Windows 10: Screen flickers every 17 seconds - Desktop Window Manager (dwm.exe)

This problem has affected the last few builds of Windows 10 Pro x64 Insider Preview, including the latest 1903 version build 18356.1.

Every 17 seconds the monitors flicker. I've found that the times that the flash occurs coincides exactly with an entry in the Windows Logs > Application event log:

Event ID: 9027
Source: Desktop Window Manager
Details: The Desktop Window Manager has registered the session port

Using SysInternals' 'Process Explorer' I can see 4 dwm.exe processes running. 3 of these processes started yesterday when the machine was rebooted. Every 17 seconds (i.e., when the screens flicker) the 4th dwm.exe process is killed and a new one is created.

At the same time that the 4th dwm.exe processes is restarted I also see a few other processes killed and restarted:

• csrss.exe - 5 processes running, latest process to start is killed and restarted every 17 seconds
• fontdrvhost.exe - 5 processes running, latest is killed and restarted every 17 seconds
• logonui.exe - 1 process running, killed and restarted every 17 seconds
• NVDisplay.Container.exe - 5 processes running, latest process to start is killed and restarted every 17 seconds
• winlogon.exe - 4 processes running, latest process to start is killed and restarted every 17 seconds
• WUDFHost.exe - 6 processes running, latest process to start is killed and restarted every 17 seconds

The screen flash is becoming quite annoying! Can it be stopped?

Many thanks!

/Neil

:)

 

Screen flicker and hangup on desktop screen

The short term fix for me was to roll back to Windows 7. I did not have the time to work through the issues but will try again in a week or so. I had a call in to the Microsoft Answer Desk and got a call back after I rolled back. Pasted below are the suggestions
to attempt find the problem. In my case, I suspect Norton was the culprit since that was the common product on both my desktops and I was not seeing a flicker in Task Manager window.

From the Microsoft Answer Desk:

Here are the Steps for the Flickering issue.

If we see the screen flickering after sign-in there are two possible causes - apps causing Explorer to crash, or display driver issues.

To start, press this key combination: CTRL+SHIFT+ESC

If this opens Task Manager and that window is NOT flickering:The likely cause is Software Compatibility issue causing Explorer.exe to crash repeatedly.

• Use the File, Run option in Task Manager to open additional tools as-needed. Be sure to check the box to run tools as Administrator. These could include:
  
  appwiz.cpl: Opens Programs and Features
  
  compmgmt.msc: Opens Computer Management
  
  cmd.exe
• You can search for crash events in the Event Logs and find if any third party DLLs are the faulting module in the Explorer,.exe crashes Or uninstall software that is likely to include shell extensions.
  
• If removing software does not resolve the issue, use these commands to repair Windows:
  
  dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
  
  sfc /scannow

We have reports that removing these apps help resolve the issue:

• Norton Antivirus
• Other AV solutions
• iCloud
• IDT Audio (faulting module IDTNC64.cpl)

If Task Manager is flickering, or it didn't open, proceed with display driver troubleshooting:
The likely cause is a display driver or display hardware issue.

• Boot to Safe Mode with Networking.
• Use the same steps here as for Black Screen issues - if dual chipset, disable built-in graphics, if still flickers, try with only the other chipset enabled.
  
• If this does not work, or there is only a single chipset, uninstall the device and remove the driver software.
  
• Then boot into Windows and update the drivers to the latest from the manufacturer.
  

Here are the Steps for the Flickering issue.

If we see the screen flickering after sign-in there are two possible causes - apps causing Explorer to crash, or display driver issues.

 

Screen flickering in Windows 10 safe mode

I haven't made any changes on my device. This screen flickering is only happening in Safe Mode.

 

Screen starts to flicker after logging in for a while


Hello

This is an entirely new issue. My screen starts to flicker after logging in/turning on computer for a while, and/or if I launch an app that uses my Nvidia card (my laptop has Optimus), I'm not exactly sure which of these two causes it. For the first while after a restart, the screen appears fine. The flickering appears on desktop background + internet browser as well, so I'm pretty sure it's not a program compatibility issue. The flickering is not severe (the type that looks like horizontal bars sliding up) but it's an annoyance.

Tried:

• Disabling Windows error reporting + problem reporting service in msconfig
• Restart computer
• Resetting Nvidia global settings to default in Nvidia control panel
• Checking for display drive updates in device manager (all up to date)
• Checking monitor refresh rate (60Hz, can't be changed)

Laptop I'm using:

• i7-4700MQ 2.4GHz
• 1900x1080
• Intel HD 4600 + Nvidia GT750M

Thanks for suggestions.