What are Desktop Window Manager and Client Server Runtime Process, and why do they bring my system to its knees?

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I have a Surface Book 2 with a dedicated nVidia graphics card as well as Intel integrated graphics.

Whenever I run a CPU- and graphics-intensive program (read: a game), I find that while ordinarily the frame rate is excellent even at highest graphical settings, at other times it gets extremely choppy.

When this happens, I flip over to Task Manager, and I nearly always find my CPU and GPU are being gobbled up by:

  • Desktop Window Manager
  • Client Server Runtime Process

So, two questions:

  • What are these?

  • Why are they constantly starting up and killing my frame rate?

Kyralessa

Posted 2019-09-05T18:49:26.910

Reputation: 828

The Desktop Window Manager is the process responsible for rendering all of the windowed applications and your desktop. If you Alt+Tab you are incurring CPU + GPU usage by DWM at that very moment so are you sure that DWM is acting up before you Alt+Tab? – Romen – 2019-09-05T20:03:07.477

@Romen, no, I'm not sure. I'm not sure what else it could be, though. Any recommendations for finding out? – Kyralessa – 2019-09-05T21:05:16.397

2You can run an application called "Resource Monitor" in your Start Menu. It allows you to track all sorts of metrics for specific processes over time (it graphs it too), so that can help you "record" what DWM was doing the moments before you Alt+Tab. Also, you should use that to watch for other programs that may be the culprit. – Romen – 2019-09-05T21:07:46.433

Answers

0

These are legitimate Windows processes, which are however favorite infection points for viruses:

  • Desktop Window Manager : C:\Windows\System32\dwm.exe
  • Client Server Runtime Process : C:\Windows\System32\csrss.exe

I suggest to install Process Explorer, run it as Administrator, and verify that these processes are indeed located in the above folders.

I also suggest running several antivirus tests from well-known companies, including Malwarebytes. You will find more advice in the post
How can I remove malicious spyware, malware, adware, viruses, trojans or rootkits from my PC?

If the computer does not seem to be infected, you could reset all system components to a known state by doing a Repair Install of Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade. This operation is equivalent to the installing of a major Windows update, so take the appropriate measures such as backups.

harrymc

Posted 2019-09-05T18:49:26.910

Reputation: 306 093

Asked: 2019-09-05T18:49:26.910

Viewed: 400 times

Active: 2019-09-06T09:09:42.247