USB Output causing WIndows to Hang

Nothing appears in Event Viewer to my knowledge.

I use procexp.exe at work all the time - didn't ever think of trying it at home. I'll give it a go, see if it helps.

Thanks for sticking it out anyway - it helps just to know someone is listening

OK - Process Explorer helped, sort of. I was Torrenting (best way to replicate the problem), but got bored and launched DDO: Stormreach to pass the time - more network used I figured a faster crash. It seems I was right. I think. ANyway, recreated the problem, and I ran procexp - the two culprits eating my processor?

Deferred Procedure Calls
Hardware Interrupts

I've also noticed that at the same time the machine freezes up my sound crackles - I attribute that to the processor getting hammered, but figured I'd mention it nonetheless.

Related? Maybe. Who knows.
One More perhaps.

One of the most interesting 'articles' (posts really) I've found so far. The users in this thread is having the same problem as me: data throughput on his wireless adapter - which is still the BEST way for me to replicate the issue - causes his DPC/Interrupts to spike CPU (though I now realize if one goes (DPC) so does the other).

His solution? Turn ON power saving mode for the USB device.

I will test this today, see what happens. Like him though, this is another problem altogether, as then I have to worry about my NIC falling asleep - which simply says I need a new NIC at this point. We'll see.

EvilTwinTepe said:

OK - Process Explorer helped, sort of. I was Torrenting (best way to replicate the problem), but got bored and launched DDO: Stormreach to pass the time - more network used I figured a faster crash. It seems I was right. I think. ANyway, recreated the problem, and I ran procexp - the two culprits eating my processor?

Deferred Procedure Calls
Hardware Interrupts

I've also noticed that at the same time the machine freezes up my sound crackles - I attribute that to the processor getting hammered, but figured I'd mention it nonetheless.

Related? Maybe. Who knows.
One More perhaps.

Ok that makes some sense DPC is giving up some of its high priority time to lower priority use like a device driver. see here Deferred Procedure Call - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Let me do some searching

Ken

EvilTwinTepe said:

One of the most interesting 'articles' (posts really) I've found so far. The users in this thread is having the same problem as me: data throughput on his wireless adapter - which is still the BEST way for me to replicate the issue - causes his DPC/Interrupts to spike CPU (though I now realize if one goes (DPC) so does the other).

His solution? Turn ON power saving mode for the USB device.

I will test this today, see what happens. Like him though, this is another problem altogether, as then I have to worry about my NIC falling asleep - which simply says I need a new NIC at this point. We'll see.

Ok so dpc is giving up cpu for a driver like USB maybe. Let me research some mor

Ken

A quick new post from work - here's anextensive thread on DPC issues right on Sysinternals website.

I must be getting closer to something. Things to check from home: USB and NIC card IRQ settings (though there were never any warning in device manager).

I may also try out this 'RATT' software and see if it helps find a culprit.

Welp, I caved. I went out and bought a PCI wireless card.

So far? Problem solved. I've had uTorrent running since last night, and have downloaded something like 9GB, and uploaded another 2GB, no problems.

While I'll say my problem is fixed, I still feel like the core problem is not - that USB NIC worked fine in Vista, so why not in Win 7? And why does it seem more like a USB sort of issue?

Anyway - thanks for all yer help zigzag. If you still want to check out the underlying 'root' cause I'm more than happy to plug the USB back in, just for troubleshooting.

EvilTwinTepe said:

Welp, I caved. I went out and bought a PCI wireless card.

So far? Problem solved. I've had uTorrent running since last night, and have downloaded something like 9GB, and uploaded another 2GB, no problems.

While I'll say my problem is fixed, I still feel like the core problem is not - that USB NIC worked fine in Vista, so why not in Win 7? And why does it seem more like a USB sort of issue?

Anyway - thanks for all yer help zigzag. If you still want to check out the underlying 'root' cause I'm more than happy to plug the USB back in, just for troubleshooting.

I am content to let that one be unknown. its one I will remember in the future. Kudos for the cure. I cant begin to tell you how much a persistant user who takes the time to figure it out helps us.

Ken

No problem - I admit hating to have to come to a forum to fix it - normally I try to be independent But this one just stumped me around every turn.

So. new hardware. Heh.

The downside? This new card doesn't support uPnP. Oy.