Tough to diagnose game buffering/stuttering problem

[LonePirate]

I have a very difficult to diagnose problem that I welcome any input or advice on how to solve.

I have a gaming Alienware PC (not a laptop but a PC) that is about five years old but it had the best possible CPU could equip it with at the time. I need to double check what exactly it is. I installed a new GeForce 2080 video card around Christmas 2019. It is a Win 10 with 64 GB RAM and I have a 100 Mb/s internet connection that typically averages closer to 75 Mb/s.

Anyway, early last December, I started suffering from game stuttering or buffering and my frame rates would plummet while my latency would skyrocket. I would also sometimes suffer from artifact or game world rendering problems. However, these problems were isolated to online games I played (such as Red Dead Redemption Online). I never encountered the problem with video streaming from Hulu (typically performed within a browser) or with Twitch streaming. The problem was limited to games I played with the exception of browsing the web in Chrome. For some reason Chrome would also stutter or freeze when scrolling through pages with lots of links. I did not have the problem in Edge or Firefox.

I first though maybe there was something wrong with my network as I typically connect this PC to my home router via WiFi. However, I have a newer laptop I use for gaming when I travel and it connects wirelessly; but it runs the same games perfectly over the same wireless connection. So I connected a my gaming PC using a cable plugged directly into my router. No change in behavior. I then replaced the video card just before Christmas (the 2080 mentioned above) but still no change. I ran some ISP connection tests and nothing out of ordinary was uncovered.

I re-ran a virus scan (I have McAfee Live Safe which is always on) and it found nothing. I read where McAfee software can sometimes interfere with online gaming so I uninstalled it. Again no change so I re-installed it. I contacted the support line at Dell and after paying their support fee and working with them over the phone for several hours, they had uncovered nothing. I then contacted Microsoft support, paid their fee, spent several hours on the phone with them and they found nothing. I then dropped the PC at the Microsoft store at the local mall where it spent the holidays. They found nothing wrong with it. I left the machine with unused for a couple weeks before firing it up again in mid-January. Magically, everything worked perfectly. No stuttering or buffering when gaming or when using Chrome. It was as if a switch had been turned and the problem disappeared.

Fast forward to about two weeks ago and the problem has resurfaced. The same game buffering and a broke web browsing problems are back. My network is still running fine. My laptop is still running the games and Chrome with no problems. Nothing has changed since January except for the automatic updates from Microsoft and Alienware (Dell) that are pushed down to it. I don’t know if I have some weird hardware problem due to the occasional graphics rendering problems I have, even things were perfect just two weeks ago. Maybe I have some deep rooted malware or something even though McAfee has found nothing in its recent scans.

Do any of DU’s experts have any ideas what might be causing this? Any suggestions on what to look for or try? Or even any worthwhile forums I could consult? It’s maddening since the PC seems to be i. Perfect condition otherwise. I am willing to provide any additional information or answer any questions or perform some troubleshooting if anyone has any ideas what might be causing this problem. Thank you.

[pbmus]

1. Sounds like router issues...

When you said works fine away from home...

Had to replace my router when tv did the same...

[LonePirate]

3. My laptop and its wireless connection does not exhibit similar problems though.

My router is a Linksys router and it’s about three years old. Every other device using my router is fine. I suppose it could be a router issue as I generally funnel more data and traffic through my PC than my laptop or other devices. I might investigate replacing it.

[Newest Reality]

2. That's one of those...

That's one of those tough ones. Been there.

Does your CPU have the rating and number of cores for the kinds of games you play? Have you contacted the video card manufacturer or visited their forums to ask/find out?

All I can do is share what comes to mind and it could be way off base. Maybe you have tried them.

Run task manager and just make sure you don't have a huge list of processes running, if you see hundreds, then something is wrong. You can look up optimal settings for Windows that turn off unused processes and that might help. You said Win 10, but you didn't mention if it was Pro, which might be using processes you don't require. That can be looked up: Win 10 optimization.

Do try using a deep malware checker, if you can.

Also, what comes to mind is to check if you have automatic defragging turned on under the disk options. Turn that off.

I don't know if it still applies, (have not done gaming in a while) but are you using the Windows drivers for the video card and is there a dedicated one available from the manufacture? Updated drivers can often resolve glitches.

Also, have you updated your Wi-fi drivers using the manufactures version? Even though you tested the problem with a direct, Ethernet connection. Sometimes the drivers are from the same manufacture.

That's all I can think of off hand. They might all be wrong. You know how it goes.

[LonePirate]

4. It is Win 10 Pro. I will investigate your recommendations. I do know all of my drivers are current.

Thank you for the suggestions.

[Newest Reality]

6. You are welcome.

Yes, Pro may have system settings and processes that are not necessary for your needs

The game issue aside, there are tweaks for that online and your machine may be more spry afterwards. So, you can look that up to find out.

[Newest Reality]

5. I just thought of something...

You can also get an app to check and change your Windows TCP/IP settings for modem/wi-fi with TCP optimizer. It remembers the original ones if you are experimenting and you can get tips online for the settings.

I use it on a new system to tweak.

[LonePirate]

7. I will check into that. Interesting. Thank you.

[Jamastiene]

8. I have two R17s.

Laptop versions of the Alienware R17. One is 3D and one is UHD.

When I have that problem, I can usually trace it back to Dell's latest updates. If I revert to the last updates from Dell, usually, the problem solves itself. The only problem from that point is that when I have to do a reboot, Dell does it again. They update the firmware again and the problem comes back. I remember telling Dell Update to not do that one certain update at some point and it seems to have cleared itself up.

Also, sometimes GeFroce will have an update and not tell you to restart. Or it will have an update, that update will fail, and your video will go crazy. Most of the time, what I do then is reboot first, then check GeForce Experience (you can download it from them) for updates.

Also, there are settings in GeForce Experience where you can check, game by game, to see what would optimize play of that game. Sometimes, something as simple as turning off anti-aliasing can fix framerate issues.

With latency/buffering issues, I'm not sure. That might be game specific from their servers. It might not hurt to go check the specific game's site for info for that. Each one has it's own instructions on how to deal with those kinds of issues.

I had a lot of trouble with Twitch until I changed the latency settings. There is almost always some setting somewhere in a game, a web site, or a browser that will fix the problem. Finding what to tweak is usually the hardest part.

To make it go slightly easier, I would reboot first, then go to GeForce Experience and let it update your drivers for GeForce. After that, use GeForce Experience and let it optimize your games. If it cannot find a game, sometimes you can use the other GeForce control panel (I can't remember what that one is called) to go program by program and find the game there.

I hate it when these are the Cadillacs of the computer world but they have simple problems that mess everything up. Both Alienware laptops I have both have had the same problem with the same USB ports on the left hand side being loose. I got one fixed. I need to fix this one before it runs out of warranty. I think this is the last year I can have the nicer warranty. I need to get on the ball and have that fixed. Or I could just do it for less than a year of warranty costs and have them fix it out of warranty, which might be another option.

[mr_lebowski]

9. Is Red Dead Redemption OL the only game with this issue?

I think I've read it's pretty buggy/crappy network-wise.

Have you tried the simplest things, like running chkdsk and sfc /scannow? Checked the HD's S.M.A.R.T. status? Is anything hogging cycles in task manager?

If you're only having an issue in Chrome not FF or Edge that sorta rules out hardware issues tbh.

Usually when I get fed up with issues like this I just freaking reinstall windows (after making very sure the HD is working okay). Other than laptops I've never bought a PC that I didn't build and install Windows and everything else myself (other than laptops and even those I've reinstalled Windows myself).