Aurora R13 stutter

Question

I can't reply to the original thread for some reason, but I can create a new one, so...

I got bored with the R13 stutter the other day, so decided to uninstall Support Assist. I uninstalled it and also another item that had Support Assist in its name (apologies - I can't remember it). The stutter remained.

I had a look to see if I could see anything else left over and couldn't see anything. As the stutter remained, I thought it might be an idea to re-install Support Assist. Now when I try to reinstall the installer tells me it's already installed.

So, I have two options if anyone can help -

1. Find out how to get rid of whatever is left over, or

2. Find out how to re-install.

Can anyone help?

Jackob852 · Accepted Answer

Hey!

I got exactly the same spec and the problem that you have. It is a shame that config this expensive is having such problems, it was driving me nuts for the last two months until I found a thread in this forum about stuttering.

Done everything like in proposed solution, formated PC, installed everything new, newest drivers of the system proposed by dell, newest graph drivers from nvidia, all Windows updates etc. At the end I deleted support assistant. And I played a CoD WZ 2.

What a relief! No stuttering at all, works like a dream!

But then I wanted to adjust rgb lights and fan curves because this thing gets hotter than heat lamp in my geckos terrarium....

And I noticed that command center-AWCC is not installed. So I downloaded newest version, installed, adjusted as wanted....and started to play.

Fu#@$&'";! was happening again.

I decided to uninstall AWCC,

Rgb remained, fan curves remeined (can hear they spin faster in idle than usual)

But the stuttering went off! At this point I really blame AWCC. Try to uninstall it together with support assistant and let us know. How ironic that Dell apps which suppose to make experience better...make it a nightmare.

RodsterB · Answer

1) Let's start with, what are your temps? CPU/GPU throttling can produce stutter.

2) Are your GPU drivers up to date?

3) Where are you experiencing stutters? At the desktop, a particular game, or every game?

4) Are you running in 1080P, 2K or 4K resolution?

5) What is your refresh rate?

6) Have you looked at Task manager to see if a particular task is loading the CPU?

7) Have you tried to disable Alienware command center to see if that is causing the problem?

RTID75 · Answer

I haven't gamed in weeks. This happens randomly at any time, even if just watching YouTube or playing an audio file. I'm definitely not overheating, or even getting anywhere near close.

All drivers up to date.

As per above - I've not given CPU spikes a single thought as I'm not doing anything remotely taxing at the moment.

AWCC gives me a nervous tick. I daren't fiddle in case it breaks! LOL!

Tesla1856 · Answer

What drivers versions? You think 'the latest drivers' are the best ones? You think having all the Dell validated drivers (usually the 'heavy driver suite' versions) and all the Dell programs somehow guarantees a 100% properly working system? No, not really. I've found that just having WINDOWS-11 installed and running (and the WHQL drivers it tosses you) works best. Add to that a good/stable WHQL nvidia.com driver. If you are open to clean-installing Windows-11 (to verify your hardware is good and it's just an OS/software/driver problem) ... I could give you some specific steps to do ... in a way that would likely result in a properly working system. I can't say I've ever see AW-CC cause any stuttering, but my experience with it ends at Aurora-R6 (and my last validated version). However, Fusion can cause some strange 'hanging' sometimes as it tries to keep everything synced. Personally, I had petitioned for Dell to drop Fusion Service, but instead they went 'all in with it' and AFAIK, it's now on most Dells.

RodsterB · Answer

That is why I mentioned AWCC in my first reply. It is a rather bloated app. For some it works great with no issues and for others, it can create problems.

RTID75 · Answer

The concensus on the other thread was that is was Support Assist related, hence me trying to get rid of it.

The software is the biggest pain in owning these machines. You'd have thought they'd have got a grip by now. It's never ending pain.

I can, just about, put up with the stutter as like I said, having had several AWCC nightmares over more than one machine and a few years I'm loathe to touch it when it's working. I fear it'll not go back right (see my Support Assist problem!) if I uninstall it and I'm well past having to ground up re-install Windows to get things working again.

I do have a Macrium back up from two or three weeks ago I can go back to to get Support Assist back, if I can't work out what's left and why it won't re-install.

Thanks for your replies!

RTID75 · Answer

Had a deeper look and, using CCleaner, I found one entry of Support Assist still installed, even though nothing was showing in the programs in the start menu. It must have been the main part of the program as it took a long time to uninstall.

The long and short of it - after uninstalling and rebooting I watched a full Blu Ray with not a single stutter, so it looks fixed, and as long as it stays that way it was Support Assist.

One day Dell / AW might put out some software that's actually fit for purpose. It's amazing the lengths we have to go to in order to fix problems caused by their own software.

Alienware Desktops

Aurora R13 stutter

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