Another Affinity (cores) Trick

[nudata 10]

Maybe no one else will see this due to different PC setups...

 

Affinity=15 uses all 4 cores and is useful in reducing some stuttering.

 

This setting usually shows very high core-0 usage compared to the other cores. However, if you start P3D with Affinity=15 (all on), then using the Task Manager turn off core -0. Next turn core-0 on.I now see a balanced core usage and not the usual very high core-0 usage I saw with core-0 turned on.

 

Simply put start P3D with all cores, turn off core-0, turn on core-0 and see balanced usage.

 

The effect is unknown.

 

 

[zemez 184]

Maybe no one else will see this due to different PC setups...

 

Affinity=15 uses all 4 cores and is useful in reducing some stuttering.

 

This setting usually shows very high core-0 usage compared to the other cores. However, if you start P3D with Affinity=15 (all on), then using the Task Manager turn off core -0. Next turn core-0 on.I now see a balanced core usage and not the usual very high core-0 usage I saw with core-0 turned on.

 

Simply put start P3D with all cores, turn off core-0, turn on core-0 and see balanced usage.

 

The effect is unknown.

 

Hmm, this is interesting.

It really makes core usage more balanced, no more 100% Core 0 and rest 30%. When i did that tweak, Core usage was about 80% for all 4 cores. 

 

I use 2500k@4.5.

[RockOla 233]

Ok for Core usage, but how does it affect (if any) overall smoothness ?

[NicolasTAP 6]

     I use 6 cores with HT off and right now i have  core usage balanced for all 6 cores (70-85 %)  :drinks:.  Without  spikes to first core, i think you'll win in smoothness...

[zemez 184]

Ok for Core usage, but how does it affect (if any) overall smoothness ?

 

I dont know yet, since i did alot other tweaking too at the same time.

Nudata, how about you? Any difference?

 

I think it helped a little with textureloading. It is a little strange that this kind of trick makes cores more balanced..

[StoreyedTrain 13]

If this trick works it could have something to do with the way the kernelscheduler budgets processortime for the program.

 

Since i see P3D/FSX load the program in about 5 instances (as in 5 progressbars/loadingareas before i can actually fly the plane and see all the scenery objects), it could be something like that the scheduler is assessing how much CPU time to budget and does this at the first time P3D get`s into 3D mode and after that the program is loading it`s last part which is scenery which then pushes it over the CPUtime-budget limit.

 

By then turning the first core off and on again you could be forcing the kernelscheduler to rebudget the CPU-time after the whole program/plane/scenery is loaded and get the more optimum result.

 

But this is just my imagination about the idea.

 

(kernelscheduler is MS-Windows`s loadbalancer which balances services/programs between cores to attempt to get the best power efficiency result)

[nudata 10]

I have no idea if this is just interesting or there is some functional change. At least it appears harmless and "logically" you would suspect some better performance in some area. Certainly it is not a dramatic change, if there is one.

[MikeT707 1,181]

Hmmmm

I will have to give this a try.

[HUSSAR 254]

I found this last night:

 

[JOBSCHEDULER]
AffinityMask=n

Choice of <n> as follows:

For 2-core 4-thread CPU
15=1111 = ALL 4 cores
14=1110 = last 3 cores  (cores read from back to front)
7=0111 = first 3 cores
3=0011 = first 2 cores
1=0001 = first core

For 4-core 8-thread CPU
255=11111111 = ALL 8 cores
254=11111110 = last 7 cores
252=11111100 = last 6 cores
127=01111111 = first 7 cores
63=00111111 = first 6 cores

For 6-core 12-thread CPU
4095=111111111111 = ALL 12 cores
4094=111111111110 = last 11 cores
4092=111111111100 = last 10 cores

Other core settings could be calculated from corresponding binary numbers to decimal numbers as shown above.   There is no need to use additional software such as Multicore Environment to achieve what is needed.

Source:  http://fsxtimes.wordpress.com/2010/08/18/affinitymask/

[Pugilist2 878]

Thanks Husser that was helpful.  I am just starting to tweak my P3DV2.2

[Gordon Hutchison 76]

Maybe no one else will see this due to different PC setups...

 

Affinity=15 uses all 4 cores and is useful in reducing some stuttering.

 

This setting usually shows very high core-0 usage compared to the other cores. However, if you start P3D with Affinity=15 (all on), then using the Task Manager turn off core -0. Next turn core-0 on.I now see a balanced core usage and not the usual very high core-0 usage I saw with core-0 turned on.

 

Simply put start P3D with all cores, turn off core-0, turn on core-0 and see balanced usage.

 

The effect is unknown.

You Sir, are a genius!

 

Who knows why this works...but boy does it!

 

What a difference

 

Nice one!

[do_denver2 18]

What about if you just delete the Affinity mask in the P3D.cfg, and then manually set it after P3D as loaded, is it the same thing and less work?  I just mention that because that's what I do.  I've found that having all 4 cores going I don't ever get blurries.

 

This for me, by the way, is a major advantage over P3D 1.4.  I was never able to get rid of the blurries over ORBX regions unless I limited FPS, which in dense areas was tough on FPS.  

[Teddy 1]

 

 

Maybe no one else will see this due to different PC setups...
 
Affinity=15 uses all 4 cores and is useful in reducing some stuttering.
 
This setting usually shows very high core-0 usage compared to the other cores. However, if you start P3D with Affinity=15 (all on), then using the Task Manager turn off core -0. Next turn core-0 on.I now see a balanced core usage and not the usual very high core-0 usage I saw with core-0 turned on.
 
Simply put start P3D with all cores, turn off core-0, turn on core-0 and see balanced usage.
 
The effect is unknown.

 

Has someone tried this for FSX?

 

Ted

[nudata 10]

Windows sets the status of core-0. It does what it is told to do as regards to the requesting program. How it is told should make no difference. However, when the program requests a specific setting of core-0 some amount of instruction may have already been executed. I do not know the details of the settings request, but I would guess that the setting program may have the ability to make specific requests about what routines are, or are not, serviced by core-0. 

 

 

What about if you just delete the Affinity mask in the P3D.cfg, and then manually set it after P3D as loaded, is it the same thing and less work?  I just mention that because that's what I do.  I've found that having all 4 cores going I don't ever get blurries.

 

This for me, by the way, is a major advantage over P3D 1.4.  I was never able to get rid of the blurries over ORBX regions unless I limited FPS, which in dense areas was tough on FPS.  

[NicolasTAP 6]

    I looked today what  effect concerning cores does a game like Battlefield4 and i see core usage balanced for all 6 cores by default ...