How do you know there is nothing being kicked off? A DoS attack on your Ethernet connection would cause the same problem. Anything the CPU has to do, outside the game, can have a negative impact on the performance of the game.
A USB bus whose power levels are marginal can cause it.
Getting the IP address from someone running a P2P client/server, via a DHCP request, will cause it.
A device on your LAN flooding it with broadcast requests (a game console will do this).
Bluetooth drivers can cause it if something is just on the edge of detection.
A wireless router having severe network issues can cause it.
Custom sounds can cause it.
Anti-xxx software can cause it.
Joystick control managers can cause it.
There are many other things. I have not been able to produce any type of performance issues with with my system at work (NVidia 7600GT, E6600 Intel CPU). No one here has seen any type of performance issues with this release.
Of course, I run sane settings for my hardware. 256 texture size, 1280x1024 resolution, disabled detail terrain, disabled shadows.
I have also stated, but will say again, if you are running a 9000 series NVidia video card, or older, you will have problems if you try running the latest, greatest drivers from NVidia.
well, i don't know about anyone else but i do know i have used your guidelines and those from several other sources to shut down non-essential services for performance tuning. on a fresh boot my memory usage is 753mb with anti-virus running. after shutting down all anti-virus processes through the task manager, it drops to around 720mb. before i run aces high i reboot to clear memory, the only other program that runs is teamspeak 3 and with both programs running my memory usage is 1.27gb.
i do not own a game console. i do not run p2p or torrent programs, nor do i have itunes, realplayer or quicktime installed. i do not listen to music while gaming. my system is not loaded down with usb devices, there are only 3. the keyboard and mouse are on a separate internal usb hub from my joystick. the joystick does not use any configuration programs. my system does not have the capability for blue tooth. networked laser printer and my media computer are turned off. the wireless side of my router is turned off in the router.
i run aces high with 256 textures, 1680x1050 resolution, detailed terrain, detailed water, bump map terrain, no shadows, no reflections. turned off weapons effects and vehicle effects. display horizon is on, display other player skins is on. i was not recording the flight. i do have a custom sound pack that did not interfere prior to this last update. normal frame rate is 59 steady.
dxdiag from a fresh boot
------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 5/12/2011, 16:43:27
Machine name: XXX
Operating System: Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.100618-1621)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: XFX68L
System Model: XFX Nforce 680i LT
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6600 @ 2.40GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.4GHz
Memory: 4096MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 4094MB RAM
Page File: 753MB used, 5387MB 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 64bit Unicode
---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series
(4870 to be exact) Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI display adapter (0x9440)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_9440&SUBSYS_24481682&REV_00
Display Memory: 2808 MB
Dedicated Memory: 1016 MB
Shared Memory: 1791 MB
Current Mode: 1680 x 1050 (32 bit) (59Hz)
Monitor Name: X193HQL (Analog)
Monitor Model: V223W
Monitor Id: ACR001B
Native Mode: 1680 x 1050(p) (59.954Hz)
Output Type: DVI
Driver Name: aticfx64.dll,aticfx64.dll,aticfx64.dll,aticfx32,aticfx32,aticfx32,atiumd64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atiumdag,atidxx32,atidxx32,atiumdva,atiumd6a.cap,atitmm64.dll
Driver File Version: 8.17.0010.1052 (English)
Driver Version: 8.791.0.0
DDI Version: 10.1
Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 10/27/2010 03:54:24, 645120 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-D700-11CF-2E71-4204BEC2C535}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x9440
SubSys ID: 0x24481682
Revision ID: 0x0000
Driver Strong Name: oem2.inf:ATI.Mfg.NTamd64.6.1:ati2mtag_RV7X:8.791.0.0:pci\ven_1002&dev_9440
Rank Of Driver: 00E62001
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_C
D3D9 Overlay: Not Supported
DXVA-HD: Not Supported
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled
-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0885&SUBSYS_10ECE601&REV_1001
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: RTKVHD64.sys
Driver Version: 6.00.0001.6151 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
Date and Size: 8/7/2010 11:45:30, 2419176 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
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: Realtek Digital Output (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Default Sound Playback: No
Default Voice Playback: No
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0885&SUBSYS_10ECE601&REV_1001
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: RTKVHD64.sys
Driver Version: 6.00.0001.6151 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
Date and Size: 8/7/2010 11:45:30, 2419176 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
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
internet connection is 15mbps cable on a scientific atlanta dpc2100r2 docsis2.0 cable modem. router is a linksys wrt610n with gigabit wired connection to the computer. joystick is a thrustmaster t-flight hotas usb.
the sudden frame rate hits could have been the result of an untimely dos attack, or some other glitch on my network connection, but then i would have had problems with teamspeak as well which wasn't the case as i was communicating with a squadmate at the time the frame rates dropped. we were flying together and he had the same frame rate drop issue at the exact same time. as soon as we moved out of icon range of the other players, frame rates returned to normal. that usually only occurs during fso when 20-30 people are taking off on the same runway, and as soon as we are above 3000 feet, it clears up even when we are flying in close proximity to other players.