Problem with video/graphics stuttering - RAM/i7 related?

[Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz 10]

Hey everyone!

Sorry in advance. I know I've posted in a few other topics but I figured it would be easiest for me to track this problem (and for other people with similar problems to find this topic easily).

I'm experiencing major problems with graphics stuttering in-game.

Right off the bat, this is my new system, which I purchased last night, specifically designed to handle (hopefully) ArmA 2:

Intel i7 920 @ 2.66 GHz (not overclocked)

NVIDIA GTX 285

12GB of DDR3 tri-channel RAM

Windows Vista 64-bit

To clarify, when I say "stuttering" I mean that the game seems to be running beautifully (~30 - 40+ fps), however it is mauled by intermittent stuttering, or brief 0.5 - 1 second periods of completely haulted graphics.

So, I end up seeing smooth gameplay and great FPS for 4-7 seconds, and then it completely freezes for 0.5-1 second, then great for another 4-7 seconds, then it freezes for 0.5-1 second.

Maybe this isn't so bad if you're just walking on foot, but we all know that ArmA 2 is a huge game, and in a high-intensity moment in a helicopter or a jet, 0.5-1 second lag every 4-7 seconds could result in a less-than-pleasant landing into a tree or the side of a mountain.

I've spoken to a few people about this issue, and they have mentioned a couple of possible suspects:

-hyperthreading; apparently a problem with i7 processors? I'm not entirely sure what it is (I'm not very PC-savvy)

-inability of ArmA 2 to recognize your PC's RAM or your video card's RAM

-graphic/video settings in-game (specifically Texture Detail, Object Detail, and View Distance)

-PhysX engine / VSYNC under NVIDIA control panel

I haven't touched the hyperthreading thing yet because I was warned to stay away, that it doesn't make much of a difference either way.

I have tried tweaking all video settings in hundreds of different combinations, but none of them seem to have a significant impact, more importantly no impact on the stuttering. With all graphic settings completely minimized, I'm capped at like 60 fps, but I still get stuttering every 4-7 seconds.

I tried de-activating my PhysX engine and my VSYNC options under my NVIDIA control panel, and surprisingly my performance decreased considerably by de-activating the VSYNC option (force off).

So, I have heard some whispers here-and-there in various threads about adding a -winxp diddly to my start-up hoodad. Or possibly modifying some thinga-majigger in my ArmA2.cfg file.

Opening my ArmA2.cfg file, I see at the bottom:

localVRAM=2146959360;

nonlocalVRAM=2146959360;

I'm not entirely sure if that implies that ArmA 2 is only recognizing 2 MB or 2 GB of my RAM?

Anyways, sorry for the massive wall of text. To anyone who reads it and can't provide any advice, thank you for taking the time to read it, and for anyone with any advice at all, please feel free to post a response!

I love ArmA 2, and I think it's one of the best games I've played; I just want to be able to play it without the stuttering! ;)

[datter 0]

As I mentioned in your other thread, I believe those numbers are bits not bytes which means ArmA2 thinks you have 255mb of vram, which is better than 2mb but of course not exactly optimal. I have the exact same problem, and nearly the same numbers in my CFG file... all related to having "too much" RAM apparently. I don't get stutters from is so much as a complete crash after 10 or 15min of play. It's basically forced me to shelve ArmA2 until a fix comes along.

Very frustrating.

[Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz 10]

Hmmm... I'm at my wits end. I really want to play, but the stuttering makes it nigh unplayable.

[Blacken 10]

I am having some stuttering also, but not so often. But my game crashes like 24/7 :( its unplayable.

[Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz 10]

Ahh.. so my options at this point seem to be:

1. live with it

2. wait and hope it becomes optimized?

[purgi 10]

Disabling the Hyperthreading. Doesn't hurt to give it a try. Seems to affect different people different ways. HT enabled causes huge stutters and low FPS on my i7/GTX295. Disable it and I get no stutters and excellent performance.

[Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz 10]

Oh wow - Ok, I'll give the hyperthreading thing a try.

Can someone please tell me how I can do it? You can be brief, but I don't know how to do basically anything... I'd need instructions from the start; i.e. "click the start button, go to control panel, open such-and-such" etc.

Please, and thank you very much!

[W0lle 1052]

You posted your issue, as you admitted in your first post already, in atleast one other thread. And because that's not enough or not convient enough for you, you decide to clutter the forums even more, forcing other people with the same issue to read through dozens of similiar threads which may have the answer.

I will not merge this thread with the sticky performance thread since this ain't an accident but happened on purpose. :mad:

Please, for the sake of the other people: Use one thread for your problems instead making a new one - especially if you know there are existing threads!