[SOLVED] Delayed Alt+Tab

[dna112]

Hi guys, usually alt+tabbing out of browser windows was extremely fast on my laptop, (I would have two windows with 10-12 tabs each) and alt-tab was extremely quick but recently after a couple of windows updates it has a weird sort of delay that has been annoying me and I need to know how to resolve this. I've tried focusassist (turning off) but that hasn't solved it.
Here's a video of the issue, you can notice at times it shows the panel for a second and then switches or in general it is slow:

https://imgur.com/a/5RYzdAU

View: https://imgur.com/a/5RYzdAU

Example 2: (better example)

https://imgur.com/a/X5nvgyf

View: https://imgur.com/a/X5nvgyf


The thing is my laptop's really well maintained and I don't have any weird bloatware or software running in the bg.
Specs:
Intel Core i7 7700HQ
Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB variant
16Gigs of ram
Windows 10 is on a SSD


I have monitored RAM usage and it's usually 10,000
and my windows 10 is on a SSD, where the remaining space is 58GB

 

[Colif]

Try a clean boot and see if it changes anything - make sure to read instructions and make sure NOT to disable any microsoft services or windows won't load right - https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows

if clean boot fixes it, it shows its likely a startup program. You should, over a number of startups. restart the programs you stopped to isolate the one that is to blame.

See if this helps
right click start button
choose powershell (admin)
type SFC /scannow and press enter
once its completed, copy/paste this command into same window:
Repair-WindowsImage -Online -RestoreHealth and press enter
SFC fixes system files, second command cleans image files, re run SFC if it failed to fix all files and restart PC

tried different GPU drivers? older ones perhaps, newest aren't really for your card anymore.

 

[dna112]

Try a clean boot and see if it changes anything - make sure to read instructions and make sure NOT to disable any microsoft services or windows won't load right - https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows

if clean boot fixes it, it shows its likely a startup program. You should, over a number of startups. restart the programs you stopped to isolate the one that is to blame.

See if this helps
right click start button
choose powershell (admin)
type SFC /scannow and press enter
once its completed, copy/paste this command into same window:
Repair-WindowsImage -Online -RestoreHealth and press enter
SFC fixes system files, second command cleans image files, re run SFC if it failed to fix all files and restart PC

tried different GPU drivers? older ones perhaps, newest aren't really for your card anymore.

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> SFC /scannow

Beginning system scan.  This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
For online repairs, details are included in the CBS log file located at
windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For offline
repairs, details are included in the log file provided by the /OFFLOGFILE flag.
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>

The first method WORKED!! thanks

however I also did the SFC Scan and noticed it says the stuff mentioned in the code below:
is this a bad thing? I mean my laptop works just fine but seeing corrupt files is making me a bit concernced

 

[Colif]

SFC uses image files to compare to installed files, what the 2nd command does is fixes the actual image files, so if you re ran SFC a second time after the 2nd command, it should fix the files it couldn't fix the first time.

 

[dna112]

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> Repair-WindowsImage -Online -RestoreHealth


Path :
Online : True
ImageHealthState : Healthy
RestartNeeded : False



PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> SFC /scannow

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
For online repairs, details are included in the CBS log file located at
windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For offline
repairs, details are included in the log file provided by the /OFFLOGFILE flag.
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>

This is what I got after doing the rest of the stuff you instructed, all good right?

I'll slowly re-enable startup processes to see which one causes the issue and post an update ssoon

 

[Colif]

Yes, that is fine.

 

[dna112]

update:
I switched off Intel and Nvidia services and it fixed, other than that Lenovo Nerve Center (controls fan speed) and Dolby audio, realtek audio have been enabled and there is no alt tab delay

edit: Also I really appreciate the effort you put into helping me, I went on to reddit hoping for a solution but no one gave me a helpful response. Bless you mate have a good day

 

[dna112]

Hi, the problem stops when windows has started but after starting a few processes like chrome or other software it comes back


I got frustrated and decided to reset my laptop and now it's on a fresh copy of windows 10, the problem still exists

why is this happening to me 🙁 I just want to alt tab like i used to do

 

[Colif]

did you work out which of the programs was exact cause as it could be the processes are later started by one of the other things. All you did was stop them at startup, that doesn't stop windows starting them if needed.

Once you know which, see if there are newer versions that you could use that might fix the issue

if you can tell me which it is (likely Nvidia) I can see what to suggest.

 

[dna112]

did you work out which of the programs was exact cause as it could be the processes are later started by one of the other things. All you did was stop them at startup, that doesn't stop windows starting them if needed.

Once you know which, see if there are newer versions that you could use that might fix the issue

if you can tell me which it is (likely Nvidia) I can see what to suggest.

I think it's due to the use of new nvidia drivers, right now I'm downloading a driver from 2018 that was recommended on lenovo's website (I own a lenovo y520 15-IKBM) will update in a bit

edit: or should I do the startup process thing again and one by one disable the nvidia services

 

[Colif]

try doing this - https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq...n-install-of-your-video-card-drivers.2402269/

 

[dna112]

try doing this - https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq...n-install-of-your-video-card-drivers.2402269/

Did this, and installed an older driver from march 2019

the problem begins a couple of minutes after the system has started up. so you are right, it's a service that starts later on
how can we narrow down and capture what's causing this?

 

[Colif]

You could look in scheduled tasks and see if anything starts at same time as the behavior starts.
event viewer might also show something.

Are you running Geforce experience? https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/geforce-experience/14/257286/very-slow-alttab/

 

[dna112]

You could look in scheduled tasks and see if anything starts at same time as the behavior starts.
event viewer might also show something.

Are you running Geforce experience? https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/geforce-experience/14/257286/very-slow-alttab/

I uninstalled GeForce Experience but the issue still remains the same as it was , I'm going check with event viewer.

There must be a way to resolve this

 

[Colif]

If Intel and Nvidia were the only 2 things you stopped, it would be great to know which is cause.

what were the INtel things you closed? I can look to see if any of them linked to slow tab.
What Nvidia shows up now you removed geforce experience?

I am leaning towards Nvidia only as its a desktop action and GPU is most likely to be involved in alt tab action.

there must be a way to find out what opens the psocess/service/driver... whatever it is causing this. If its closed at boot, something must call it

 

[dna112]

https://imgur.com/a/3rkwm4w

View: https://imgur.com/a/3rkwm4w


Here's an event log, the alt tab delay began at this point

 

[dna112]

As of now, just living with the delayed alt tab, I guess a second delay wouldn't make life impossible for now. Hopefully it fixes on its own after a few windows updates.

I'll reply on here later if I get time to solve it when it bugs me again lol