Desktop Windows Composition and Windows 8.1 Pro x64 [SOLVED]

Hi, I'm Jenn, also new to these forums.
I stumbled upon a problem when switching from Windows 7 x64 to Windows 8.1 Pro x64.
I have the EXACT same setup, same laptop, same hardware, same programs, same configuration, everything.
Windows 7 never did anything like the problem I now have in Win 8.1. Here's the problem;

Whenever I run more than 1 3D application, after 1-5 minutes the screen blinks, and hangs the graphics of one, some or all the programs (randomly). It doesn't hang the actual program (or game), it just stops rendering the graphics -- I can still hear the software's sound and if I click around, I can hear myself interacting with it.
I have ALL the latest drivers for the computer, motherboard, ALL devices including graphics cards etc. Also ALL Windows Updates installed, nothing more to install.

All of the programs I use is specifically set to use only the nVidia adapter, forcibly through the nVidia Control Panel, so it's not a switching graphics problem because it's a laptop. Also, never was a problem in Windows 7 either.

Here's what I gathered from event viewer right when it happened;

A logon was attempted using explicit credentials.
Subject:
    Security ID:        SYSTEM
    Account Name:        PIXIELIGHT$
    Account Domain:        HYPERUNKNOWN
    Logon ID:        0x3E7
    Logon GUID:        {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}
Account Whose Credentials Were Used:
    Account Name:        DWM-1
    Account Domain:        Window Manager
    Logon GUID:        {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

An account was successfully logged on.

Subject:
    Security ID:        SYSTEM
    Account Name:        PIXIELIGHT$
    Account Domain:        HYPERUNKNOWN
    Logon ID:        0x3E7
Logon Type:            2
Impersonation Level:        Impersonation
New Logon:
    Security ID:        Window Manager\DWM-1
    Account Name:        DWM-1
    Account Domain:        Window Manager
    Logon ID:        0x412659B
    Logon GUID:        {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}
Process Information:
    Process ID:        0x304
    Process Name:        C:\Windows\System32\winlogon.exe

Special privileges assigned to new logon.
Subject:
    Security ID:        Window Manager\DWM-1
    Account Name:        DWM-1
    Account Domain:        Window Manager
    Logon ID:        0x412659B
Privileges:        SeAssignPrimaryTokenPrivilege
            SeAuditPrivilege
            SeImpersonatePrivilege

An account was logged off.
Subject:
    Security ID:        Window Manager\DWM-1
    Account Name:        DWM-1
    Account Domain:        Window Manager
    Logon ID:        0x3E3290A
Logon Type:            2




So as you can see, DWM is logging in and out some account that can be all the way up to DWM-7 from what I've seen so far. It just logs in, sets some parameters and the directly logs out.
This is a ONE-user system, Only my user account is on it, and remote login has been disabled.
In Windows 7, at least DWM could be disabled - not that I ever had to, because it worked with all my stuff, but seeing as DWM is screwing up totally in Win8, I thought I'd just disable the server, but it's nowhere to be found.
Also, it seems Microsoft changed how it works, the system has been redesigned to generate an OK even if it's still on, like this example below:

DwmEnableComposition( DWM_EC_DISABLECOMPOSITION ) does not work on Windows 8, even though it returns S_OK.  Confirmation is by calling DwmIsCompositionEnabled(), which shows the former function had no effect.

There's only 1 dwm.exe running.
There's only 1 user logged in (me).
There's only 1 user in the userlist (except for the Administrator account).

Running only 1 of the softwares at a time is not an option for me, either for work or for home use, so how can I fix this?
// Jenn


October 21st, 2014 1:21pm

Hi Jenn,

Thank you for posting in the TechNet Forum.

What change do you made before you meet this issue?

We are researching on this issue and will let you know the result as soon as possible.


Best regards,
Fangzhou CHEN
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
October 23rd, 2014 8:35pm

Hi.
I made no real change. I switched from Windows 7 to Windows 8, that's all. Everything else is exactly the same, which works flawlessly in Windows 7.

// Jenn

October 24th, 2014 10:34pm

Hi Jenn,

Please take a look at the following article.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/hh848042(v=vs.85).aspx
In Windows 8, Desktop Window Manager (DWM) is always ON and cannot be disabled by end users and apps.

I suggest you to download and install the graphic driver from the manufacturer and check if this issue still exist.

As you may have two graphic cards, we could temporally disable one and check if there are compatibility issues.

Best regards,
Fangzhou CHEN

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
October 30th, 2014 5:30pm

>>
>> I suggest you to download and install the graphic driver from the manufacturer
>> and check if this issue still exist.
>>

Already did, as I also said in the wall of text above.

>>
>> As you may have two graphic cards, we could temporally disable one and check
>> if there are compatibility issues.
>>

As with most gaming laptops, this one does have 2 graphics cards, but it's not two as in SLI, or anything like that;

  Intel HD Graphics 4600
  NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M

The Nvidia card is dependent on the Intel HD card, if I disable the Intel HD graphics, none of them will work. The Nvidia card is the gaming one, there's no way I can play the games on the Intel HD graphics, as it's not meant to be that way, so your suggestion there is just not a working one. As previously said, this EXACT same setup works FLAWLESSLY in Windows 7, same hardware and everything - no change, except i changed from Windows 7 x64 to Windows 8.1 Pro x64. I need suggestions that I can actually use ><

October 31st, 2014 10:49am

Hi Jenn,

If my understanding is right, only when you use some 3D programs like games, this issue occurs.

Please check if these programs is compatible with Windows 8.1.

We could refer to the following article to change the compatibility settings.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/older-programs-compatible-version-windows

Additionally, please contact the manufacturer to diagnose if there are hardware issues.

Best regards,

Fangzhou CHEN

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
November 3rd, 2014 1:48pm

From the description that you provided, it seems as though DWM and the graphics card drivers are not interacting as expected. This seems to be causing DWM to run a second process in an attempt to recover the graphics. Since youve reported that you are using the latest NVIDIA drivers, you might want to attempt an older version, especially if you have a driver version that is stable.

Additionally, does this crash occur only when running OBS? DWM does not support mirror drivers, which may be used by OBS.

Brandon
Windows Outreach Team- IT Pro
Windows for IT Pros on TechNet

November 5th, 2014 6:28pm

In the interest of information sharing, I just thought I'd post the resolution.
I didn't have time to experiment with this at all for another 2 weeks but then I eventually solved it.
Solution:

Set all the games to use the nvidia card.
Set all processes that has to do with obs/open broadcaster to use the integrated intel card.
Problem solved, with full FPS everywhere.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
December 8th, 2014 1:07am

This topic is archived. No further replies will be accepted.

Other recent topics Other recent topics