Arma3 and the /LARGEADDRESSAWARE flag (memory allocation > 2GB)

[Dwarden 1125]

fred41 is away for week, so don't panic ;) he will get back on the track when he returns

[spanishsurfer 58]

Today's DEV changelog:

Does this mean we should remove the tbbmalloc parameter when this is released on non-dev patch?

[Dwarden 1125]

no it means it's only available on DEV branch ...

[spanishsurfer 58]

no it means it's only available on DEV branch ...

Yes I understood that it's only on DEV. However, once it's on the main branch should we remove the tbbmalloc parameter.

[Dwarden 1125]

Yes I understood that it's only on DEV. However, once it's on the main branch should we remove the tbbmalloc parameter.

no, fred41's allocator is different to ours, e.g. ours don't support the large/huge pages

[kremator 1065]

Wll BIS support huge pages in time?

[spanishsurfer 58]

Dwarden, I know you answered a similar question in the previous page. However, which memory allocator is the most beneficial to a server that hosts 49 people in the BECTI mission: the new one released today, or Freds malloc file?

What about on a clients computer, which memory allocator should we use then?

[fred41 42]

Dwarden, I know you answered a similar question in the previous page. However, which memory allocator is the most beneficial to a server that hosts 49 people in the BECTI mission: the new one released today, or Freds malloc file?

What about on a clients computer, which memory allocator should we use then?

@SpanishSurfer, while i am not dwarden, i think i can answer your question.

With todays stable branch update, a new allocator, based on intels latest build (4.2 update 3) is available for everybody.

This allocator has some improvements, compared with the old default allocator, and i hope that BI's developers continue,

to optimize this important part of the arma distribution.

Generally i would say:

If you have a 64bit OS and 8GB+ RAM and you are able to set the required privileg (lock pages in memory) and manage a clear system,

then you should still use 'tbbmalloc for arma'. It's just still a bit faster, especially because of LP usage. (See initial post, for an updated list of advantages).

If you don't have a modern system or you just prefer the easy way, you have a good allocator with the unmodified latest stock allocator from intel (BI's default allocator) too.

If you are still in doubt, just compare it in real life :)

Greets,

Fred41

[spanishsurfer 58]

That's enough info for me Fred, I'll stick with your allocator. Thank you!

[fred41 42]

... i am looking for testers (server admins), to test the long time stability of a new 'tbbmalloc for arma' build ...

Requirements:

- root server (full restart once, is required)

- 64bit OS, 8GB+ RAM

- admin should be familiar with 'tbbmalloc for arma' and able to setup it correctly (lock pages in memory privilege)

- server instance should run stable and proved mission(s) and be mostly well populated

- instance should run at least 2 days without restart

Motivation:

Normally the amount of memory allocated by arma server increases over time and a instance restart is required at least each few days.

The goal of this test is, to find out if the memory consumption of this new allocator is significantly lower for a long running instance,

compared with other allocators (old and new default BIS allocators, current stable tbbmalloc).

Please PM me, if you are interested and able to help here,

Fred41

Edited April 26, 2014 by Fred41

[ruPal 143]

I have found that when I run Arma3 as administrator. Xpadder stops working and facetracknoir stops wotking too. Well facetracknoir works but when I assign key this key do nothing. Xpadder key assign don't work too.

When I start game without administrator rights then everything works. In both situations I run game with -malloc=tbbmalloc.

:(

[fred41 42]

... hmmm, i am trying to understand your problem, but i am a bit unsure ...

How are your applications working, when you use arma without 'malloc=tbbmalloc' and as administrator?

Why do you start arma as administrator?

Edited April 15, 2014 by Fred41

[ruPal 143]

Thank you, fred! Yes, I will do some other research. I start arma as administrator cause I saw this in how-to on github:

Make sure your arma user account has this privilege set in your local security policies settings (secpol.msc, restart required). If your useraccount, which you use to start arma, is member of the administrator group, you have to start arma as administrator!

When I start it without admin privileges, I get this in log:

SeLockMemoryPrivilege: denied, huge pages disabled

UPDATE: I tested it again and found that this problem appear only in game run with admin privileges. This problem isn't connected with "-malloc=". It is possible to run game without admin privileges, but I get this "SeLockMemoryPrivilege: denied, huge pages disabled", am I get any performance boost then?

Edited April 16, 2014 by Kukus

[TheBigOne_014 16]

Go to the proprieties of arma3.exe or arma3server.exe and in the compatibility tab, select run this as administrator. ;)

[ruPal 143]

But then I will get problem with xpadder and facetracknoir.

[fred41 42]

But then I will get problem with xpadder and facetracknoir.

Ok, i think i understand your problem now. Your both applications arent working if arma is started as administrator, right?

So the only way to make large pages available for arma, is that you make a new, normal user account (without admin rights) and log in this account for running arma.

Don't forget to set the 'lock pages in memory' privilege for this new acccount and to restart once.

That should work, because you now can start arma normally (as non admin user).

Hope it helps,

Fred41

[ruPal 143]

Thank you, Fred41. I solved this problem. I had to run both programs with admin privileges. But If I get performance boost it is ok.:)

[ikomiko 10]

Hello, i tried the newest malloc in dayz standalone, but i have some graphical glitches. is there a way to fix it? it only happens when i look at a specific angle and it affects only the hud and the inventory.

thanks

Edited April 26, 2014 by ikomiko

[lordprimate 159]

i see a tbbmalloc_rc.zip whats the password to test?

[fred41 42]

@ikomiko, that looks like a video card driver problem. An update could help, probably.

@Lordprimate, this rc is a test binary only (see post #335 for details).

[kremator 1065]

Any comments on the new PERF binary released by BIS? Anything that can be tweaked within tbbmalloc to make it EVEN better (for servers primarily)?

[jonekone 1]

http://pastebin.com/vvhrX5SK

I just tried the maloc, and got this.. :( Seems like it doesn't want to work proper

Ok so I actually loaded the Wasteland Mission By Sa-Matra went to a 60 player server and this is what happened! : ) It seems to work.. Thx.

http://pastebin.com/7EBNUfN4

game session.

http://pastebin.com/adbi9wSC

Edited April 27, 2014 by JoneKone

[Viba 1]

4 Gigabytes of ram is not enough for the large pages.

[fred41 42]

@Kremator,

i had a short look at the latest (PERF5) yesterday.

The new range for maxmem (..3072) is a nice advantage. It increases the size of the large section object, from ~1,6GB to ~2,8GB.

That should result in better streaming performance, especially on altis map.

The only thing, that you as admin should keep in mind:

it can only accelerate, if you really have the physical RAM, so that this section object is not paged to disk.

So, if you use, for example, a large RAMdisc for your addon folder, it perhaps would make sense to free this allocated RAM

and make it available for your OS memory manager.

@JoneKone, indeed 4GB is not enough to have the advantage of large pages available. I wrote you an PM.

@Viba, thanks :)

[DaViSFiT 21]

Fred, our server have 32GB Ram, we use 12GB Ram Disk because the server only have 2HDDxRaid0 and not very fast ones. The loading and reaction times are (feels like) 5-6times faster and it react faster on new loads on the server. Will the ramdisk make trouble on the alloc? If we had SSD, i wont make this but atm its really neccesary. We use perf5 and your dll. Not always the newest but nearly up to date ;) Its a full time job to pimp this arma stuff ;)