FSX stutters during turns

[stevehookem]

I've been using the HD 4096 x 4096 clouds in REX too. Wow, they look good. However, I'd take a little less if this is a big performance killer.

Do you recommend everyone use 1024 x 1024? Will I see much of a visual difference?

[Blaster79]

Well.. i literally followed the tweaks for UTX, put the affinitymask=7, texture_max_load to 1024 and set the strap to 333 (even if with 400 it was the same) and now i have smoother turns.. it stutters a bit when big urban areas come into view but then it turns smooth.

I also set bufferpools=8000000 and locked FPS to 35 (i tried from 24 to 30 but the best seems 35) and got even better results. The turns are not 100% smooth, it seems like there is a small FPS drop during all the turn (FPS counter always stays at 35) but it's so constant and small that is acceptable. I don't know if i can go better but i'm already satisfied...

It seems that most of the work has been done by the affinitymask setting. I'll try to remove it now to see the difference.

Now i'm getting o&o and i plan to do a good defrag..

[NickN]

Do the defrag exactly as I posted and I bet it will smooth it out further

Usually one will not use the FPS Limter tool with affinity mask.. its either one or the other


8MB of bufferpool for a 512 card is acceptable as my tuning list specifies a max of 10-15 but most 512 cards do not like the edit at all.


If you were to get a proper HSF you could do 3.6GHz using the 9x multiplier of the Q6600 and that along with the rest would probably get you where you want to be.



as for 4096 clouds.. I dont know how may times I have to post it.. there is no such thing as a free lunch. They kill perf regardless of the hype and I posted that in my tuning list...

Addons that install 2048 and 4096 cloud textures come with a perf price. How much depends on your installed hardware, possibly drivers in some cases, level of AA in use (I refuse to use less than Combined 8xS to control shimmer) and, how low you are willing to reduce other settings, and, where you typically fly.

If you are running 2048-4096 cloud textures you are going to pay the price of running them and large hubs in heavy weather on high scenery settings will definitely prove what I said about them is true.

They are beautiful in many scenes and impressive but like most perks in life, they do cost. Be aware of that when tuning. I use 1024 textures when tuning but you may do as you like.

[Blaster79]

With FPS limiting i always refer to the FSX limit and not any external program. Maybe you are suggesting me to unlock FPS in FSX and try the FPS limiter program (removing the affinitymask)

I also made some tests flying over Seattle Tacoma and experienced big stutters, but i wish to tune first a "normal" scenario area then find an optimal solution for large urban areas. I guess that in urban areas i should take down autogen, or running unlimited FPS, right?

(thank you for your patience, nick!)

[NickN]

No, what I was saying is that if one uses the FSP Limiter Tool they should not use affinity mask in the config

you said you tried the FPS Limter Tool and it did not work for you.. therefore it does not work for this system

The way that tool works is the user sets FSX to unlimited frame lock and lets the tool govern the frames @ 28-30 by the user setting that level in the tool instead

If you wish to try it again, remove the entire jobscheduler/affinity mask section of the fsx.cfg and re-test. You must use it correctly too. You make the FPS settings and create a bat file with the Java interface, then launch from the BAT. FSX must be launched by the BAT file it creates and not the original FSX shortcut on the desktop.



the problem with running DDR1800 mult-stick memory is not speed and timing but tRD. Downclocking 1800 memory may allow the speed and fab-4 timing however it may also introduce high latency because of the downclock and number of sticks in use. The motherboard drives that as well. Many motherboards have high and low speed slots and populating more than two may result in lower performance even if specs appear normal.


I can not say if that is what is happening here or not.

However I just went through this at AVSIM in a similar situation and swapping the sticks did net a perf change.

http://forums1.avsim.net/index.php?s=e1 ... &p=1580579

[Blaster79]

Hello Nick, after the hard disk defrag sequence i achieved even more smoothness in most situations. The only downside is the nasty stuttering when flying over large urban areas (Seattle-Tacoma for example). Any suggestions about this?

I've ordered today a Velociraptor 300Gb where i plan to install a fresh vista and FSX with all its addons. I want to do this because i have other games to play who need other graphic settings (and the latest nvidia drivers  ;)) and may be fragging the HD.. so i prefer another hard disk completely dedicated to FSX.

Do you suggest me to install X64 or 32 bit OS on the new disk?

Also i'm asking you.. as you suggested i tried to clock the q6600 at 3,6ghz but failed even with 1,39v... at 3,2ghz it is running at 1,368v and it's very stable. I have loadline calibration enabled. By changing the CPU multiplier from 8x to 9x i was thinking that the CPU voltage is the only thing to tune since the mobo is running well at 400mhz FSB.. i'm thinking wrong?

Thank you for your infinite patience!

[NickN]

Will require 9x, 333 CPU STRAP 1.42-1.45 CPU Voltage and possibly DRAM Voltage (MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT EXCEED DRAM MAX RATED)

If you do not have a CPU cooler able to handle that dont do it

Max temp is 78c under a full load test (Special software for load testing CPU) and reading the CPU diode temp with special software at the same time


I always suggest a 64bit OS over a 32 with FSX

[Blaster79]

Two days ago i got my Velociraptor 300gb.. broken!! Even if it's recognized by my pc, it completely fails any test with WD diagnostic on different pcs  >:( Filed an RMA and hope to receive a brand new next week.

I tested it in IDE,RAID and AHCI with the same errors.. i then tried the WD diagnostic and it fail to recover S.M.A.R.T. info (error 0007)

I will continue testing as soon as i got the replacement!

[NickN]

SATA system in the BIOS should always be set to ENHANCED: IDE and never AHCI for drive performance

AHCI will kill a Vrap's access and read perf

AHCI/NCQ is only for networked systems

Sorry you got a defect.. it happens from time to time

[Blaster79]

Hello Nick.. i

[NickN]

I still need to do a full defrag procedure<----------------------


I would say you still need to do your optimize work before making any call on a problem or tuning FSX

I think you should not use affinity mask until everything else has been confirmed

This is a new install.. you dont slam transfer everything to it and assume its all the same.. I mean it may be, but that is not the right way to go about finding out

click the 2nd link in this post

http://www.simforums.com/forums/forum_p ... 126#174126


and then go down the list I posted and only disable/set the items I listed. The 2nd link sends you to the site for the directions to perform each step


make sure all the items I listed are disabled through the link(s) I provided. Those are the same as my XP list but for VISTA.

When ever you are instructed to shut down a SERVICE always use this method:

http://www.simforums.com/forums/forum_p ... 127#174127


There are a few items from my XP list that are not listed there. You can look at the XP list from the beginning of this thread:

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 959973/0#0

and see which ones you did not do and perform those too but note the items I said to NOT do with Vista and skip them. You will recognize the ones you already did from above.. some services in my XP list will not be listed in Vista, some will. Just nail the ones that match

Cleaning out the temp folders will be different.. the paths will not be the same. I do not have those paths right in front of me.

Use of O&O defrag is the same

[Blaster79]

Thank you Nick.. i closely followed all your suggestion, but i've a few questions: you suggest to cancel and re-create the pagefile with a size of 3072. I have 4GB of ram, should i make it 4096?

The second question is: should i check "enable advanced performance" on my Vrap (the setting below "enable read cache")?

[NickN]

1. no.. that value has nothing to do with your physical memory and the page file will NEVER be used with 4GB in a system. The value is established to ensure any programs that boot have allocation but they wont use it unless it some kind of scientific or 3D model software

2. I would not. If you read carefully it also says under the 'advanced performance' option you can lose data in the event of a crash. If you have a UPS in operation and the tower can not lose power in an outage, OR, if you are using a SATA card that has a batter backup unit attached, .. then yes it can be enabled. Otherwise NO

I can tell you that AHCI in the BIOS makes high performance SATA drives run WORSE, not better. Its always best to INSTALL WINDOWS with the BIOS set to ENHANCED: IDE and never AHCI.


AHCI (NCQ) is designed for network servers and workstations, not applications like FSX that need the max in high performance storage ability

[Blaster79]

It's all clear..

In my bios there is only an option to enable AHCI or RAID so i think that leaving it disabled should default to IDE (the manual says PATA). Is it right? The other setting is Native Mode wich i set enabled.

I want to ask to you.. my 8800GTS has only 512mb RAM.. a GTX285 will give me benefits in terms of FSX performance?

[NickN]

It's all clear..

In my bios there is only an option to enable AHCI or RAID so i think that leaving it disabled should default to IDE (the manual says PATA). Is it right? The other setting is Native Mode wich i set enabled.

I want to ask to you.. my 8800GTS has only 512mb RAM.. a GTX285 will give me benefits in terms of FSX performance?

yes.. you are set correctly then


A 285 on a Q6600 @ 3.2 will provide a boost.. no doubt about that

how much is another story and if that boost is worth it to you

a 285 is better suited for i7 and procs in the 3.8-4Ghz range and will provide a much better boost in perf with those systems


although backwards compat the motherboard needs to support PCIe 2.0 as well to get the goodies out of it