Action! version 4.10.0 (and newer) cause my system to stop updating windows desktop graphics

[Hethethethe]

Hey!

So I ran into a peculiar problem when trying to update action! from 4.9.0 to 4.10.0 (or newer) version, the update itself installs fine, but I run into problems once I try to launch the program itself.

Once I launch action!, the program displays splash image and I can see it's loading modules, but after about 3 seconds the load animation stops and I'm left with the action! launch splash image, but also the whole windows desktop won't display any changes after that, except for the mouse cursor. So if I try to open windows start menu or hit ctrl+alt+del, I can't see any graphical changes on my displays, but I can still move my mouse cursor and I can see it moving. Also my computer still responds to the power button and when shutting the computer down, I can see a brief flash when windows updates the displays again that action! has actually launched and that it's just the displays that aren't getting updated for some reason. So the displays return back to normal when windows starts shutting itself down and "shutting down" message still appears normally on my screens.

I tried action! versions:
4.10.0
4.10.1
4.10.2
4.10.3
4.10.4
4.10.5

But all versions had the same problem and after installing 4.9.0 back, it still works fine.
Also tested two different versions of Nvidia display driver, couple versions older 451.48 (June 24) and the newest 452.06 (August 18)

My system specs:
Intel Core i7-5960x
Asus ROG Rampage V Edition 10 motherboard
G.Skill 48GB DDR4 2400MHz CL15 memory
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Gaming OC 11G
OS: Windows 10 Pro version 2004 (build 19041.450)
Nvidia display driver version 452.06

Also here is my DxDiag if you happen to need it.

DxDiag.rar

(16.19 KiB) Downloaded 218 times

[Piotr]

Your DWM hang for some reason. Try updating Windows to newer version and see if that helps.

[Hethethethe]

Hey!

So I waited for a while and got some windows net framework / security updates and they didn't help.
I even enabled insider preview that had Windows 10 (version 2004) 2H20 update on it, but I still have the same DMW hang problem.
I also tested Nvidia hotfix driver version 452.22 and action! version 4.11.0, but they didn't help either.

Only new thing (don't know if this is any help) is that at some point I got these messages during installing action! about "mirillisactionvulkanlayer.dll" being used by two other processes (Nvidia Share and Steam Client WebHelper), but this happened only once during several action! install processes. Screenshots are below.

https://i.imgur.com/sJMPKqg.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/yDfvafo.jpg

Action! 4.9.0 still works so I can continue using that, but let me know if there's anything else you want me to test or try.

[Hethethethe]

Never mind, found out the solution.

I was having trouble with HDR recording earlier this spring (was later solved by windows 10 updates) and I tested windows 7/8 compatibility mode just for the sake of testing those and maybe getting lucky.

Apparently for SOME REASON windows 10 decided to retain windows 8 compatibility setting through TENS OF INSTALLS AND UNINSTALLS (I assumed it wouldn't). So the whole problem was because of windows 8 compatibility mode was left on for several months. I didn't even remember testing those until I looked at the action! executable file itself and found out windows had retained the setting.

Well anyway, case closed.