DPC latency in Windows with BSODs, graphics glitches and audio stutters

[Visnes]

Making this thread so that others that experience these problems know what to do.

TL;DR If you have DPC latency problems in Windows 11 on tcpip.sys and/or any other network and graphics system files, Malwarebytes is probably the cause of the probleme. Uninstall and the problem should go away.

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If anyone from Malwarebytes staff wants more information (hardware logs etc), just give me a heads up and I'll send it over. I'm willing to install Malwarebytes again so I can give you log files etc if needed. I really want to continue using your software, but as it stands now, I'm stuck not using it.

The Problem

Been having problems with my PC since the beginning of 2022 (Windows 10 and later Windows 11). Ranging from audio pops, graphics glitches random BSODs at all hours of the day, regardless if I was using the computer or not. This is not a new computer, but one I built back in 2018 that I've been upgrading over time. I hadn't added any new hardware at the time the problem started. No new software either. Maybe a Windows update? Dunno, I don't have the exact date for when it all started.

Problems I experienced

• Graphical glitches with screen tearing, stutters textures not loading or major stutter and skips in frames. This would happen regardless of game (DirectX 11, 12, Vulkan etc), if it was online or offline, 3D/2D don't matter.
  • Example 1, example 2
• Audio glitches with pops, scratches, stutters, latency etc.
• All of these things would happen every 30 seconds, but some times it would be longer between the stutters etc. some times it would be 2-3 minutes between it happening
• Software would randomly crash. Ex. when idle NVIDIA control panel would give an error and die
• BSODs. Lots and lots of BSODs. Regardless of me using the computer or not, it would BSOD, and the error message would be of different system files every time
  • Example 1, example 2
• Slow downs of the computer itself. Getting so bad that I had to reboot

What I tried doing to find the problem

• Reinstalled Windows several times
• Update every driver manually
• Changed the GPU (RTX 2070 Super) with an old GTX 1060 to test if that was the problem
  • At one point I was pretty sure it was my RTX dying. Nope
• Pulled out everything connected to the computer
• Memtest for a long time
• Used Latencymon to find out that the problem was DPC related
• Tried all the suggestions from other people having DPC latency problems in all the guides I found online. Nothing worked.
• Never hit me to try and uninstall Malwarebytes though...

Finding the problem

Saw that several people talked about using Latencymon if you have audio/graphical stutters, and it always peaked and went crazy, even when idle.

• Example 1 (A 2 minute test, when using Speedtest.net)
• Example 2 (Ran for 1 hour without being used)

So yeah, I mange to deduct that the problem came whenever my computer downloaded or uploaded anything. Dropbox is always doing something, just surfing downloads, random game updates at night when the system isn't being used etc would all cause the computer to experience the problems mentioned above.

I could finally replicate the problem by just using Speedtest.net, or starting a YouTube video, or just starting up a game (seeing as save files are stored in My Documents and is uploaded to Dropbox).

Found a thread on here that said someone said they experienced some of the same problems and that it went away uninstalling Malwarebytes. So...

The fix

Malwarebytes ended up being the problem, and I uninstalled it.

The reason the problem always came back after a reinstall of Windows was that I always installed Malwarebytes as item two on my list of software I install on the PC after a clean install. It never hit me that it could be the problem. So, yeah, I'm dumb, probably. 🙃

After uninstalling Malwarebytes, and rebooting the computer, every problem went away. The DPC lag went away, even when I murdered my network and computer with five 8k Youtube videos running, Twitch stream and a game running in the background, Steam maxing my line with a download, and running Speedtest.net!

Latancymon after uninstalling Malwarebytes as I was absolutely hammering the system and network.

 

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Like I said above, I would be willing to help Malwarebytes find out the cause of these problems with my specific setup if possible. I really want to use Malwarebytes, been using it from like 2013.

[Malwarebytes]

***This is an automated reply***

Hi,

Thanks for posting in the Malwarebytes for Windows Help forum.

If you are having technical issues with our Windows product, please do the following:

Malwarebytes Support Tool - Advanced Options

This feature is designed for the following reasons:

• For use when you are on the forums and need to provide logs for assistance
• For use when you don't need or want to create a ticket with Malwarebytes
• For use when you want to perform local troubleshooting on your own

How to use the Advanced Options:

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1. Download Malwarebytes Support Tool
2. Double-click mb-support-X.X.X.XXXX.exe to run the program
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3. Place a checkmark next to Accept License Agreement and click Next
4. Navigate to the Advanced tab
5. The Advanced menu page contains four categories:
   • Gather Logs: Collects troubleshooting information from the computer. As part of this process, Farbar Recovery Scan Tool (FRST) is run to perform a complete diagnosis. The information is saved to a file on the Desktop named mbst-grab-results.zip and can be added as an email attachment or uploaded to a forum post to assist with troubleshooting the issue at hand.
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6. To provide logs for review click the Gather Logs button
7. Upon completion, click OK
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9. Please attach the file in your next reply.
10. To uninstall all Malwarebytes Products, click the Clean button.
11. Click the Yes button to proceed. 
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14. Select Yes to install Malwarebytes.
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[Porthos]

7 minutes ago, Visnes said:

Malwarebytes ended up being the problem, and I uninstalled it.

Well since you uninstalled it guess we are done. We could have helped you fix it in most cases.

What you experienced is not the norm. With millions of installs, we would have had more reports like yours and we have not.

But thanks for the input. It is welcome.

Best wishes.

 

 

[Visnes]

13 minutes ago, Porthos said:

Well since you uninstalled it guess we are done. We could have helped you fix it in most cases.

What you experienced is not the norm. With millions of installs, we would have had more reports like yours and we have not.

But thanks for the input. It is welcome.

Best wishes.

 

 

Grats on missing one of the first and last thing I said. I'll highlight it for you.

Quote

If anyone from Malwarebytes staff wants more information (hardware logs etc), just give me a heads up and I'll send it over. I'm willing to install Malwarebytes again so I can give you log files etc if needed. I really want to continue using your software, but as it stands now, I'm stuck not using it.

 

Quote

"Like I said above, I would be willing to help Malwarebytes find out the cause of these problems with my specific setup if possible. I really want to use Malwarebytes, been using it from like 2013."

 

[Porthos]

Then please reinstall Malwarebytes. Restart the computer then

Please do the following so that we may take a closer look at your installation for troubleshooting:

NOTE: The tools and the information obtained is safe and not harmful to your privacy or your computer, please allow the programs to run if blocked by your system.

 

• Download the Malwarebytes Support Tool
• In your Downloads folder, open the mb-support-x.x.x.xxx.exe file
• In the User Account Control pop-up window, click Yes to continue the installation
• Run the MBST Support Tool
• In the left navigation pane of the Malwarebytes Support Tool, click Advanced
• In the Advanced Options, click Gather Logs. A status diagram displays the tool is Getting logs from your machine
• A zip file named mbst-grab-results.zip will be saved to your desktop, please upload that file on your next reply

Thanks