5 Posts
0
1975
January 12th, 2022 15:00
Support Assist Breaks System
My desktop PC: XPS8940, 8GB memory, single platter drive, 1TB.
Support Assist version: V3.10.4
All system memory used up. The desktop PC slows to a crawl.
Was able to update BIOS and drivers successfully after multiple tries, so all up to date.
Apparently Support Assist is failing to install a subsystem over and over. I saw failed to install "Support Assist OS Recovery" multiple times.
Does Support Assist have a log file I can review?
Note: I divided the main disk into two logical drives C: & G:
My solution to this problem was to uninstall Support Assist, Dell Update, etc... in order to have a usable PC.
Obviously, this is not a sustainable solution.
Is there a way to run Support Assist without the program attempting to install a subsystem first?
Should I just run Dell Update instead? All I need is a way to update Dell provided drivers and BIOS.
Thanks.
ZeroMemory
5 Posts
0
January 16th, 2022 07:00
False alarm for Support Assist...
I was able to duplicate the bad behavior without Support Assist installed.
Another install from another vendor exhausted memory. I will continue to investigate the problem searching for a root cause. A Windows UI component, 'dwm.exe', "Desktop Windows Manager" was responsible for the memory exhaustion, both times, during the installs from different vendors.
lmacri
3 Apprentice
•
1.6K Posts
1
January 17th, 2022 07:00
Hi ZeroMemory:
Just a thought, but if you have an Intel UHD Graphics GPU on your motherboard are you using the v27.20.100.9664 driver currently recommended on the support page <here> for your XPS 8940? Your current graphics driver version can be found in Device Manager under Displays Adapters. From my Inspiron 5584:
The Intel support article dwm.exe (Desktop Window Manager) Produces a Memory Leak with Drivers Newer Than 27.20.100.8587 describes a known bug in the Intel UHD Graphics 630 drivers, but if you search the Intel Graphics product support board for "dwm.exe" you'll find users with other models of Intel GPUs (e.g., Intel UHD Graphics 620, etc.) that reported memory leaks from dwm.exe that started after they updated their Intel graphics driver.
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64-bit Win 10 Pro v21H2 build 19044.1466 * Firefox v96.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v.4.18.2111.5-1.1.18800.4 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.5.0.152-1.0.1538 * Dell SupportAssist v3.10.4.18 * Dell SupportAssist Remediation v5.5.0.16046 * Dell Update for Windows 10 Universal v4.4.0 * Inspiron 5583/5584 BIOS v1.16.0
Dell Inspiron 15 5584, Intel i5-8265U CPU, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G NVMe SSD, Intel UHD Graphics 620
ZeroMemory
5 Posts
0
January 12th, 2022 17:00
More Configuration Info:
Windows 10, 21H2. Up to date with Microsoft through December. NOT updated for January fixes.
The G partition was inserted between C: and the partitions lacking drive letters Dell created.
ZeroMemory
5 Posts
1
March 4th, 2022 17:00
Yes. Thank you very much for pointing out this known problem and 12/17/21 fix.
What is surprising is the Dell driver update utilities offered to upgrade to a later Intel driver with a history of bad memory leaks.
I understand now why some suggest you never update a driver unless you are having a problem. I don't recommend automatic driver updates and I recommend a full backup before applying most driver updates, especially video, network adapter, and BIOS updates. Do such updates only when you have the time to deal with potential problems.
Notes:
* The fix was NOT offered on Dell Support Assist or Dell Update or Intel Driver and Support Assist as of 01/23/22.
* When installing igfx_win_101.1191.exe from Intel, the fluffy Intel Graphics Command Center was also installed.
* The fix from Intel took roughly 11 months from initial report.
* Common for the dwm.exe memory leak caused by the Intel video driver to exceed 1GB.
Thanks a million. Marked resolved.
lmacri
3 Apprentice
•
1.6K Posts
1
March 5th, 2022 10:00
Hi ZeroMemory:
Glad to hear a newer Intel graphics driver solved your dwm.exe (Desktop Window Manager) memory leak.
I have no idea why it took Intel so long to release a bug fix for this memory leak, and the problem is exacerbated by the fact that it often takes Dell more than six months to certify and post Intel graphics driver updates on their own servers and deliver them via SupportAssist or Dell Update. I've noticed that almost every (if not all) Intel UDH Graphics 620 driver update certified by Dell for my Inspiron 5584 includes a patch for an Intel security vulnerability, so I don't even know if Dell bothers to certify Intel graphics driver updates that fix bugs like the dwm.exe memory leak you encountered unless the update also patches a security vulnerability.
Just an aside regarding your comment about the Intel Driver & Support Assistant (DSA) utility. If Intel DSA is unable to find available updates for your Intel graphics driver, note that I recently encountered a similar issue that wasn't solved until I updated my Dell Inspiron 5583 and 5584 System BIOS to v1.17.0 (rel. 07-Jan-2022). See my 11-Jan-2022 thread Intel DSA Not Detecting Update for UHD Graphics 620 Since Win 10 Pro v21H2 Installed in the Intel Graphics support forum for further details.
I currently have the Intel UHD Graphics Driver v27.20.100.9664 (released by Intel on 01-Jun-2021, not certified by Dell until 02-Dec-2021) recommended on the support page <here> for my Inspiron 5584 that patches three security vulnerabilities described in the Intel Graphics Driver advisories INTEL-SA-00438, INTEL-SA-00508, and INTEL-SA-00566. However, the Intel DSA v22.1.8.8 utility recommends the latest v30.0.101.1340 driver (rel. 07-Feb-2022).
To make matters more confusing, the Intel product support page <here> for my Intel UDH Graphics 620 GPU still recommends the previous v30.0.101.1191 driver (released 14-Dec-2021) [i.e., the same v30.0.101.1191 driver mentioned in the Intel support article dwm.exe (Desktop Window Manager) Produces a Memory Leak with Drivers Newer Than 27.20.100.8587 that includes the bug fix for the dwm.exe memory leak].
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64-bit Win 10 Pro v21H2 build 19044.1526 * Firefox v97.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.2201.10-1.1.18900.3 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.5.5.175-1.0.1621 * Dell SupportAssist v3.10.4.18 * Dell Update for Windows 10 Universal v4.4.0 * Dell Inspiron 5583/5584 BIOS v1.17.0 * Intel Driver & Support Assistant v22.1.8.8
Dell Inspiron 15 5584, Intel i5-8265U CPU, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G NVMe SSD, Intel UHD Graphics 620
ujjal_d
4 Posts
0
September 17th, 2023 18:48
@ZeroMemory I am facing some another issue just after the boot up it is showing that i have 54 gb free storage in C drive but after using for 1 hour it is showing that I have only 52 GB free space, do not know what the issue is please give me solution.is it happening for the dell support assist?
lmacri
3 Apprentice
•
1.6K Posts
0
September 17th, 2023 21:24
Hi @ujjal_d :
The original poster of this thread, ZeroMemory, had 8 GB of RAM (memory) and reported that they would run out of memory and their computer would freeze because of a known bug in their Intel UHD Graphics driver that would cause the Windows Desktop Manager (dwm.exe) to consume increasing amounts of RAM over time. This old bug was documented in the August 2022 Intel support article dwm.exe (Desktop Window Manager) Produces a Memory Leak with Drivers Newer Than 27.20.100.8587 and the solution was to install a newer graphics driver that included the bug fix.
The problem you are describing sounds like you are running low on free disk space on your hard drive. You cross-posted your question in alanchown1's Support Assist Using SSD Space?? so please see my 17-Sep-2023 reply <here> to you in that thread.
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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3448 * Firefox v117.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23080.2006-1.1.23080.2005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.2.281-1.0.2131 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279 * Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.0.0 * My Dell v2.2.6.0
(edited)