Periodic burp in Variance in Delay

[715]

I recently added a fresh install of 64 bit Windows 7 to my Win XP / Ubuntu dual boot system on a separate SSD.  I did this because while AH3 works fine on 32 bit Windows XP, it does show some annoying graphical anomalies.  Specifically, it can't handle all the trees and as you increase the range for rendering trees some of the ones in the foreground disappear.  I suspect a resource issue.  So I installed 64 bit Windows 7 Home Premium and it works fine; it actually gives a bit higher frame rate (DX9 version) and doesn't have the resource limitation problem with trees.

However, one thing is really annoying me: the Variance in Delay plot has a 1 second burp that appears like clockwork exactly every 70 seconds (see attached image).  The burp is real as planes warp during that 1 second.  The hardware is identical and the Windows 7 install is absolutely clean.  Only AH3 and PingPlotter have been installed.  I haven't even updated Windows 7 from the DVD install state (putting off dealing with the new "who knows what's in it" roll-up patches).  The burp does not show up in Windows XP, so it has to have something to do with Windows 7, not with my router or Internet connection (or AH).

Does anyone have any ideas?  Things I've tried that had no effect: turning off power management for the WiFi interface card and trying to update the cards drivers (said was newest version available) and turning off SuperFetch (which should not have been enabled in the install as it's an SSD).  Note, Windows Update is off (well it's set for Off, but the process still runs because... who knows).

[Bizman]

Win7 with or without SP1?

Another question: Have you installed the dedicated motherboard drivers or are you using the generic ones provided by the Win7 installation?

Third thought: WiFi is half duplex whereas a wired connection is full duplex. In layman's terms, whenever an error occurs, WiFi will wait until the entire batch has arrived until it reports of a missing bit while the wired LAN will do it immediately.

[Dobs]

This is the "petite freeze"/micro stuttering/screen freeze issue that most are talking about. 

Every 70 seconds....worst than most.

[715]

Win7 with or without SP1?

Another question: Have you installed the dedicated motherboard drivers or are you using the generic ones provided by the Win7 installation?

Third thought: WiFi is half duplex whereas a wired connection is full duplex. In layman's terms, whenever an error occurs, WiFi will wait until the entire batch has arrived until it reports of a missing bit while the wired LAN will do it immediately.

Thanks for your response.  With SP1 (but no subsequent updates).  I'm pretty sure I did install the motherboard drivers, the install file is there and so is an Intel directory.  Regarding your Third thought: I don't get the burp under Windows XP and that is with the same hardware, i.e. the same WiFi connection.

[715]

This is the "petite freeze"/micro stuttering/screen freeze issue that most are talking about. 

Every 70 seconds....worst than most.

Really?  I had just assumed that was something different.  Do other people's Variance plots look like mine?  Also, since it doesn't occur for me for AH3 under Windows XP I assumed it wasn't an AH3 problem.

[Skuzzy]

Yes, but there were a lot of problems, early on, with the network stack in Windows 7.  You really do need to do the updates.

Just be mindful of the ones which you do not want: http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,71591.msg4998528.html#msg4998528

Dobs, not everyone has the stutter issues.  This is what makes it very difficult to isolate. We have been able to reproduce 1 stutter on two different systems since we have been trying.  Just one on each.

Please do not assume they are all the same.  We already know they are not.

[Dobs]

Gotcha..spike in variance is common to all.

[Skuzzy]

Gotcha..spike in variance is common to all.

Any type of pause in the game will normally spike the Variance line, but there are many other reasons it will spike as well, and the causes of any given stutter can be quite numerous.  Makes it a bugger to figure out, especially when we cannot readily reproduce it.

[Chalenge]

Just be mindful of the ones which you do not want: http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,71591.msg4998528.html#msg4998528

This may be made more difficult now that Microsoft has adopted the new rollup strategy for Windows 7/8?

[Skuzzy]

This may be made more difficult now that Microsoft has adopted the new rollup strategy for Windows 7/8?

Have they gotten rid of the individual updates?  I have not updated mine in the last couple of months.

[Chalenge]

You may be able to search updates for a single, but the implication of their announcement was that updates would be simplified to a single monthly rollup or "Convenience Update". There is still a lot of confusion on what that means.

InfoWorld indicates that at least. the .net stuff will be individual updates into the future.

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3128983/microsoft-windows/how-to-prepare-for-the-windows-781-patchocalypse.html

[715]

Yes, but there were a lot of problems, early on, with the network stack in Windows 7.  You really do need to do the updates.

Well, that didn't work.  When I turn on Windows Update it starts looking for updates but doesn't actually do anything: no disk access no network access, just pegs one CPU at 100%.  Let it run like that for 2 hours... nothing.  What do you do when your Windows Update is broken?  You can't "update" it.    (And this is a fresh off the DVD install... amazing.)

Edit: should have checked Google first... MS has a KB patch that fixes it.  Oh goodie.. 176 updates.  However, none of the ones Skuzzy lists were in there.

And yes, the recent update on my wifes Windows 8.1 laptop had all the Windows stuff rolled up into one update- no choice, no info.  I think only Adobe Flash and maybe a .NET update were separate.

[715]

Well, 176 updates, several hours, and 4 reboots later I still get the Variance burps.  And, just for good measure, the Windows Update service is back to using 100% of a CPU while doing nothing, despite the patch.

Note my problem is network connection only- while the burps cause planes to warp, they do not cause stutters in the graphical output.

[Skuzzy]

The long delay for updates is back, and has been for a while.

I just tried duplicating your 'burp' on my home system, without success.  The Variance line stayed flat as a pancake for an hour.

Differences in my home system and yours (from what I can tell), I am not on Wifi, and I am not running an SSD.  I have 36 background processes running (with nothing running).  My CPU usage never changes from 0%, but there is clear 4 of the 8 cores are active (two more than the other two).  It is just such small activity it does not register.

Any chance you could hardwire your Internet connection, just as test?

[jimbo71]

I get them too.  Not as often though.  About once every 10 minutes or so. 

Can be flying along @ steady 60 fps, then a 1/2 second hiccup, frame rate drops to 32 then pops right back to 60.  Check net status right after and see the same variance spike pictured.

Also running Windows 7 64
Hard wired Ethernet