XPS 8940 Graphics Card? Ethernet Card? AT&T Internet?

Where did you get that "latest" video card driver, from Dell's site, from NVidia or via Windows update?  And what version is it?

What do you mean a "clean install" of the video driver? Did you run DDU (free) to clean out everything from the existing video driver before installing a different one?

Click Start>Run>services.msc and click OK.  When services.msc opens, find all Killer (and any xTend) services. Double-click each one and set its Startup Type to disabled. When all are disabled, exit services.msc. Then make sure the Killer Control Center is not set to load at every boot on Startup tab in Task Manager. 

When that's all done, reboot and see if Ethernet performance improves. You don't need any of those Killer (and xTend, if any) services running and they're known to slow down Ethernet performance, especially upload speeds.

BTW: Have you scanned thoroughly for malware lately? Malwarebytes (free version) is a good tool for this.

@RoHe​ 

1 hour with AT&T...who said we did have a connection issue helped a bit.

A did a clean install before I read up on DDU. I will utilize that for the next driver update.  I take it I need to start the computer in safe mode when I run it. Restart and then install the new driver. 

I was wondering about the killer services since the Dell update on them is over a year old. I was going to unstall and install the Intel ones, but the issue is better before I did that. Speaking of Intel, do all the Intel services need to run?

The game now runs, although a bit slow.  I am now discovering the display resolution plays a role.  My monitor automatically reset to 3840 x 2160.  I think it did something to the game settings possibly.  I am learing that at higher resolution it is slower and smaller.  The game does ok at 1920 x 1080.  I tried to reset it...but in the windowed mode I can not. There is a full screen and borderless mode...not sure of the difference. I read with this game it runs best at 1440 or 1080 which I take it are the second of the resolution numbers. The higher one yielding the smaller font and images. 

Again..thanks for the advice. I will uncheck the killer services now.

Mike

@Lamf77​ 

When did this start? Maybe 12/6 or so?

If so, Dell Support Assist was updated then. It has been causing havoc for many users. This is an OLD Subject, https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/xps/how-to-disable-dell-data-manager/65e86e1d37843f50d3be4195?page=1, the initial entry and one answer, but after that, they started on Dec. 12th.

This hits lower powered PC's, especially with low RAM.

2 PC's here, one got hit pretty hard, and older XPS with Windows 10, but only 8GB's of RAM. All the RAM was used up basically.

My XPS though has 32GB's and I am not seeing it.

On the older XPS, disabling Dell Tech Hub in Services 'fixed' that PC.

To confirm that is your problem, open Task Manager and check on the top row how much RAM is used... very high, that is your problem. Even with 32GB's, I just turned my XPS on and 41% is used. On my wife's PC, well, over 90% used and Dell Data Manager was the big one.

So, check that out and if high, that is the cause. Many people REMOVE Support Assist before this. If you back up your PC, you don't need its 'Restore' function or the other features honestly. Dell Update (going away) used to provide the update check, but not it is in the new version of Support Assist. However, you can on the Support page for your system have notices of new updates for your system emailed you.

If you have the standard amount of RAM, 16GB's, then more than likely this is part of the problem, especially if it just started early this month.

As for DDU, it does clean out the driver... and I'd suggest rather than use Dell's get the driver from Nvidia site. It is more recent than Dell's and might have some fixes (as well as Security ones) that could solve your problem. I am on V566.36 released on Dec. 5rh.

You have GeForce from Nvidia installed? Check this out, https://www.techradar.com/computing/gpu/it-looks-like-the-nvidia-app-could-be-doing-more-harm-than-good-by-tanking-game-performance-but-theres-a-fix, might also be involved with your Game problem.

I assume you have 100Mbps ISP service? I assume your do not have a router, but does your modem have wireless (I assume it does if AT&T is your provider) have you tried using the built-in wireless adapter in the 8940? It can easily handle that speed.

Keep in mind that Windows Update installs Killer updates (disguised as Intel updates) without warning or permission. So you may have a later version than what's offered on Dell's support page. Just disable all Killer (and xTend) services in services.msc, even if disabling SupportAssist as @ispalten suggested above helps with the other issues.

I'd leave the Startup Type for all "Intel" services listed in services.msc at their default settings.

@RoHe​ 

There are about 9-10 different Intel services.  I will try to attach a photo. Should I check them all to run?  I will disable Support Assistant.  And what about other Dell services? I really appreciate the help. Things are running smoother already.

Looks like some important Intel services aren't running.

IMO, set Startup types this way:

1. Intel Content Protection HDCP: Automatic
2. Intel Content Protection HECI: Manual
3. Intel Dynamic Application Loader: Automatic
4. Intel Dynamic Tuning: Automatic
5. Intel Graphics Command Center: Manual
6. Intel HD Graphics Control Panel: Automatic
7. Intel Management Engine WMI: Automatic
8. Intel Optane Memory: Automatic-if you have Optane module, otherwise Manual
9. Intel Storage Middleware: Automatic
10. Intel TPM Provisioning: Automatic
11. Killer: Disabled -probably 4 Killer services listed
12. xTend: Disabled-if any listed

Don't know what "Dell" services you have, but may be related to SupportAssist. So if you disable SupportAssist, you can set them to Disabled.

@RoHe​ 

 What about Intel RST HFC Disable Service?   Right now it is on manual and not running. 

Thank you!

You can leave RST HFC Disable Service set to Manual. That way, if it's needed by some other process that other process can start it. And if it's not running, nothing wants it running now.

@RoHe​ Well...did all the services stuff. I got so frustrated I unsitalled World Of Tanks.  I did a clean reinstall of my NVIDIA driver with DDU in safe mode.  My screen looks really good. My native display was reading like 3840 x 2160.  After the clean install it set to 2560 x 1440 witha refresh of 99.95...it was 75.

I reinstalled the game. It played great. The second time I went to play my computer locked up.  Happened twice and I had to enter the game at a default graphic, lower resolution 1920 x 1080.   Kept it there...played again. Astronomical ping.  Game lagged fiercely. After the battle when it went to the default screen, it appeared at a higher resolution 2560 x 1440.  Not sure what is happening. Like my graphcis keep changing and I am not doing a thing.

What version NVidia driver are you using, and is it a "game ready" driver or not?

If your monitor have its own driver, was it ever installed? Also check to see if there's a newer version for the monitor driver, even if you already have one. What's the "recommended" (aka: "native") resolution setting for this monitor?

Sure you're connecting the monitor to the NVidia card and not to either the onboard Intel Graphics DP or HDMI port?  

And when connected to the NVidia card, what port are you using on the card and on monitor? Any adapter cables or just straight HDMI(NVidia)>HDMI(monitor) or DP(NVidia>DP(monitor) cable? 

And whatever cable you're using, is it rated for the monitor's native resolution? And does this game support the monitor's native resolution?  Any game updates?

\

@RoHe​ 

Monitor is connected to the computer by an HDMI. When I look at the back of the computer where it's plugged in, it looks like there's four large USB ports next to its. I think that's the video card? I never had any issues before and I'm using the latest driver. Now. Something just happened and I don't know if it's the fix or the reason. When I installed the new Nvidia driver it gave me a resolution of about 2500 by 1500 .... I don't remember the exact numbers. Nvidia suggested I roll back the driver and sent me a link to the previous one. So I use ddu uninstalled and reinstalled the older driver. When I did that my screen was back at 2500 x 1500 He had a refresh rate of 99.95 which seem kind of high to me? If I lowered it to 75 which had the* next to it, the screen reset to 1980 by 1080. So I just left it there. When I went back to the game with the lower resolution of my monitor, the game actually started with a higher level graphics. So he's a novice. What I would say is somehow by setting my monitor at a higher resolution. Even though it looked better, it didn't translate very well to the game. Even if I tried setting the game at a lower resolution, it somehow conflicted. I hope this makes sense?

In regards to my LG monitor, I don't think it had its own driver. And I'm not sure what the native resolution for it is. But obviously going higher messed up the game. I was able to get two games in at the 1920 x 1080 without issue 

Sorry for such a lengthy post. And I did want to ask, it looks like where the HDMI plugs in, there's four rectangular inputs next to it that look like larger USB. Is it possible that the HDMI cord that I have for my monitor only runs a certain resolution. Cuz with the higher resolution my screen and videos and everything else ran fine. The only problems I had was with the game.

The video card ports are in the area marked 3 (and 4) here. 

I bet your LG monitor has a driver.

You should set the resolution on the Windows Display screen to whatever is marked as "recommended".

@RoHe​ Yep number three, that's where the HDMI cable is. It looks like the 2560x1440 is the native resolution. This is what it went to after installing the new driver. But for some reason the game runs glitchy at that resolution. Many that I read, play world of tanks at 1920 x 1080.  I can set it to that. But for some reason it seems to conflict with that higher resolution and sometimes we'll set itself back without me doing anything? So I set the monitor to that lower resolution and so far I played a couple games without issue. So I'm not sure if there's something going on or some kind of conflict between the video card and the resolution that I set. I'm not that tech savvy

@Lamf77​ 

A couple of points I'd like to add.

One, the link @RoHe posted, to be clear, if you are connecting to the monitor at #1, you are using the on-board Intel HD750 adapter. Verify that you are not connected that way, but where the card slots are.

Secondly, you have or should have on your PC the Nvidia Control Panel. If so run it and look at this selection, display --> Resolution, and you'll see data like this:

If it doesn't look like mine, the PC resolution is NOT set to Native, find the NATIVE one and select it. Generally should run the Refresh Rate at 60Hz, but some monitors can go higher, 75hz. Defaults depend on your monitor usually even if the card can go higher.

Check the Spec's on your LG Monitor via a Google Search to see what IT is capable of, over driving it can cause problems.

You should also have GeForce from Nvidia installed, run it and check the settings for the game:

If it is wrong, you can edit that item (and any others).