United3dArtists Archive

My PC is chugging but I have no idea why. I just put a new (and much better) mobo in but tS is now using 100% of the CPU and a lot of my 4gb of Ram even with a relatively simple render. I don't remember this happening before.

Maybe it is just a config issue but I fancy putting in an AMD PHENOM to see if performance overall is improved (I currently have an X2600).
Running Vista 32bit Home premium on an Asus AM3 mobo, 4gb Ram and Geforece 9800GT XxX edition.

Will tS benefit from the quad core or will it just make running Photoshop and browsers etc. in the background?
Local shop has one left which I can get today if anyone can offer any advice...

Cheers

I was getting 7.6 running the CPU at 100% when the CPU was going down, the fan where running constantly flat out even browsing the net lol, next thing that happened was TS wouldn't open at all, then programs wouldn't shutdown, PSP, TS etc where running in memory :/

Our Vista machine has loads of issues with the dual AMD's, dunno if we just got a bad one, but I think the next will be an Intel

I have had the CPU for a while with no problems. Just seems to be since I got this new mobo...maybe they just don't like each other!!

Hi splinters,

I believe that trueSpace 7.x will definitely benefit from a quad-core CPU and I would recommend an Intel i7 CPU if you can afford it (it will require a motherboard with an LGA 1366 socket).

If you're using trueSpace 6.6 or older, then you probably won't see much "direct" benefit from a quad-core CPU. However, there may be an "indirect" benefit because, with more cores, your other programs will have less impact on the core that trueSpace 6.6 uses. In other words, there will be more cores to spread the load of Windows, itself, and all the background processes created by your network, antivitus, antispyware and firewall software, etc.

Plus, I would also recommend moving to a 64-bit version of Windows so you can use more than 4 GB of main memory. 4 GB is suprisingly easy to use up nowadays with 3D applications. However, I don't know if trueSpace 6.6 is compatible with 64-bit Windows so this may only be relevant if you're using trueSpace 7.x.

Best regards, First Light

P.S. More thoughts: Check the BIOS settings of your existing motherboard to make sure that all cores are enabled. Some motherboards allow you to disable features of your CPU and this can cause the unusual behavior you've observed. Also, if your graphics card has its own fan, it may be generating some of the noise and may be contributing to the "problem".

Running Quadcore for almost 2 years now and realy no problems.
only that Truespace doesnt handle realy big files espec ialy getting them into it through
model side luuv.
But we will see about froos plugins.......
Ps.:Truespace 7.xx was built for multicore .. !



Peter

It does seem to me that there is some spec in the new mobo that does not match your predecessor if you are experiencing a decline in performance.

The trick is understanding whether or not this situation is truly a decline. It may be possible that task allocation works differently on this mobo and that the full occupation of the cpu is the result of the multicore allocation method.

Could you tell us what your old mobo was? It might give us the chance to help you compare old and new.

Old mobo was an Asrock Am2 mobo (forget spec). I now have an Asus M3N78-VM Am3 mobo.
However, I just flashed the BIOS, updated chipset and audio drivers and things are better...but tS still drags it to its knees!

Not too worried about the CPU, it will last a bit longer. At least my mobo can take a better CPU in time.

By the way, this mobo supports hybrid Sli (8xxx series graphics on mobo plus Geforce card) and can actually support 4 displays.
I installed the AMD Dual Core optimizer...I wonder if that could actually be causing problems?

Cheers for the advice guys!

well thats what Roman has to say about multi core and Ts....
http://forums1.caligari.com/truespace/s ... stcount=29"

Hi splinters,

yes this dual-Core-Optimizer might be the evil. I had it installed quite some time ago on an Asrock board, X2-CPU & Win-XP-SP2 and had always problems with it. Afterwards I got aware that the Optimizer is only good for some games (see below). Well, I don't have any, so I threw out everything, even deinstalled the CPU-Drivers (PowerNow Management), 'cause of undefined errors and so on - my system wasn't stable at all.

Today I have the whole PowerNow Management done by CrystalCPUID - no problems anymore!
A small program in tray lets me decide when ( at which perscentage of cpu-load) it should start over with full power, even can go down with the core voltage when in idle mode. So I've got a very cool system (cpu usually 32°-34° Celsius in mixed mode) and have the fans running at around 1300rpm statically, so you almost can't hear it in a normal calm environment. When I don't want the CPU to change the speed & powermode e.g. with a running rendering, I can also switch it off occasionally with a right mouse click.

If you're interested in this free tool - have look at http://crystalmark.info/?lang=en"


Regards and wish you good luck - hope you can get it fixed.
-BM.

AMD description

AMD Dual-Core Optimizer - The AMD Dual-Core Optimizer can help improve some PC gaming video performance by compensating for those applications that bypass the Windows API for timing by directly using the RDTSC (Read Time Stamp Counter) instruction. Applications that rely on RDTSC do not benefit from the logic in the operating system to properly account for the affect of power management mechanisms on the rate at which a processor core's Time Stamp Counter (TSC) is incremented. The AMD Dual-Core Optimizer helps to correct the resulting video performance effects or other incorrect timing effects that these applications may experience on dual-core processor systems, by periodically adjusting the core time-stamp-counters, so that they are synchronized.

Thanks for that. I will remove it and try again.

You're welcome splinters- let us know if you could get it solved.
-BM.

Hi All

Splinters just out of interest when you installed the new motherboard did u reinstall windows or did u just let windows recognize the new board and change drivers itself?

I too wouldn't bother with new AMD optimizer either, its normally games that played up with timing issues, if you have got a program that doesn't like your dual core you can get it to run on one core only from the task manager/processes, you may know this already, just a thought.

Regards Jim

Cheers guys, I think the problem is the VIA HD audio deck. No idea why. I turned on my printer today and the system seemed to freeze (mouse just moved real slow and jerky). It does this all the time now. Anyway I looked at Task Manager and the HD audio app was using 50-60% CPU. I removed it from the system tray and all was well,

Weird.

On a related note, a bargain got the better of me after seeing the AMD Phenom II X4 Quad Core 940 Black Edition going for £97. Needless to say, I ordered one; should be here in a few days so I will let you know how it works out. To be honest, the CPU is the oldest part of my system now and it wouldn't hurt to update it anyway.

Now, who wants to buy an Asrock AM2 mobo with a dual core X26000+......??

Quad cores are great with the renderers, Lightworks, VRay and others which will use all cores and speed up rendering dramatically.