Please advice: Why is LockOn always using 100% CPU ?

[SimFan]

Need your expertise.

I am running LockOn in 'windowed mode' for initial & options screens @ 1600X1200 - 4AA/8AF.

Running LockOn v1.02 - CPU usage, even at the main and option screens (with radio chatter) remains at 100%, all the time (seen from XP task manager) :!:

First question, is/can this be normal ?

Second, if it is, is there something that can be done about it to remedy it (maybe turn off radio chatter, but how ?).

Third, if it is a general issue, will it be changed with v1.1 ?

I would think that once in a mission this could be fine, but otherwise ?

Thx in advance.

________________________________________________________________

Apart from occasional lock-ups (especially when using F10 mode a lot) LockOn runs rally nice.

BTW. running on AMD64 S939 3500+ - NV6800GT - on board sound ALC850 - 1GB RAM - XP PRO SP2.

:?:

[Dmut]

Most games takes 100% while in DirectX mode, even if there is no action on the screen.

It's by design.

[SimFan]

OK, thx. It a MS thing.

 

Thx. So MS is the reason, not ED.

Since my other sims don't run in windowed mode for anything, I never tried using Task Manager to check @ the main and the options-screens.

Never thought this was the case for those as well. Thx.

[Dmut]

np.

you may try experiment with other DirectX games, even is they not supporting windowed mode. if games can survive ALT-TAB (most games can) so, after launching such game, you should return to desktop and run Task Manager - in 99% cases you'll see that game takes 99% CPU

[BuzzU]

I was getting this awhile back, and even posted about it being a memory leak. I was using 100% in Lock On. Then i checked it on my desktop, and I was using 52%. This threw up a red flag for me. It turned out to be a virus. I did everything possible to get rid of it, but failed. I finally did a format, and got a firewall and virus protection before ever goin online. It's been running smooth ever since, and now my desktop runs at 0-1%, and LockOn runs at 51%. My fps are way up, and no sign of a memory leak. i can play for hours with no loss on performance.

 

I'm not saying you have the same problem, but i'd look into it. I don't believe Lock On should be using 100% useage.

[olaleier]

Would you be happy if bought a hot CPU and Lock On didn't use all of it?

 

Lock On uses 100% of my CPU and that's just the way I want it, it it used anything less I would be posting bug-threads.

[SimFan]

Confused

 

Virus, what you describe is indeed alarming.

But my desktop also runs at 0-1%.

LockOn at 100%.

Strange that you would now be running at 51%.

Do you maybe have a HT enables P4 (e.g. like for socket 775) ?

That could explain 50% usage, but then you would see 2 (virtual) processors in task manager.

I don't think a virus would only affect games, and as you state, the 'desktop' would most probably also be turning in higher CPU usage.

There must be an explanation for that difference: 51% against the 100% as stated by other users too (in this thread).

:?:

[BuzzU]

I'm not sure i can post pics here, so I posted it over at CWOS.

 

I also don't have LockOn installed at the moment, so I took a pic of the next best thing. I took a shot of the black death track in FB in perfect mode. I'm using 1280 res 4xfsaa. This is about as demanding as Lock On. take a look.

 

http://www.acompletewasteofspace.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=616766#616766

[Dmut]

"51%" - is a known glitch of using windows on HT enabled CPU. this means - at this time one process use 100% of one virtual CPU.

[BuzzU]

Why was it at 100% when I had the virus? Same system. I was also at 50% before on my desktop with the virus, and now it's 1%. Something was going on.

 

I'm not saying it's his problem, or that he has a problem at all. I just threw it out there.

[SimFan]

appreciated

 

I really appreciate all these ideas.

Since I didn't run anti-virus software on the gaming rig, this can/could have been a plausible explanation. But now I tend to believe (and of course hope) this is perfectly normal, and that with an AMD64 it should be like that.

Buzz, I just brought up the HT issue, not knowing whether or not you actually have such processor.

I don't know about the windows problem, I do know that only XP (pro) can fully properly support such set-up.

I also read about HT issues in games and sims.

Like some games (read about e.g. Comanche 4: which proves to be a problem with C4 not the technology itself).) crash on (2) 'virtual' processors.

It is interesting to learn about that windows glitch.

Having an AMD64 though I didn't really look into that much.

AFAIK, avoiding problems with running a sim like LockOn can only be achieved by reading (and asking here if necessary), or a lot of good luck.

For problems with e.g. HL2, one can simply ask 'the guy next door'. For Lock On that may not be so easy (unfortunately).

After I installed this sim, lockon initially kept crashing all the time.

Got solved by searching the archives (at simhq and lo-mac): when running in 16X12, one has to run lockon in windowed mode (on my Vid card). Was that easy. But without forums like these it would have meant a lot of trial and error.

Thx all.

[BuzzU]

I do have HT, and maybe that explains the 50% in the game. I do think the virus was my problem before, and that's confusing the issue. Anyway, we both seem ok now.

[Seafury]

It is very worth wild to note that if you are running any anti-virus software, disable it and even discontinue the process before you run any games including lock on. Anti Virus software often slows games to what can be a great deal at certain points.

 

Just start your favorate anti-virus back up after you finish your game again.

[jason_peters]

what about when playing on-line

 

I guess u need to leave it on when doing this

[eXor]

I just tried ALT Tabbed out of two fullscreen mode games, America's Army and Command and Conquer Generals : Zero Hour. In both those games CPU usage was 0% as it should be. Lomac uses 100% in the menu even in fullscreen mode which is terrible.

 

There you are not playing, just browsing the in-game encyclopedia and tabbing back to the desktop to consult a PDF or compare stats on fas.org and having to put up with a sluggish desktop because a menu screen, of all things, is using up all the cycles.

 

You'll just have to exit the game completely if you want to do something else.

[SimFan]

DirectX

 

As has been explained to us above, this is due to DirectX being used for all screens. And DirectX tends to absorb CPU cycles as much as it can.

The games you refer to may have '2D' and no '3D' menues (?).

IE, MS Word or Excell also only uses very little CPU (in idle state).

I think that's (3D) may be the best way to go if you want to support all resolutions.

Unfortunately it seems that full screen @ 1600X1200 crashes the sim (from second mission on).

I have to use 'windowed' mode for the menues.

[eXor]

Re: DirectX

 

As has been explained to us above, this is due to DirectX being used for all screens. And DirectX tends to absorb CPU cycles as much as it can.

The games you refer to may have '2D' and no '3D' menues (?).

IE, MS Word or Excell also only uses very little CPU (in idle state).

I think that's (3D) may be the best way to go if you want to support all resolutions.

 

:lol: :lol: :lol: The cocoa I was sipping almost came out of my nose, I was laughing so hard. 3D menu? The buttons are 3D models? The menus are 2D.

 

One of the reasons why the CPU usage is 100% is because the menus are running at something like 500 fps i.e. they are being updated as fast as the CPU / Graphics card will allow instead of being throttled back to a more reasonable rate, like 20 fps.

 

In any case, processing should be suspended as soon as the program detects that it has lost focus as is the case with those two games I mentioned.