Third party software conflicts

So I have been dealing with hardware issues for the past week, including all corsair devices locking up. They don't disconnect, they simply stop functioning, with RGB still on. Unplugging them and plugging them back in will often take several tries, and even then with most programs that conflict it will simply happen again after a minute.

This happens reliably when launching certain programs, including games like Far Cry 5, and third party monitoring software such as RGB Fusion and HWiNFO64. I have attempted driver updates, driver re-installations, firmware updates, bios updates, software repair and uninstallations (iCUE 3.25 will NOT install, I managed to download and install iCUE 3.24), clean boots, safe mode, even rounds of memtests. I have done everything except reinstall windows.

The only solution that makes my system semi-usable is to disable or remove iCUE. I think I have tracked the issue to multiple programs accessing hardware info from my corsair devices simultaneously. This is apparently a common issue when attempting to run iCUE and HWiNFO64 together, despite the option in HWiNFO to stop monitoring corsair devices.

But how do I approach this issue with games and other software? Far Cry 5 also disables my Astro a50 headset mic, so the program obviously dives into the hardware and messes with things without your consent. This conflicts with monitoring software for corsair devices, making them unusable.

At this point I'm using my expensive corsair equipment on default RGB and performance settings, default fan curves etc, because I can't run the garbage software, and the hardware can't handle anything beyond a single program, even if it's just an ASUS app center that sends a single ping to every device.

A month ago, well before these issues, I did a system upgrade, adding a H150i AIO to my system, as well as migrating it to a new case, with non-corsair fans that only run on BIOS settings. I think I updated iCUE and some firmware then, however I have tried testing with the H150i usb disconnected. I'm not sure what kind of changes iCUE has undergone the past 6 months, but it's clearly ruined my system.

Is this Corsair's business model going forward? Some attempt to force iCUE on users? Are there fixes coming?

This is apparently a common issue when attempting to run iCUE and HWiNFO64 together, despite the option in HWiNFO to stop monitoring corsair devices.

Make sure you are using the "portable" version of HWiNFO vs the installed driver version. Possible you missed some Corsair monitored device, but frankly I think its better to limit yourself to 1 monitoring program at a time anyway. If I am going to run HWiNFO to get some more in depth values, I quit iCUE and kill the services first. This does require setting up your system to be functional without the software. That is device specific, but we can walk you through it.

But how do I approach this issue with games and other software? Far Cry 5 also disables my Astro a50 headset mic

This is I don't understand, but I would do two things. First, go to your Windows Settings -> Apps list and left click on Corsair iCUE. Select Modify and follow the prompts for a repair installation. Too many weird things going on. This sometimes cleans up strange anomalies. Then, go to the General Settings tab in CUE and uncheck the SDK option. This will make Far Cry 5 run off your lighting choices vs the "game effects". This should not have this kind of reaction, but it seems prudent to start eliminating other interactions until this is pinned down.

Make sure you are using the "portable" version of HWiNFO vs the installed driver version. Possible you missed some Corsair monitored device, but frankly I think its better to limit yourself to 1 monitoring program at a time anyway.

I had both running prior to this issue, but I have since disabled iCUE. I only really use HWiNFO for keeping track of temps so I can easily uninstall it. I did not know about the installed version versus portable. What exactly does the installed version do that is "bad" in this case?

This is I don't understand, but I would do two things. First, go to your Windows Settings -> Apps list and left click on Corsair iCUE. Select Modify and follow the prompts for a repair installation. Too many weird things going on. This sometimes cleans up strange anomalies. Then, go to the General Settings tab in CUE and uncheck the SDK option. This will make Far Cry 5 run off your lighting choices vs the "game effects". This should not have this kind of reaction, but it seems prudent to start eliminating other interactions until this is pinned down.

I have also done all of this without success. I have repaired, reinstalled, ran without SDK multiple times. I have followed instructions to totally remove all traces of Corsair software, and also used IOBit uninstaller other times. I also tried it with older Corsair Link software (without iCUE installed), and the conflict still occurred. I have disabled the option within Far Cry 5 itself related to Corsair lighting. No matter what I have tried so far, so long as iCUE or Link is running a long list of programs will reliably stop my mouse, and occasionally keyboard, from working(Corsair K95 keyboard and Corsair Glaive mouse). Every program I have identified has been something either related to hardware monitoring or just hardware intensive (leading me to assume it bypasses software and does its own HW monitoring), like Far Cry 5 and Call of Duty.

I'm fairly convinced the Astro mic is a different issue related to Far Cry given that I have used my mic successfully every other occasion but that game, it just leads me to believe Far Cry accesses hardware at a level that makes it conflict with iCUE. It might be worth noting whenever my mouse does stop working I hear a second of static from my headset, but this is probably a normal USB power thing.

I have also looked into USB hubs and drivers in the possibility that my USB ports are being toggled for powersaving, no success there either.

Thank you for the help by the way, but I'm reaching the point where I have tried everything in my knowledge base. I'm preparing the arduous task of backing up software and programs and doing a factory reset, something that is a last resort for me.

To paraphrase language from Martin's site, the portable version retracts its driver(s) when you quit the app. The installed version leaves the persistent driver and thus the conflict. Hopefully that takes care of that aspect.

Unfortunately, I don't have any immediate advice on the rest. I don't have FC5 to test and I don't understand what it's doing. Really hard to tell from this end if that is root cause or a casualty of the BUS wars. I am sure it's frustrating on your end.

Do you have GA Fusion running? Is it managing the GPU lighting? Anything else? I have seen some weird conflicts over RAM, but I don't have any first hand experience with GA boards and this issue.

If HWiNFO installs a persistent driver that can cause a conflict even without the program running then perhaps that is the issue. I'll try that now.

My GPU is controlled by Aorus graphics engine, more for the fan curve then the lighting. Naturally I have that disabled as well.The first thing I did when I identified HW monitors as the possible cause was a clean boot, with the issue occurring while only iCUE was running.