Very poor frame rates random times

[Ardy123]

Since the latest patch, when there are several cons around and/or I go barley above near the 16k  cloud ceiling two strange things happen.
1) a big square is cut out of the clouds and I can see below to the water.
2) Frame rate gets awful, despite what 'control-i' states.

any suggestions?

I tried it offline and could not get it to happen, but maybe it has something to do with the map, or the terrain or that I was near the edge of the map.. I don't know... but it can be frustrating

[Ardy123]

Anyone have any suggestions on how to fix this issue?

I will try the new Nvidia driver which was released today. Has anyone else solved this issue?

thanks

dxdiag output is below
------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 10/5/2010, 22:43:58
       Machine name: EARTH
   Operating System: Windows Vista™ Ultimate (6.0, Build 6002) Service Pack 2 (6002.vistasp2_gdr.100608-0458)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
       System Model: System Product Name
               BIOS: BIOS Date: 07/20/09 20:48:23 Ver: 08.00.14
          Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     E8500  @ 3.16GHz (2 CPUs), ~3.2GHz
             Memory: 4094MB RAM
          Page File: 1495MB used, 6888MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\Windows
    DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
     DxDiag Version: 7.00.6002.18107 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
      Display Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 2: 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: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 275
     Manufacturer: NVIDIA
        Chip type: GeForce GTX 275
         DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
       Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_05E6&SUBSYS_0E0619F1&REV_A1
   Display Memory: 2668 MB
 Dedicated Memory: 877 MB
    Shared Memory: 1791 MB
     Current Mode: 1920 x 1200 (32 bit) (60Hz)
          Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
      Driver Name: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
   Driver Version: 8.17.0012.5896 (English)
      DDI Version: 10
   BGRA Supported: Yes
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
 Driver Date/Size: 7/10/2010 05:38:00, 12471400 bytes
      WHQL Logo'd: n/a
  WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-46A6-11CF-496D-0A2E1FC2C535}
        Vendor ID: 0x10DE
        Device ID: 0x05E6
        SubSys ID: 0x0E0619F1
      Revision ID: 0x00A1
      Revision ID: 0x00A1
      Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_C ModeVC1_C ModeWMV9_C
     DDraw Status: Enabled
       D3D Status: Enabled
       AGP Status: Enabled

-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
            Description: Speakers (Creative SB X-Fi)
 Default Sound Playback: Yes
 Default Voice Playback: Yes
            Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_000B&SUBSYS_00431102&REV_04
        Manufacturer ID: 1
             Product ID: 100
                   Type: WDM
            Driver Name: ctaud2k.sys
         Driver Version: 6.00.0001.1348 (English)
      Driver Attributes: Final Retail
            WHQL Logo'd: n/a
          Date and Size: 7/7/2010 22:16:24, 697816 bytes
            Other Files:
        Driver Provider: Creative
         HW Accel Level: Basic
              Cap Flags: 0x0
    Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 0, 0
 Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0
              HW Memory: 0
       Voice Management: No
 EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: No, No
   I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: No, No
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No

            Description: SPDIF Out (Creative SB X-Fi)
 Default Sound Playback: No
 Default Voice Playback: No
            Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_000B&SUBSYS_00431102&REV_04
        Manufacturer ID: 1
             Product ID: 100
                   Type: WDM
            Driver Name: ctaud2k.sys
         Driver Version: 6.00.0001.1348 (English)
      Driver Attributes: Final Retail
            WHQL Logo'd: n/a
          Date and Size: 7/7/2010 22:16:24, 697816 bytes
            Other Files:
        Driver Provider: Creative
         HW Accel Level: Basic
              Cap Flags: 0x0
    Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 0, 0
 Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0
              HW Memory: 0
       Voice Management: No
 EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: No, No
   I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: No, No
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No

[Ghastly]

Nothing in your DXDiag is indicative of an issue, at least that I see.

2) Frame rate gets awful, despite what 'control-i' states.

And I've seen this too - where ctl-i says I'm still getting a solid 60 FPS, but visually, there's no way I'm actually seeing 60.  As much as I don't trust IOBit at this point, I'm still finding Gamebooster to be the fastest, easiest way to terminate everything that shouldn't be running while the game is running.  And while XP wasn't impacted if I left AV enabled while running the game online, Win 7 is.

Can you check how many and what processes you are running?  (Perhaps post a hijackthis log when you have just what you'd normally have running when you'd start the game?)

And then, download gamebooster, run it, and then try again?

<S>

[groundfeeder]

Game booster may help, also there is another called "End it all" that does the same thing.

Problem sounds like it is coming from your computers core 2 Duo.... I have heard they load up and have had issues in the past. A link on a sticky in this forum has an update for those chips.

perfomance check while the problem occurs will tell you if the the chip loads up.

Looks like you have a self-build system also. Do you have enough cooling for the card?

[Ardy123]

I have not used "Game booster" or any similar products, what are the consequences of these products? My understanding is that they shut down background processes, but I'd imagine that most background processes provide some OS feature, unless your PC is loaded with spyware (this assumption may be incorrect).

[Tigger29]

I have not used "Game booster" or any similar products, what are the consequences of these products? My understanding is that they shut down background processes, but I'd imagine that most background processes provide some OS feature, unless your PC is loaded with spyware (this assumption may be incorrect).

You are correct in your assumption, Ardy.  It does shut down functions that (usually) provide OS features.  Game Booster is pretty good at restoring these functions when you are done, but back when it was necessary for me to do this I usually just rebooted the computer anyway.

Take for example the Print Spooler service.  This is necessary to print something.  It uses (albeit a small amount) system resources that are freed up when shutting down the service.  Since most people don't print things while playing games, this is one of those services that can usually be safely stopped.

Other services include things such as the Windows Updater Service (which can cause you to have disconnecting issues in the game), System File Checker, Help Support... most of which can be safely stopped.  Some are critical to the operation of Windows and can actually cause the system to freeze up if stopped so if you don't know what you are doing, it is easy to mess something up.

This is where programs such as "Game Booster" come into play.  They automate the process because they already know what can be safely stopped and what can't be.  Anything it isn't sure about it can ask you, and everything can be restored at the click of a button.

[morfiend]

 Ardy,

   I noticed you have a generic monitor driver,I'd suggest you search for the proper driver for you monitor and use it,seems you let windows use a default driver and this"could" be a cause of some of the problem your experencing.

 Now I'm not saying it will fix the problem,just something I've seen Skuzzy suggest in the past.

  Do you use hirez textures? what texture size are you using? have you tried different resolutions on the monitor to see if that changes anything?


   I have an E8400 and Gforce 8800gts card and have little problems with frame rate,occasionally if more that 60 planes are in the area I get a stutter but thats the only times.BTW I use a much lower resolution than you do!

   

[Ghosth]

Most of those processes really do not have to run all the time.

For example, the ATI drivers for my video card will add at least 3 processes to my list, if I let it.
Does things like let you change screen resolutions on the fly, etc. Yet my computer runs just fine without them.

Some do indeed need to stay in order for your computer to operate. The trick is separating out what is needed.

FS Autostart, Enditall, Gamebooster, Alclarity all do basicly the same thing. Remove unneeded processes for improved performance while playing AH.

The other way is to use something like Glary Utilities to clean up your system and manage your start menu and processes.

Personally I average 24 processes in XP and thats with Skype, Ventrillo, and Threatfire running.

While you may not notice a huge difference all the time with a clean system, when you get into mass quantity's of enemy's over a smoking burning field, it will make a difference.

Also anything running intermittently in the background is a huge no no, and most likely the source of your problem.

[Ardy123]

Ok, so I ran game booster and the likes. I know what is happening... the video card drivier is having issues. I have the latest NVIDIA drivers..

From Windows Vista
Description
A problem with your video hardware caused Windows to stop working correctly.

Problem signature
Problem Event Name:   LiveKernelEvent
OS Version:   6.0.6002.2.2.0.256.1
Locale ID:   1033

Files that help describe the problem
WD-20101020-1838.dmp
sysdata.xml
Version.txt

 View a temporary copy of these files
Warning: If a virus or other security threat caused the problem, opening a copy of the files could harm your computer.

Extra information about the problem
BCCode:   117
BCP1:   FFFFFA8005FC2010
BCP2:   FFFFFA600251FCF8
BCP3:   0000000000000000
BCP4:   0000000000000000
OS Version:   6_0_6002
Service Pack:   2_0
Product:   256_1

updated dxdiag to reflect latest video card drivers...
---------------
Display Devices
---------------
        Card name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 275
     Manufacturer: NVIDIA
        Chip type: GeForce GTX 275
         DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
       Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_05E6&SUBSYS_0E0619F1&REV_A1
   Display Memory: 2668 MB
 Dedicated Memory: 877 MB
    Shared Memory: 1791 MB
     Current Mode: 1920 x 1200 (32 bit) (60Hz)
          Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
      Driver Name: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
   Driver Version: 8.17.0012.6099 (English)
      DDI Version: 10
   BGRA Supported: Yes
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
 Driver Date/Size: 10/16/2010 11:55:00, 12788840 bytes
      WHQL Logo'd: n/a
  WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-46A6-11CF-926D-0A2E1FC2C535}
        Vendor ID: 0x10DE
        Device ID: 0x05E6
        SubSys ID: 0x0E0619F1
      Revision ID: 0x00A1
      Revision ID: 0x00A1
      Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_C ModeVC1_C ModeWMV9_C

[bustr]

Are you getting any (TDR) Timeout Detection and Recovery messages?

Windows 7 and Vista both are rife with video problems in games. Common issues are TDR and frame rate. The TDR issue can be modifyed by increasing the time out default period from 2 seconds to about 8. But, that won't resolve low framerates. You won't get the popup after you leave the game that your video card has recovered from an error. You will just have a pause during the game while it chunks something large.

If the TDR is a 0x116 you are being asked to check your Bios to see if you have the OS Plug and Play option disabled. Micro Soft seems to beleive that is the source of some TDR if it is disabled.

http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-cards/

It almost seems that Microsoft, Video Card companys and Game companys are all pointing fingers at each other saying it's your fault not mine.

Ardy, since you are a commercial programer, here are the MS developer links to the TDR process.

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/display/wddm_timeout.mspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff570088(VS.85).aspx

You might want to run a stress test against your video card, system memory and system. I've been seeing in NVIDIA forums guys bringing in issues like yours and a week or two later reporting back the video card was on the edge the whole time or some part of the system. When the current game version was first released with all of the crashs and video problems, I ran stress tests on my system to eliminate my hardware as the source. Make sure with your system memory you run it for 8-12 hours. I have the same video card, sound card and CPU as you do on Win7 64bit and don't experience your problems.

[Ardy123]

Thanks Bustr, I'll try and up the TRD timeout. I ran memtest86 all night and it reported no issues but that just stresses the cpu/memory, anyone know of a good 'system testing' application? I wonder if it has to do with skins etc.. being uploaded to the card. I have noticed that when I alt-tab, the frame rate will drop considerable, if not completely hang for a sec or two. Is the rendering occurring in the same thread than the skin loading off of disk?  

[bustr]

Here is one way to put a hurt on your GPU to see if it's the vid card.

http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php/Benchmarks-&-Demo's_c6.html

[guncrasher]

Ardy check your films folder, too many films while recording also causes stutters.

Semp