Windows 8.1

Lazybones · November 13, 2013, 12:34:19 PM

Anyone here running 8.1?

Ever since updating from 8 to 8.1 my keyboard input delays for about 5s intermittently then catches up. I have seen articles about mouse input being screwed up in games and forum posts from other users seeing the same problems but no solution.

Mr. Analog · November 13, 2013, 12:39:58 PM

Ahh I was reading about this, the problem for the mouse is related to the GUI scaling API, the problem was they didn't have support for 200% scaling in the API for the initial release and added it to 8.1 however this breaks a lot of apps because it changes how the underlying library works, so there is code that is supposed to add mouse tracking to offset where your pointer is in relation to the app, but since it wasn't designed to this and isn't really tested it adds another layer of motion tracking to your mouse.

Microsoft is working on a patch for this problem but since it's buried deep in the API it may just be rolling back a few libraries.

Not sure about the keyboard delay, I guess it depends on how they've tied mouse update events with keyboard updates.

Lazybones · November 13, 2013, 12:42:48 PM

Normally this kind of issue happens when your CPU is 100% busy intermittently, but my i5 quadcore never gets that busy.. I have tried updating chipset drivers and a few other things but no luck so far.

Mr. Analog · November 13, 2013, 12:49:41 PM

The problem is two fold from what I understand, Windows itself can't handle the offset processing and apps themselves aren't getting correct mouse information so end up constantly requerying the device for position info.

At least your mouse hasn't bricked yet, as that has been a problem for some users

There is a patch on the way

http://hothardware.com/News/Microsoft-Admits-Windows-81-Update-May-Bork-Your-Mouse-Promises-a-Fix/

Thorin · November 13, 2013, 01:20:52 PM

wow, just ... wow.

An error in an OS that screws up something as fundamental as your input devices.

And no, I'm not running Windows 8 anywhere. I have WinXP still on my old machines, and Win7 on my work laptop.

Mr. Analog · November 13, 2013, 01:29:36 PM

Well, the initial error from what I understand was that it didn't fully support scaling to 200% (which is something I use) so the fix was the change the GUI scaling API but this lead to problems with every app that uses it forcing devices and software to go into some kind of postional requery loop or something

I wish I could find the conversation, it was kind of enlightening, apparently it was a known thing in Beta and they didn't really deal with it and the developer who raised the issue is kind of concerned that the patch is going to roll back the scaling and not fix the actual problem.

It makes my head hurt...

/rant ahead

Honestly though I have a real problem with OSs and games across the board, we have these displays getting bigger with higher resolution and text is getting smaller and smaller. I can't upgrade beyond Photoshop CS3 because it doesn't adhere to Windows large font settings. Games like GTAV on my huuuuuuge 60" tv have text smaller than my thumbnail, I have to sit right in front of the TV to read anything or use the very tiny HUD map.

We have all this screen real estate but everything is tiny and compressed! How about instead of making things look sharp by making them tiny rasterized fonts/shapes we actually start putting some processing power behind VECTORS??? raggle fraggle!

Darren Dirt · November 13, 2013, 02:23:37 PM

Quote from: Mr. Analog on November 13, 2013, 01:29:36 PM
/rant ahead

we have these displays getting bigger with higher resolution and text is getting smaller and smaller. I can't upgrade beyond Photoshop CS3 because it doesn't adhere to Windows large font settings. Games like GTAV on my huuuuuuge 60" tv have text smaller than my thumbnail, I have to sit right in front of the TV to read anything or use the very tiny HUD map.

We have all this screen real estate but everything is tiny and compressed!

Text size getting smaller in TV commercials, on websites... And here I am, just sailed past 40. Got a new eyeglass prescription that for the first time was "progressive lenses suggested". I hear ya, bro. I hear ya.

Mr. Analog · November 13, 2013, 02:46:14 PM

Like I'll pop in an older game like UT2K4 and actually have to sit further back

it's kind of disorienting

Melbosa · November 13, 2013, 05:25:43 PM

So back on topic, I am running it on my primary gaming laptop at home and on my Surface Pro 2. I like it

.

Lazybones · November 13, 2013, 05:45:20 PM

It wasn't a question of like. I am really having a problem with my keyboard input being delayed.

Going to try uninstalling some utilities etc to see if any background apps are to blame.

Mr. Analog · November 13, 2013, 05:59:17 PM

Not sure if you followed the article link I posted but you should be able to disable DPI scaling and it may help

:shrug:

Lazybones · November 13, 2013, 07:36:28 PM

Quote from: Mr. Analog on November 13, 2013, 05:59:17 PM
Not sure if you followed the article link I posted but you should be able to disable DPI scaling and it may help

:shrug:

gremlins in the machine... I went to test for the problem again today and it seems to be gone.... hmmmm.

Mr. Analog · November 13, 2013, 07:54:57 PM

Windows 8 heard us talking

IT KNOWS!

Maybe it was just a driver thing, also a big update dropped last night? Maybe you got a fix for it?

Melbosa · November 13, 2013, 10:08:42 PM

OK so I have not experienced any keyboard or mouse delays since 8.1 update. My Surface Pro 2 came with it already installed, so I am just talking about on my Laptop that I updated. No issues.

Mr Analog is right though I have heard the same issues with DPI scaling. No one in my own circles, but from reads on the interwebs.