Question System process using 40-70% of GPU on Win10

May 24, 2019
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Not sure if this belonged in Windows or GPU, but since it deals with a system process on win10, thought it should be in windows threads.

So a service called Client Server Runtime Process is taking up anywhere between 40-70% of my GPU while watching youtube videos or streams on Chrome. Goes down to 1-5% when not watching anything. Did as much digging as I could and this is what I have done so far.

-Ran Malwarebytes, RogueKiller, Windows Defender, tdsskiller, AVG, superantispyware professional, bitdefender for checks of coin mining stuff, nothing came up
-Process goes back to C:\Windows\System32 , ending process requires checkbox losing data and shutting down comp
-Checked process details in process explorer, everything points to it still being the real deal
-Windows up to newest date, GPU drivers newest drivers, BIOS latest, everything is up to date.
-Registry cleaned, junk and trackers dumped
-Rolled back GPU drivers, and windows, problem still persists

Then I stopped all my extensions on Chrome, nothing changed, I do not have accelerated on either. Tried Edge, Edge just used straight GPU from the browser. So I downloaded Firefox, had no issues with GPU being used under 5%. I proceeded to uninstall Chrome, [forgetting to save my bookmarks], re-install Chrome. Find that it's using GPU now from the browser, turn off acceleration, now it goes back to Client Server Runtime Process, and goes back to using 40-70% of GPU while watching youtube or streams. Everything on the radeon settings is disabled, most useless things and none of them are running, nor have they ever been.

A Lot of the solutions were related to GeForce shadow play being uninstalled or something Nvidia related, which I cannot do and do not have as I run AMD. I can't think of anything else to do or have find any solution, I have seen some people have this exact issue but they never are responded to leaving it unanswered. The only thing that I can say maybe related is, before this was happening, which was fine earlier in the day, was while trying to fix my previous problem, which required me to try and install an run a game on a separate harddrive. [ Trying to figure out if my main harddrive was dying or not]. I can't even play the game when this system process is using 40-70% of my GPU. I then uninstalled from my other drive, restarted, problem still persists. Nothing else was on the harddrive. All games are from Steam, yes my Windows is legit. I spend my my time on the most used and popular sites, never click ads, I haven't downloaded anything random besides all these tools to trouble shoot. Any help?

Win10 home

AMD 9590

32g DDR3

Crosshair V formula-Z mobo

AMD R9 390

Additional info, if I am watching a youtube video or a stream, and click lets say, on reddit tab while the video/stream is still playing and I can hear it, the gpu usage from Client Server Runtime Process goes back down to 0%. As long as I cannot see it, it's fine, but if I can, it starts using GPU again. Regardless of how many youtube videos I can make appear on my screen, the usage doesn't go past 70%. Not really looking for reformat answers, as answers to this could help others. Plus, I could just use Firefox and problem fixed, but rather try and figure this out as the issue could be bigger. Hopefully this doesn't get lost or un-responded to like some other forums, i'm trying as many as I can to figure this out.
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
Client Server Runtime Process

Your user is the client. All the usage is PC following your commands. Though 70% is a lot.

Find that it's using GPU now from the browser, turn off acceleration, now it goes back to Client Server Runtime Process, and goes back to using 40-70% of GPU while watching youtube or streams

the swapping behavior is exactly what I see. if I have chrome set, it uses most of the GPU usage but Windows Desktop Manager will show some, if I remove hardware acceleration client servier runtime process uses a lot more, wdm is about the same. Not 40-70% more, but it depends on what resolution and screensize you running images at as well. I only have 1 screen so can't easily check GPU usage.

which version of win 10 home?
right click start
choose run...
type winver and press enter
latest versions are 1803, 1809 & 1903

chrome bookmarks - if you have a user account, they should all be saved by google so if you login anywhere, you get all your shortcuts and add ons etc.
 
May 24, 2019
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I am currently on 1809 (17763.529) . WDM does not use any at all. I have 3 monitors, all at 1920x1080. Running chrome with about 7 streams and other tabs never made Chrome use more than around 10%. Just like my example with Firefox, it doesn't use any GPU at all. Nor does the runtime process use any. It's only Client Server Runtime Process that uses the GPU. For some reason none of my bookmarks were saved. Can't do anything about that now. Even when using hardware accel on Chrome, it doesn't go past 35%. And the Client server runetime process is running from system.
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
What Is Client Server Runtime Process?

The csrss.exe process is an important part of the Windows operating system. Before Windows NT 4.0, which was released in 1996, csrss.exe was responsible for the entire graphical subsystem, including managing windows, drawing things on the screen, and other related operating system functions.

With Windows NT 4.0, many of these functions were moved from the Client Server Runtime Process, which runs as a normal process, to the Windows kernel. However, the csrss.exe process is still responsible for console windows and the shutdown process, which are critical functions in Windows.

Prior to Windows 7, the CSRSS process drew console (Command Prompt) windows itself. On Windows 7 and later, the Console Host (conhost.exe) process draws console windows. However, csrss.exe is still responsible for launching the conhost.exe process when necessary.
link

I got side tracked looking into what shows in the GPU Engine column on task manager - link

I suspect that running applications without hardware acceleration is one of the functions that wasn't removed from csrss.exe given it suddenly uses way more if it is in charge of graphics on screen.

What happens if you disable hardware acceleration on Firefox?

why are you turning hardware acceleration off on Chrome anyway?

not getting any closer to why, just working out what makes it use way more GPU running without hardware acceleration. Seems counter intuitive. Shouldn't use any if its not using GPU though it really has to use it to output to screen.
 
May 24, 2019
3
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Because, before this issue was happening, Chrome use to use around 30% of my GPU, which makes it hard to watch something and play a game. So when I looked up the issue, it was because of hardware accel. I turned it off, and never had a problem with anything taking up GPU besides the game I'm playing. Usually I watch a stream or a youtube video while playing, with no issues at all, the game is the only thing that takes up most of the GPU usage, even when watching videos. I haven't had an issue with anything else taking up GPU and watching anything online for the years I've had this computer. And now suddenly, this Client Server Runtime Process, is using up to 40-70%, making it impossible to watch anything while playing. Regardless if hardware accel is on or not on Firefox, it doesn't go past 10% GPU, and doesn't effect the Client Server Runtime Process.
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
so is chromes usage that high if its only thing running? no game as well?

I don't know how PC multi tasks the GPU usage when you are running 2 video outputs that are showing 2 different things at same time. I don't know why Chrome uses more than say Firefox in same situation, it might be how they render the images or something. I will see if anyone else knows more about this.