Author Topic: Variance Problem (Read 435 times)

eh · « **on:** November 27, 2005, 12:34:06 AM »

Over the last few days, variance has spiked so badly that the game is unplayable. This is true for all arenas. I hope that it is temporary, but it gets worse with each passing day, so I thought that I had better post it.

Ping plotter seems to be OK as below. Specs follow. I have 27 running processes, and all of skuzzy's recommended ones are off. The 6 extra ones are firewall, a few files that I cannot kill from my antivirus which get left behind after I stop the antivirus, and a saitek game pad/ keyboard controller which I cannot live without. This setup has never caused me a problem before. Ping times are 60 to 70, and FR are 60 to 115 at 1024 res with all sliders set to maximum quality, and everything preloaded into memory.

With all that, my warping is so bad that everyone around me, including the enemy, look like they are doing some kind of cha cha.

Are other folks getting this problem? (The variance has never been this bad in over three years of playing).

Ping Plotter:
Target Name: N/A
IP: 206.16.60.39
Date/Time: 11/27/2005 2:12:03 AM to 11/27/2005 2:13:48 AM

1 3 ms 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms [10.117.112.1]
2 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms gw10.mtnk.rnc.net.cable.roger s.com [66.185.91.193]
3 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms gw01.nbfd.phub.net.cable.roge rs.com [64.71.240.125]
4 11 ms 11 ms 11 ms 10 ms 11 ms 11 ms 10 ms 43 ms gw02.wlfdle.phub.net.cable.ro gers.com [66.185.82.81]
5 28 ms 28 ms 27 ms 64 ms 28 ms 36 ms 28 ms 28 ms igw01.chfdrl.phub.net.cable.r ogers.com [66.185.81.1]
6 22 ms 21 ms 22 ms 71 ms 28 ms 22 ms 23 ms 23 ms dcr1-so-3-0-0.Chicago.savvis.net [208.175.10.81]
7 22 ms 23 ms 21 ms 22 ms 21 ms 21 ms 22 ms 59 ms savvis-gw.cgcil02ck4.ip.att.net [208.175.10.94]
8 30 ms 31 ms 31 ms 30 ms 31 ms 30 ms 30 ms 31 ms tbr2-p014001.cgcil.ip.att.net [12.123.6.70]
9 31 ms 30 ms 31 ms 31 ms 30 ms 30 ms 31 ms 30 ms tbr2-cl7.sl9mo.ip.att.net [12.122.10.46]
10 32 ms 30 ms 30 ms 30 ms 31 ms 30 ms 30 ms 31 ms [12.122.9.141]
11 31 ms 31 ms 31 ms 30 ms 30 ms 31 ms 31 ms 31 ms tbr2-cl6.dlstx.ip.att.net [12.122.10.90]
12 31 ms 80 ms 30 ms 30 ms 57 ms 30 ms 43 ms 30 ms gbr1-p70.dlstx.ip.att.net [12.122.12.78]
13 30 ms 30 ms 30 ms 30 ms 30 ms 30 ms 30 ms 30 ms gar1-p360.dlstx.ip.att.net [12.123.16.233]
14 30 ms 31 ms 30 ms 30 ms 31 ms 30 ms 30 ms 30 ms mdf1-gsr12-2-pos-7-0.dal1.attens.net [12.122.255.170]
15 30 ms 30 ms 31 ms 30 ms 31 ms 31 ms 30 ms 31 ms mdf1-bi8k-1-eth-2-2.dal1.attens.net [63.241.192.226]
16 30 ms 30 ms 30 ms 30 ms 30 ms 30 ms 30 ms 30 ms [206.16.60.39]

Ping statistics for 206.16.60.39
Packets: Sent = 8, Received = 8, Lost = 0 (0.0%)
Round Trip Times: Minimum = 30ms, Maximum = 30ms, Average = 30ms

System:
AMD Athlon 64 4000+/2.4 GHz – Socket 939 – L2 1MB
ABIT AX8 A939/A/L/1394/2ND S-RAID/G-CLK
2 Gig DDR400
SEAGATE 160g SATA 7200rpm HD#ST3160827AS
BFG GEFORCE 6800GT 256M PCI-E dual DVI
Monitor VIEWSONIC E90F+SB-4
Audigy 2 ZS Platinum sound card
ODD LG 16X DVD+RW GSA-4163BB
On board 10/100/1000M LAN PCI Ethernet controller
MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP PRO 64 BIT EDITION
THERMALTAKE va4000BWS CASE
480W ATX 12CM-FAN SILENT POWER SUPPLY

Skuzzy · « **Reply #1 on:** November 27, 2005, 08:34:22 AM »

In the task manager, under the "Processes" tab, check the CPU usage at the bottom-center. It should bounce from 0 to 1 percent at regular intervals. If it is going higher or being erratic, then you probably have some other hidden processes running.

Not all processes are shown in the Task Manager.

eh · « **Reply #2 on:** November 27, 2005, 09:48:55 AM »

Wow skuzzy, you are working on a Sunday on Thanksgiving weekend! Thanks!

After sweeping for malware or spyware, I did a fresh install of Aces High earlier this morning, but still got terrible variance as soon as I hit the runway. Then I read your response.

The CPU usage after the fresh install and with the Saitek Gamers keypad running and Avast Antivirus running was 0 to 2% with one or two spikes per minute of 4 or 5%. So I turned off the Saitek device and the antivirus and it seemed to hold steady between 0 and 2%. Then I went back on the runway and the variance was wild for 20 secs, then levelled steady. I turned the Saitek device back on, and the variance stayed steady at the red line while I was on the runway.

Until Wed., I hadn't used this computer in six weeks, so the last upgrade on Wed. jumped at least a couple of versions and patches. My problems probably began that night, when I noticed a lot of warping for the first time in a year. Thursday, Friday and Saturday were especially bad, so the fresh install may have helped.

I will give it a real run tonight, and will report back if anything goes wrong. Thanks again, man! Take some time for turkey.

Aces High support is awesome.

Sundiver · « **Reply #3 on:** November 27, 2005, 10:24:46 AM »

Yanno, before reading this thread I never realized that. I'm running 22 processes and my CPU Utilization bounces between 5-10% with no active applications running. Watching the CPU utilization column the only thing I ever see actively using the cpu is explorer at 2%.

What else is using the CPU and how can we find it or is it something essential to running windows that we just can't see?

eh · « **Reply #4 on:** November 27, 2005, 11:25:28 AM »

Skuzzy, sometimes variance is flat with AV and the Saitek Gamers thing off, sometimes with them on, sometimes Variance is horrible either way. I thought that I had it solved (fresh install) but now I know that I don't.

The problem is caused by something else, and I can't find anything running that would do this. I just came across someone else in the Training Arena with exactly the same problem with variance since the last update. I like the cha-cha, but not in a flight sim.

AMD processors seem to be taking a hit in AH these days. Could that have something to do with it?

[EDIT: Sometimes variance is flat on red line when I sit on the runway, then as soon as another plane hits the runway and takes off, the severe spiking starts and doesn't go away. I can't find the problem on this end.]

ABIT AX8 A939/A/L/1394/2ND S-RAID/G-CLK
AMD Athlon 64 4000+/2.4 GHz – Socket 939 – L2 1MB
2 ADATA DDR400 1 GB
SEAGATE 160g SATA 7200rpm HD#ST3160827AS
BFG GEFORCE 6800GT 256M PCI-E dual DVI
Monitor VIEWSONIC E90F+SB-4
Audigy 2 ZS Platinum sound card
ODD LG 16X DVD+RW GSA-4163BB
On board 10/100/1000M LAN PCI Ethernet controller
MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP PRO 64 BIT EDITION
THERMALTAKE va4000BWS CASE
480W ATX 12CM-FAN SILENT POWER SUPPLY

eh?

x0847Marine · « **Reply #5 on:** November 27, 2005, 06:54:05 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by eh
Wow skuzzy, you are working on a Sunday on Thanksgiving weekend! Thanks!

After sweeping for malware or spyware, I did a fresh install of Aces High earlier this morning, but still got terrible variance as soon as I hit the runway. Then I read your response.

The CPU usage after the fresh install and with the Saitek Gamers keypad running and Avast Antivirus running was 0 to 2% with one or two spikes per minute of 4 or 5%. So I turned off the Saitek device and the antivirus and it seemed to hold steady between 0 and 2%. Then I went back on the runway and the variance was wild for 20 secs, then levelled steady. I turned the Saitek device back on, and the variance stayed steady at the red line while I was on the runway.

Until Wed., I hadn't used this computer in six weeks, so the last upgrade on Wed. jumped at least a couple of versions and patches. My problems probably began that night, when I noticed a lot of warping for the first time in a year. Thursday, Friday and Saturday were especially bad, so the fresh install may have helped.

I will give it a real run tonight, and will report back if anything goes wrong. Thanks again, man! Take some time for turkey.

Aces High support is awesome.

Avast?, outstanding FREE viri app... but I shut it down, and end its processes when I game.

eh · « **Reply #6 on:** November 27, 2005, 07:43:24 PM »

cc x0847Marine, me too.

skuzzy, some more info. I can sit on the runway with flat variance, then when a plane pops up and takes off, the variance spikes for a long time, then goes back to normal. If I take off with flat variance, the variance often stays flat until I fire my guns then it spikes real bad. Dogfighting is impossible. As soon as I start turning and shooting the variance goes.

Ping plotter shows a pretty solid connection. If a background process is causing this, would it only appear when I pull the trigger, drop a bomb, see ack puffs, etc?

eh · « **Reply #7 on:** November 27, 2005, 11:15:51 PM »

I set up an old computer and ran Aces High. No variance problems. So, my problem is with my new computer. Here are the only big differences between the two. The old one runs WinXP 32 bit. The new one runs WinXP 64 bit, which updated on Wednesday, the day I first noted BIG problems running AH. Could 64 bit Windows be the problem?

Second, the new one came back from the repair shop (on Wednesday) with new memory and a new vid card installed. One of the reasons it went back was the clock couldn't keep the date and time properly, but even then AH ran just fine (that was six weeks ago). Now everything is fixed, and Aces High will not run on the new machine without severe variance problems.

Skuzzy, do you think I should ditch WinXP 64 bit and have WinXP 32 bit installed?
(and start over? ugh!!!!!!)

Skuzzy · « **Reply #8 on:** November 28, 2005, 06:42:30 AM »

64bit Windows could definately be the problem. The 32 bit version is far more stable (that is a relative statement).

Sundiver, when the CPU usage shows abnormal amounts of CPU time being used, but no process is shown to be actually running, it is a DLL or driver causing the spike in CPU usage.

Many malware/spyware programs can also hide and run too.

Sundiver · « **Reply #9 on:** November 28, 2005, 07:42:43 AM »

Thanks for the info, I'll tell Windows to unload unused DLL's and Drivers. One of those options I always mean to change and forget to.