Help! Complete stops for 5-10secs - win7 64bit

[sveno]

Playing AH since 2001, never had such a problem after changing my system:

When i dive from high to low near an enemy field, my computer freezes, showing my about 5 frames with 1 fps, stops completely for 5-15 terrifying seconds and eventually turns off all advanced graphic settings. Needless to say that this is a show stopper for me.

I use lower settings all over (AH and graphic drivers), as AH is not performing that well on my new system. With same settings as on the old system (XP) AH is completely unplayable due to very high input lag.

Experimented with the compatibility mode to no effect. Turned off all these bloody gizmos in Win7. No avail. Only setting outside AH that really helped was in the ATI Catalyst settings. To note, current releases like Mass Effect 2 runs on highest FPS on the highest possible settings while looking blue ray movies on the other screen. It seems that AH is using multiple times the load it used to use on the XP system.

I would accept degrading performance, but the screen freeze is really keeping my from flying. It seems when AH hits a certain processor load, it just stops for a while...

My specs:

OS: Win7 Pro 64bit (6.1, Build 7600)
Proc: Intel i5 650@3.2ghz Quadcore
Ram: 4096MB
Pagefiles: ~16GB fixed size
GFX: Gigabyte HD5870 / GV-R587D5-1GD-B (Driver: ATI Radeon HD 5800 Series, ATI Catalyst)
MoBo: Gigabyte P55A-UD3R
DirectX: 11
Resolution: 1280 x 1024 Dual Monitors

Any of you had similar issues with win7 64bit?

[Skuzzy]

We have no control as to how Windows is going to run Aces High.

Sounds like something else is prempting us.  Could it be "Superfetch"?  That process is the worst about sucking up CPU time.  Are you running Norton?  That will kill you as well.

[Tigger29]

I am using win7 64-bit flawlessly with much older hardware than what you have.

With that setup, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to run AH with all options and eye-candy turned on without a stutter even with win7 64bit.

I'm a little concerned about the 16GB worth of page files though... especially with 4 gigs of ram.  Lets see a dxdiag report and go from there...

[sveno]

Didn't know that Superfetch was THAT evil.

Turned the service off, and AH is playable in the highest possible settings with no input lag.

Many thanks Skuzzy!  

I do think i will go for 8GB ram, as 4GB is not that much for win7.

What are your worries about a 16GB pagefile?

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 5/6/2010, 20:15:28
       Machine name: SVENO-PC
   Operating System: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.100226-1909)
           Language: German (Regional Setting: German)
System Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
       System Model: P55A-UD3R
               BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
          Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 CPU         650  @ 3.20GHz (4 CPUs), ~3.2GHz
             Memory: 4096MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 3964MB RAM
          Page File: 2663MB used, 13185MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\Windows
    DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
   User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
 System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
    DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
     DxDiag Version: 6.01.7600.16385 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
      Display Tab 1: No problems found.
      Display Tab 2: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 3: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 4: No problems found.
          Input Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D:    0/4 (retail)
DirectDraw:  0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (retail)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (retail)
DirectPlay:  0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow:  0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
          Card name: ATI Radeon HD 5800 Series
       Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
          Chip type: ATI display adapter (0x6898)
           DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
         Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_6898&SUBSYS_0B001002&REV_00
     Display Memory: 2741 MB
   Dedicated Memory: 1015 MB
      Shared Memory: 1725 MB
       Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60Hz)
       Monitor Name: PnP-Monitor (Standard)
      Monitor Model: Philips 190P
         Monitor Id: PHL0841
        Native Mode: 1280 x 1024(p) (60.020Hz)
        Output Type: DVI
        Driver Name: atiumd64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atiumdag,atidxx32,atidxx32,atiumdva,atiumd6a.cap,atitmm64.dll
Driver File Version: 8.14.0010.0700 (English)
     Driver Version: 8.660.0.0
        DDI Version: 10.1
       Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
  Driver Attributes: Final Retail
   Driver Date/Size: 9/9/2009 03:50:30, 4648448 bytes
        WHQL Logo'd: n/a
    WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
  Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-2BD8-11CF-0E71-0A2BA1C2C535}
          Vendor ID: 0x1002
          Device ID: 0x6898
          SubSys ID: 0x0B001002
        Revision ID: 0x0000
 Driver Strong Name: oem1.inf:ATI.Mfg.NTamd64.6.1:ati2mtag_Evergreen:8.660.0.0:pci\ven_1002&dev_6898
     Rank Of Driver: 00E62001
        Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_C
   Deinterlace Caps: SNIPP
       D3D9 Overlay: Not Supported
            DXVA-HD: Not Supported
       DDraw Status: Enabled
         D3D Status: Enabled
         AGP Status: Enabled

Shortened DX Diag...

[sveno]

Wanted to know more, here a user quote that explains so i understood the issue with SuperFetch and games:

Very simple the most 3D games load up expecting the reported RAM to be available at a moments notice. Windows reports it as free and ready. Most the time the game will load and take for example 1 gig, but as you play the game and go to more and more places and add more things, build, buy etc. The game require more RAM.

However in the meantime Superfetch decides that since the game loaded up with only the one gig, it then proceeds to load up the “extra as it sees it” with other things that you have used recently and might use again. When the game then reaches for more RAM it is not there. There is considerably lag while you wait for Superfetch to free up the RAM it commandeered. Even if it attempts to cache parts of the game itself, it really has no way of effectively knowing what will be used again. It might cache something that if fact you only needed to access once.

It is very clear that Superfetch was designed with applications such as Office in mind. Applications that are pretty static in what they do, not dynamic apps such as 3D games that are accessing and demanding resources on an ongoing basis.

Superfetch looks for junk to put into RAM. When I had it on, my computer would take literly 7 minutes to load, when I disabled it the computer booted in less than one minute. I will add that this was with Vista. I have not checked the setting since installing Win 7 so I do not know if Superfetch had been fixed or gotten rid of altogether.

[gyrene81]

The number of resident processes sitting idle is what Skuzzy generally looks at

Page File: 2663MB used, 13185MB available

Not absolutely positive but on a desktop system with anti-virus turned off and running minimal number of processes needed for functionality including network connection and video that "used" section should be in the neighborhood of ~1380MB used on Win7 64bit.


I'll have to remember that superfetch process when I reload my system to Win7.

[wsveum]

I have had this same thing happen, FR at 60 and then it just drops to 1 and then it shut down the advance settings.
------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 5/6/2010, 16:14:59
       Machine name: WARD-PC
   Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.100226-1909)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
       System Model: System Product Name
               BIOS: BIOS Date: 10/28/09 16:54:36 Ver: 08.00.15
          Processor: AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 965 Processor (4 CPUs), ~3.4GHz
             Memory: 8192MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 8192MB RAM
          Page File: 1615MB used, 14765MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\Windows
    DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
   User DPI Setting: 120 DPI (125 percent)
 System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
    DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
     DxDiag Version: 6.01.7600.16385 64bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
      Display Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 3: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 4: No problems found.
          Input Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D:    0/4 (retail)
DirectDraw:  0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (retail)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (retail)
DirectPlay:  0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow:  0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
          Card name: ASUS EAH5870 Series
       Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
          Chip type: ATI display adapter (0x6898)
           DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
         Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_6898&SUBSYS_032E1043&REV_00
     Display Memory: 4080 MB
   Dedicated Memory: 1013 MB
      Shared Memory: 3067 MB
       Current Mode: 1920 x 1200 (32 bit) (60Hz)
       Monitor Name: HP w2408 Wide LCD Monitor
      Monitor Model: HP w2408
         Monitor Id: HWP26CF
        Native Mode: 1920 x 1200(p) (59.950Hz)
        Output Type: HDMI
        Driver Name: atiumd64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atiumdag,atidxx32,atidxx32,atiumdva,atiumd6a.cap,atitmm64.dll
Driver File Version: 8.14.0010.0700 (English)
     Driver Version: 8.661.0.0
        DDI Version: 10.1
       Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
  Driver Attributes: Final Retail
   Driver Date/Size: 9/23/2009 05:00:58, 4649472 bytes
        WHQL Logo'd: Yes
    WHQL Date Stamp:
  Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-2BD8-11CF-C372-2423A1C2CA35}
          Vendor ID: 0x1002
          Device ID: 0x6898
          SubSys ID: 0x032E1043
        Revision ID: 0x0000
 Driver Strong Name: oem2.inf:ATI.Mfg.NTamd64.6.1:ati2mtag_Evergreen:8.661.0.0:pci\ven_1002&dev_6898
    
       D3D9 Overlay: Not Supported
            DXVA-HD: Not Supported
       DDraw Status: Enabled
         D3D Status: Enabled
         AGP Status: Enabled

-------------

[lyric1]

Had similar issues with my replacement Dell XPS9000 dropped a bigger power supply in & increased memory & new video card no problems now.

[redman555]

Will tell you now, I had SO MANY problems with Windows 7 and my Computer.  BestBuy went and sold me Windows 7 with my laptop as a package.  Turned out when I loaded Windows 7 to my laptop it messed SO MUCH up.  My power options, graphic card, and even processor.  May wanna try to unload it.


-BigBOBCH

[TequilaChaser]

The number of resident processes sitting idle is what Skuzzy generally looks at

Page File: 2663MB used, 13185MB available

Not absolutely positive but on a desktop system with anti-virus turned off and running minimal number of processes needed for functionality including network connection and video that "used" section should be in the neighborhood of ~1380MB used on Win7 64bit.


I'll have to remember that superfetch process when I reload my system to Win7.

Good Catch, gyrene

yes Windows 7 will run significantly higher than windows XP,  1200/1300 mb for Win 7 close to normal for 1/2 decently clean running system verses 200 mb or less for a clean pagefile used for WindowsXP

BigBOB, to b honest I personally would not trust anyone at BestBuy with anything I own / buy from them.... if you self installed Windows 7, then you surely need to tweak your laptop & OS settings, I would think......

just a suggestion...... hope this helps

[redman555]

Good Catch, gyrene

yes Windows 7 will run significantly higher than windows XP,  1200/1300 mb for Win 7 close to normal for 1/2 decently clean running system verses 200 mb or less for a clean pagefile used for WindowsXP

BigBOB, to b honest I personally would not trust anyone at BestBuy with anything I own / buy from them.... if you self installed Windows 7, then you surely need to tweak your laptop & OS settings, I would think......

just a suggestion...... hope this helps

Geek squad loaded it, and all I had was problem's since it was downloaded.

-BigBOBCH

[gyrene81]

Geek squad loaded it, and all I had was problem's since it was downloaded.

-BigBOBCH

There's your problem...Geeksquad is mostly second rate tech school grads that used to "fix" their parents computers and decided they had the ability to do computer work for a living...they're good with a surround sound system but I don't let them touch a computer...had 2 geeksquad people come to work where I am as desktop support techs...took me six months of training before they could properly identify a virus infection on their own and a year to tweak the registry without crashing the system.