Windows 10 Installed W10 32-bit on Asus EEE PC 1000H

[slls1961]

Good evening...

I have recently upgraded my Asus netbook from W7 to W10.

This has been quite a mission, but happy to report that the machine and OS are now stable.

I just have one significant issue. The Desktop Window Manager executable (dwm.exe) is seriously
stressing the CPU.

I have followed some mainstream advice on ways to reduce this load but to very little avail.

Any additional tips &/or suggestions very welcome.

The system has been upgraded to 2GB RAM and an SSD. I

Many thanks in advance.

Best Wishes
slls

 

[ChatGPT]

Hello slls,

Glad to hear that you have successfully upgraded your Asus netbook to W10. The CPU stress that you're observing due to the Desktop Window Manager is indeed a common problem that several users experience after an operating system upgrade.

Below are a few suggestions that might help in reducing the CPU stress due to dwm.exe:

1. **Disable Visual Effects**: This is the first thing you should try. Go to System > Advanced system settings > Performance Settings > Visual Effects. Here, select the option "Adjust for best performance" to disable all the animations and visual effects that could be stressing your CPU.

2. **Check for Malware**: Sometimes, high CPU usage could also be a sign of a malware infection. Use a reputable antivirus software to scan your system thoroughly.

3. **Update Drivers**: Outdated or corrupted drivers can also cause such CPU stresses. Check for any driver updates especially for your graphics card since Desktop Window Manager is closely associated with the visual aspects of your system. You can use the Device Manager to update your drivers or you can go to the manufacturer's site to download latest versions.

4. **Clean Boot**: Performing a clean boot can help you isolate the problem by disabling all non-Microsoft services to see if the issue is resolved. If the CPU stress goes down, you can then enable services one by one to find out which one is causing the problem.

5. **Update your System**: Ensure that your system is up-to-date with Windows updates. Microsoft patches up many bugs through these updates and it's possible that your issue could be resolved through one of the updates.

6. **Set Registry Hack**: There's a registry hack which might help to reduce the CPU stress. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Control Panel > Desktop, find the "HungAppTimeout" field, and set its value to a lower number.

Please bear in mind to create a system restore point before trying any of these suggestions, more so with the registry hack, as these changes may affect system performance.

As a last resort, if all else fails, you may want to consider downgrading to the version of Windows your machine was originally designed for if the CPU load is too high. Your Asus EEE PC 1000H was natively a Windows XP machine and it may run optimally on a less resource intensive OS.

Let me know if any of the suggestions work or if you need further assistance.

Best Regards.

 

[ChatGPT]

Hello slls,

I'm glad to hear that you've successfully upgraded your Asus netbook to Windows 10 and that your system is stable. However, I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble with Desktop Window Manager (dwm.exe) causing excessive CPU usage. Here are several suggestions which you may find helpful:

1. **Update Graphics drivers**: Usually, dwm.exe issues are related to outdated or incorrect drivers. You could try to update your integrated GPU driver to the latest version through the manufacturer's official website.

2. **Disable Windows 10 Visual Effects**: As dwm.exe is responsible for visual effects, disabling some or all of them can often help to reduce CPU usage by this process. To do this, right-click on "This PC", select "Properties", and then "Advanced system settings". In the resulting dialog, under Performance, click "Settings...". Then, in the Visual Effects tab, either select "Adjust for best performance", which will disable all visual effects, or manually uncheck the effects you're willing to live without.

3. **Check for Malware**: Rarely, this process can be mimicked by malicious software. Run a full scan with a reliable antivirus to make sure this is not the case.

4. **Troubleshoot Windows Install**: If all above steps fail, it's possible that something went wrong during the Windows 10 upgrade. Using the built-in Windows troubleshooters might help to identify and fix the issue.

5. **Check for unnecessary startup programs**: Sometimes, other software can cause dwm.exe to use more resources than necessary. You can turn off startup programs in Task Manager to see if that helps. Press `Ctrl+Shift+Esc` to open the Task Manager, then go to the `Startup` tab, and disable any programs which you don't need to start up with your PC.

I hope one of these suggestions will help to resolve your issue.

Best regards,
TechBot

 

[ussnorway]

The system is stressed because it's old and not designed to run Windows 10... Double the Ram to meet the min requirement if you have the hardware but honestly 10 has one year of life and imo upgrading this system is just tossing good money down the toilet

Sent from my Nokia X20 using Windows Forums mobile app

 

[slls1961]

The system is stressed because it's old and not designed to run Windows 10... Double the Ram to meet the min requirement if you have the hardware but honestly 10 has one year of life and imo upgrading this system is just tossing good money down the toilet

Sent from my Nokia X20 using Windows Forums mobile app

Please note what I said:

"This has been quite a mission, but happy to report that the machine and OS are now stable."

My query relates to one process. The system is fine considering its vintage.

As for your comment "upgrading this system is just tossing good money down the toilet", the project
has cost me around $20. One of my better investments actually...

Thanks for your reply. If you have anything relevant to say about dwm.exe, I'm all ears...

Regards
slls

 

[ussnorway]

dwm is not just an app but the backbone of Windows and nothing short of adding more Ram is going to improve things ... Im sorry if that wasn't clear

good luck with your project

 

[slls1961]

Sorry, who called dwm an app? To describe the process as "the backbone of Windows" is nonsense.
Without doubt, it's an important process (main component of the front end) and I have received
some excellent advice on ways to throttle back its load on the CPUs. Including, rather worryingly,
from the ChatGPT robot (see above).

Luck doesn't come into it...

But thank you for taking time and interest in the project.

;-)
slls

 

[slls1961]

A couple of screenshots FYI...