Processor C1 transitions go haywire after 5 minutes of playing

[Sekra 10]

I was under the impression that my computer is not fast enough to play ArmA2 unless with the very minimum graphics. So that is what I've been doing, going all the way to minimum graphics to get decent fps most of the time to play the game BUT last night I noticed something. And I've been experimenting today after I slept. I notice that I can play with "normal" gfx settings with "good" fps (20-40 even 60) depending on location (NOTE! the FPS does not change that much except when changing location even in a empty mission in editor with ONLY the player unit on the map). Then after about 4min 37 seconds of playing it hits *POOF* the FPS drops to around 5-8. And from all the various experimenting I've done I found out that the C1 Transitions / sec in both of my cores starts doing a rollercoaster going from 0 to max back to 0 and max etc RIGHT when the bad FPS starts. From what I've googled and talked with other in IRC I've found out that C1 means that my processor is trying to enter some sort of sleep mode? I have a screenshot of my performance monitor doing it but since I dont have a place to host it without affecting my home internet I can email (or smth like that) the picture to any dev who wants it. (fastest way to contact me is via IRC, at least Dwarden knows where :P)

I'm using the steam version of the game and I've tried this with the 190.38 whql and 186.18 whql drivers. I get nothing special in the arma2.rpt since it doesnt crash, it just drops the FPS to approx 1/3 of what it is for the first about 5 minutes or so. I've tried disabling every power saving feature I can find from bios and from windows 7 but same happens every time.

Full specs:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 (running at default speed, 2.13ghz)

GeForce 8800GTS (g80 chip) 640mb

2gb ram (also tried with 3gb and 4gb)

Win7 RC 32-bit build 7100

Gigabyte 965P-DS3 rev2.0 mobo

Is there something in your code that is trying to tell my processor to enter sleepmode?? and the thing works like clockwork, in editor, in singleplayer.... always a little under 5 minutes of playing.

Edit:

If you want to check if this happens to you do this:

Windows 7

Control Panel -> Performance Information and Tools -> Advanced tools

Then Open Performance Monitor.

Click Performance Monitor on the left and then the green plus (+) sign to add some counters.

Look for Processor and add C1 Transitions / sec counters for all of your cores.

Start ArmA2, go to editor, put a player and start preview. You can start the ingame watch by doublepressing O by default key.

For me its always around 5 minutes and the FPS drops like a stone to 5-8 and doesnt come up anymore. At the exact same moment

my C1 Transitions / sec go haywire in the performance graphs. I sometimes get a bit smaller jitter at about 2-3minutes but that shows nothing

in the performance monitor logs. I use Fraps for FPS (also tried without fraps to see if that is the problem and used the addon for FPS and same thing again).

Edited July 23, 2009 by Sekra
Added instructions for checking if you have the same

[Baff1 0]

It's the streaming terrain I should think mate.

Your FPS collapse while you are loading the next segment of the map from your hard drive.

Your CPU should max out for that part also.

[Sekra 10]

Changing viewdistance from 1600 to 4000 didnt change the time this happens. I dont even have to move for this to happen. Or other version is that I fly in a helicopter all around and the FPS is fine until 5 minutes is played. Just start editor preview or mission, wait about 5 minutes and poof. CPU temperature is around 55-60 celsius so its not that either.

---------- Post added at 09:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:42 PM ----------

I added instructions to the first post on how to check if you have the same problem

Edited July 23, 2009 by Sekra

[guynumber7 0]

I have 3Gb of DDR2 ram, a 55nm GTX 260 and the same processer as you except overclocked to 2.4 ghz. and i get similer problems. I have to run on low settings and i still get horrible FPS. However, it sometimes runs pretty good, but other times it slows down. it is odd, and this processer is capeable of more than just low settings. its not thst bad....just needs optomization.

[sickboy 13]

What build of Win7?

I think I had it at 7201 and below, since 7600 (16385) im not sure I have come across it. (x64)

Have you tried both fullscreen and windowed mode?

(Im testing right now)

Upd; Didn't happen in windowed mode. Just see you're on Core2, i'm on i7, so my results might not be applicable to yours :(

Edited July 23, 2009 by Sickboy

[thr0tt 12]

Turn off cool n quiet if its enabled, I gained 2 fps doing this.

[Cpt.Goose 10]

Go into your BIOS and disable the C1 State for the CPU. There should be an option under the CPU section to allow it or not allow it to enter C1 state and other various power saving modes.

I'm not saying this is a perm. fix but for the mean time if it helps, then let the Devs know what you found so they can look into it further.

[Sekra 10]

Right now I'm taking the gfx card apart and cleaning it in case its overheating which I doubt since other games run just fine.

Sickboy: My win7 is the RC so its the 7100 build. And yes I've tried both windowed and fullscreen. I've gone through whole list in Dwardens Steam sticky with no help on the problem

Thr0tt: Gaining 2FPS hardly counters losing 15-35FPS because suddenly the CPU gets throttled apparently by something it really should not be doing.

And again I need to stress this thing:

It does not really matter what gfx settings I'm running. Minimum or "normal". The first 5 minutes the game runs just fine and then the FPS drops to very low.

Edit:

Cpt. Goose: Allready done that, like I explained in my post, I disabled just about everything related in bios and win7 I could think of. No effect on the problem.

Edited July 23, 2009 by Sekra

[no use for a name 0]

I've got the same cpu oc'd to 3.2 ghz; but I don't see this problem (I just tried it in the editor myself). I also have speedstep enabled. Not sure why it happens on your system. could it be a heat issue and it's trying to throttle down to keep from overheating?

[Sekra 10]

ummm. yeah.. I was just taking general peeks inside the case to see if it has much dust.. I even vacuumed it.. so in the end I decided to remove the gfx card, open up the cooler case and see whats inside... the only thing I can say is.. holy crap...

took a few other pics but dont care to upload those.. I think that this makes the point....

Edited July 24, 2009 by Sekra

[volkov956 0]

lol u must be near a dryer

[bangtail 0]

I'm glad you found that before it did some real damage :)

Eth

[-=seany=- 5]

Yep, same thing happened to me, was driving me nuts. Your core will have been up to 105c when the game was slowing down. It amazes me the chips can take such heat.

As I have mentioned before, it may look cool but it is a really bad design for collecting dust.

[Bulldogs 10]

Fans are bad design in general. You should always have good filter systems on your case, problem being that if you don't clean the filters once a month then you cook your PC.

If your PC is sitting on a carpet, place a large plastic sheet undernearth your PC. The fans create static which draws the lint and fibres straight into the PC, place a plastic sheet underneath and the lint and fibres stick to the bottom of the sheet instead.

[no use for a name 0]

lol! at first that screen looked like sawdust in a motor or something