High DPC latency since upgrade to Windows 10 causing sound stutter

[Vanix]

Hi,

So since I upgraded my laptop to Windows 10 I've been getting random audio stuttering in everything. Reinstalling audio drivers and trying out different ones didn't help, I did many many things and even did a clean install of Windows 10 with no success.

I then ran LatencyMon and it showed that ndis.sys has really high latency. Uninstalling and reinstalling network adapter drivers from Microsoft or Asus didn't work, disabling both the WiFi adapter and Ethernet adapter makes the issue go away.

I have no idea what to do and I saw people here are clever so if anyone wouldn't mind helping I would appreciate that a ton.

I know there is another thread about this but my stuttering happens on both headphones and laptop speakers, in all audio media and both on and offline.

Thank you, I can provide more info and data if needed.

 

[jcgriff2]

Make sure BIOS is updated.

See if temporarily uninstalling anti-virus/non-Windows firewall helps - Uninstallers (removal tools) for common Windows antivirus software—ESET Knowledgebase

Be sure to update your audio drivers.

 

[Vanix]

BIOS is updated, like I said even after a clean install of Windows 10 with no antivirus or firewall the problem persisted, audio drivers (as well as Network Adapter drivers, video drivers, Intel drivers) have been updated over and over again from various sources and that did not fix it.

 

[TomasD]

I would like to look into a ETL trace:

1. Download Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows and run the setup.
2. Select Windows Performance Toolkit feature (all the others can be unchecked) and proceed with the download/installation.
3. Once the installation finishes, open an elevated Command Prompt by right-clicking on CMD.EXE shortcut in your start menu and selecting Run As Administrator from the context menu.
4. Type the following command, which will start tracing, in the Command Prompt window you just opened:
   

   xperf -on PROC_THREAD+LOADER+PROFILE+INTERRUPT+DPC+DRIVERS+POWER+IDLE_STATES -stackwalk Profile -BufferSize 1024 -MinBuffers 256 -MaxBuffers 256 -MaxFile 256 -FileMode Circular

   If you see a yellow warning "xperf: warning: This system is not fully configured for x64 stack tracing" after running the above command, please complete these extra steps (otherwise, proceed to the step #5):
   
   Read More:

   1. Run the following command which will stop the tracing:
      

      xperf -stop

   2. Run the following command to enable stack tracing (by disabling Paging Executive):
      

      REG ADD "HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management" -v DisablePagingExecutive -d 0x1 -t REG_DWORD -f

   3. Reboot the computer
   4. Once computer reboots, proceed from the step #3
   If you see a red error "xperf: error: NT Kernel Logger: A device attached to the system is not functioning. (0x1f)" after running the above command, please complete these extra steps (otherwise, proceed to the step #5):
   
   Read More:

   
   

   1. Run the following command to disable Driver Verifier, which causes the above error:
      

      verifier /reset

   2. Reboot the computer
   3. Once computer reboots, proceed from the step #3
   
   If you see a red error "xperf: error: NT Kernel Logger: Cannot create a file when that file already exists. (0xb7)", please do the following (otherwise, proceed to the step #5):
   
   Read More:

   
   Make sure you do not have any programs that capture ETW data already running. Some examples of these are:
   
   

   • Process Explorer
   • Process Hacker
   • Resource Monitor
   • Process Monitor
   • Latency Monitor
   • Another instance of XPERF or WPR
5. Perform some activities with your computer for few minutes, making sure the issues you reported are reproduced.
6. Run the following command, which will stop the tracing, in the command prompt window you already have opened:
   

   xperf -stop -d C:\CPU.etl

7. Compress file C:\CPU.etl
8. Upload the compressed file to a file sharing service (e.g. OneDrive or DropBox).
9. Share the download link here.

 

[Vanix]

Sorry, that took a little bit, I got busy.

Here is the link: Microsoft services

The stutter happened within the first minute so at the start of when i started tracing, if that means anything.

I'd just like to say how it's funny but ultimately sad that neither Microsoft Support (who also did a remote-control of my pc to do sfc /scannow on my PC and tell me that it's fixed), Asus Support nor Realtek have any clue what this could be and don't know how to help.

Thank you for trying to help, I appreciate it a lot.

 

[TomasD]

Sorry, that took a little bit, I got busy.

Here is the link: Microsoft services

The stutter happened within the first minute so at the start of when i started tracing, if that means anything.

I'd just like to say how it's funny but ultimately sad that neither Microsoft Support (who also did a remote-control of my pc to do sfc /scannow on my PC and tell me that it's fixed), Asus Support nor Realtek have any clue what this could be and don't know how to help.
a
Thank you for trying to help, I appreciate it a lot.

There are couple of huge DPC and ISR spikes in your trace. The spikes happens in the network subsystem, likely in rt640x64.sys driver. Try installing the latest Drivers for Atheros AR956x and Windows 8 (there is no version for Windows 10) to see if it solves the issue.

 

[furmelade]

There are several Reports in the interwebz regarding high DPC latency caused by non-windows network drivers after upgrading to Windows 10, especially Intel NICs do have those problems and as it seems theres no fix for it (yet). Personally i "solved" this issue by deinstalling the NIC driver and use the generic windows one. You may wanna disable the Driver search/install via Windows Update, they are most of time times either old or simply buggy/unfunctional.

 

[Vanix]

There are couple of huge DPC and ISR spikes in your trace. The spikes happens in the network subsystem, likely in rt640x64.sys driver. Try installing the latest Drivers for Atheros AR956x and Windows 8 (there is no version for Windows 10) to see if it solves the issue.

I already did that a few times before and it changed nothing. I downloaded specific drivers from the Asus website for my laptop, I let Windows download the best drivers it thinks are appropriate for it, and I also went and downloaded Atheros drivers from that website a while ago, no change.

 

[TomasD]

There are couple of huge DPC and ISR spikes in your trace. The spikes happens in the network subsystem, likely in rt640x64.sys driver. Try installing the latest Drivers for Atheros AR956x and Windows 8 (there is no version for Windows 10) to see if it solves the issue.

I already did that a few times before and it changed nothing. I downloaded specific drivers from the Asus website for my laptop, I let Windows download the best drivers it thinks are appropriate for it, and I also went and downloaded Atheros drivers from that website a while ago, no change.

It is possible that the latest drivers for this network adapter are still not compatible with Windows 10, causing these issues.

 

[Kathrys]

https://www.sysnative.com/forums/wi...-issues-windows-10-dpc-intel-lan-drivers.html

 

[Vanix]

It is possible that the latest drivers for this network adapter are still not compatible with Windows 10, causing these issues.

I'll just wait then. I'm selling this laptop (for other performance/gaming reasons) anyway, and I made the person I am selling it to aware of this issue.

Hopefully my new laptop (which will be custom build from PC Specialist) won't have this problem, if it will I will just stay at 8.1 until this is resolved.

Thanks for trying Tomas, I appreciate it.

 

[Vanix]

https://www.sysnative.com/forums/wi...-issues-windows-10-dpc-intel-lan-drivers.html

My internet connection is too poop to be downloading more than one file or do more than one thing anyway. I do have a torrent client installed but most of the time it's not doing anything. I will close it down and uninstall it just to see if that makes any difference but I doubt it will. Thanks though.

And yeah disabling the Wireless and Ethernet network adapters makes this issue go away like I said above, but since I study web development and system administration and listen to music while doing work, that is a useless solution to me sadly.