Processor use

[sikke 0]

Hello fellow flightsimmers, I have a question regarding my processor use in p3d4.5. I noticed that when I use p3d and I look at my processor use there is 1 (processor1) that constantly runs at 100% and the others at 20/40%. My question is if this is normal and should I change something so that it uses all the processors and what do I do to change this. I looked on the web and there is so much written about this subject that I don't see the wood for the trees. 

Thanks

Francis

Edited June 11, 2020 by sikke

[Bert Pieke 7,585]

Let me simplify this for you.. this is normal, kind of.  🙂

However, the default is actually Core0, not Core1..

Are you using an Affinitymask or other setting to keep P3D off Core0?

[sikke 0]

Sorry I'm an amateur but where do I find the affinitymask?

[Bert Pieke 7,585]

1 hour ago, sikke said:

Sorry I'm an amateur but where do I find the affinitymask?

First of all, it all looks fine, and you have nothing to change.. 🙂

I am just surprised that the main load is on Core1 and not Core0... and if you have not done anything to cause this.. no problem.

Some users add a setting to the prepar3d.cfg file to limit P3D to certain cores only.. but with your CPU that should not be required.. So I believe you are just fine.

If you are curious, you can find the prepar3d process in the Windows Task Manager, details tab, and right click on it to see the CPU affinity... I would expect it to be set to all cores, except for Core0, based on your usage graph.

 

Edited June 11, 2020 by Bert Pieke

[Bert Pieke 7,585]

Your usage graph also appears to show your GPU at 99% utilization, which would worry me more.. Maybe time to reduce some of the P3D settings..

[F737MAX 5,611]

9 hours ago, sikke said:

Hello fellow flightsimmers, I have a question regarding my processor use in p3d4.5. I noticed that when I use p3d and I look at my processor use there is 1 (processor1) that constantly runs at 100% and the others at 20/40%. My question is if this is normal and should I change something so that it uses all the processors and what do I do to change this. I looked on the web and there is so much written about this subject that I don't see the wood for the trees.

With regards to your high CPU core usage, there are 2 reasons for this.

Either:
a) you have too much detail (AI Aircraft Traffic, AI Road Traffic, Autogen Vegetation Density and / or Autogen Building Density) selected in P3D; or
b) you have too many background processes (programs and apps) running on Core 1 which is restricting how much processing can be done by this core for P3D.

It is important to get unnecessary programs and apps closed before running P3D. They reduce your CPU's capability to process P3D data. That affects the smoothness of your sim experience.
Also, any processes that must run (Windows processes) and any external apps (such as an external weather engine like ActiveSky) should be moved away from Cores 0 and 1 to allow P3D to have unlimited access to these cores.

I highly recommend reading about affinity masks and understanding what they do.
When you understand the concept, the app 'Process Lasso' might work for you or using Batch Files to do the affinity setting for you.
 

[F737MAX 5,611]

For your GPU, as Bert has pointed out, it is also working very hard.
You will need to lower some of your P3D settings.

- Reduce your Water Detail quality
- Reduce your Dynamic Reflections quality
- Reduce the number of objects that cast and receive shadows
- Reduce the Shadow Quality and Shadow Draw Distance.

Other things to consider:

- Don't have Dynamic Lighting on at nighttime with shadows turned on
- Always turn off Dynamic 3D Autogen Vegetation
- If using a weather engine like HiFi Active Sky, reduce the size of cloud textures
- If you have an Ultra HD or 4K monitor / screen, you might be able to run antialiasing at 2xSSAA.

As a starting point, take a look at my settings for TrueEarth GB over London (a very demanding location in P3D):

https://i.imgur.com/3QRYxlm.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/089siOC.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/zR1GaTK.jpg

As always, begin with low settings and increase each individual setting to a level where you find the balance between maintaining good performance and how your sim looks.

Let us know how you get on.

[Mace 1,928]

To dovetail on what F737NG and Bert said...I have seen, somewhat rarely, Windows10's task scheduler move P3D's main thread to another core, but it was only when the system was stressed from high use.   This would imply, as F737NG points out, that you have a lot going on with Core0 (and probably the rest of the cores, and gpu, too) and Win has moved P3D's main thread to Core1 in an attempt to find a lesser-used core.

[d.tsakiris 418]

I am observing the same, 100 % core usage of the main thread. I tried reducing settings to the minimum, but it didn't budge.

[willy647 193]

11 hours ago, Bert Pieke said:

If you are curious, you can find the prepar3d process in the Windows Task Manager, details tab, and right click on it to see the CPU affinity..

Go to the affinity setting (as above mentioned by Bert), and just click on OK. No need to change anything.

This will spread activity over all cores. On my system core 0 goes from 100% to 60%

[Bert Pieke 7,585]

1 hour ago, willy647 said:

Go to the affinity setting (as above mentioned by Bert), and just click on OK. No need to change anything.

This will spread activity over all cores. On my system core 0 goes from 100% to 60%

Not clear that actually accomplishes anything.. but if it makes you feel better...

[sikke 0]

I found the way to set the affinity setting and the box for processor 0 was not checked. I don't know what the reason is that it's unchecked but after a restart it was unchecked again??? What could be the reason for this?

Regarding the GPU usage, I know that it is to high, I was messing around with the settings because I bought a new 4k monitor so that's how I found the anomalie with the pocessor.

[Bert Pieke 7,585]

46 minutes ago, sikke said:

I found the way to set the affinity setting and the box for processor 0 was not checked. I don't know what the reason is that it's unchecked but after a restart it was unchecked again??? What could be the reason for this?

Regarding the GPU usage, I know that it is to high, I was messing around with the settings because I bought a new 4k monitor so that's how I found the anomalie with the pocessor.

If it bothers you, you can check it... But it will work just as well, the way you have it.. possibly better.  I would leave it alone.

You are fortunate in having 8 real cores in your CPU.. Many of us are fussing around with 4 cores and Hyperthreading which leads to the AffinityMask discussion.

Edited June 12, 2020 by Bert Pieke

[Mace 1,928]

18 minutes ago, sikke said:

I found the way to set the affinity setting and the box for processor 0 was not checked. I don't know what the reason is that it's unchecked but after a restart it was unchecked again??? What could be the reason for this?

Now you know why I don't use the affinity checkboxes.

I would leave affinity alone too, for now.  I would want to make sure I didn't have running processes that were excessively eating cpu time.  Only once I had P3D running well would I want to mess with affinity. 

[W2DR 1,860]

Maybe I've had a little too much wine, but I just have to  say this.....there is absolutely, positively, and without doubt, nothing wrong with your CPU usage. With no affinity mask setting the main-thread core will always run at 98-100%. And, I strongly agree with the advice above to leave well-enough alone. Unless you REALLY know what you're doing you have a much greater chance of making things worse than of making things better (if there is a "better" for your system. All mileage is variable)..........Doug