[Partially Fixed] Intel + NVIDIA Laptop Freeze Problem

It is really hard to say who is blame.

   Someone said that it works perfectly on Linux or Mac OS which makes me think that Microsoft owns the fix. But there are a lot more laptops that is not in the list and have i7 7th gen + NVIDIA Pascal on board and work nicely. Otherwise gaming laptop industry would be ruined or fixed already. 

   I'm thinking the problem may be caused by desktop version of dGPU in laptops. There may be some incompatibility or because some kind of power limit in Windows or BIOS.

Danish Arora:

No one seems to care about this problem...so no ETA for the fix, because no one takes the blame and says it will be fixed, everyone says it's not our fault.

VadimGoncear:

Linux and Mac OS use different drivers, if the drivers are ok, then no freeze. Drivers are the bridge between hardware and OS(Linux,Windows,Mac). If you are right and the switch is ok on Linux and Mac then this means hopefully we will have a driver fix and it's not a hardware problem.

The list is already long, almost every gaming laptop with Pascal dGPU is there...and imagine that not all of us know English, or others as long as a game works fine, they are ok with it. But as I said not all of us only game on it, I also work on my machine's - sometimes I need power and battery life.

Second case with the other laptops not mentioned in the list: Today I have tested a little the Lenovo Legion Y920 7700HQ + GTX 1070 - I was amazed that it didn't have the freeze, on anything I have tested. Looking around I found out that in Device Manager -> Display Adapters there was no Intel HD Graphics 630 card. It only had the NVIDIA GTX 1070... In Bios you can select only the dGPU. Therefore no freeze but less battery. So other laptops can be like this from factory. And if you think manufacturers don't know about this issue? think again...

Indeed is hard to blame someone, but after an year, it's unacceptable

I'll tell you why it is Windows 10. The hang (aka, stutter, aka short mouse freeze) happens only when windows invokes the dGPU (for example via a click on battery icon). Case in point, when you start TrayPwrD3, which invokes dGPU via DirectX12, you do not experience the stutter or mouse freeze.

You can test that on Laptops with dGPU LED indicator. Start dGPU using both of the above methods and notice the difference.

It must be something about the way Windows 10 is invoking the dGPU at the kernel level. Can't imaging it is that difficult to fix by Microsoft!

JiachenZhong1:

I will install Windows 8.1 to test it for myself. Windows version 1703 was told to be lag free - it is less laggy because it doesn't triggers the dGPU that often. But when you change the scale or resolution, it freezes. When you change the UAC it freezes, because it triggers the dGPU. But I will test Windows 8.1 right away.

josub01:

TrayPwrD3 keeps the dGPU on idle instead of off. That is why the freeze is gone. The freeze appears when the dGPU goes from off to on/idle. You don't need a led to confirm that, you can use: NVIDIA Optimus Test Viewer. There you will see that TrayPwrD3 keeps the dGPU on idle and you will also notice the freeze from off to on/idle.

Renesys:

TrayPwrD3 does that by invoking DX12 at a low level once every 4-5 seconds. Just frequent enough to invoke the dGPU and keep it on, while using minimal resources. I should know since I wrote the code.

Hey josub01!

I just had a quick question about TrayPwrD3. How much battery life are we sacrificing battery life by using the program?

Well, I didn't expect that, first of all I appreciate your work and application. Second, did you test by invoking de dGPU at a higher level to see if it freezes?

But still it can be a driver bug from NVIDIA, because on 6700HQ + GTX960M it invokes it the same(being the same Windows version) and works perfect.

haven't tested since to me the problem is so severe that I am ok with reduced battery + not a problem when plugged in + you can always exit the app when worried about battery. 

I can tell you that it is designed to use minimal battery, while keeping dGPU on.

In any case, should be very easy to test on your system. Try with TrayPwrD3 on and with it off for the duration of your battery. I suspect it will vary with each system.

Well, I didn't expect that, first of all I appreciate your work and application. Second, did you test by invoking de dGPU at a higher level to see if it freezes?

But still it can be a driver bug from NVIDIA, because on 6700HQ + GTX960M it invokes it the same(being the same Windows version) and works perfect.

You're welcome! had to do something + glad to help the community in the process.

re testing: no freezing if invoked more frequently than 5 sec. But suspect it will use more battery.

re: GTX960, can't say anything since I don't have one, but agree with your reasoning.