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You selected the issue: Tracking (headset display turns gray)

Tracking issues commonly manifest as a drifting or floating movement. Open your Frame Timing graph (SteamVR > Settings > Performance > Display Frame Timing) and look for frame timing spikes. If you see spikes, the issue is most likely with CPU performance, and not with tracking.

If a device's icon on SteamVR is pulsing green or the headset display goes gray, it may be a tracking issue.

Troubleshooting:
Connect to a different USB port
Plug your Link Box into a different USB port. If you're using a USB 2.0 port, switch to a USB 3.0 port (blue interior). If you're using a USB 3.0 port, switch to a USB 2.0 port.

Try a USB port that's already in use by another device and working.

If you've tried all of the available troubleshooting and continue to have issues, your USB chipset may be at fault. Our testing has shown that the Inateck 2-Port USB3.0 PCI-Express Card (Serial: KTU3FR-2O2I) works reliably with the HTC Vive and can overcome these kinds of USB issues.
Optimize your PC settings
  • Update GPU drivers from Device Manager (Device Manager > Display adapters > Update Driver Software)
  • Unplug any USB devices that aren't being used
  • Disable power management in SteamVR (SteamVR > Settings > Developer > Disable Power Management)
  • Disable Windows Defender
  • Disable wifi adapter in Device Manager (Device Manager > Network adapters)
  • Set your PC to 'High performance' (Windows key > Type: power > Power Options > High performance)
  • Set NVIDIA power management to Prefer maximum performance
  • Reset CPU/GPU overclocking to default
Remove or disable conflicting software
Some software has been found to conflict with SteamVR or SteamVR driver installations. If you have any of the following software installed, try uninstalling it and re-testing:
  • Razer Synapse
  • Asus AI Suite
  • Avast antivirus
  • JDS Labs ODAC USB Audio device
  • Older Apple Cinema displays with devices attached through USB
  • TP-LINK 300Mbps Wireless N PCI Express Adapter TL-WN881ND
Examine base stations
Check positioning and sync:
Your base stations should be above head height (at least 6.5 feet), angled down 30-45 degrees, and no further than 5 meters (16 feet) apart.
  • Check SteamVR to see if your base stations need a firmware update
  • Make sure your base stations have an unobstructed view of each other
  • Push the mode buttons on the back of the base stations so that one base station shows "b" and one base station shows "c"
  • The base station lights should be solid green

Check functionality:
Try tracking with a single base station.
Power on either base station and switch it to "A" mode using the button on the back, then test HMD tracking while facing the base station. If this works, test the other base station the same way.

If one or both of the base stations fail to track in "A" mode, examine the red LEDs on the face of the failing base station while powered on through the lens of a camera phone (you can see the lasers best this way). You should see 17 red dots (15 in a honey comb formation in the middle, and 2 on adjacent sides). The 2 red dots on adjacent sides are lasers -- they are critical for tracking. If one is missing, that laser is broken and the base station can only be fixed by replacement via HTC.
Disable HMD camera
Turning on the HMD camera can sometimes cause tracking issues.

First, lower the camera bandwidth in SteamVR > Settings > Camera. If the issue persists, disable the camera by unchecking Enable camera
Secure loose cables
Make sure all connections at the headset, Link Box, and PC are secure.

See the "Connecting a USB device to the headset" section in the HTC Vive owner's manual to learn how to secure cables on the headset.
Check for environmental interference
House appliances and other devices that run on timed cycles may introduce intermittent interference. This may be an issue for you if you experience poor tracking only during certain parts of a day.

Try testing your setup in another room or location using a different power circuit.
Cover reflective surfaces
While most issues caused by reflective surfaces have been solved, in some situations they can still cause tracking issues.