Degraded performance after Win8.1 update

[btitus]

Hi,
I have the Plugable UD-3900 USB3.0 hub, with connections to an Acer 21" external monitor (via HDMI,) a Logitech wireless USB mouse/keyboard, and Ethernet. All plugged into USB3.0 port on my Lenovo Yoga 11s.

I have installed the updated DisplayLink software (7.4M2), and have downloaded and installed all the updated Lenovo drivers for 8.1.

I am seeing window performance issues that I definitely did not see under 8.0. Although the external monitor is usable and is running at its full resolution, I am seeing laggy window rendering for Aero peek, dragging, scrolling, and rapid mouse movements. I can get the "fuzzy" window by scrolling a window back and forth rapidly. There are no issues on the laptop screen itself.

I don't recall ever seeing this happen on my 8.0 setup -- it all seemed to function flawlessly. I am wondering if anyone else is seeing these types of issues; hopefully performance can be improved back to 8.0 levels. Please advise...

[chriscbolden]

I have a Dell XPS-18 w/two Dell ST2320L hd monitors using the Targus ACP70USZ. All three displays appear somewhat fuzzy since the upgrade to Win8.1. Just wondering if anyone else is experiencing similar issues with their setups. Admittedly, I didn't upgrade the DisplayLInk 7.4v software on my win8 os before upgrading to win8.1.(saw that suggestion afterward on their website). I have not noticed much of a performance issue yet, only the slightly fuzzy appearance all three displays(1920x1080)

[JamesH]

Hi,

Is Optimize for Video (a setting in the taskbar UI) enabled? If so try disabling this.

This might be graphics driver version related - it's worth running "System Compatibility Check" from this tool http://www.displaylink.com/support/ticket.php?id=269 to see if anything is flagged up.

I will need the support files to investigate this - please run "Gather Support Information" from the above mentioned tool and then attach the results.

Thanks,
James

[btitus]

Here you go James; thanks for looking into this. Also, optimize for video was set to "off."

There is definitely something 'not right' about my system now. Very noticeable when dragging windows. For example, dragging the Outlook 2013 window around the external monitor is very laggy. It's fine on the built-in monitor.

[chriscbolden]

James-
Attached is the support file info for my configuration.XPS18_20131020_113034.zip

[btitus]

OK, I think I have found something.

The Lenovo Yoga has several configurations; the one I use when attached to the UD-3900 is to have the keyboard flipped under and the display flipped up in a "stand" so I can use it as a second monitor. When you do that, the Yoga turns off the keyboard & touchpad so they don't get accidentally pressed.

Just for kicks, I decided to flip the keyboard back around and try using the touchpad on the laptop to move windows around on the extended monitor. Surprise: the laggy window dragging and rendering is gone. And then when using the wireless mouse lag is still gone. Strange.

I thought maybe it was an incompatibility with the Logitech wireless USB keyboard/mouse itself, so I disconnected. However, I also have a BT Microsoft mouse, and it does the same thing: With laptop keyboard flipped back & disabled, window drags & peek renders lag. As soon as I activate the touchpad, lag is gone, and the BT mouse behaves better.

So, it seems to be some kind of interaction between the automatic disabling of the Yoga's keyboard/touchpad and any external mouse. I will try to see if I can narrow it down with some additional experiments...

[btitus]

More clarification: the interaction is between the mode switching of the Yoga, the external monitor plugged into the UD-3900, and an external mouse. There is never a lag problem on the laptop screen, whether in stand mode or not.

I've also tried disabling the touchpad manually and then folding the keyboard back to switch modes, but it does not make a difference. As soon as the Yoga switches modes (disables keyboard/mouse), video performance on the external monitor goes downhill.

[slingtay000]

I have a Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro with an Anker USB 3.0 dock that is having the same problems as btitus and I think it has to do with mode switching as well.

The computer lags badly when plugged into the dock and seems to behave better when the touchpad/keyboard has been initiated.

I have 7.4 M2 update and windows 8.1. Attached is my support file.

[JamesH]

Hi,

Regarding the Yoga issues - do you get the lag if you use a wired mouse.

I am wondering if this is another instance of USB3 interference:
http://www.displaylink.com/support/ticket.php?id=340

Thanks,
James

[btitus]

I still had the issue with a wired mouse. I believe I've tracked this down to a problem with the Intel Dynamic Platform and Thermal Framework. Apparently this software/driver was putting the laptop into a different power state when the Yoga is in non-laptop configurations. Here's a post I made over on the Lenovo forum last night:

OK, just ran some experiments to see what I could figure out.

First of all, if you want to see the problem in action, just open up the Task Manager, and click the Performance tab. At the top you'll see the CPU with a GHz number. Now, keeping Task Manager open, start playing a video and you should see the GHz number climb up to maybe 0.60-0.80 GHz. Still while the video is playing, flip your Yoga back into stand mode. You will see the GHz drop and the number will stick at 0.42 GHz -- that's the throttling that comes from the Dynamic Platform and Thermal Framework.

So I tried the following:

1) Uninstall the DPTF from Programs and Features. I had version 7.1.0.2104 installed, which I had gotten from the Lenovo website.
2) Restart machine. Voila -- no more throttling.


3) Reinstall that same version. I thought maybe doing a complete uninstall and reinstall might make a difference.
4) Restart machine. Back to 0.42 GHz


5) Uninstall DPTF & restart (no more throttling)
6) Install version 6.0.7.1084, which is on my D: drive in the Drivers folder. Presumably the version that my machine came with.
7) Restart machine. Back to 0.42 GHz :-(
8) Uninstall & restart

So, this leads me to believe that there was some configuration of DPTF that is outside of the driver install, and it got overwritten by the 8.1 install. The other possibility is that we were always running at 0.42GHz in tablet mode, but something about 8.1 uses way more processor, so we now see issues. I guess if we could get someone with 8.0 and no issues to check this for us it would be another clue.

So for now, I'm going to leave DPTF off and see how it goes. The alternative is rolling back to 8.0, which I'd rather not do if at all possible.

At this point, I've reinstalled DPTF, but disabled through the BIOS. This solves all the performance issues for me. I'll keep monitoring Lenovo to see if they address with an updated DPTF package.