GPU acting strangely

Trishai

Reputable
Apr 22, 2017
35
0
4,530
Hey guys I need some help;

So recently my GTX 1080 has been acting odd, when my computer has no input from me for say, 5 minutes the GPU will immediately ramp itself to 100% gpu usage and 100% power consumption which also causes the temp to rise quickly.

This happens with no programmes running, no background processes using the GPU, nothing; yet the GPU acts as if it is being utilized by a game or programme.

This makes watching videos, movies, streams and using the Internet in general quite annoying as if I don't move the mouse or touch a key on my keyboard Chrome will lock up, discord loccks up and my screens are frozen for a few seconds.

It is odd as when I touch my keyboard or move my mouse the GPU immediately goes back to idle.


Can anyone please help ?

 
Solution
My first thought is boot in safe mode and run a malware scan. Bitcoin mining malware possibly. Next I would try a clean driver installation with DDU. Also is your OS a fresh install with no old drivers from a previous motherboard left over?

jr9

Estimable
My first thought is boot in safe mode and run a malware scan. Bitcoin mining malware possibly. Next I would try a clean driver installation with DDU. Also is your OS a fresh install with no old drivers from a previous motherboard left over?
 
Solution

Trishai

Reputable
Apr 22, 2017
35
0
4,530
Hey thanks for the input; yes, this motherboard has only had this operating system on it since I put the computer together.
I'll try out the malware scan and see if that turns up any results.
 

Trishai

Reputable
Apr 22, 2017
35
0
4,530
Started in safe mode, ran Malwarebytes and behold; 60 threats all trojan bitcoin farming programs. Removed them and it seems to have stopped the issue I was having.

Weird thing is the issue started immediately after the Windows 10 update that came out recently.

Thanks for the help
 

jr9

Estimable
Yeah, it's the future of malware. Why buy graphics cards when you can just steal them? Some hijacked websites even can mine bitcoins in the background. I will never forget going to Shoppers's Drug Mart website and hearing my card spin up to 100% out of nowhere (they fixed that hijack eventually).