[SOLVED] Sudden low GPU/CPU usage for certain games ?

[RUDRAW]

So for the past couple of days some of the games which used to run at 60+ fps all of a sudden are running extremely slow now.
These titles don't seem to utilize the CPU and GPU at all for some reason.
For example Witcher 3/Grand Theft Auto 5 used to run almost maxed out at a stable playable FPS just a couple of days back. I never bothered to check the CPU/GPU usage then. The temps used to go up (don't remember how much, so pls don't ask) and I could notice the increase in rpm of the fans. But now both games manage only around 10fps.

I first noticed this problem when I recently purchased Skyrim SE from steam. The game launcher detects the hardware and presets the settings to ULTRA but the game barely manages 10 fps and CPU and GPU usage are around 20% and 10%. Temps stay between 40-55 deg. C so the fans don't spin up at all or stay around 700 rpm. Power draw is close to idle (25-30 watts). I tried lowering the settings but no use.

For some reason Bioshock infinite, Far Cry 3 (dx10), Crysis 1 (non remasted), Arkham Origins, Factorio dont seem to be affected at all and I can get a stable fps settings maxed out. GPU/CPU usage is up and power draw is up and around 80 watts.
Far Cry 3 (dx11) is a different story tho same as Skyrim (10 fps).

PCSX2 (playstation 2 emulator) runs perfectly with OpenGL renderer (100+ fps). CPU/GPU usage is up from idle and power draw is also high but performance with Dx11 renderer gets really choppy (30fps) for the same game as CPU/GPU usage go down.

Please keep in mind that I have played all the above mentioned games on the same system over the years with no problem at all. So this is not a problem of the hardware not meeting the requirements of the games.

My Config
Intel Core i5 4670k
Intel B85 mobo
GTX 960 4gb
16gb ddr3
750 watts power supply

Things I have tried so far

1. I have checked all the cables and connectors for any defects and couldn't find any.
2. Installed my friends rtx 3070 FE and the behavior is similar to my 960 as above.
3. Uninstalled GPU drivers using DDU in Safe mode and reinstalled older drivers.
4. Uninstalled GPU drivers using DDU in Safe mode and reinstalled latest drivers.
5. Complete format and a fresh windows installation. No luck still 🙁
6. Updated direct x
7. Cursing at it.

I am all out of ideas right now. Please help me in figuring this out.
I know this is a long post but I have tried to put all the details I can recall so you guys understand the situation better.

I finally managed to get a few days off from work and really wanted to play Skyrim and Arkham knight and then this happens 🙁

 

[Ralston18]

Disk drives: make, model, capacity, how full?

Use Task Manager and Resource Monitor to observe system performance.

Use both tools but only one at a time.

Boot up and simply watch what the system is doing. Wait awhile until all is stable.

Leave the window open.

Then launch/play a game and watch what, if anything, changes thereafter.

Remember that the objective is to troubleshoot and to not win the game. But do play as usual.

 

[RUDRAW]

Disk drives: make, model, capacity, how full?

Use Task Manager and Resource Monitor to observe system performance.

Use both tools but only one at a time.

Boot up and simply watch what the system is doing. Wait awhile until all is stable.

Leave the window open.

Then launch/play a game and watch what, if anything, changes thereafter.

Remember that the objective is to troubleshoot and to not win the game. But do play as usual.

Disk drive: Crucial MX500 500gb SSD 30% utilized

I monitored the system as you suggested. Business as usual. CPU/GPU/Disk usage is up right after startup mostly system apps like windows defender, antimalware, update and a few apps that I have allowed during startup like Apple services and iCloud, Citrix Workspace. Utilization idles down to 0-10% after a minute or so and stays there. Resource monitor shows a similar picture.

Like I said I have reinstalled windows 10 and this is a fresh installation with not as many apps installed or running during startup as there were before.
I never install any bloat ware and always remove apps that take up lots of resources.

Below is a photo of Task manager when running Skyrim with choppy performance (around 10fps)

Interestingly when I look at the sky in-game the utilization goes up

Both CPU and GPU are utilized when playing bioshock infinite maxed out

No other apps/services seemed to take up any resources while these games were running.

 

[Ralston18]

Try reinstalling the GPU drivers manually. No third party tools or utilities.

Go to the manufacturer's website, download the applicable drivers, reinstall, and reconfigure.

= = = =

Question about "Interestingly when I look at the sky in-game the utilization goes up."

Does that happen with respect to being "outside" or just whenever/wherever "looking up"?

Run Resource Monitor and observe system performance in much the same way as you did in Task Manager.

Watch the processes involved and what changes within the CPU.

 

[Aqualus]

I would like to chime in here. I am having the exact same problem as you. I was actually in the process of RMA'ing my 3080 TI. When I put my other video card in (Evga 1080 TI) I have as backup same thing occurred. As I was reading your posts I noticed a similar program that we have (Citrix) that I think might be the problem I am out of town so I can't test my theory yet. Reason I think it might be the problem (I hope) is I went out of town and my pc was running fine, when I got home there was an update for Citrix and it ran like doodoo from that point forward. I figured it had to be a software problem somewhere because I can run some games perfect and some games run like doodoo...


Update: Uninstalling Citrix fixed the issue..... Thank god

 

[RUDRAW]

I would like to chime in here. I am having the exact same problem as you. I was actually in the process of RMA'ing my 3080 TI. When I put my other video card in (Evga 1080 TI) I have as backup same thing occurred. As I was reading your posts I noticed a similar program that we have (Citrix) that I think might be the problem I am out of town so I can't test my theory yet. Reason I think it might be the problem (I hope) is I went out of town and my pc was running fine, when I got home there was an update for Citrix and it ran like doodoo from that point forward. I figured it had to be a software problem somewhere because I can run some games perfect and some games run like doodoo...


Update: Uninstalling Citrix fixed the issue..... Thank god

This did the job. God bless you man. I would have never figured this out by myself. Apparently the App protection feature (Prevents screen recording/capture of Citrix apps) in the latest update 2109 was the cause of the problem. After searching a bit on r/citrix many people seem to facing the same problem with the latest build. I just installed the older version i.e 2108 and its back to normal or turning off App protection feature while installing also works on the latest build of citrix workspace.
Once again thanks alot for the help.

 

[Flopping_hell]

I would like to chime in here. I am having the exact same problem as you. I was actually in the process of RMA'ing my 3080 TI. When I put my other video card in (Evga 1080 TI) I have as backup same thing occurred. As I was reading your posts I noticed a similar program that we have (Citrix) that I think might be the problem I am out of town so I can't test my theory yet. Reason I think it might be the problem (I hope) is I went out of town and my pc was running fine, when I got home there was an update for Citrix and it ran like doodoo from that point forward. I figured it had to be a software problem somewhere because I can run some games perfect and some games run like doodoo...


Update: Uninstalling Citrix fixed the issue..... Thank god

Holy moly, I made an account specifically to thank you for this man. I have had this exact problem for weeks now, maybe months. Tried every way to reset stuff surrounding my GPU, change settings, reinstall windows, the whole 9 yards. In the end it turns out to be this stupid program's fault, which wasn't even running in my case, just installed! Thanks again, I'm gonna go play my games at 200 fps instead of 50 now 😉