UFO Test VSYNC Failure.... But I think its a weirder case.

[FloatyShark]

I attached a video, figure it would do a better job of explaining what is going on. Sorry if this is less convenient.

phpBB [video]

[Chief Blur Buster]

Cyclic spike every second = suggestive of background software.

By any chance, are you running RGB controller software? Browser extensions? Lots of system tray apps? Very old Windows install? Hundreds of user-installed software over its lifetime?

Try rebooting in Safe Mode (but with GPU drivers enabled), no system tray apps, no RGB software, and see how glassfloor it becomes.

I lost of how many times people told me Animation Time Graph went glassfloor after an OS reinstall after identifying these common 1-second cyclics. You don't want once-every-second lagspikes occuring in your online video games, I bet.

[FloatyShark]

I couldn't tell you if I was running RGB controller software or not with 100% certainty. I THINK I'm not running any as the only RGB software that I'm aware of is the Steel Series software which is not running.

I only run UBlock origin as an extension from chrome, but that's the only one that runs and never gave me issues before.

I only have about five tray apps running at a time being, steam, windows security, Nvidia, discord usually, and an external drive.

I couldn't tell you how old of an install it is, but this is a recently reset computer. I had purchased a bigger SSD and re installed windows on the new SSD and wiped the old one. Funny you mention how glassfloor it becomes after a reinstall. That may be whats happening. I'kll have to try. before I do, how do I check how "glassfloor" it is. what does that mean?

[Chief Blur Buster]

Glassfloor is a metaphor for a flat line (zero spikes).

Try testing TestUFO in multiple browsers, test Icognito mode, and test with uBlock temporarily turned on/off. See what happens.

[FloatyShark]

I tried different browser's and turning off extensions and using incognito mode. nothing worked.

This jumping is happening no matter what i do. In games, on my desktop, no matter what if that helps.as soon as i boot up my pc i can see my mouse jumping a little bit, i can take a video if needed.

[FloatyShark]

Okay, just booted into safe mode, did the tests and everything was fine. No stutter or nothing. I honestly have no idea what this could be though. but yeah, booting into safe mode made it so there was no jumping and my vsync would work.

[Chief Blur Buster]

Now you need to narrow down what Safe Mode disabled. Safe Mode is a brute force hammer that temporarily disables a lot of startup software.

In escalating riskiness order:

1. System Tray -> Exit apps one by one
Exit these apps one by one until stuttering stops. Retest between system tray app exits. Even Discord running in system tray can cause problems.

2. Task Manager -> Sort by CPU usage -> See if any apps are spiking in CPU usage once in a while -> Kill one at a time
Kill these CPU-surging applications one by one until stuttering stops. Retest every time you kill one background app in Task Manager.
Once you know what it is, you can mitigate it (e.g. quit it before starting a game, or disable it from startup, etc). Reboot to reload the system tray apps, and only surgically exit that one next time.

3. Task Manager -> Startup Apps -> Disable one at a time and reboot
Disable them temporarily one item at a time, reboot, test again. Once you find the culprit, reenable everything you disabled except for that one. (That being said, keeping autostart apps disabled can be useful, e.g. you don't always want apps such as Skype, Steam or Discord to autolaunch upon startup). Reboot to reload the startup apps, and only surgically keep that one bad app disabled.

4. [RISKIEST] Windows Search Box -> "start.msc" -> Sort by "Status" -> View the "Running" services -> Stop non-critical services one at a time
Look for services that were installed by third parties. "Stop" the services manually one by one (don't change the "Automatic" setting yet to "Manual") until things stop stuttering once a second. Once you find the culprit, change its setting "Automatic" to "Manual" only for that ONE service, and then reboot. Check if that solved the problem.

You can also corroborate where needed. For example, successful item (1)(2) may narrow down what you need to do in (3)(4). If you notice that Task Manager has "ACME CPU Hog Application.exe" surging, and you're not sure it's a startup or a service launch, check for the matching app in (3) vs (4) and surgically eliminate that.

Weird things such as a flawed audio application, a chat app such as Discord, or a bug in a cloud sync app, and CPU-hogging RGB software, have done this sort of once-a-second stutter/freeze thing.

If that one app you disabled is a critical app (e.g. antivirus), switch brands and/or upgrade (e.g. bugfix) to avoid the same impact from happening again. If you're scared, post screenshots of Task Manager, of Startup, and of the "services.msc" window.

Disclaimers:
These instructions have risks especially if you don't know what you're doing.
WARNING 1: Some of these steps, such as setting certain services from Automatic to Manual can have some severe consequences if you don't know what you're doing. Such as losing access to cloud photos, or losing antivirus, until you change the setting back etc.
WARNING 2: In extreme situations (e.g. network filesystem services) you could mess up your computer configuration and cause it to not boot up, if you mess up royally. Proceed carefully

[FloatyShark]

I've basically tried all of this things all day today and got no where. I really can't tell which services for number four were installed by third parties, but I went through and made my best guesses and got nowhere. I'm very infuriated, as I've spent all day doing this and nothing worked....

[Chief Blur Buster]

I've basically tried all of this things all day today and got no where. I really can't tell which services for number four were installed by third parties, but I went through and made my best guesses and got nowhere. I'm very infuriated, as I've spent all day doing this and nothing worked....

At this stage, a clean OS reinstall may be the fastest do-over.

Other forum members may have some better suggestions, but right now, this is no longer easy low-lying apples troubleshooting.

[FloatyShark]

Wow...... I can't believe I figured it out but...... it only happens when my second monitor (which is a tv) is on. However, booting to safe mode would cause it so it so it would only boot and have my second monitor on, and it would be fine. When I regular boot and turn off my second monitor, its fine as well. Any ideas?