Question / Help OBS runs at 85-90% CPU after Creators Update

[WinnerBit]

Hi, everyone-

I have been using an older version of Windows 10 for a while, and was recently forced to install the Fall Creators Update. After upgrading, I received the error "Failed to initialize video. Your GPU may not be supported, or your graphics driver may need to be updated." I fixed this issue using the method described here: https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/obs-studio-your-gpu-may-not-be-supported.67406/

However, after re-opening OBS and re-configuring my old settings, I discovered that OBS was running at an excessively high CPU (85-90%, on average) and outputting anywhere between 7 and 15 frames per second (even less when attempting to stream or record). It does not matter what other programs I have open, or even if I am switched to an empty scene. Before the Fall Creators Update, it would run at a smooth 10% CPU and 60 fps.

I have tried updating OBS and reverting to older versions of OBS, neither of which seems to help. I also attempted to update my AMD drivers, but immediately after installing, my computer gets stuck in a crash loop and has to repair itself. I did notice that I now have only one choice of renderer under the Advanced settings (Direct3D 11), and if I recall correctly, I might have been using another renderer like OpenGL before the update which I no longer appear to have access to. However, if I attempt to use the --allow-opengl command prompt workaround, it messes up my global settings, causing the "Failed to initialize video" error to re-surface and placing me back at square one.

Here is a recent log file: https://gist.github.com/anonymous/65395771f6a528ff9259a6ee367a5028

I will answer questions if necessary, and all feedback is appreciated.

EDIT: Here is an additional log file, this time including me attempting to local-record approximately 10 seconds of video: https://gist.github.com/685b42a0326cf9d770292b339937675c

 

[BK-Morpheus]

1. drop OBS framerate to 30, as 2000kbit/s is way to low for 720p/60fps.
2. Your main problem is this:
Output 'simple_file_output': Number of lagged frames due to rendering lag/stalls: 660 (88.6%)


OBS renders its scene via GPU and than encodes those frames via CPU.
If you put 100% load on your GPU (gaming) your stream will be dropping frames like crazy.
Solution: Make sure, you set a reasonable FPS limit in your games!
Playing without any fps limit will let your GPU or CPU run into full load and that will bottleneck OBS.

 

[WinnerBit]

BK-Morpheus-

Thank you for the response; however, the issue I am having occurs constantly, even when OBS is idle, with no games or other applications running whatsoever. Granted, I will keep in mind to cap my games' framerate once I get everything working, and I appreciate that tip. Thank you for the bitrate suggestion as well!

 

[BK-Morpheus]

When OBS is producing high CPU load without any active recording/stream, I would check your sources.
Maybe you have some browser sources in your scenes and some of them might be animated etc.
Those sources can produce some heavy load.
Maybe you can create a new scene collection with just one scene in it and only the game capture.
Add the other sources one after the other and keep an eye on the CPU load.
In your log, there are 6 window capture sources for just one scene. This can also cause a lot of problems.

In your first log file, Windows 10 GameDVR was on, in the second log it was off. It should be off.

 

[WinnerBit]

BK-Morpheus-

I just backed up my settings files and completely un-installed OBS - settings, profiles, and all. Unfortunately, after re-installing, the same issue persists, even with no profiles, scenes, or sources. The sources I was using during the logs are identical to the setup I used before the Creators Update; it does not appear to be the origin of the problem.

I did read about turning off GameDVR between the first and second log files I posted. I tried it, but it seemed to make no difference; however, I will keep it off moving forward.

 

[BK-Morpheus]

OBS with an empty scene, no sources whatsoever is producing 85-90% CPU load?
Sounds totally broken.
Maybe that Replay Buffer feature of OBS is active?

 

[WinnerBit]

I just double-checked, and the Replay Buffer function is not enabled.