X3 Dual Core Affinity = BETTER PERFORMANCE

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Jon Tetrino
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X3 Dual Core Affinity = BETTER PERFORMANCE

Post by Jon Tetrino » Wed, 25. Oct 06, 14:48

If you guys want the most performance out of X3, then you should realise that X3 does not use multi-threading, and as such only uses one core at a time on dual-core systems.

This means, that you can dedicate an entire half of your CPU to X3.

Doesnt sound like it'll help much, but thats where your wrong. By dedicating X3 to one CPU core, and all the other processes to the other core, any performance problems caused by anti-virus software, we connections etc become non-exsistant!

I have been using this for a while now and I have not seen any side-effects. I use it on my Core 2 Extreme and I even managed to use it on my P4 which only has a logical second core!

The program was created over at the AMD Forums but works just as fine with an Intel.

Basically, download the program, put the file in 'system 32' from the .zip into the actual system 32. then run the program.

Run X3, then double click the program from the system tray and set X3 to run or CPU 1 (just click on CPU 2 to unselect it - the CPU's are listed to the right of the program).

Then go through the list one-by-one and set them all to run on Core 2.

This should help your X3 performance, bearing in mind that it is a very CPU intensive game.

One day, I had X3 running on one core at 65fps, with 3Ds Max 7 doing a full render on the other core :)

Hope this helps people get more performance.

NOTE: I am more than aware that you can set affinity in the Task Manager, but I found this much quicker and easier due to the fact you dont have to go through 2 or 3 menus for each task.

You cannot set more than on task at a time due to the way that Windwos works.


If this belongs in Tech Support then please move it there, but I thought all players of X3 should know about it.

Milo

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Post by K.Mak » Wed, 25. Oct 06, 14:56

I've never really had a problem with X3 lagging on any of my computers that were dual core except in sectors where the space was "foggy" and had a complex at the same time. And also the final plot mission. I always though it was the limit of my graphics card. Would this make me not lag in those sectors?

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Post by CBJ » Wed, 25. Oct 06, 14:57

Useful information, but definitely Tech Support. If you are running and AMD dual core processor then don't forget to run the latest dual core drivers as well. They can have a significant effect on performance and stability.

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Post by Jon Tetrino » Wed, 25. Oct 06, 14:58

kmak263 wrote:I've never really had a problem with X3 lagging on any of my computers that were dual core except in sectors where the space was "foggy" and had a complex at the same time. And also the final plot mission. I always though it was the limit of my graphics card. Would this make me not lag in those sectors?
That sounds more like your GFX card trying to cope in the final mission.

Foggy + complex could be both GFX and/or CPU. You could always give it a try.

I'm not saying you wont lag, but its possible you will lag less.

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Post by Puruco » Wed, 25. Oct 06, 20:43

If anybody knows: The dual core optimizer software from AMD do the same as this program or can be use in conjunction?

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Post by Jon Tetrino » Wed, 25. Oct 06, 22:12

Puruco wrote:If anybody knows: The dual core optimizer software from AMD do the same as this program or can be use in conjunction?
Can be used in conjunction. It doesn't do the same afaik.

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antman112
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Post by antman112 » Thu, 26. Oct 06, 11:13

this is why i got a intel core 2 duo
coz X3 uses all the power without no hassle
sorry of any spelling mistakes

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Post by Jon Tetrino » Thu, 26. Oct 06, 11:52

antman112 wrote:this is why i got a intel core 2 duo
coz X3 uses all the power without no hassle
No it doesnt, you still get better performance if you run X3 on its own core.

Just because the program is on an AMD website doesn't mean its AMND specific.

I see a performance boost on my Overclocked Core 2 Extreme, when set to run X3 on its own core :wink:

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Post by fud » Thu, 26. Oct 06, 14:33

Been playing X3 on one core for months. I was one of the few that had the gradual slowdown/choppy play running both cores.

Admittedly, that was before the patch by AMD, but even then, I still played it on a single core only.

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Post by SnowGhost » Sun, 29. Oct 06, 13:40

You could achieve the same effect by setting the affinity to one core in task manager, and boasting it's priority to the highest. That will then basically lock all other tasks off that CPU, because X3 will always have a higher priority, and the Windows task manager ALWAYS runs the thread with the highest priority.

Everything else will just run on the other CPU/core (I run a SMP system so to me it's still CPUs, but affectively the same thing)

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Post by Puruco » Wed, 1. Nov 06, 16:14

fud wrote:Been playing X3 on one core for months. I was one of the few that had the gradual slowdown/choppy play running both cores.

Admittedly, that was before the patch by AMD, but even then, I still played it on a single core only.
have the same problem with the slowdown/choppy play and I thougth that was a corrupt savegame because other savegame from the same game run ok. I start another again because of that but I still have the old/choppy one. If I use this program or the advice from fud do you think that it will fix the old choppy savedgame? 2nd Wich one I get better performance this program or the affinity in the task manager?

Thanks...

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Post by CBJ » Wed, 1. Nov 06, 16:17

If you have an AMD dual core processor then your choppiness is probably because you've not installed the latest dual core drivers from the AMD website.

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Post by Puruco » Wed, 1. Nov 06, 16:27

CBJ wrote:If you have an AMD dual core processor then your choppiness is probably because you've not installed the latest dual core drivers from the AMD website.
Yes I have a FX62 dual core and excuse the ignorance but the processors need drivers? Also my machine is one month old.

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Post by CBJ » Wed, 1. Nov 06, 16:38

If you visit the driver downloads page on the AMD website then you will see the drivers and the explanation of why they are needed. The fact that your machine is new doesn't mean it has all the latest drivers installed.

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Post by Puruco » Wed, 1. Nov 06, 16:48

CBJ wrote:If you visit the driver downloads page on the AMD website then you will see the drivers and the explanation of why they are needed. The fact that your machine is new doesn't mean it has all the latest drivers installed.
Thanks CBJ. Also I was looking the AMD page and I'm confuse because my processor is an FX and is dual core but the page is divide in dual cores and fx not both. If you know wich one I have to use?

CBJ
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Post by CBJ » Wed, 1. Nov 06, 16:55

That's a very good question. The site certainly is confusing, and it makes no sense to bundle the dual core FX processors with the single core 64 ones rather than the dual core X2 ones. If you are feeling brave, I'd suggest trying the X2 ones as they are the ones that solve the dual core timing issues. If not (and I wouldn't blame you) then I'd suggest you contact AMD support and ask them first.

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Post by Puruco » Wed, 1. Nov 06, 17:03

CBJ wrote:That's a very good question. The site certainly is confusing, and it makes no sense to bundle the dual core FX processors with the single core 64 ones rather than the dual core X2 ones. If you are feeling brave, I'd suggest trying the X2 ones as they are the ones that solve the dual core timing issues. If not (and I wouldn't blame you) then I'd suggest you contact AMD support and ask them first.
I don't feel sooo brave, the machine cost me a lot of money (lol) sorry (lol). I will contact the AMD support and let you know any answer. Thanks again.

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Post by WindWarrior » Wed, 1. Nov 06, 22:51

Myself, I have a X2, dual core Athlon 64, +4200, and have been playing for a few months now and have had know problems, with lag , etc. , but I will check in to the drivers, thanks for the infor.

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Post by Puruco » Thu, 2. Nov 06, 13:54

"Too many users are having pbs with the latest driver.So to avoid any unuseful inconvenience,it has to be repeated that the latest driver ONLY adds support to the AM2 cpu generation (Hardware detection).There are NO performance improvements over the previous ones.This was made very specific by AMD a few months ago.If you do NOT have an AM2 cpu,stick to the 1.2.2.2 that work just fine."

This is from AMD forums related to the last drivers. Yesterday night I install the latest (1.3.2) and start to have ctd's that didn' have before and with other games.

CBJ: In acordance with AMD forum the drivers from FX and dual core are the same, even that fx are 1.3.2 and dual core are 1.3.2.16. So their is no difference. Also I try both and the machine function ok, less ctd,s.

I make the affinity througt the task manager but their are programs that does not let me make affinity. Is that normal?

Jon Tetrino
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Post by Jon Tetrino » Sat, 4. Nov 06, 12:59

Puruco wrote: I make the affinity througt the task manager but their are programs that does not let me make affinity. Is that normal?
It can happen, any specifics as to what processes these are?

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