Disable/demote most GUI graphics

Devin Sheets 0

I am running Windows IoT Enterprise on a NUC and I want to maximize the CPU performance for one specific app that processes audio. The only purpose of the machine is to run this one audio app, nothing else. I notice that when I plug in a screen and move the mouse around and stuff, it makes clicks and pops in the audio because the CPU is being run at near capacity in order to process all the audio data. How can I disable or demote nearly all GUI functionality so that it either isn't operational or takes a back seat to audio CPU priority?

Sean Liming 4,606 Reputation points

2024-10-05T15:50:14.49+00:00

Can we get an idea of your hardware first? What CPU (make & model) is being used? i3, i5, i7, i9? How much RAM do you have in the system? What type of boot media is being used - M.2, SSD, etc.?

How is your application written? C# C? Any threads? If you are using threads, do you set thread priority levels?

Regards,

Sean Liming

Author of Starter Guide for Windows® 10 IoT Enterprise
Devin Sheets 0 Reputation points

2024-10-05T16:01:23.7466667+00:00

It is a NUC Zircon with Intel N95 (UHD graphics) 8GB DDR4 Memory and 256GB M.2 SATA SSD

The audio program VST Host is running an audio plugin that needs fast and reliable single thread performance, but even with only something like 30% CPU utilization, when I run the plugin at low buffer sizes, there are clicks and pops in the audio flow to by USB audio interface whenever I plug in an HDMI cable for a screen, move the mouse around and click on stuff, or especially when I open a browser window. When I look at the CPU meter during these times, nothing stands out. CPU utilization doesn't go much above 30% but there are still blips in the audio stream. When no screen is connected and the computer just sits there and passes audio, all is fine.
Devin Sheets 0 Reputation points

2024-10-05T16:06:02.0266667+00:00

It is a NUC Zircon with Intel N95 (UHD graphics) 8GB DDR4 Memory and 256GB M.2 SATA SSD The audio program VST Host is running a single audio VST3 plugin that needs fast and reliable single thread performance from the CPU (it does not use multithread), but even with only something like 30% CPU utilization in the task manager meter, plugging in an HDMI cable for a screen, or moving the mouse around too fast or opening up a web browser makes the audio click and pop, even while the CPU utilization remains around 30%. I am using an analog USB interface for the audio I/O and when the computer just sits there and passes audio without anything else going on, its fine.

1 answer

Sean Liming 4,606 Reputation points

2024-10-12T17:12:16.5566667+00:00

Thinking about this a bit. Not sure there is a solution to demote Windows GUI or a software issue. The problem might lie in hardware. My main computer will get feedback in the speakers when the HDMI cable come in contact the wrong way. Another computer would flash the video screen every time I plugged in a USB flash disk.

Check the cables in relation to one another.

Try running the software on different hardware than a NUC.
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Sander van de Velde | MVP 33,951 Reputation points MVP

2024-10-12T19:45:32.38+00:00

Hello @Devin Sheets,

welcome to this moderated Azure community forum.

I agree with @Sean Liming . I would swap out the hardware first (just install the software on a different device) and check for similarities or differences in the behaviour.

That would be your first step.
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Disable/demote most GUI graphics

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