Microsoft Powerpoint spiking issue - pulling my hair out (and there aint much left!)

[kennysarmy]

I keep suspecting this is being caused by the intel graphics. What model is the onboard?

Intel have a pretty shocking history of drivers, for example the latest one for my pc for 1809 broke hdmi sound output to 2.0 rather than 5.1. Rolling back fixed it, ironically the notes said they had *fixed* a bug relating to sound detection via hdmi.

Are you using the inbuilt w10 drivers or the ones from Intel's site?

 

We've tried the latest driver and historic ones from the INTEL site.

 

We've not been able to replicate the issue when testing with no driver installed, BUT, when we deployed a PC in that state to the teacher, he was able to get spikes during his day with a no graphic drivers!

 

The only thing common in ever case of it happening is Office 2016!

 

We might deploy out a PC to the teacher who gets it worse with no Office installed for a day to prove that the issue does not appear in any other writing software...

[kennysarmy]

Testing with the 64bit version of Office 2016 = same issue.

[Arthur]

The only thing common in ever case of it happening is Office 2016!

Worth testing Office 2019?

[kennysarmy]

Testing with JUST powerpoint installed - no other options from the media = same issue

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Worth testing Office 2019?

 

Definitely.

 

On the list

[kennysarmy]

Worth testing Office 2019?

 

BOOM!

 

 

Admittedly I did not re-image the PC, merely uninstalled Office 2016 then installed 2019....

[kennysarmy]

I have a member of staff with EXACTLY the same issue as you have. I'm currently working on it but it does seem we aren't alone.

 

Here's a thread I found which is pretty recent. It mentions an issue with the Intel HD graphics card too.

 

https://community.prometheanworld.com/en/discussion/7002448/pen-spikes-when-using-in-power-point-2016

 

 

Hi,

 

Have you tried recreating the issue with a new OS install and no Graphics Drivers installed?

[Hybrid]

Hi,

 

Have you tried recreating the issue with a new OS install and no Graphics Drivers installed?

 

Not yet, Windows 10 tends to install the driver almost straight away. I was going to uninstall our onboard Intel's altogether, although we are using NVidia dual headed cards as our main output anyway.

[Arthur]

BOOM!

Do you get a corresponding spike in CPU usage when there is a spike drawn in PowerPoint?

 

Could the spike be caused by a process or scheduled task running in the background that briefly creates input lag in PowerPoint?

 

Perhaps it might be worth having Task Manager open in the background or using the Windows Performance Toolkit?

[kennysarmy]

Do you get a corresponding spike in CPU usage when there is a spike drawn in PowerPoint?

 

Could the spike be caused by a process or scheduled task running in the background that briefly creates input lag in PowerPoint?

 

Perhaps it might be worth having Task Manager open in the background or using the Windows Performance Toolkit?

 

No spike in the CPU.

 

Curiously a new Windows 10 image, with no graphics drivers and Office 2019 - I did 18 slides of scribbling and no issues.

 

I installed the graphics card drivers and two slides of scribbling later I had a spike!!!

[mavhc]

Why would graphics drivers affect mouse movement though, very odd

[kennysarmy]

Not yet, Windows 10 tends to install the driver almost straight away. I was going to uninstall our onboard Intel's altogether, although we are using NVidia dual headed cards as our main output anyway.

 

And are you able to replicate the issue in any other drawing software WITHOUT Office being installed?

 

I'm testing a build with no Office, and I've drawn in Notebook and Ink2GO on over 50 slides now without issue.

 

Next step is to install Office 2016 and try again on those two apps before launching Powerpoint....

[kennysarmy]

And are you able to replicate the issue in any other drawing software WITHOUT Office being installed?

 

I'm testing a build with no Office, and I've drawn in Notebook and Ink2GO on over 50 slides now without issue.

 

Next step is to install Office 2016 and try again on those two apps before launching Powerpoint....

 

With Office installed the other two apps were fine, but I managed to get some spikes when using Office 2016.

 

I've since re-imaged a PC and installed Office 2010 Powerpoint and I've been unable to get it to spike!

[Hybrid]

I can't replicate the issue when using ActivInspire either, just PowerPoint 2016.

 

And are you able to replicate the issue in any other drawing software WITHOUT Office being installed?

 

I'm testing a build with no Office, and I've drawn in Notebook and Ink2GO on over 50 slides now without issue.

 

Next step is to install Office 2016 and try again on those two apps before launching Powerpoint....

[kennysarmy]

I've told the teacher that there is nothing we can do and he'll have to use powerpoint in 4:3 mode rather than widescreen as it appears to be more stable then.

[Reverend_Dan]

Did you check to see which version of scaling the intel driver was using and if that makes a difference (maintain aspect ratio, scale full screen, etc..)

[chazzy2501]

did you check the refresh rate changes and power savings in the driver & does this happen when running on battery? (I think this is a laptop right:)

[kennysarmy]

did you check the refresh rate changes and power savings in the driver & does this happen when running on battery? (I think this is a laptop right:)

 

All the testing is done on PC's I'm afraid.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Did you check to see which version of scaling the intel driver was using and if that makes a difference (maintain aspect ratio, scale full screen, etc..)

 

Not sure the driver has that option, I'll look in to this.

[chazzy2501]

I wonder if this is an hdcp issue, did you try a VGA monitor.

[cprelude]

This is probably a crazy suggestion, but does PowerPoint "think" you are drawing a callout? The shape looks like the shape you get sometimes in PowerPoint when you want to draw a speech bubble. Maybe it's trying to autodraw a speech bubble or something crazy like that.

[BFCIT]

Just to add we have the same issue here with our Clevertouch panels, no success no matter what we have tried. Common denominator is always Powerpoint 2016. Clevertouch does not draw random lines on inbuilt android or Cleverlynx/CleverMaths software.

[maark]

Try this - we had problems after office updates with ink not in right place to pen but may be related to the same problem:

 

go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office16 (can stay logged on as teacher)

right click powerpnt.exe – troubleshoot compatibility – troubleshoot program – the program opens but does not display correctly – program does not display correctly when large scale fonts are selected

You have to click test the program and open a blank powerpoint – close powerpoint – click yes save these settings – shows generating report for quite a while but will save eventually and then it will work.

[DrBeaker]

Where's the board/screen situated?

 

Any electrical cable behind it?

[robyholmes]

Just to say we have this problem as well. Only affects PowerPoint 2016 and no other programs. It's not a board issue as it still happens when you draw with the mouse but only when connected to a board. As soon as you disconnect the 'Touch Device' it stops jumping. Microsoft forums report the same. Re-imaging doesn't seem to help. I'm hoping Office 2019 or 365 will solve it.

[reprised]

Does anyone know if there is a definitive fix for this? We've had this problem appear on some of our Windows 10 IWB PCs and it's seems to be just Powerpoint 2016 that is affected - ActivInspire works perfectly without spiking. I've found that ticking "Disable Slide Show hardware graphics acceleration" in Options -> Advanced -> Display appears to help. I leave the "Disable hardware graphics acceleration" option unticked. I have set this on and haven't had any further complaints (touch wood).

[ITManLT]

We have also been having the exact same issue here. Promethean boards connected, annotate on the board using ActivInspire with absolutely no issues. Use PowerPoint 2016 and it spikes like this.

My advice to staff whilst we troubleshoot is to use Promethean ActivInspire's floating tools menu at the side of the screen to annotate over anything including PowerPoint slides. Sure it doesn't save the ink on the slide, but it's still annotating on top of PowerPoint without any weird spikes at all.

 

PowerPoint 2019 is on my to do list to test over Feb half term.