UI text rendering on Windows 10

[John Towerman]

Hi All,

The attached file is a screenshot of the pop up menu when you right click on the desktop.
In particular is the top part of it. I took it using the Windows 10's magnifier utility.

As you can see the text doesn't seem to be rendered correctly. That applies also to all UI's components of Windows 10 and everything else. As I am a developer, I stay many hours in front of this monitor and usually that hurts my eyes (without considering the high contrast theme, another additional pain).

What I'd like to understand is if that is a normal Windows rendering behavior or is a bad setting somewhere.

Thanks a lot

Details:
Windows 10 fully updated.
NVIDIA video card driver fully updated.
Adjust ClearType Text option checked (Control Panel -> Fonts)
"Smooth edges of screen fonts" option checked (Windows 10 Performance Options panel)
NVIDIA Control Panel Antialiasing options is on.

 

[Wolfie]

HI John,

do you actually have the latest version of W10?:

https://www.windows10forums.com/threads/how-to-upgrade-windows-10-to-the-latest-version.13015/

What are your screen res settings telling you?:

 

[John Towerman]

Hi Wolfie,

Thanks for your answer.

do you actually have the latest version of W10?:

I updated W10 through the Windows Update:
Version: 1709
OS Build: 16299.214

What are your screen res settings telling you?:

Everything is left by default or reccomended:
Scale and Layout: 100%
Resolution: 2560x1440 (native)

Any other idea?

Thanks

 

[Wolfie]

Hi John,

your pic does show that the magnifier is set at 500% for one, have you download the latest Nvidia drivers from their site?, tell us the model number and we can point you to the correct package!.

Or you can search for them yourself here:

http://www.nvidia.co.uk/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-uk

 

[davehc]

I have very little experience with Nvidia graphics. On my Intel machines, I can safely magnify to at least 500 , without the slightest distortion.
Is there any way you can by pass the Nvidia control panel and only use the Windows 10 facilities.?

 

[John Towerman]

Thanks for the answers.

@Wolfie,
As I wrote in the first post, the video card driver is fully updated. A GeForce 1060 with the 390.77 driver version.
I also uninstalled the last driver and in turn installed the last three drivers without any difference or improvement.

@davehc,
I'm not sure how I can by pass the NVIDIA Control Panel. The NVIDIA Control Panel has been there since the first time I installed the driver and I've always left settings by default. I didn't have those problems before.

Any other ideas?

Thank you

 

[davehc]

This is what I did with my Intel (it is reversible, of course) You should make a thourough backup or, preferably, image of you installation first. With different hardware, things can work differently.
Right click the taskbar
Select "Task Manager" and then the startup tab
Disable the Nvidia program.,if you can see one.

 

[John Towerman]

I understand.
I checked, no NVIDIA programs is launched at startup.

Thanks

 

[davehc]

Just did a little research. It does seem that you are not alone. Worst answer was to get another graphics card.
Best answer was to try rolling back the driver, through the device manager.
Hopefully, a member who is using a Nvidia card may have a better idea??

 

[John Towerman]

I've also done a little research in the past days and I've found many people complaining about my problem also in the past years. Should I not find any solution then I'll fall back to Win7. I didn't have problems with it in the past.

Thanks

 

[davehc]

That is sad. Windows 10 is a better OS than Windows 7, but, if you want to go down that path, so be it.
One thought occurs.
Open services (Right click the start and select run , type Services.msc )
If you can see any Nvidia services. put them on manual.

 

[Wolfie]

Hi John,

I have an Nvidia GPU, what I would do is the following:

1. Remove all traces of all NVidia software.
2. Open Device Manager and remove the graphics card from the hardware list and reboot.
3. Once rebooted, use the previously downloaded driver package from Nvidia to re-install the drivers, even if Windows says that it has installed the correct drivers.

Try that and see if it works.

 

[John Towerman]

Hi Wolfie,

Thanks for the suggestion.

I've done your steps using the last 15 drivers from NVIDIA. I got the same result.
However, The first time on the step 2 I got a BSOD that is a kernel trap/error on a driver named something like nvl...sys. That sounds NVIDIA.

At that point I ran the troubleshooter for Windows Update and it found three problems. At the of the process it fixed them. But running it again, it showed me again those three problems regarding Windows Update. So it didn't fix anything.

Something in my mind tells me that probably they are connected.

Any other ideas about the text rendering problem?
New ideas how I can fix that Windows Update?

Thank you

EDIT: I also downloaded also the "2018-01 Update for Windows 10 Version 1709 for x64-based Systems (KB4058702) " that seems to fix the problem regarding Windows Update. I ran it but although my system is a x64 intel it says "This update is not applicable to your computer".
It sounds strange, doesn'it.

 

[davehc]

It is specifically for AMDs. Maybe not yours?

 

[John Towerman]

I didn't catch that, sorry.
Indeed I have an intel but the downloads on Windows Catalog are classfiied by platform x86, x64, ARM64 and Windows Server.
Where do you see AMD?

Have a look
http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB4058702

 

[Wolfie]

Hi John,

you may have a 32 Bit system installed and that is why you got the message?, try the x86 package and see if it spits it out again. That may also apply to the Nvidia driver package too?????.

Direct download link here:

http://download.windowsupdate.com/d..._ed49467e46cfbfee96880c415ca508c01c9cf486.msu

For the NVidia drivers, click on the correct product type for your model and choose the 32 Bit version!:

 

[John Towerman]

John,

I'm a developer with many years of experience. My systems is a 64 bit installed on a x64 bit machine. More than 100% sure.

Thanks.

 

[Wolfie]

Hi John,

physically remove the GPU and revert back to the on-board graphics and see what happens, that's all I've got really!.

 

[davehc]

I didn't catch that, sorry.
Indeed I have an intel but the downloads on Windows Catalog are classfiied by platform x86, x64, ARM64 and Windows Server.
Where do you see AMD?

Have a look
http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB4058702

on the left - here_
https://www.catalog.update.microsof...updateid=5726113d-f702-4e41-84a0-93e7c14179e3
If you wish to download from the catalogue, it can be a good idea to look at the full description in the first instance.
Just me, but I prefer to be patient and await the official update.

 

[John Towerman]

@davehc,

I got it now.
AMD64 is synonym of x86-64. It was introduced first by AMD, that's why the name there. Later also Intel implemented that architecture. It is the normal evolution of the x86 (32 bits) arch. to 64 bits. Before AMD introduced the AMD64, Intel had given it a try with the Itanium (IA-64). If I'm not wrong.

Thanks guys for the help

Please, have a look
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86-64