Rhino "bricked" after Windows Update

Rhino
1

2 days ago Windows wouldn’t let me delay an update any further. It was a large update that included many firmware updates and took quite some time. I shut it down after it completed and the next morning started back on a model that I had been working on for many weeks.

It was a large model (over 2GB) which I was able to work easily on with my Dell Precision. the RTX A3000 (12GB) handled the model very well, even with a large number of complex objects displayed. That was before the update…

Since the update, the model is almost unusable. Selecting an object takes seconds. Deselecting an object takes seconds. Orbiting tin the viewport is so slow and anything to do with Layouts, is like working on a 25 year old machine.

The McNeel support team have been active in trying to help, but I feel this may be a hardware / Windows problem. I am at my wits end, so am reaching out for any support or advice anyone may have. I literally won’t be able to use this machine productively unless I can solve this issue.

FYI I’ve tried the following with little to no improvement:

  • System Restore to roll back Windows
  • Clean Install of nVidia Driver
  • uninstalled nVidia driver using Device Manager, then clean reinstall
  • reduced render mesh settings to 10% of previous size.
  • exporting objects to a new Rhino file to check if it was a corrupted file

Basically it now feels like I’m using the built-in intel graphics rather than my GPU…

Any assistance would be most appreciated!!!

2

Does SystemInfo indicate that’s what it’s actually doing??

1 Like
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One of the render devs mentioned that microsoft had a patch out but i haven’t seen it, might be pre-release only.

There are other programs that can affect the hybrid graphics config as well, gaming optimizers etc.

4

SystemInfo shows the GPU:

Primary OpenGL: NVIDIA RTX A3000 12GB Laptop GPU (NVidia) Memory: 12GB, Driver date: 12-19-2025 (M-D-Y). OpenGL Ver: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 582.16

Integrated accelerated graphics device with 4 adapter port(s)

  • Video pass-through to primary display device
5

I have never installed anything like that. Don’t game on the machine. Just standard graphics drivers and settings.

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They ship with the many of the big manufactures. Here is a list i keep.

These programs essentially override the default Windows graphics settings, its rare that these mess things up, but occasionally it does happen.

Lenovo - Lenovo Vantage
Lenovo gaming laptops use Lenovo Vantage software, which includes a “Hybrid Mode” switch on the right-hand side of the interface. When Hybrid mode is enabled, Optimus is on; when Hybrid mode is disabled, Optimus is turned off, requiring a reboot for changes to take effect

ASUS - Armoury Crate
ASUS laptops use Armoury Crate, which includes GPU Mode settings that allow switching between different power-saving modes including Eco Mode, Standard, and Ultimate (discrete GPU) modes, with MUX Switch functionality integrated after version 5.2.12

MSI - Dragon Center / MSI Center
MSI laptops use Dragon Center (older models) or MSI Center (newer models), which includes a GPU Switch option to toggle between MSHybrid Graphics Mode and Discrete Graphics Mode

HP - OMEN Gaming Hub
HP OMEN and Victus laptops feature the OMEN Gaming Hub with a Graphics Switcher that allows users to toggle between Hybrid mode and Discrete mode

Acer - Predator Sense
Acer Predator gaming laptops use Predator Sense software, which includes a “Discrete GPU only” option accessible through the settings (cog icon)

Razer - Synapse
Razer Blade laptops use Razer Synapse (version 3 or 4), which includes GPU Mode settings under the Performance tab to switch between integrated and dedicated graphics

Gigabyte/AORUS - Control Center
Gigabyte AORUS laptops feature the AORUS Graphics Switch in the AORUS Control Center (or GIGABYTE Control Center), allowing users to switch between discrete NVIDIA graphics and integrated Intel graphics using MUX switch technology

Dell
Some Dell gaming laptops (like the G15 5515) require switching through BIOS rather than software, accessed by pressing F2 during boot and navigating to the Advanced tab to toggle “Enable Hybrid graphics”

Alienware
Alienware laptops typically don’t have front-end software for MUX switching and require BIOS configuration, accessed during boot by pressing F2

7

Thanks Japhy,

I have a Dell Precision.

Under the BIOS: Performance option it shows SpeedStep, Turbo Boost, Turbo Booss Max 3.0 and Hyper-Threading all on.

There was another windows update this morning and the model is still running slower than before the update ..

I’ll persevere for now and see how it goes…

8

I would check “tau” as well. Some laptops have a tau that is very short, order milliseconds.

On a desktop, they can be set to infinity. I am purely speculating; but maybe as part of the update, it has forced an update to “tau”, which will throttle the CPU back down within sometimes tens of milliseconds.

That said, manufacturers like Dell have a specialism in throttling hardware, so it was probably like that before you updated.

You can also see what is happening in BIOS by just using hwInfo64 (download needed); as it will show you most hardware and bios settings at desktop.

9

Thanks to everyone for their responses. Windows had a non-optional update last night and things have improved significantly in Rhino. It’s still not 100% where it was but it’s better than it was, which is a relief.

Hopefully any future updates continue to improve performance and not hinder it!

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Follow up…

After the windows update (the next morning I believe), I started the computer and noticed Rhino had resorted to the generic GDI, not my nVidia card. I checked device manager, and the card was not listed, so I performed a ‘clean install’ of the nVidia driver and that solved it.

All was well for a few days after that, then… this morning I’ve started the computer and Rhino again is not using the nVidia card. This time when I check device manager, the card is loaded, see below:

image
image1888×1074 322 KB

What do I need to do to make Rhino see my GPU? I’ve never had issues like this before… That windows update really screwed things around…

11

What brand and model is your laptop? There could be a program that shipped with it that is trying to ‘help’ by switching the gpu.

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Hi Japhy, it’s a Dell Precision 5770.

I did a restart after the post and Rhino is now seeing the GPU.

Would be good to know what’s causing it though…

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Looks like there isn’t a mux on Dell. The clean install of the nvidia driver is the fix most of the time. The last windows updates messed up a ton of nvidia drivers that req’d a clean install from what i’ve gathered from various support forums.