Frustrating Issue - CPU "works less" in game

[ryanbatc 13,034]

I have this issue with almost any addon where my CPU cores drop to 20-30% and just don't work hard anymore while I'm simming.  This makes my fps plummet to about 4-7.  At first I thought it was my vram being maxed.  (I'm now using a GTX 980 FTW with 4GB ram).  4 is on the low end I understand but I'm only at 1080P.  Though I do run a smaller resolution monitor for text based things like Chrome pages (skyvector/TEC routes/pilotedge map, approach plates etc).

The problem typically occurs when I go from VC to external view.  It's fine at that point but as soon as I go back to VC the CPU stops working hard and fps tank.

Has anyone seen this?  Is it something obvious I'm missing?

Specs in case anyone is on mobile:

i5 2500K 4GHz / GTX 980 FTW / 4x4 GB ram 1600mhz / samsung 840 evo 500GB.  Windows 7 x64 on 120 GB ssd sata II.

[Tokitaumelie 164]

Hey Ryan

 

Am on a similar config but getting decent (usable) performance on P3D v4.3.

I'm guessing that you are on 4.3, so the usual:

1. Client-only upgrade or full install?

2. Running any tweaks on your cfg, tried deleting/renaming current cfg and starting SIM with a new one?

3. Any particular addon aircraft/scenery or in general @ loss of FPS?

4. Drivers updated for the card? OR have you tried a different one from current?

5, at the hardware level - adequate cooling/reseat the CPU-cooler/ dust etc?

 

 

[fghdgdfdfgfgf 111]

when was the last time you checked your cpu temps? ...going to outside views will beat up your cpu pretty good.

[Bob Scott 7,747]

I'd recommend installing a utility to monitor CPU and GPU stats to see what's going on.  If, for example, I were to see GPU utilization near 100% when this was happening, I'd suspect excessive load from AA.  VRAM load at/near my VRAM capacity would suggest a slowdown due to VRAM saturation, for example.

I use eVGA's Precision XOC to monitor my GPU performance on the LCD display of my Logitech G13.  I watch the CPU stats with Process Lasso Pro.

Good luck

 

 

[ryanbatc 13,034]

On 7/5/2018 at 11:22 PM, Tokitaumelie said:

Hey Ryan

 

Am on a similar config but getting decent (usable) performance on P3D v4.3.

I'm guessing that you are on 4.3, so the usual:

1. Client-only upgrade or full install?

2. Running any tweaks on your cfg, tried deleting/renaming current cfg and starting SIM with a new one?

3. Any particular addon aircraft/scenery or in general @ loss of FPS?

4. Drivers updated for the card? OR have you tried a different one from current?

5, at the hardware level - adequate cooling/reseat the CPU-cooler/ dust etc?

 

 

1. Client only

2. No tweaks...  I'll try that I suppose

3. No particular addon...  although it seems to happen with more intense addons/scenery.  However it will also happen with the non cpu intensive default mooney retro.

4. Drivers totally wiped from when I had the 970 and updated for the 980

5.  Cleaned my case, cpu fan recently...  friend cleaned the 980 he gave me too.

On 7/6/2018 at 12:09 AM, FunknNasty said:

when was the last time you checked your cpu temps? ...going to outside views will beat up your cpu pretty good.

They're ok (high 60's on some cores when I've been simming for an hour)...  I live waaay up here in northern MN so ambient temps aren't usually above 75F.

On 7/6/2018 at 1:29 AM, w6kd said:

I'd recommend installing a utility to monitor CPU and GPU stats to see what's going on.  If, for example, I were to see GPU utilization near 100% when this was happening, I'd suspect excessive load from AA.  VRAM load at/near my VRAM capacity would suggest a slowdown due to VRAM saturation, for example.

I use eVGA's Precision XOC to monitor my GPU performance on the LCD display of my Logitech G13.  I watch the CPU stats with Process Lasso Pro.

Good luck

 

 

Yeah I've got GPUz and CPUz.  GPUz says 100% GPU load (I run 4x ssaa selected in sim - 8x is terrible on fps for me), but vram was approx 50% load.  The odd thing is when I try to reload my settings... say, I'll drop sliders way down to min, nothing changes.  Occasionally if I wait 3-5 min the CPU will start working well again.  But you've reminded me to check the AA settings next time it happens... I'll turn it off to see if it helps.

Thanks everyone for your replies.

[mtrainer 136]

It looks as if you're overclocking this i5 2500K CPU from 3.3 GHZ to 4.0 GHZ, may want to try dialing it down a bit.  I've built most of my PCs over the years and now I no longer overclock anything, it just isn't worth the worry that always exists in the back of my mind every time something crashes.

Download the free Prime95 program, and if it can run that for a couple of hours at a time without failing (it has a mode where it checks its results), you're overclock is fine.   And that program pushes a CPU very hard.

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Skywolf 992]

Better than Prime95 as some of the newer version damage the CPU during the Stress Test.

Get Aida64 to test CPU

CPU core activity Drop is highly likely unstable CPU overclock.

You may need to check your cooling, and if that is good, then you will need to change the TIM paste between the cpu and heatsink.  Depending on what you are using.  I prefer Noctua's thermal paste as I also use the Giant Noctua DH-14 CPU Heatsink+ fan.  

 

Edited July 8, 2018 by Skywolf

[John_Cillis 2,406]

With my specs I have always gotten fluid performance in P3DV4 and Xplane11, and my GPU has only 3GB VRAM.  Could it be a memory issue, slow memory possibly?  Or could there be some process running soaking up cpu time, I always recommend Hijackthis to look real close at what is running in the background, some malware can slip by the popular free and payware scanners and it is easy to pick up if you have ever mistyped a url.

Also Windows update is a big performance hog, especially if it tries to backup your windows to windows.old, windows update wiped out my old nine year old system which is why I've had a new system for about a year today, I loathe Windows update. I do not like Microsoft fiddling in the background, my computer is my property, not theirs.

I know that gets a lot of flak but I've worked for Microsoft, IBM and all the big software players, they need to keep their noses out of our business if we have no complaints about their OS's.  I do not like "forced obsolescence" and my Spirapaint and MirrorArt freeware teaching programs are backwards compatible all the way from Win 10 to Win 95, because I stayed compliant with Windows system calls.

I know my stuff, but I am off on a rant and did not mean to hijack your thread, I just feel you should be getting performance even better than mine, and I have done nary a tweak, just installed P3D and Xplane off the shelf, toned down the AA to 4X but otherwise let them run and I stayed away from tweaking my Nvidia card, just stay current with drivers.

John

[ryanbatc 13,034]

For anyone curious about this issue I've uploaded a screenshot with various monitoring apps running.  This time I had been simming with really high AG and scenery for testing.  A few times when I switched from VC to ext and back to VC it hiccupped but regained normal play.  Finally after about 30 min I did the same thing and the fps tanked and CPU went to approx 15%.  Then when I started opening all these apps it hopped up a bit and you can see the last two cores are doing really odd things...  The usage is all over the place. 

I'll try a stress test again - my vcore hasn't really changed in 5 years, but it's possible my meager OC is failing.  The CPU is ancient in hardware terms.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/83i8uh47814drpm/odd_cores.jpg?dl=0

Oh edit, I try the suggestion of dropping in-game AA when this happened... didn't make a difference.  So I guess it is something to do with core scheduling if that's even a thing...  For reference I've never had this issue in FSX or P3D v2 or v3.  v4 must use the CPU differently.

Edited July 11, 2018 by ryanbatcund

[Skywolf 992]

1 minute ago, ryanbatcund said:

For anyone curious about this issue I've uploaded a screenshot with various monitoring apps running.  This time I had been simming with really high AG and scenery for testing.  A few times when I switched from VC to ext and back to VC it hiccupped but regained normal play.  Finally after about 30 min I did the same thing and the fps tanked and CPU went to approx 15%.  Then when I started opening all these apps it hopped up a bit and you can see the last two cores are doing really odd things...  The usage is all over the place. 

I'll try a stress test again - my vcore hasn't really changed in 5 years, but it's possible my meager OC is failing.  The CPU is ancient in hardware terms.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/83i8uh47814drpm/odd_cores.jpg?dl=0

It is very strange the first 2 cores are not really working.  You are not even using Affinitymask (you mentioned it above). 

Can you try to run the demo of Aida64, and do a stress test of the cpu and see what happens

[ryanbatc 13,034]

19 minutes ago, Skywolf said:

It is very strange the first 2 cores are not really working.  You are not even using Affinitymask (you mentioned it above). 

Can you try to run the demo of Aida64, and do a stress test of the cpu and see what happens

Yeah I'll download that and check it out.

I think running it longer would be in order (what's recommended?)  But I did a 5 min test and the temps go to around 84 and then subsided around 80-82.  It's toasty but not too hot I don't think.  They never get that warm with P3D v4 or XP or any of my other games like BF4.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jjasjp96bk24tl4/stabilitytest.jpg?dl=0

Edited July 11, 2018 by ryanbatcund

[Skywolf 992]

Your CPUs are very toasty.

Disable your overclock - one of the best option is to set your bios to defaults and see if all the cores are running well.  I have a feeling that cpu degradation is happening 

Edited July 11, 2018 by Skywolf

[ryanbatc 13,034]

I can do that but then I'll lose a heck of a lot of perf.  Especially in XP11, where I don't have any issues.  I suppose I could test at stock for fun - when I get around to it.  I'm sure it is degrading.  I think I purchased it early spring 2011, it ran 4.5GHz until 2014 then I set it back to 4.2, and just set it at 4.0 for about the last 3 years.

[fghdgdfdfgfgf 111]

I think you might be onto something regarding the voltage. About 4 years into my Sandybridge 5.0 overclock I did have to bump up the voltage a tick or two ....nothing major. Try it.

[ckyliu 1,749]

I have an i5-2500k at 4.5 GHz, can't remember what voltages I'm running now but I am pretty conservative given the age of the chip. My system runs a lot cooler than yours though; I think Sandybridge chips start to throttle at 90'c and the "trip" at 98'c so it's possible that's your issue. What cooler do you have on the CPU?

I can upload my overclock settings if that would help you, I had to disable some of the motherboard power management features to get a stable overclock.

Could be a software issue though, I run the same graphics card (GTX980) as you too, and although I max it out at 1440p I don't get any of the behaviour you're describing.

Edited July 11, 2018 by ckyliu