Resolving System Interrupts CPU hell on beefy Gaming Laptop

I recently had an issue with my laptop caused most likely by some software conflict or update. It's not the first time it happened so I document it here in the event it happens again. I'm also not the only one going through this, hopefully it is useful to others as well.

My laptop, which had a relatively strong AMD CPU, several GB of fast SDD with 32 GB of RAM and an nVidia dedicated card was only able to cope with one task at a time, which took a few seconds, no matter how simple. It seemed to have started with some Windows Update, though I’m not exactly sure which. Here’s the last few updates (all on Windows 10 21H2):

• KB5015807 (22-07-26)
• KB5016405 (22-07-13)
• KB5016404 (22-07-13)
• KB5014699 (22-06-17)

I’m not entirely sure what caused it. It may have been one of the above updates or a slew of Microsoft Store apps I switched to (from using Portable regular installs). I may have picked Nvidia and AMD apps that messed up the apps pre-installed by HP. It’s still a mystery.

So I started by re-installing the nVidia GeForce Experience as well as the AMD stuff. That didn’t solve the problem. It all took a very long time as the system seemed to constantly fight and double-check itself. I couldn’t even take a screenshot of the system interrupts problem, had to use my phone. So I bit the bullet, went to HP’s website and downloaded and installed the latest BIOS update: F.14 Rev.A, 13.2 MB, Apr 26, 2022.

I’ve also found Dumo quite useful (registration number: 91090073066094078108065096074097079097080093081050046050053).

Once the BIOS upgrade completed I took a system snapshot.

*(*This article is unfinished – it was scheduled to appear in the hope that it will be finished before, but since this message is here and until it is removed, the article is to be considered work in progress*)*.

Sources / More info: hp-support, dumo

Consumed Consumer . org: #software conflict, #system interrupts, #windows, #system slowdown, #windoze, #drivers, #drivers hell, #bugs, #bug hunting, #troubleshooting, #tech support, #computer fix, #computer trouble (Tags)