FPS Bottoms out randomly due to nil GPU Utilization

[mordeaniischaos 3]

Recently I've been having an issue where my frame rate bottoms out (sub 1fps) out of nowhere. Nothing occurs in game to increase the stress on my system, and when I look at resource manager and the like, nothing seems to be wrong. I'm not running low on Memory (16GB), my CPU isn't being hit by anything else, however my GPU utilization basically disappears. The card never goes over 70 degrees, so it's not overheating (max temp of 90-something and average load temps for the card seem to be in the 80s). No other games have any issues. I've included video of what happens. I've run tests to try and get it to happen in stable but it has yet to happen. In Dev Branch it always happens and doesn't take long to happen so I'm confident it's an issue with this particular branch.

 

 

i7 3770K
16GB DDR3
Samsung 850 Evo (install location)
MSI 980ti

 

Video of what is happening: Video shows with mods but the issue occurs the same without mods.

[darkfurby1 18]

Your vids are private.. So we can't watch it right now ;)

[Greenfist 1863]

I don't think this has anything to do with GPU utilization - it's not the cause, but a symptom. The game chokes for some other reason, and can't produce more than 1 fps, which the GPU has no trouble processing. Hence the low usage.

 

You're not the only one with this issue, I've had it too on the dev branch. This has also been discussed briefly in the general dev branch thread, but there's no clear fix to it apparently.

 

I recently changed my memory allocator from the default to 'system', and I haven't had the drops since. Could be totally unrelated though. And I can't say for sure yet, because I've only played for maybe 5 hours with it.

[mordeaniischaos 3]

I don't think this has anything to do with GPU utilization - it's not the cause, but a symptom. The game chokes for some other reason, and can't produce more than 1 fps, which the GPU has no trouble processing. Hence the low usage.

 

You're not the only one with this issue, I've had it too on the dev branch. This has also been discussed briefly in the general dev branch thread, but there's no clear fix to it apparently.

 

I recently changed my memory allocator from the default to 'system', and I haven't had the drops since. Could be totally unrelated though.

Possibly, but what is clear is that if there IS a hardware issue, it's relating to the GPU because everything else continues on as normal. Otherwise, it's not hardware related and is in fact some oddball issue causing the framerate to drop.

I'm curious if others are seeing the LOD stuff that I was seeing when it happened. Fixed the videos, not sure why on earth they were private. Let me know if you saw the same stuff cropping up? And I will try the memory allocation suggestion to see if the problem persists.

[darkfurby1 18]

When you play arma, try to alt+tab and open the taskmanager.

Click on performance ( the one you can see your cpu statistics ).

And play arma again.

When you have the framedrops, just alt+tab and look in your taskmanager. 

 

You can now see, if there is something weird with your cpu or ram.

If not, try to Verify Integrity Of The Game Cache in steam.

 

 

PS: Nice rig! I got:

 

i7 6700K

16GB DDR4
Samsung 850 Evo (install location)
ASUS STRIX 980TI OC

 

I get around 90 fps on a dedicated escape server :D

[St. Jimmy 272]

What graphic drivers you've?

Launch parameters?

[mordeaniischaos 3]

When you play arma, try to alt+tab and open the taskmanager.

Click on performance ( the one you can see your cpu statistics ).

And play arma again.

When you have the framedrops, just alt+tab and look in your taskmanager. 

 

You can now see, if there is something weird with your cpu or ram.

If not, try to Verify Integrity Of The Game Cache in steam.

 

 

PS: Nice rig! I got:

 

i7 6700K

16GB DDR4

Samsung 850 Evo (install location)

ASUS STRIX 980TI OC

 

I get around 90 fps on a dedicated escape server :D

Like I said in my original post, no memory or CPU issues. Both are normal. Including temps. Had various hardware monitors on my second screen while testing the issue.

 

not only have I verified but I've moved back and forth between stable and dev a few times.

 

 

What graphic drivers you've?

Launch parameters?

latest nvidia drivers for my 980ti

CPU count, maxmem, maxvram, no logs.

[St. Jimmy 272]

latest nvidia drivers for my 980ti

CPU count, maxmem, maxvram, no logs.

Try 362.00 or 361.92. There have been reports about the latest drivers not performing well.

[darkfurby1 18]

Try launchparameters:

- ExThreads : File operations, Texture loading, Geometry loading

- Enable Hyper-Threading

- No Logs

 

Uncheck:

- CPU count

- Maxmem

- Maxvram

 

Maybe try:

- Malloc: system

[fareast 20]

i get that whenever i use custom malloc..try the default tbb4malloc_bi

[jumpinghubert 49]

My dropping to 1 fps behavior in devbranch was caused by fred42`s custom malloc. Using this "-malloc=tbb4malloc_bi" in the shortcut fixed it on my end.

[St. Jimmy 272]

Well if it's about the custom malloc then remember next time mention that when you're asked about launch parameters :D

[ruPal 143]

My dropping to 1 fps behavior in devbranch was caused by fred42`s custom malloc. Using this "-malloc=tbb4malloc_bi" in the shortcut fixed it on my end.

Was it really freds malloc or any other malloc except tbb4malloc_bi? I have strong feeling that BI tries different ways to move away from that kind of optimisation and that is pity.

[eric514 0]

I have the same problem since the new update. After 5min of play frames drop to 1-2fps and sometimes crashes right after with ACCESS VIOLATION.

Tried verifying, reinstalling, and rolling back drivers. Nothing works.

 

I7, 16gb, 970M

[Isaacdevil 0]

What the f*** is this?? I got this today as well.... F***ing hell.

[Isaacdevil 0]

Could this be because of an update today which was about 1GB? ..

[mordeaniischaos 3]

Try 362.00 or 361.92. There have been reports about the latest drivers not performing well.

There are always such reports. The problem lies with the dev branch, so even if it is interacting with the drivers, it's an issue on the software's side most likely. The game runs FINE with these drivers in stable, as do all other games for me. The only truly new tech in Dev branch seems to be the SSRs which have never been present when I've had this issue.

[mordeaniischaos 3]

Well if it's about the custom malloc then remember next time mention that when you're asked about launch parameters :D

my malloc was blank. So I'd assume it's default? I've never messed with that particular setting.

using 

 

Try launchparameters:

- ExThreads : File operations, Texture loading, Geometry loading

- Enable Hyper-Threading

- No Logs

 

Uncheck:

- CPU count

- Maxmem

- Maxvram

 

Maybe try:

- Malloc: system

the issue seems to have gone away, but I'm not entirely certain what it was. My Malloc setting was completely blank so I don't really know what that means. If unchanged should it be blank? Now there are actual options in the drop down and I have it set to system, previously the drop down menu was empty.

[eric514 0]

-malloc=tbb4malloc_bi    WORKED FOR ME

[Greenfist 1863]

my malloc was blank. So I'd assume it's default? I've never messed with that particular setting.

 

the issue seems to have gone away, but I'm not entirely certain what it was. My Malloc setting was completely blank so I don't really know what that means. If unchanged should it be blank? Now there are actual options in the drop down and I have it set to system, previously the drop down menu was empty.

The default allocator is tbb4malloc_bi, so that's what it used when your setting was blank.

[BrAdolf 1]

This is ridiculous, yesterday my game was working perfectly - now i get home and steam downloads and installs the latest update, now the game runs fine for the first 5-10mins, then bombs out to 1fps. Game at the moment is unplayable on my PC. I don't run mods, i haven't altered the game in any way at all. So goddamn frustrating.

[teabagginpeople 398]

Is this the psychic hotline?

More information. Gpu. Gpu driver. Mission. things you have tried. Example the recommended verifying the game after update.

You probably are getting this solely as a result of the update. But any and all information is still useful.

Is it Dev branch? New stable 1.58?

[Dwarden 1125]

FYI: everyone who has sudden fps/stability issues and use 3rd party allocator / system allocator or obsolete allocators, switch to default TBB4 allocator (same as none defined)

+

1.58.135689 profiling & performance v1 server and client, windows/linux

* more fixes of crashes, joining mp game and VON

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/582opsto4mmr8d8/3BSy9PdRGm

[I give up 152]

Recently I've been having an issue where my frame rate bottoms out (sub 1fps) out of nowhere. Nothing occurs in game to increase the stress on my system, and when I look at resource manager and the like, nothing seems to be wrong. I'm not running low on Memory (16GB), my CPU isn't being hit by anything else, however my GPU utilization basically disappears. The card never goes over 70 degrees, so it's not overheating (max temp of 90-something and average load temps for the card seem to be in the 80s). No other games have any issues. I've included video of what happens. I've run tests to try and get it to happen in stable but it has yet to happen. In Dev Branch it always happens and doesn't take long to happen so I'm confident it's an issue with this particular branch.

 

 

i7 3770K

16GB DDR3

Samsung 850 Evo (install location)

MSI 980ti

 

Video of what is happening: Video shows with mods but the issue occurs the same without mods.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R74sBczOxbo&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIOdWo78ywI&feature=youtu.be

Thats a bottleneck on GPU (and CPU) because memory is not being refreshed under acceptable timings, Try a different allocator.