Wednesday, January 11th 2017

Windows 10 KB3213986 Update Cripples Multi-monitor Gaming

The recent Cumulative Update for Windows 10 (KB3213986) cripples multi-monitor gaming, looking at the way Microsoft worded its "known issues" text. After the update is applied, users with multi-monitor setups could experience screen stuttering or clipped screens when running 3D apps on machines with more than one monitor. The only workaround Microsoft suggests for now entails running your 3D apps in non-fullscreen modes, such as windowed-maximized (pseudo-fullscreen) or windowed modes. Microsoft also goes as far as to suggest that people with multi-monitors could try starting their 3D apps with just one monitor connected.

"Users may experience delayed or clipped screens while running 3D rendering apps (such as games) on systems with more than one monitor," the change-log for the KB3213986 update reads. "To work around this issue please consider the following options: 1. Running the application in Windows mode (not full screen), or 2. Starting the application with only one monitor connected," it adds. The update effectively cripples multi-monitor gaming, using technologies such as AMD Eyefinity or NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround.
Source: Microsoft
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66 Comments on Windows 10 KB3213986 Update Cripples Multi-monitor Gaming

#26
TheGuruStud
HoodThey hate that everyone else is making serious money off PC gaming, while they're making chump change from kids with Xbox...
And they want to ruin PC gaming in hope you buy an Xbox. What flawed logic they have.

Vulkan being standard can't come soon enough.
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#27
TheinsanegamerN
TheGuruStudAnd they want to ruin PC gaming in hope you buy an Xbox. What flawed logic they have.

Vulkan being standard can't come soon enough.
I wouldnt hold your breath. Vulkan will be just as standard as open GL is. So far, the only devs to use it are the guys at ID (who were the only ones using open GL) and the guys who made the talos principle, and DOTA 2.
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#28
HM_Actua1
I haven't had any issues since this patch. just ran several games in Fscreen as I always do.
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#29
cyneater
SlizzoIn the grand scheme of things, people that meet these three requirements are in the very, very small minority:

1. Game
2. Have more than one monitor
3. Have Windows 10
Whats the point of a PC with one monitor :S ....
Posted on Reply
#30
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
Go to www. Askwoody.com for info on Windows patches that are breaking W10/ 8.1/ 7
Posted on Reply
#31
CrAsHnBuRnXp
P4-630There aren't DX12 only games coming soon anyway
Gears of War Ultimate edition, Star wars Battlefront, Rise of the tomb raider, Hitman, The division, Deus Ex Mankind Divided, Forza Motorsport 6, Gears of War 4, BF1, all beg to differ with you. And both GoW games are DX12 only IIRC.
Posted on Reply
#32
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
CrAsHnBuRnXpGears of War Ultimate edition, Star wars Battlefront, Rise of the tomb raider, Hitman, The division, Deus Ex Mankind Divided, Forza Motorsport 6, Gears of War 4, BF1, all beg to differ with you. And both GoW games are DX12 only IIRC.
did you ever get your dad's rig fixed?
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#33
kylee
This is why you break Automatic Updates in Win10.
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#34
CrAsHnBuRnXp
eidairaman1did you ever get your dad's rig fixed?
This is off topic for this discussion but really quickly; no not yet. I havent had the opportunity to try the video card swap. Been too busy with RL stuff going on. My grandfather in and out of the hospital, work, my girlfriends mom is in the hopital. By the time i do get any spare time, i just wanna relax and not doing anything. Im hoping here soon though and I will update my thread accordingly when I get around to it.
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#35
dyonoctis
At some point ppl will have to jump on win 10 tho. Apparently microsoft's plan is to endlessy update win 10. A brand new windows 11 isn't going to happen. If we keep screaming hard enough, they might redo the update system, and give an option to destroy cortana (the education version of 10 doesn't have cortana at all, so...)
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#36
MattWeiler
SlizzoIn the grand scheme of things, people that meet these three requirements are in the very, very small minority:

1. Game
2. Have more than one monitor
3. Have Windows 10
My main PC just got this update last night and right after, my primary monitor began showing constant artifacting... just in regular Windows, looking at the desktop.

So this issue doesn't seem to be limited to while gaming or in a fullscreen application.

I ran a system restore but the issue somehow remained. I haven't installed anything else in weeks and my graphics drivers have been up to date for at least 1 week.

Now I disabled my 2nd monitor and the problem went away.
I installed the update again and while I only have 1 monitor enabled, it's fine.

But this is not acceptable, a lot of people have multi-monitor setups these days.
Posted on Reply
#37
Frick
Fishfaced Nincompoop
MattWeilerMy main PC just got this update last night and right after, my primary monitor began showing constant artifacting... just in regular Windows, looking at the desktop.

So this issue doesn't seem to be limited to while gaming or in a fullscreen application.

I ran a system restore but the issue somehow remained. I haven't installed anything else in weeks and my graphics drivers have been up to date for at least 1 week.

Now I disabled my 2nd monitor and the problem went away.
I installed the update again and while I only have 1 monitor enabled, it's fine.

But this is not acceptable, a lot of people have multi-monitor setups these days.
I have the update now, and I just spent some time playing games on one monitor and watching youtube and doing other stuff on the other, and I had no issues at all actually.
Posted on Reply
#38
MattWeiler
FrickI have the update now, and I just spent some time playing games on one monitor and watching youtube and doing other stuff on the other, and I had no issues at all actually.
Glad to hear it :)

There must be more to my, and others, setups that are causing us grief.

I hope yours keeps working.
Posted on Reply
#39
MattWeiler
Ok, so I was able to get my mult-monitor system working correctly again.
I just uninstalled the official AMD drivers, and the full software suit that comes with it, and then let Windows automatically install drivers for my graphics card.

Now both monitors work and I played a few games on 1 screen, in fullscreen mode, and it worked fine.

I don't really play the latest games anymore, so I probably don't really need the latest AMD drivers... I can probably live with the Microsoft hosted/provided drivers.
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#40
P4-630
CrAsHnBuRnXpGears of War Ultimate edition, Star wars Battlefront, Rise of the tomb raider, Hitman, The division, Deus Ex Mankind Divided, Forza Motorsport 6, Gears of War 4, BF1, all beg to differ with you. And both GoW games are DX12 only IIRC.
Ok then, not the games I play anyway.
Posted on Reply
#41
Shou Miko
still one more reason I only have one screen connected to my computer and another reason I can't figure out to use more than one screen properly :roll:

Plus I forgot to say that, if I update after Anniversary update I loose most of my 100mbit in download on my computer o_O
Posted on Reply
#42
lexluthermiester
CrAsHnBuRnXpGears of War Ultimate edition, Star wars Battlefront, Rise of the tomb raider, Hitman, The division, Deus Ex Mankind Divided, Forza Motorsport 6, Gears of War 4, BF1, all beg to differ with you. And both GoW games are DX12 only IIRC.
Actually, that is incorrect. I have SWBattlefront, The Division and Deus Ex Mankind Divided. I am running Windows 7 which, for the moment, is DX11. All run perfectly. I have friends who own Rise of the Tomb Raider and BF1 are all running Windows 7 as well. Forza and the GOW games are the only ones you mentioned that are locked to 10. Oh well, their loss.

None of us are foolish enough to run Windows 10 and for these exact reasons. Most of us[in this circle of friends] would rather stop playing games altogether than play "the Microsoft way". And we are not alone. I buy most of my games on GOG anyway as I personally HATE, LOATH and DESPISE DRM of any kind...

Edit; Every one of us are running two, three or four screens. So yah..
Posted on Reply
#43
ChristTheGreat
P4-630That's what I have been saying as well, I will wait at least another year if not longer before I jump on the W10 train....
Windows 10, it's sad that's what it is till now, it's simply an unreliable OS for now! Who knows what will get borked again in a next update!
It's just stupid!

I'm still happy with my stable, problem free Windows 8.1!
There aren't DX12 only games coming soon anyway, you can still run the games in DX11.
umm unreliable? I've been on Windows 10 since day one, works really well, even at work. (I do have 9 computer on Windows 10).

AS for BETA, this makes me laught. I hope you don't install BETA driver from nVidia or AMD. Oh wait, nVidia WHQL driver can be BETA as it has already crashed system or even card.

:) (please don't hate me :) )
Posted on Reply
#44
P4-630
ChristTheGreatI hope you don't install BETA driver from nVidia or AMD.
I never install any beta software.

Well if you read the forums here, many people on win10 had/have problems/complaints after new updates on windows 10.

Consider yourself lucky then....
Posted on Reply
#45
rtwjunkie
PC Gaming Enthusiast
Evildead666As I understand it, there is at least one game coming out this year, that requires the Anniversary update to run.
Its due to the DRM updates in the Anniversary update.
can't remember what the game was though....i'll try and find it again.

edit : Gears of War 4 and Halo 5 are stated (after v quick google search) as requiring the Anniversary update on Win10, to run. Not sure if they are available on lower Windows versions or not....

edit2 : GoW4 will be Win10 Anniversary update as minimum spec... (news.xbox.com/2016/08/16/gears-war-4-in-4k-and-system-specs-revealed/)

edit3 : Same with Halo 5 : Forge. (www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/halo-5-forge-system-requirements)

I can see a whole bevvy of new games coming out this year that will be Win10/Anniversary update as minimum.....
I don't think a "whole bevvy". It looks like Microsoft Studio games, so we should be ok, those of us that are purposely still on 1511 and the others that never went upgrade to any version of W10.
qubitThis should be enough to get the conspiracy theorists suggesting that Microsoft is intentionally crippling multi-monitor support in fullscreen mode since games sold on the Microsoft Store all work in the pseudo-fullscreen mode...

Or it could just be an idiotic bug that will be fixed in time.
What else could it be? You honestly believe that MS, that scoops up some of the finest talent on the planet can constantly be screwing up this badly? My nose smells something afoot with them, I just don't know what.

@CrAsHnBuRnXp Star wars Battlefront, Rise of the tomb raider, Hitman, The division, Deus Ex Mankind Divided which you listed as DX12 only, which is what @P4-630 was talking about all have DX11 mode as well, and are all playable pre-W10. In fact, Rise of The Tomb Raider and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided had DX12 option added in later as a patch.
Posted on Reply
#46
qubit
Overclocked quantum bit
rtwjunkieWhat else could it be? You honestly believe that MS, that scoops up some of the finest talent on the planet can constantly be screwing up this badly? My nose smells something afoot with them, I just don't know what.
Hey maybe, I wouldn't rule it out, but imho it's still just a regular bug.
Posted on Reply
#47
bug
P4-630I never install any beta software.

Well if you read the forums here, many people on win10 had/have problems/complaints after new updates on windows 10.

Consider yourself lucky then....
It all comes down to your interpretation of "many".
You do see several threads started by people having problems, that's true, but what would happen if people that don't see a problem start posting as well?
Posted on Reply
#48
rtwjunkie
PC Gaming Enthusiast
bugIt all comes down to your interpretation of "many".
You do see several threads started by people having problems, that's true, but what would happen if people that don't see a problem start posting as well?
Well, if we are talking about the Anniversary update, then it's warranted, and not just a few people. A plague of problems with that were awash over the internutz, and even documented as fact by reputable tech-oriented sites and magazines.
Posted on Reply
#49
Slizzo
MattWeilerMy main PC just got this update last night and right after, my primary monitor began showing constant artifacting... just in regular Windows, looking at the desktop.

So this issue doesn't seem to be limited to while gaming or in a fullscreen application.

I ran a system restore but the issue somehow remained. I haven't installed anything else in weeks and my graphics drivers have been up to date for at least 1 week.

Now I disabled my 2nd monitor and the problem went away.
I installed the update again and while I only have 1 monitor enabled, it's fine.

But this is not acceptable, a lot of people have multi-monitor setups these days.
Still, we are the vocal, very small minority of people who both have Windows 10, and have more than one monitor.
Posted on Reply
#50
CrAsHnBuRnXp
lexluthermiesterActually, that is incorrect. I have SWBattlefront, The Division and Deus Ex Mankind Divided. I am running Windows 7 which, for the moment, is DX11. All run perfectly. I have friends who own Rise of the Tomb Raider and BF1 are all running Windows 7 as well. Forza and the GOW games are the only ones you mentioned that are locked to 10. Oh well, their loss.

None of us are foolish enough to run Windows 10 and for these exact reasons. Most of us[in this circle of friends] would rather stop playing games altogether than play "the Microsoft way". And we are not alone. I buy most of my games on GOG anyway as I personally HATE, LOATH and DESPISE DRM of any kind...

Edit; Every one of us are running two, three or four screens. So yah..
I never said they were DX12 only. I just said that those games SUPPORT DX12. Never said none of those outside the GoW games were DX12 only.

And then I guess it just sucks to be you then? Must be nice to be rich enough to have 4 screens to play games on with high end GPU's to support playing those games at an acceptable resolution.

Im not really in the best of moods so im probably coming off as kind of a dick, but it doesnt really matter if you buy your games off GoG and the like as youll still need to activate most games on steam, origin, Uplay or battle.net. So theres always some sort of DRM. There are just more acceptable versions of DRM.

So yeah...
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