New issue - FPS drop after 3-5min

[Deform 10]

Hello.

Description:

I have always played with around 30 fps with normal settings. But recently my fps has been dropping to 10-13 after 3-5 minutes of playing, even if Im in editor alone and using low settings.

Computer specs:

Windows 7 64bit

Intel® Core 2 Duo CPU E8400 @3.1GHz

4Gb RAM

AMD Radeon 5700 HD 1GB

Things I tryed:

- Updated windows

- Updated all drivers

- Changing windows theme to Classic

- Changing settings in Cataclysm control center (performance mode)

- Overclocking in Cataclysm control center

- Changing launcher parameters in Arma III Launcher (use all cores etc)

- Change in-game settings (low - normal - vsync on/off)

- Ran registry cleaner

- Scanned viruses

- Disabled anti-virus / firewall

- Closed all other unnecessary backround programs

Things i noticed:

While game is running. I tryed went to Windows task manager, and noticed that my CPU usage was only like 15-30%, which is pretty low in my opinion since ARMA should affect CPU usage alot. Then I went to Cataclysm Control center and noticed that my CPU temperature was around 30-50'c, which is also way too low since Im using Overclocking.

I have formated my computer like 1 week ago, and all the above things has been done after that. I did have this issue before format aswell and that was one reason I did format in the first place.

So do you think my processor is giving up or something? Or any other suggestion I could try?

Thanks in advance

- Deform

[forteh 11]

It sounds as though it is running out of ram and starting to use the page file. I often see ram usage go up to 4-5gb when running arma, install msi afterburner and set the system ram to display on the OSD, that way you can keep a tab on how much is currently used. If it's using the pagefile the hard disk will be thrashing while it transfers data, while this is happening the arma engine is constantly trying to stream map data etc. so will drag the whole lot down whilst it's waiting for the hard disk.

Try setting the maxmem limit to 2-3gb and see if that stops it thrashing the pagefile, if not then you should really be looking to put more ram in there.

edit: the symptoms may have only recently started due to a patch affecting how the engine handles ram, it could be that the ram usage has increased and is now causing you to run out of ram. Typically I expect w7 to be using 1.0-1.5gb ram idling, if you add that arma3 can utilise up to 3.2gb on top of that (plus any other software running) you have burnt through your 4gb without an issue and windows will start writing to the pagefile.

edit2: the low cpu temperature is nothing to worry about, because it isn't working hard it won't be generating heat. My i5-750@4ghz idles at 30°C, full load on all four cores at 62°C and averages about 45-50°C when playing arma.

Edited November 26, 2014 by forteh

[stephsen 79]

what for mods are in use ?

[Deform 10]

@forteh

Thanks for the reply. I try install afterburner right now and I also changed max memory use to be max 3.6gb in ARMA III Launcher. I update when I get some results.

@stephsen

While I've been testing and trying different things I havent used any mods.

[forteh 11]

You will need to set it below that, I believe the maxmem command sets the maximum amount of ram that can be allocated to arma3 rather than the current installed system ram.

You have 4gb total, windows will use nominally 1.5gb which leaves you with a pool of 2.5gb left before you start to need the pagefile (although I think windows will normally start paging before you completely run out of ram). Try setting arma to 1.5gb and see if the hard disk is thrashing and dropping fps, if it doesn't then up the maxmem a little at a time (say 0.25gb at a time) until you start running out of ram and then back the maxmem down a touch to allow you some headroom.

[jshock 512]

What about scripts? If some scripts aren't either working properly and/or aren't made correctly there could be a looping issue or otherwise that could bring FPS down.