Game studder

[AcId]

   For a while now I thought that I was the only one because I saw no mention of this before and attributed it to a 'system problem' because it was relatively new. Now I have seen a post that describes what I am seeing.

 

Originally posted by delta:
FYI

 I tend to not like the B model but primarily because I've noticed it studders (graphics halt momentarily) in a furball and generally tends to have slightly lower fps than other types.  Has anyone else noticed this? ?????

delta

The thread was about the P-51b but putting that aside he talks of a studder in which the graphics/game halts/stops momentarily. It's like all time stops for about 1.5 to 2 seconds, then the game 'jumps' you to the point at which you would have normally travelled in those "frozen" seconds and things continue normally. For me this started after 1.06. Now for some info about occurances, It seems to happen at random I can't say that it happens with 'that' plane and not 'this' plane. It always seems to happen in a dogfight (murphy's law) probably other times too though. It hasn't happened while filming (don't film much anyway). I don't remember if it was occuring on the 'lake uterus' map but it is occuring on the current map. It doesn't seem to be discriminent on amount of objects nearby or lack thereof. Once it did halt completely without continuing, plane suspended in air, couldn't use any keys accept 'Alt-tab' to desktop to stop then attempt an AH restart unsuccessfully, reboot was required. If I think of any more quirks involved I'll post them.

System Specs:
Compaq Deskpro 300
Intel® Pentium4 1.50GHz
Intel® 850 Chipset
Six expansion slots (five PCI, one AGP)
LeadTek GeForce 2 GTS 32mb
128MB ECC PC800 RDRAM, expandable up to 1GB
Ultra 160 SCSI pci controller with 2x18.2Gb 10k rpm Hard drives
Intel® Pro/100+ Management Adapter (10/100 Mb/s Autosensing Ethernet)
Integrated SoundBlaster 128 Audio
Dual installation Windows 2000 Windows 98-SE
DX8.0a (I think, will verify)

Occurences happen in 98 btw, I dont play games in Win2k

[Gypsy Baron]

 

Originally posted by AcId:
  For a while now I thought that I was the only one because I saw no mention of this before and attributed it to a 'system problem' because it was relatively new. Now I have seen a post that describes what I am seeing.

-SNIP-
k

I wonder how many more of "us" are out there?

I've tried a whole slew of things to try to isolate/cure this problem
and all to no avail. Shut down everything from
the task list prior to entering AH, upgraded? from DX7.0a to 8.0a,
installed the latest drivers for my TNT2, re-installed and older version of my TNT2 drivers,
changed video modes from 16-bit to 32-bit, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera...

The stuttering problem I observe is definately exacerbated
by flak bursts and possibly tracers. Initially
I observed the problem when I manned a gun on
a fleet ship and of course there
was a LOT of flak about...
I suspect some wierdness related to sound-USB-Video but can't see anything abnormal except the effects of the problem.
Nothing abnormal in the task list, processor usage, memory resources or frame rate.
It's as though the processor gets dragged away to some other task(s) and bogged down
for a second or two, meanwhile the AH sound
and display freeze.
Damned annoying and since the problem becomes worse with time
I eventually have to log and re-boot! NOT a good thing if
one plans on flying in scenarios  
Let's hope more folks that see this problem step forward and perhaps
we can fins the cause or at least arrive at a solution short
of dropping AH.


------------------
    =GB=
 Eat at Joe's!
KAW...KAW...KAW!

[batdog]

Its not a lag spike is it? Right after it happens did you check your network status and look for a big spike...? Just an idea...

batdog

[AcId]

I didn't even think about net lag until I started writing my earlier post....I meant to make mention of it but lost track and forgot....DOH!

To answer your question Batdog, I truly don't know. I have made a mental note to check next time, if I'm able.

[Eagler]

make sure EVERYTHING has it's own IRQ. Share nothing. Make sure you have the latest pci-usb drivers for your boards chipset. Zonealarm or other firewall off. Nothing else running in background. Antivirus, disable. Enable DMA for CD roms and Hard drives if you have the option.

gl

Eagler

[Gypsy Baron]

 

Originally posted by Eagler:
make sure EVERYTHING has it's own IRQ. Share nothing. Make sure you have the latest pci-usb drivers for your boards chipset. Zonealarm or other firewall off. Nothing else running in background. Antivirus, disable. Enable DMA for CD roms and Hard drives if you have the option.

gl

Eagler

I'm running a DSL 1.5Mb connection...ZA OFF is NOT an option!

I'm about to chance setting all the IRQ's by hand instead of
letting Plug&Pray do it but I hesitate to dick with a
system that is performing well in all other applications just
to satisfy one misbehaving application.

I'm certain there is no network connection aspect to
this problem since it happens both online AND offline. IMO it is some obscure glitch in the code
that is failing to clean itself up and thus the cumulative degradation effect.

------------------
    =GB=
 Eat at Joe's!
KAW...KAW...KAW!

[bigUC]

For all you people out there with a VIA KT133A motherboard and an SB Live! (dead) card experiencing frequent lockups (freezes 1-5 seconds with disk activity) try the 686B Bug Patch v.14 found at www.viahardware.com or flash bios if your MB-maker has posted a fix.
It cured my system  
--
BigUC

[This message has been edited by bigUC (edited 04-23-2001).]

[Goner]

 

Originally posted by Gypsy Baron:
I'm running a DSL 1.5Mb connection...ZA OFF is NOT an option!

do you get the freezes/stutters also off-line with ZA turned off ??
if ZA should be the problem, try TPF from www.tinysoftware.com,  also a free firewall with outbound detection.

Goner - KAW

[Gypsy Baron]

 

Originally posted by Goner:
do you get the freezes/stutters also off-line with ZA turned off ??
if ZA should be the problem, try TPF from www.tinysoftware.com,  also a free firewall with outbound detection.

Goner - KAW

 I believe I checked this, however I will shut off my DSL modem, kill ZA
and then try AH offline again to be sure.

The problem definately occurs offline as well as online
and once it's "there" it remains even after closing AH down.

------------------
    =GB=
 Eat at Joe's!
KAW...KAW...KAW!

[Lephturn]

As we are discussing in another thread, it is likely that GB's problems are related to IRQ sharing/conflicts.

All of you having these issues should check your sytems out.  From the Start menu choose Run, and type "msinfo32" (without the quotes) and hit OK.  On the left hand side of the program, expand Hardware Resources and then select the Conflicts/Sharing folder.  If you have anything showing in this section, it may be causing you problems.  List your shared resources here and we'll try to help get you sorted out.

------------------
Sean "Lephturn" Conrad - Aces High Chief Trainer

A proud member of the mighty Flying Pigs
http://www.flyingpigs.com

Check out Lephturn's Aerodrome for AH articles and training info!

[CheeseHead]

I've been suffering from that multi-second lockup as well. Many blamed Roger Wilco, so I turn that off in the background, but it still happens. I've noticed it will only happen once per session. That one lockup could occur 5 minutes into my gaming, or 2 hours into it, but it only happens once per session. It never seems to happen when I'm on autopilot either    It's happened while diving down and opening fire, or sitting in a flak, even when I was starting to fire at a Spittard from a B17. Nine times outta ten you come back dead. I've also tried slowing down audio hardware acceleration, doesn't help.

I run Win2000 Pro and from what I've been told, it's perfectly fine to share IRQ's in 2000, but then again, who really knows besides Bill Gates himself.

My system:
Asus P2B MB
P3 550
192 mb RAM
Geforce DDR
Yamaha SCSI 16/10/40 RW drive
Plextor 32x Ultraplex CD drive
SB Live Value (w/Klipsch Promedia v2.400)  
All IBM Deskstar hard drives

Here's my 'conflicting irq's' that Lephturn suggested to give:

System Information report written at: 04/28/2001 03:44:18 PM
[Conflicts/Sharing]

Resource   Device
IRQ 9   Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System
IRQ 9   e-GeForce DDR
IRQ 9   Intel 82371AB/EB PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
IRQ 9   Intel(R) PRO/100B PCI Adapter (TX)
IRQ 9   Adaptec AHA-2940U/UW Dual/AHA-394xAU/AUW/AUWD PCI SCSI Controller
IRQ 9   Adaptec AHA-2940U/UW Dual/AHA-394xAU/AUW/AUWD PCI SCSI Controller
IRQ 9   Creative SB Live! Value (WDM)
IRQ 9   Promise Technology Inc. Ultra66 IDE Controller


Thanks for reading!

CheezHed

[bloom25]

If you install windows 2000 in ACPI mode all cards will and should share IRQ 9.  Theretically it should work ok, however drivers and current devices aren't ideal.  Sometimes you get problems.  I'd probably try updating your video and sound drivers to the newest available.



------------------
bloom25
-MAW-
(Formerly of the)
THUNDERBIRDS

[Kirin]

I had the stutter for many weeks and tried all kind of cures to get rid of it.

My stutter happened when firing guns - online & offline. Did a couple of tests etc... yadda yadda - turning off V-Sync and setting prerendered frames at 1 cured the problem for me.

Now, using the 12.00 NVidia drivers (GeForce2GTS) the stutters gone for good even with Vsync turned on.

[Skuzzy]

Hardware interrupt sharing is a bad thing, no matter how well drivers are written.  Consider the flow the operating system takes when an interrupt occurs, and when devices are sharing hardware interrupts.
Let's take a USB port sharing an interrupt with a video card, wth the USB port having your flight controller on it.

1) The interrupt occurs from the sound card.
2) The operating system realizes there are multiple interrupt service routines that must be called.  The order of the calling is arbitrary and assigned during initialization time.
3) Call the USB interrupt service routine.  Now, if you have moved you stick the stick interrupt service routine says, "Oh my, I have an interrupt to service", without knowing that the actual interrupt was intended for the sound card.
4) The USB interrupt service route (ISR) does its thing, and returns.
5) The operating system calls the sound card ISV, now the sound card finally gets to service the original interrupt.
6) During the sound card ISR, you move your stick again. Well, the sound card is still in ins ISR, so your stick interrupt will have to wait.

Voila, stutter.

This is a very simplistic look at how interrupt sharing can effect your systems performance.  I did not get into, ISR's that alway assume the interrupt is for them, nor into what happens when more than one interrupt has already occurred for the same device and has not been serviced.

It does not matter what operating system you run, sharing hardware interrupts will decrease system performance, can cause unreliable behaviour of a system, and, in general, is a very bad idea.

Know, this.  When an operating system is in the middle of an ISR, no other operations will be done until that ISR is complete.  ISR's cannot be interrupted, so the more devices you have sharing a hardware interrupt the more you system efficiency and performance will degrade.  And that is the good news.
Incorrectly written ISR's that assume the interrupt will be for them, when they get called, can wreak all kinds of havoc on a system.  And even when they are correctly written, they may execute a ton of code before determining the interrupt was not for them.

Hardware interrupt sharing bad.

------------------
Roy "Skuzzy" Neese
President, AppLink Corp.
http://www.applink.net
skuzzy@applink.net

[Scootter]

I had this stuttering problem and found if I turn off everything running in background except my firewall (McAfee) it cures the prob. Seems even the screen saver(Setiathome) will couse it. Try ctrl-alt-del and close everything except SYSTRY and EXPLORER that may help