by the OS and device drivers that execute in response to a hardware interrupt signal.

Highest ISR routine execution time (µs): 35037.170547
Driver with highest ISR routine execution time: USBPORT.SYS - USB 1.1 & 2.0 Port Driver, Microsoft Corporation

Highest reported total ISR routine time (%): 0.037884
Driver with highest ISR total time: USBPORT.SYS - USB 1.1 & 2.0 Port Driver, Microsoft Corporation

Total time spent in ISRs (%) 0.055423

ISR count (execution time <250 µs): 336652
ISR count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 500-999 µs): 107
ISR count (execution time 1000-1999 µs): 48
ISR count (execution time 2000-3999 µs): 98
ISR count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0

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REPORTED DPCs
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DPC routines are part of the interrupt servicing dispatch mechanism and disable the possibility for a process to utilize the CPU while it is interrupted until the DPC has finished execution.

Highest DPC routine execution time (µs): 27393.724826
Driver with highest DPC routine execution time: dxgkrnl.sys - DirectX Graphics Kernel, Microsoft Corporation

Highest reported total DPC routine time (%): 0.087210
Driver with highest DPC total execution time: USBPORT.SYS - USB 1.1 & 2.0 Port Driver, Microsoft Corporation

Total time spent in DPCs (%) 0.416214

DPC count (execution time <250 µs): 2540717
DPC count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time 500-999 µs): 3182
DPC count (execution time 1000-1999 µs): 189
DPC count (execution time 2000-3999 µs): 184
DPC count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0

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REPORTED HARD PAGEFAULTS
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Hard pagefaults are events that get triggered by making use of virtual memory that is not resident in RAM but backed by a memory mapped file on disk. The process of resolving the hard pagefault requires reading in the memory from disk while the process is interrupted and blocked from execution.

NOTE: some processes were hit by hard pagefaults. If these were programs producing audio, they are likely to interrupt the audio stream resulting in dropouts, clicks and pops. Check the Processes tab to see which programs were hit.

Process with highest pagefault count: winstore.app.exe

Total number of hard pagefaults 6205
Hard pagefault count of hardest hit process: 644
Number of processes hit: 65

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PER CPU DATA
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CPU 0 Interrupt cycle time (s): 74.578141
CPU 0 ISR highest execution time (µs): 34800.272755
CPU 0 ISR total execution time (s): 2.319080
CPU 0 ISR count: 313744
CPU 0 DPC highest execution time (µs): 27393.724826
CPU 0 DPC total execution time (s): 17.704694
CPU 0 DPC count: 2409359
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CPU 1 Interrupt cycle time (s): 26.922139
CPU 1 ISR highest execution time (µs): 35037.170547
CPU 1 ISR total execution time (s): 0.558173
CPU 1 ISR count: 21112
CPU 1 DPC highest execution time (µs): 24795.406713
CPU 1 DPC total execution time (s): 1.893467
CPU 1 DPC count: 92816
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CPU 2 Interrupt cycle time (s): 20.497894
CPU 2 ISR highest execution time (µs): 5025.901119
CPU 2 ISR total execution time (s): 0.059973
CPU 2 ISR count: 2083
CPU 2 DPC highest execution time (µs): 6573.347142
CPU 2 DPC total execution time (s): 1.382067
CPU 2 DPC count: 19053
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CPU 3 Interrupt cycle time (s): 19.517024
CPU 3 ISR highest execution time (µs): 2.292108
CPU 3 ISR total execution time (s): 0.000002
CPU 3 ISR count: 1
CPU 3 DPC highest execution time (µs): 4609.775930
CPU 3 DPC total execution time (s): 0.046166
CPU 3 DPC count: 4531
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CPU 4 Interrupt cycle time (s): 18.052258
CPU 4 ISR highest execution time (µs): 12.524342
CPU 4 ISR total execution time (s): 0.000024
CPU 4 ISR count: 7
CPU 4 DPC highest execution time (µs): 8873.999395
CPU 4 DPC total execution time (s): 0.966241
CPU 4 DPC count: 12594
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CPU 5 Interrupt cycle time (s): 19.430448
CPU 5 ISR highest execution time (µs): 1.761113
CPU 5 ISR total execution time (s): 0.000006
CPU 5 ISR count: 5
CPU 5 DPC highest execution time (µs): 331.134261
CPU 5 DPC total execution time (s): 0.065393
CPU 5 DPC count: 6036
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writhziden · May 7, 2019

I recommend starting with the following guide to see if you can solve the issue on your own: How to Diagnose and Fix High DPC Latency Issues with WPA (Windows Vista/7/8) (works with Windows 10, though the layout is slightly different)

If you need further help after following that guide, please provide the information requested in the Video STUTTERING, Audio CRACKS/POPS and dpc/isr LATENCY posting instructions

IHateDPCLatency · May 7, 2019

Greetings writhziden,

I apologize for not reading the sticky and i appreciate you replying.
Here's the info needed:
Trace file was too big to directly attach even after zipping so here it is uploaded: Trace
Speccy snapshot

System Manufacturer? To be filled by O.E.M
Laptop or Desktop? Desktop
Exact model number - im not sure
OS ? Windows 10
x86 (32bit) or x64 (64bit)? 64bit
Service pack? Version 1809 (OS Build 17763.475)
What was original installed OS on system? Windows 7
Is the OS an OEM version (came pre-installed on system) or full retail version (YOU purchased it from retailer)? Retail version
Age of system? Depends on the components but most of them were bought in 2012
Age of OS installation? Reinstalled windows 2 days ago
Have you re-installed the OS? Yes
CPU AMD FX-6100
RAM (brand, EXACT model, what slots are you using?)
Memory
Type DDR3
Size 8192 MBytes
Channels # Dual
DRAM Frequency 534.4 MHz
CAS# Latency (CL) 7 clocks
RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCD) 7 clocks
RAS# Precharge (tRP) 7 clocks
Cycle Time (tRAS) 20 clocks
Video Card AMD MSI R9 270X twin frozr gaming
MotherBoard - (if NOT a laptop) ASRock Model 960GC-GS FX
Power Supply - brand & wattage (if laptop, skip this one) 600W LC POWER LC600H-12 V2.31
Is driver verifier enabled or disabled? Disabled
What security software are you using? (Firewall, antivirus, antimalware, antispyware, and so forth) Avast, DPC latency was high before i installed it
Are you using proxy, vpn, ipfilters or similar software? No
Are you using Disk Image tools? (like daemon tools, alcohol 52% or 120%, virtual CloneDrive, roxio software) No
Are you currently under/overclocking? Are there overclocking software installed on your system?No

writhziden · May 7, 2019

An initial concern I have: Start Menu\Programs\Driver Booster 6

Windows 10 does a very good job of finding drivers that work well with the devices installed. Driver Booster may install drivers that are meant for hardware similar but different to the hardware actually installed. This is especially dangerous with hardware that is older. Since you mention most of your components are from 2012, there is the potential for driver conflicts when updating through Driver Booster. Did you have problems before or after the drivers were installed through Driver Booster?

IHateDPCLatency · May 7, 2019

As i said the problems started after a clean install of windows 10.
I formatted all drives before the installation and installed Latency Mon as soon as Windows finished installing and it was showing high dpc Latency from the start.
I only installed driver booster last night as an act of desperation, unfortunately it didn't help at all.
I can roll back the updates if you think it could stop us from solving the issue.
Appreciate the reply!

writhziden · May 7, 2019

It could potentially interfere, so returning to the Windows installed drivers is recommended.

It appears much of the latency in the trace provided is related to your USB devices. Were you able to cause a stutter during the trace you recorded? If so, what USB devices are you currently using?

IHateDPCLatency · May 7, 2019

writhziden said:
It could potentially interfere, so returning to the Windows installed drivers is recommended.

Will do.
Were you able to cause a stutter during the trace you recorded? not sure about that, i can make a new one and upload it while trying to make stutter happen (apparently swiching tabs on chrome via mouse always causes spikes as well as opening a different tab on windows, or letting steam download causes constant stutters for some reason).
Currently im using a reddragon gaming mouse, a wireless Eclick mouse + keyboard, Genius Cavimanus 7.1 gaming headset and a roccat wired keyboard.
I've also tried disabling USB devices one by one in device manager to see if the latency spikes would stop with no success.

writhziden · May 7, 2019

Before your next trace, please do the following:

Open the registry editor
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management and edit DisablePagingExecutive
Set DisablePagingExecutive's value to 1
Restart your computer

The above procedure will provide more information in your trace file to track down possible culprits. You will want to set the value back to 0 when we are finished tracking down the issue.

IHateDPCLatency · May 7, 2019

Here it is
This time i am 100% sure that the stutters were happening during the Trace as they were happening non-stop since i let Steam download a game and i was swapping between multiple chrome tabs the entire time.
I really appreciate the effort!

writhziden · May 7, 2019

There seems to be a conflict between your display device, your network device, and your storage controller device. The prime suspect appears to be your network interface. How are you connecting to the internet? Wi-Fi? USB Wi-Fi? Ethernet?

IHateDPCLatency · May 7, 2019

Ethernet

writhziden · May 7, 2019

I would recommend trying a different method to connect. See if you can borrow a Wi-Fi PCI card or USB Wi-Fi device from a family member, friend, or colleague.

Also, Avast is spiking during the same latency periods shown on the network device. I know you said issues occurred before installing, but you might try disabling Avast and visiting well trusted sites (Microsoft Support sites are a good place to test) to see if latency is lower when opening tabs and switching tabs between sites.

Another test you could try is booting into Safe Mode with networking enabled to see if you see the same latency spikes there.

IHateDPCLatency · May 7, 2019

Switching to Wi-Fi isn't much of a fix since ethernet is much better, but i'll see.
Also i tried disabling my network adapters in device manager and it didn't resolve the issue.
I'll try uninstalling Avast as well as booting into safe mode with networking enabled, but then i can't use LatencyMon to check?

writhziden · May 7, 2019

I wouldn't worry about constantly checking LatencyMon. I have seen users rely on it to the point of being obsessive compulsive. The bigger concern is whether you're actually seeing/feeling latency issues through normal use. If it's just being reported by LatencyMon, there's the chance of false positive information appearing in the report.

IHateDPCLatency · May 8, 2019

First off, thanks for putting the effort in to diagnose the problem.
Second, i went into Safe Mode and the video and audio stuttering/popping is happening just as much as in normal mode (tested via playing a video on YouTube).
Also if i stream a video on 4K there are constant stutters in safe and normal mode.
This issue is so annoying, maybe going back to Windows 8 could fix it?
Sucks because just a month ago i didn't have these same issues on Windows 10.

writhziden · May 8, 2019

Difficult to say what the issue might be. There are always risks when upgrading hardware. Upgrading with newer hardware to mesh with older hardware is even more risky. You also did a clean install instead of cloning your previous installation onto the new SSD, so your drivers, software, and Windows components are different from what you probably had a month ago.

It's possible the SSD is faulty, but it's equally possible that your storage controller isn't up to the task or the drivers used for the storage controller are incorrect. It could also be your BIOS is too old to handle everything in the mix.

One concern I also saw with your trace related to your display card. There were some memory hard fault spikes with the display card software/drivers, so I started doing some research into the compatibility between your display card and your motherboard.

Compatibility of this odd hybrid board (AM2 - AM3+) might be limited like it is mostly the case with such boards.

I tend to agree with that concern. It's possible adding a new SSD into the mix caused an overall incompatibility between the three components; your motherboard may not be able to handle two devices installed that were built after its manufacturing date. Have you tried testing with your display card removed and running from the onboard display device?

IHateDPCLatency · May 8, 2019

writhziden said:
Have you tried testing with your display card removed and running from the onboard display device?

I have not, but that's what ill do next. Also uninstalling Avast didn't make any improvements as far as i am aware of.

IHateDPCLatency · May 8, 2019

Unfortunately i can't even test this out since my monitor and TV are dual link DVI and HDMI respectively but my MB only has VGA on it.
Should i try reinstalling windows on my HDD and not using the SSD to see if that will get rid of the problem?
Would like to try a few more possible fixes before i resort to that though, if there are any left.

writhziden · May 8, 2019

Other options are to try different driver versions of your storage drivers, your display card drivers, and your network drivers. Those are the three components that are not getting along together, so testing different drivers for each to see if you can find a combination that reduces/removes the latency issues would be a good step.

IHateDPCLatency · May 8, 2019

Any idea on how to install a previous version of a driver for kingston sa400s37120g?
Also these problems started before i installed AMD software drivers for my graphics card and i tried turning off my network adapter in device manager which didn't fix the issue either.
I apologize for my lack of knowledge in these things and i can't state enough how much i appreciate your effort!

[SOLVED] Latency after clean W10 instal. Popping & stuttering in audio, video & games. FIX: I updated LAN, chipset and USB drivers.

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