Dwm.exe memory consumption increases until the 2-GB limit is reached and the system freezes

Applies To
Windows 8.1 Windows 8.1 Pro Windows 8.1 Enterprise Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials Windows Server 2012 R2 Foundation Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter Windows 8 Windows 8 Pro Windows 8 Enterprise Windows Server 2012 Essentials Windows Server 2012 Foundation Windows Server 2012 Foundation Windows Server 2012 Standard Windows Server 2012 Standard Windows Server 2012 Datacenter Windows Server 2012 Datacenter

Symptoms

When you run a Direct3D graphic tool, memory consumption by the Dwm.exe process may increase until the 2-gigabyte (GB) limit is reached. In this situation, the system may freeze. Additionally, you may experience screen corruption or slow screen updates.

Resolution

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft Support. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, go to the following Microsoft website:

http:⁠//support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this update in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2, you must first have update 2919355 installed.

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any previously released hotfix.

File information

The English (United States) version of this hotfix installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.

Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 file information and notesImportant Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, only "Windows 8" is listed on the Hotfix Request page. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows 8" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.

  • The files that apply to a specific product, milestone (RTM,SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table.

    Version Product Milestone Service branch
    6.2.920 0.16 xxx Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 RTM GDR
    6.2.920 0.20 xxx Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 RTM LDR
    6.2.920 0.21 xxx Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 RTM LDR
  • The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012" section. MUM and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are extremely important to maintain the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows 8

File name File version File size Date Time Platform
Cdd.dll 6.2.9200.16384 166,400 26-Jul-2012 03:30 x86
Dxgkrnl.sys 6.2.9200.21161 1,227,584 28-Jun-2014 07:02 x86
Dxgmms1.sys 6.2.9200.21161 259,904 28-Jun-2014 07:02 x86
Lddmcore.ptxml Not Applicable 1,151 25-Jul-2012 20:32 Not Applicable

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012

File name File version File size Date Time Platform
Cdd.dll 6.2.9200.20828 199,680 19-Sep-2013 07:44 x64
Dxgkrnl.sys 6.2.9200.21161 1,442,624 28-Jun-2014 09:19 x64
Dxgmms1.sys 6.2.9200.21161 304,448 28-Jun-2014 09:19 x64
Lddmcore.ptxml Not Applicable 1,151 25-Jul-2012 20:29 Not Applicable

Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 file information and notesImportant Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, only "Windows 8.1" is listed on the Hotfix Request page. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows 8.1" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.

  • The files that apply to a specific product, milestone (RTM,SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table.

    Version Product Milestone Service branch
    6.3.960 0.17 xxx Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 RTM GDR
  • The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2" section. MUM and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are extremely important to maintain the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows 8.1

File name File version File size Date Time Platform
Microsoft-windows-desktopwindowmanager-compositor.ptxml Not Applicable 4,069 21-Aug-2013 23:39 Not Applicable
D3d11.dll 6.3.9600.17041 1,779,800 06-Mar-2014 11:13 x86
Lddmcore.ptxml Not Applicable 7,208 06-Mar-2014 01:37 Not Applicable

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2

File name File version File size Date Time Platform
Microsoft-windows-desktopwindowmanager-compositor.ptxml Not Applicable 4,069 22-Aug-2013 06:44 Not Applicable
Lddmcore.ptxml Not Applicable 7,208 06-Mar-2014 01:36 Not Applicable
Microsoft-windows-desktopwindowmanager-compositor.ptxml Not Applicable 4,069 21-Aug-2013 23:39 Not Applicable
D3d11.dll 6.3.9600.17041 1,779,800 06-Mar-2014 11:13 x86

For all supported ARM-based versions of Windows 8.1

File name File version File size Date Time Platform
Microsoft-windows-desktopwindowmanager-compositor.ptxml Not Applicable 4,069 21-Aug-2013 23:33 Not Applicable
D3d11.dll 6.3.9600.17041 1,648,664 06-Mar-2014 08:16 Not Applicable
Lddmcore.ptxml Not Applicable 7,208 06-Mar-2014 01:34 Not Applicable

Additional file information for Windows 8 and for Windows Server 2012

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows 8

File name X86_bb9b280b907a194efead470a58c629a1_31bf3856ad364e35_6.2.9200.21161_none_a800310f2a71ea35.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 696
Date (UTC) 30-Jun-2014
Time (UTC) 21:45
SHA-1 hash Not Applicable
MD5 hash Not Applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.2.9200.21161_none_a90fc3cace03c84c.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 283,125
Date (UTC) 30-Jun-2014
Time (UTC) 21:45
SHA-1 hash Not Applicable
MD5 hash Not Applicable

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012

File name Amd64_92ba4731d76b635389dfe9ff8b8b39a5_31bf3856ad364e35_6.2.9200.21161_none_dd4c044a7214838d.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 700
Date (UTC) 30-Jun-2014
Time (UTC) 21:45
SHA-1 hash Not Applicable
MD5 hash Not Applicable
File name Amd64_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.2.9200.21161_none_052e5f4e86613982.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 283,129
Date (UTC) 30-Jun-2014
Time (UTC) 21:45
SHA-1 hash Not Applicable
MD5 hash Not Applicable

Additional file information for Windows 8.1 and for Windows Server 2012 R2

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows 8.1

File name Package_1_for_kb2979265~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 1,812
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name Package_2_for_kb2979265~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 2,019
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name Package_3_for_kb2979265~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 2,505
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name Package_for_kb2979265_rtm_gm~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 1,957
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name Package_for_kb2979265_rtm~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 1,866
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_2c2d5732c4367d0b68c1191aeee9e9f0_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_580e1ca9e440e080.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 1,050
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_5995e1141565c5273d3da0061a7daa54_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_c0f3152f4b05354d.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 696
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_749876214b3ec8b446dc2d84d883eb02_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_92037b527d4a44c3.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 1,753
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-d..wmanager-compositor_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_9a62de585ac6f88f.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 155,729
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-directx-direct3d11_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_8498da37e9152174.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 714,950
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-directx-dxgi_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_cf5f03b439f5c3da.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 112,634
Date (UTC) 30-Jun-2014
Time (UTC) 23:55
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_40a923fffef5cf8e.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 385,244
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2

File name Amd64_090a60d21d69d2063eb502617ed22e89_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_ef62dc20b719c837.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 1,086
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:25
Platform Not Applicable
File name Amd64_2c2d5732c4367d0b68c1191aeee9e9f0_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_b42cb82d9c9e51b6.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 1,052
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:25
Platform Not Applicable
File name Amd64_72194fed2d90550f572cad06812b3481_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_4561490ddbea93d5.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 700
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:25
Platform Not Applicable
File name Amd64_f04b2368b122c206d349177596aeb6c6_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_ea01321013c3b31a.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 1,056
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:25
Platform Not Applicable
File name Amd64_microsoft-windows-d..wmanager-compositor_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_f68179dc132469c5.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 155,730
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 02:10
Platform Not Applicable
File name Amd64_microsoft-windows-directx-direct3d11_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_e0b775bba17292aa.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 714,952
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:25
Platform Not Applicable
File name Amd64_microsoft-windows-directx-dxgi_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_2b7d9f37f2533510.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 112,636
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 02:10
Platform Not Applicable
File name Amd64_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_9cc7bf83b75340c4.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 385,248
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:25
Platform Not Applicable
File name Package_1_for_kb2979265~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 1,822
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:25
Platform Not Applicable
File name Package_2_for_kb2979265~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 2,031
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:25
Platform Not Applicable
File name Package_3_for_kb2979265~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 2,521
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:25
Platform Not Applicable
File name Package_4_for_kb2979265~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 2,710
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:25
Platform Not Applicable
File name Package_5_for_kb2979265~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 2,283
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:25
Platform Not Applicable
File name Package_6_for_kb2979265~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 2,320
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:25
Platform Not Applicable
File name Package_for_kb2979265_rtm_gm~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 2,806
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:25
Platform Not Applicable
File name Package_for_kb2979265_rtm~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 3,429
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:25
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-d..wmanager-compositor_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_9a62de585ac6f88f.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 155,729
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:25
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-directx-direct3d11_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_8498da37e9152174.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 714,950
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:25
Platform Not Applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-directx-dxgi_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_cf5f03b439f5c3da.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 112,634
Date (UTC) 30-Jun-2014
Time (UTC) 23:55
Platform Not Applicable

Additional files for all supported ARM-based versions of Windows 8.1

File name Arm_af0dff8c3e4db94760b2ab567655068f_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_d35387638f20ecfa.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 1,753
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name Arm_c0c175c91bd0c36d7bd17df49bba79b5_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_0833af23a69bc5ed.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 696
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name Arm_microsoft-windows-d..wmanager-compositor_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_9a6550b05ac41755.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 155,726
Date (UTC) 30-Jun-2014
Time (UTC) 23:34
Platform Not Applicable
File name Arm_microsoft-windows-directx-direct3d11_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_849b4c8fe912403a.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 714,950
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name Arm_microsoft-windows-directx-dxgi_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_cf61760c39f2e2a0.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 112,634
Date (UTC) 30-Jun-2014
Time (UTC) 23:34
Platform Not Applicable
File name Arm_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17224_none_40ab9657fef2ee54.manifest
File version Not Applicable
File size 385,244
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name Package_1_for_kb2979265~31bf3856ad364e35~arm~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 1,812
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name Package_2_for_kb2979265~31bf3856ad364e35~arm~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 2,505
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name Package_for_kb2979265_rtm_gm~31bf3856ad364e35~arm~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 1,681
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable
File name Package_for_kb2979265_rtm~31bf3856ad364e35~arm~~6.3.1.0.mum
File version Not Applicable
File size 1,679
Date (UTC) 01-Jul-2014
Time (UTC) 10:24
Platform Not Applicable

      

Status

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

References

Learn about the terminology that Microsoft uses to describe software updates.