Ask a new question

After exiting a remote desktop session, cpu load goes up (dwm.exe) until next login

When I access another Windows 10 PC via remote desktop and then exit the remote desktop session, the CPU load goes up. It is DWM.EXE that causes it.

What I did to exclude other causes:

- scanned for viruses (yes, DWM.EXE is the original one from MS)

- made sure no magnifier was active (Google proposed this)

- made sure no screen saver is active and nothing else is on my lock screen

- made sure the gfx driver (Intel integrated) is up to date

dism /online /cleanup-image /checkhealth

dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth

sfc /scannow

chkdsk c: /f

do not show any problems.

Today I tried a second system as RDP target: Same problem! Could this be a bug? Can anyone else please try it, too? I don't know since when the problem occurs. Could be since 1903 (this is the version I use on both systems).

This is how it looks when I log the CPU loads:

* Please try a lower page number.

* Please enter only numbers.

* Please try a lower page number.

* Please enter only numbers.

Any news on this?

Everytime ms release a cumulative update i try to remove the rule but at today nothing changed. Use the workaround listed up.

EDIT: sorry, solution that worked for me is on another thread, i'll repost here.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

On Windows 10 Pro use this workaround:

As a workaround on all of my affected machines I have used Group Policy Editor to set

 

Local Computer Policy

 Computer Configuration

  Administrative Templates

   Windows Components

    Remote Desktop Service

     Remote Desktop Session Host

      Remote Session Environment

       Use WDDM graphics display driver for Remote Desktop Connections

to DISABLED

 

This forces RDP to use the old (and now deprecated XDDM drivers)

Credit: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/dwmexe-high-cpu-one-core-on-target-system-after/dbce0938-60c5-4051-81ef-468e51d743ab 

10 people found this reply helpful

·

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Hi folks.

Win10 1903 Build 10.0.18362.329 (KB4512941) is out and claims to fix:

"Addresses an issue that displays a black screen when you use Remote Desktop to connect to a machine running Windows 10, version 1903."

This blackscreen-issue was reported by many that also say their CPU spikes due to dwm.exe

I installed that update, and could connect to systems without applying the workaround (XDDM), however, the CPU load remains still high for dwm.exe when I disconnect without logging off.

Has this KB4512941 solved the problem for any of you?

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Windows Update KB4512941 does not solve the issue with high CPU usage on RDP disconnect in my lab either.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Build 18362.356 is out... still the same bug.

Say, how many people upvoted this thread? >10,000 so far. Microsoft, are you monitoring these numbers AT ALL?

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

It is very unfortunate that Microsoft generates massive errors in the operating system with every Windows 10 upgrade. We do not need new features, but a stable, reliable system! The workarround does not work for me. When I make the change, Windows tries unsuccessfully to load the desktop icons on startup. This happens in an endless loop. Do you want to make the GPO change both on the RDP host and on the machine you are hooking up with?

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

I've applied the GPO change only at the RDP host. The client which initiates the connection doesn't need the GPO change.

Altough this workaround fixes the issue with the high cpu usage, there are some random freezes when using the workaround. I.e. the RDP session doesn't respond anymore until the session gets reconnected. Either way seems to have its flaws. I wish I wouldn't have updated to Windows 10 1903. RDP was working stable without any issues until the update.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Microsoft still haven't fixed this !

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Yes the problem still persist.

Symptom: When you disconnect RDP, CPU load is going high and Window Desktop Manager is taking lot of resources. After same user login via RDP, CPU load fall to normal.

Workaround: Do not disconnect RDP by simply closing it, but Logoff user for RDP disconnection.

Solution: --

  

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Has Microsoft acknowledged the issue ?  Working on a fix ?

Hello Microsoft ?  Anyone home ?

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

* Please try a lower page number.

* Please enter only numbers.

* Please try a lower page number.

* Please enter only numbers.

 
 

Question Info

Last updated September 7, 2023 Views 7,465 Applies to: