Forged Alliance Forever

Re: stop ui lag - place

2016-01-25T16:23:25+02:00

Unfortunately I don't have enough RAM, otherwise I would do the test. Perhaps in the near future.

SeraphimLeftNut wrote:
I have convinced myself that auto >> TA4Life
What is even worse than auto is random forums on the internet
And worse than random forums on the internet is microsoft themselves or any of their bitches like asus.

I don't mean to push the subject, but if you look at the SPD in cpu-z you will get the timings straight from the memory manufacturer.

Statistics: Posted by Col_Walter_Kurtz — 25 Jan 2016, 16:23

Re: stop ui lag - place

2016-01-23T06:03:37+02:00

I want to encourage people to test if ram disk helps them, this will help me in my battle.

https://www.softperfect.com/products/ramdisk/
install this and make a ram disk that is about 4.5 gigs. I have 16GB total maybe this is no good with only 8GB.

http://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshel ... nsion.html
get this program

backup your gamedata and sound folder in your forged alliance folder (not FAF)
erase these two folderers in the forged alliance folder
place copies of gamedata and sounds on the ram disk (I removed the music file from the sounds folder for space)
right click on the gamedata folder(on the ram disk) and select "pick link source"
Go to your forged alliance folder (from which you erased your gamedata folder), right click, go to "drop as" submenu and select junction.
Repeat last two steps for the sounds folder

That is it. Then test test test. Placebo doesn't exist because no two experiments are ever the same.

Statistics: Posted by SeraphimLeftNut — 23 Jan 2016, 06:03

Re: stop ui lag - place

2016-01-23T05:51:13+02:00

VoiceofReason wrote:
TA4Life.
Asus and auto is a no no P

Lol sorry that just sounded funny but no really, you'll get the absolute best results if you go and write down what everything SHOULD BE, and set them that way - Auto in general is bad, and auto with asus boards is even worse, even if your system is a stock specs. Please heed these words before continuing your UI battle.

I have convinced myself that auto >> TA4Life
What is even worse than auto is random forums on the internet
And worse than random forums on the internet is microsoft themselves or any of their bitches like asus.

Back to RAM disk. I tried playing from the ssd again for a day and it was horrible. Went back to ram disk (only sounds and gamedata this time) and it was great. Although a lot of things are opponent dependent.

Statistics: Posted by SeraphimLeftNut — 23 Jan 2016, 05:51

Re: stop ui lag - place

2016-01-22T21:08:00+02:00

I have a Z-97 A by Asus and turned off all the auto stuff first thing. Other than that it's flawless...

Statistics: Posted by Morax — 22 Jan 2016, 21:08

Re: stop ui lag - place

2016-01-22T18:14:17+02:00

TA4Life.
Asus and auto is a no no P

Lol sorry that just sounded funny but no really, you'll get the absolute best results if you go and write down what everything SHOULD BE, and set them that way - Auto in general is bad, and auto with asus boards is even worse, even if your system is a stock specs. Please heed these words before continuing your UI battle.

Statistics: Posted by VoiceofReason — 22 Jan 2016, 18:14

Re: stop ui lag - place

2016-01-21T10:39:59+02:00

Nice. There's also a specific tool for Steam games I found here:
https://vikingvpn.com/blogs/off-topic/h ... -ram-drive

Statistics: Posted by Col_Walter_Kurtz — 21 Jan 2016, 10:39

Re: stop ui lag - place

2016-01-21T02:03:28+02:00

I have set up a ram drive using softperfect ram disk (free)
I backed up and placed copies onto the ram disk of gamedata, sounds and FAForever folder in application data. (total under 4 gig)
I erased the original files in the original locations.
I placed junctions in the original locations to the folders on ram disk, using link shell extension (free).
So far it seems a lot more smooth.
Process monitor shows that FA goes directly to the ram disk for any sound files.
For gamedata files the firist request is to the original location with "reparse" as the result. Followed by i/o to the ram disk.

Statistics: Posted by SeraphimLeftNut — 21 Jan 2016, 02:03

Re: stop ui lag - place

2016-01-20T21:20:03+02:00

Col_Walter_Kurtz wrote:
Certainly worth a try, I haven't done such a thing myself, but because RAM is erased every time you power off you will need to load your backup into the RAM every single time you reboot. I don't know how annoying this is but it is a fun experiment.

Honestly, the pagefile is useless with lots of RAM, it's better to just disable it to ensure Windows is not using the 10x slower SSD or 100x slower HDD. Provided you have enough RAM. 16GB is not enough if you are using ~8GB for ramdisk, IMO.

I don't see how power saving features could have an impact on what you are reporting, but in any case, just disable them all in BIOS and manually set CPU and memory speeds and voltages with LLC. Also, please, please, set your primary RAM timings by hand and not auto. Your BIOS will set auto timings below the spec, check cpu-z > RAM tab. You will see three rows with JEDEC standard, and one with the info from SPD. simply match that last column.

Why not try a mild overclock? You have tried a billion things but not increased the speed of your system? There is always an easy couple of hundred Mhz to be had without even touching the voltages.

Agreed with everything you said and I have tried all those things(except ram disk).
I prefer not to mess with ram timings, I just really want as many things set to auto/default as possible.
The most recent interesting thing that seemed to help has been to set FA I/O priority very low, it appears to remove some stutter on my system.(I am changing them from default normal, setting it high produces more stutter)

Statistics: Posted by SeraphimLeftNut — 20 Jan 2016, 21:20

Re: stop ui lag - place

2016-01-20T11:21:54+02:00

Certainly worth a try, I haven't done such a thing myself, but because RAM is erased every time you power off you will need to load your backup into the RAM every single time you reboot. I don't know how annoying this is but it is a fun experiment.

Honestly, the pagefile is useless with lots of RAM, it's better to just disable it to ensure Windows is not using the 10x slower SSD or 100x slower HDD. Provided you have enough RAM. 16GB is not enough if you are using ~8GB for ramdisk, IMO.

I don't see how power saving features could have an impact on what you are reporting, but in any case, just disable them all in BIOS and manually set CPU and memory speeds and voltages with LLC. Also, please, please, set your primary RAM timings by hand and not auto. Your BIOS will set auto timings below the spec, check cpu-z > RAM tab. You will see three rows with JEDEC standard, and one with the info from SPD. simply match that last column.

Why not try a mild overclock? You have tried a billion things but not increased the speed of your system? There is always an easy couple of hundred Mhz to be had without even touching the voltages.

Statistics: Posted by Col_Walter_Kurtz — 20 Jan 2016, 11:21

Re: stop ui lag - place

2016-01-19T23:58:43+02:00

what about using a ram disk for all the gamedata and sound files from supcom FA?
Unless it is a bad idea I will test this, so let me know if I shouldn't

Statistics: Posted by SeraphimLeftNut — 19 Jan 2016, 23:58

Re: stop ui lag - place

2016-01-19T23:57:23+02:00

Morax wrote:
What motherboard do you have TA? I try to stick with common hardware timings for memory and FSBs rather ones that are "easier to overclock" as you can see some issues with that realm...

Perhaps your CPU/vid/mobo common have some bottleneck or incompatibility. You don't seem like someone that doesn't research your hardware but just in case that's always been my method. I never tend to get hardware issues where some games work better than others...

asus z97 ws (in hindsight shouldn't have gone with z97 and someone on FAF told me not to)
I don't overclock anything on purpose and keep all my temps as low as possible.
I am quite certain that there is an issue with power saving features.

Also I have just installed a new 16 gig ram kit (ddr3 is dirt cheap right now) and placed my swap file on the ssd that has everything installed on it, per Sheeo's advice.

Statistics: Posted by SeraphimLeftNut — 19 Jan 2016, 23:57

Re: stop ui lag - place

2016-01-19T15:43:22+02:00

Sheeo wrote:
Col_Walter_Kurtz wrote:If you make a ramdisk on a 16 or 32GB machine, you will always have the fastest pagefile possible. But at the same time, you could just disable the pagefile completely because it's backup for when your un out of RAM. Which won't happen if you have that much. If you still have 4GB free you too can disable the pagefile completely and see if it makes a difference.

Using a ram disk for the pagefile is silly and makes no sense. Better to remove it completely, and then use the ram space you would otherwise be wasting the way it was intended.

Well, that is exactly what I said.

But at the same time, you could just disable the pagefile completely because it's backup for when your un out of RAM. Which won't happen if you have that much.

Statistics: Posted by Col_Walter_Kurtz — 19 Jan 2016, 15:43

Re: stop ui lag - place

2016-01-19T14:53:07+02:00

Col_Walter_Kurtz wrote:
If you make a ramdisk on a 16 or 32GB machine, you will always have the fastest pagefile possible. But at the same time, you could just disable the pagefile completely because it's backup for when your un out of RAM. Which won't happen if you have that much. If you still have 4GB free you too can disable the pagefile completely and see if it makes a difference.

Using a ram disk for the pagefile is silly and makes no sense. Better to remove it completely, and then use the ram space you would otherwise be wasting the way it was intended.

Statistics: Posted by Sheeo — 19 Jan 2016, 14:53

Re: stop ui lag - place

2016-01-18T19:47:19+02:00

FSB was replaced by QPI in the Nehalem architecture (2008).

I have no idea how you would match "FSB" with memory speed and timings, because these things are not comparable. You can use any ratio for your desired settings. Depending on system you might overclock using (only) multipliers for CPU and memory. While it is true that some multiplier and baseclock give better results, as in, higher overclocks, you are not at risk of anything else. The "1:1" FSB / memory ratio is something with the old FSB bus, and even then it was probably overclockers seeing ghosts.

The only thing you should worry about is 1) setting low voltage on the CPU and high voltage on the memory damage the CPU and 2) running memory on such high speeds that the IMC craps out. At one point this was a concern with really high end users.

TA, are you overclocking? Specs? What have you done on the hardware side to isolate the issue?

Statistics: Posted by Col_Walter_Kurtz — 18 Jan 2016, 19:47

Re: stop ui lag - place

2016-01-18T18:48:39+02:00

some guy from that Nvidia forum post wrote:
The reason changing the RAM speed and timing can help is when they more closely match the FSB or whatever they're calling it now for the CPU.

This is like my most sought-after and important thing I do when I buy a PC. If these are as close as possible you will get smooth performance. I don't like doing any excessive overclocking nor "underclocking" - yes, that's a thing - so that FSB and Mem are in sync.

The best PC hardware tech I've ever learned from said FSB speed is like the king of compatibility (not speed).

Statistics: Posted by Morax — 18 Jan 2016, 18:48