Windows 8.1 x64 - Low memory while playing full screen games

Anonymous
2013-12-01T18:38:14+00:00

Info: This bug was fixed on August 12th 2014 with the release of the month's Patch Tuesday. Make sure to install every update available for your system, if you're having the problem described on this thread.


Hello, I've been facing a "tough" problem with my computer running Windows 8.1 x64. I did not upgrade from Windows 8, I did a clean install and for the past month, everytime I play some of the new 2013 games (Assassin's Creed Black Flag, Battlefield 4, CoD:Ghosts etc.), I'm constantly getting a "low memory" warning from time to time. 

So, giving that my laptop is capable of running these games (Asus N56VZ - Intel Core i7, Intel HD 4000 + Nvidia GT650 M, 6GB DDR3, 750GB 7200rpm, Full-HD 15,6" screen), I began searching for an answer. Here's what I've concluded:

When the game (eg: Battlefield 4) opens, the memory consumption begins to rise, and rise, and rise, non stop, until the system doesn't have more memory available and triggers the low memory warning. However, in the exact moment that I "alt+tab" out of game OR the memory warning does it for me, all of the occupied memory is emptied instantly, like magic!

I was able to "understand" this using Process Explorer by MS (sysinternals), heres a screenshot that shows the "climbing" and the sudden drops:

http://prntscr.com/2809xc

I cant really discover where all this memory is being allocated/used, and I have no idea on whats causing this. I also don't know if this is Windows-related, device-related or driver-related.

Is anyone facing this as well? 

[UPDATE DECEMBER 9th] This issue is triggered when the resolution in which the games are being played differs from the resolution configured on Windows.

If you are playing a game, say, in 1366x768, you need to change the system resolution to the same 1366x768 BEFORE opening the game. That will stop the excessive memory consumption and you'll be able to play the game fine.

My system is in Portuguese, but I think it's easy to get it:

This also concludes that the issue is Windows-related and not driver related, so we'll have to wait for Microsoft to patch it. Meanwhile, remember to change your resolution when you're going to play.

[UPDATE APRIL 26th 2014]

According to some Intel folks at communities.intel.com (http://is.gd/71Vha2), Microsoft has confirmed the issue with Windows 8.1 in an internal email. It resides - as it was explained - on the DWM (Desktop Window Manager) which triggers a memory leak when running fullscreen games with a resolution different than the desktop resolution.

The memory leak fills the system memory and page file with junk until there's no more memory available.

We assume Microsoft is already working on a fix for this, altough we never heard anything "official" from them regarding the issue. 

[UPDATE AUGUST 14th 2014]

The problem has been finally fixed by Microsoft with the release of the August updates on Aug. 12th.

Make sure to install every single update available - including the optional ones - and you'll no longer receive low-memory warnings when running fullscreen games/apps with different resolution/refresh rate.

Also make sure you're using the latest drivers available for your Intel and/or Nvidia GPU (it might be important).

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Gaming

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2014-08-13T05:04:19+00:00

I might be a bit cynical but I looked through all the support KB's from the updates today and couldn't find anything that related to fixing this issue (unless I'm missing something)...

Yesterday i have made the update and i found via the link also no description, but...

Yah!, after nearly 10 months, microsoft have now solved this bug.

With the latest patches (Patch Day 12.08.2014, also install the optional Updates),

all different resolutions and framerates works well.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-03-10T17:08:58+00:00

    Besides the thread on the intel site that Dennis mentioned, Ray Krebbs and myself posted a bunch of info into the 3345 driver thread.  I have responded to the 3412 driver thread with links to the issues from the 3345 thread. 

    I am hopeful with the Keleg thread because I believe that Kevin from Intel is going to try to duplicate it with WoW.  I gave him very exact instructions on how to duplicate the issue.

    I have my fingers crossed.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-03-10T14:44:31+00:00

    Hey,

    the problem is that Intel wasn't even aware of this issue.

    However by now they should be (also thanks to Keleg for starting the thread in the Intel community).

    If you want to see the status of this issue, check out: https://communities.intel.com/message/226116#226116

    But please don't spam "me too"s in the threadthey are looking into it already and they also know this thread in the microsoft forums, meaning they also know the amount of people who are affected by this problem.

    I hope this will be fixed soon :)

    Denis_W thanks for info.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-03-10T14:29:42+00:00

    Hi,

    I got the same problem. I've had it for months now and I can't believe how slow intel is to fix this.

    This is a major bug that many people encounter and we're yet to see an actual solution and not a quickfix or downgrade of drivers.

    I really do hope that they will, at some point acknowledge this and publish a new driver that fixes this.

    B.

    Hey,

    the problem is that Intel wasn't even aware of this issue.

    However by now they should be (also thanks to Keleg for starting the thread in the Intel community).

    If you want to see the status of this issue, check out: https://communities.intel.com/message/226116#226116

    But please don't spam "me too"s in the threadthey are looking into it already and they also know this thread in the microsoft forums, meaning they also know the amount of people who are affected by this problem.

    I hope this will be fixed soon :)

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-03-10T14:06:44+00:00

    This steps helps me in my problem:

    1. Set external display as main display and laptop display as secondary (microsoft key + p (extended)).
    2. Instal and run Proces Explorer ( from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/sysinternals).
    3. Open window System information ( ctrl +I) and switch to Memory tab
    4. Move this window (System information) to the secondary dispaly.
    5. Run game on primary dispaly. 

    KrzeTi-

    I am trying to determine if what you are doing in this solution has any affect.  So my question is after you have done all this, can you run a full screen game on the external monitor that is at a different resolution than the desktop resolution on that monitor?  I thought maybe you could, but then you told Sebastian to set the resolutions the same, which makes it appear to me that your above solution depends on the previous solution which is to set the resolutions the same.

    Do you really have to be running process explorer at the same time as the game is running?

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