Severe lags with CREO Parametric due to Desktop Window Manager process high CPU

[YHAdesign]

Hi,

I have installed CREO Parametric version 11.0.0.0.0 on my Lenovo Thinkpad P53s on Windows 10 and I am experiencing a severe performance issue (I had the same problem with version 9.0.0.0 by the way)  

Characteristics of my Laptop :

• Operating System  : Windows 10 Pro version 22H2
• Processor                 : Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8665U CPU @ 1.90GHz 2.11 GHz
• Installed RAM          : 48.0 GB (47.7 GB usable)
• GPU 0                        : Intel UHD Graphics 620
• GPU 1                         : NVIDIA Quadro P520 GPU1

Problem Description :

When moving a model on the screen or simply opening menus in CREO application, the graphic suddenly freezes for one or two seconds, making the work really annoying. After a while, all seems to be normal, until it restart to lag.

Analysis :

• At first, I thougt iwas a problem with the NVIDIA GPU 1 settings. I specified all CREO processes as allowed to use the PGU 1. Also, I enabled Hardware Acceleration under Windows "Graphic Settings".  It did not solve the problem.
• Then, I removed CREO from the list of applications using the NVIDIA GPU and disabled completely NVIDIA in the Windows Device Manager, with the objective to only use the native GPU 0 of my laptop. Unfortunately, it did not solve the problem
• Then, I figured out that the "Desktop Window Manager" process is probably the cause of the problem. When making fast moves of the 3D model, I can see that the Desktop Window Manager process suddenly consumes a lot of GPU 0 , sometimes reaching 100% utilization !
• With other graphic applications, I don't have the problem though

Of course, I made sure that that my Windows 10 is at the latest level. I searched on the internet for similar problem descriptions but unfortunately without success.

Can anybody help me ? It would be more than appreciated

Yves

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

execute "standard test". This means add following option at the end of config.pro temporarily.

graphics win32_gdi

If it resolves the problem then you have to try installing different version of graphic card drivers (if there are any of them).

INFO: NVIDIA Quadro P520 GPU1 is not supported.

https://support.ptc.com/WCMS/files/176375/en/Lenovo_11.html

[YHAdesign · Accepted solution]

Hi Martin,

Thank you for your reply and suggestion. I made the test as you mentioned but without change on my problem. However, your suggestion led me to the solution 👍

In fact, when looking at both GPUs utilization, I observed that Windows gets confused working with both GPUs at the same time.

Even if configuring the NVIDIA GPU1 for CREO, after a period of normal performance, the Intel GPU0 and the NVIDIA GPUs began to share the graphic load. At that moment, CREO lags a lot and the entire Windows becomes slow.

Today, I disabled the built-in GPU0 (Intel UHD Graphics 620) to only have the NVIDIA GPU active. This solved the problem !

Thanks again for support

Best regards,

Yves

[AJ_TROGLIO]

Where are you writing the trail files to?  I had a similar issue and found I was writing trail files to a mapped network drive.  I set the option

trail_dir

in my config.pro to a local drive and it works as intended. You need to look for it in <loadpoint>/text/config.pro or config.sup as well.

[YHAdesign]

Hi AJ,

Thank you for your message. Do you mean the files with .crc extension ? I looked at my directory where I have all my models, but I don't find any .crc trailer files in it.

Nevertheless, I store my models in my Dropbox account. I also asked me if this could generate the slowdown problem in CREO. So I tested the same model in a local directory butt he same problem occured. Therefore, I then looked at the GPUs and found the solution, as described above (disabling the Thinkpad P53s native GPU to only use the built-in NVIDIA GPU

Yves

[AJ_TROGLIO]

Umm...you store them there and bring them local to work, or, work from dropbox?  If the latter then that is no good.  Working over network, mapped or cloud files is not recommeded. 

A .crc file is a report of circular references.  i.e. part 1 references part 2 and then part 2 has a reference back to part 1.  They are generally no good and need to be dealt with.  

Trail files will be in the format of 'trail.txt.#' where # is a number.  Every time you start Creo it starts a new trail file.  Trail files record each and every keystroke in a session.

You need to look for a trail_dir entry in the following locations

<creo loadpoint>/text/config.pro

<creo loadpoint>/text/config.sup

<your Creo startup directory>/config.pro

If you right clink on the icon you use to start Creo and then select properties, see where the location of the 'Start in' is.  Then look in this directory for a config.pro file.