Speed issues (not mq related)

[skoop]

So I have this problem with my computer, I'm not sure if this would be the right place or even forum to post this, but I figured I might give it a try at least because I can't come up with any solution on my own.

Pasting what I put on my guild forum with no replies below.

So last year I built this computer and it worked fine and such, although I was quite disappointed in the average FPS I would get in various games, including EverQuest, so I finally gave in and bought a new graphics card.
The difference between the old and new are zero, neither up or down, it's exactly the same.

So since I'm not super good with PC hardware I figured I'd ask and see if any of you can point out what in my computer is the bottleneck. The specs are as follows;

AMD 64 3700+ (San Diego, 1mb cache)
Asus A8V (http://usa.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=15&l3=68&model=478&modelmenu=1)
BFG Tech 7600GS Overclocked 512MB AGP (http://www.bfgtech.com/7600GS_512.html)
Western Digital Raptor 36gb x2 in a raid1 configuration (http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=872&p_created=1039465570)
ADATA 1024MB PC3200 DDR400mhz 184pins x2 (http://www.adata.com.tw/adata_en/product_detail.php?ProductNo=62)

Case is some Qtec that's cute but nothing special with a 350W PSU.

Prior to updating my graphics card I had a GeForce 6600 GT with 256mb DDR3 memory. As mentioned the difference between using the cards is none, there just doesn't seem to be one.

Before saying it's the AGP port (although I guess it could be) I know that a friend of mine runs a somewhat slower computer with a ATI X1300 graphics card on AGP with shadows and everything on, without lag.

Example of speed for me, when clearing in Demi Plane and we're packed close, like at the zone in I get about 17-23FPS. I have some new models on, some off I'd say about half of each. 1280x1024 resolution, textures and such on high setting, no sound.

If any of you know what part, or parts, it is that potentialy could be a bottleneck in this build, please let me know!

 

[gladimus]

Resolution could be the problem but check your in game settings.

Sky off?
Particle Effects?
Spell Effects?

Try some of these!

Here are a few things you can do to improve your gameplay. Having the right settings will boost your zone time / lag if you have a less then stellar PC.

Tweaking Windows for Optimum EQ Performance

There are a few Windows tweaks, easily setup even without much computer knowledge, that can help YOU get the most out of EverQuest! These tweaks are ideal for those of us who still play on old, dinosaur-esque computers, run multiple accounts on the same machine, or people with decent computers who just want to joice every last bit of performance they can out of EQ. Of course, neither I nor rpgexpert.com are responsible for any damages arising out of use of these tweaks, so use 'em at your own risk... but you should be fine. First of all...
Drivers
If you use a newer video card supported by EverQuest, check out the EverQuest website to ensure that you have the most recent video card driver for your card.
Also, some people have reported that, when using an NVidia based video card, a third-party tweak from The Guru of 3D called, aptly, GeForce Tweak Utility, can help to increase EverQuest performance. If you'd be interested in trying it out, go to this website and follow the appropriate links. Depending on your computer prowess, you may wish to download one of the guides to help get you started.
Once you've installed the program, run it and use the fast settings, then choose D3D and enable the option that says, "Enable Fog Emulation."
Clean Run Environment

One of the most obvious, yet overlooked, reasons for poor EQ performance is too many background processes. Most programs these days will put some form of annoying key in your registry or startup folder, causing an app to load up whenever you start a new windows session. If you use these programs a lot, that's great -- but if you want a quick fix to shut down down those processes before you settle in for a nice day of EQ gaming, try this.
Press CTRL + ALT + DELETE to open up Task Manager. A new window should appear. If you're using WinXP, select the "Processes" tab and sort the list by username. Now, close anything that's not a SYSTEM, LOCAL SERVICE, or NETWORK SERVICE, except for taskmgr, rundll32, and explorer. If you're using another version of Windows, simply repeat the same step, without having to bother with the "Processes" tab.
After you've done, load up EverQuest. It's time to slay the dragon!
(Note: It is possible to change your registry values so those programs won't open with every new Windows session. Depending on the feedback this guide gets, I'll post a guide on how to do that, too.)
RAM
Of course, the easiest way to get the most out of your RAM is by buying more of it. It's not terribly expensive, and the difference between a system with 128MB and 512MB is very noticable. Of course, there are other routes you can take to ensure you're getting the most out of your current system.
With many RAM intensive games, such as EverQuest, a lot of time your RAM will "fill up," and a lot of data will get turned into virtual memory and read from your hard drive as RAM. Because of this, the "distance" between chunks of data can become a problem, slowing down reading of data. A quick remedy for this is to complete the following steps weekly:
To begin, click Start > Settings > Control Panel, and click on System. Then click Performance > Virtual Memory, and click the option to DISABLE Virtual Memory. You'll recieve a warning, but ignore it, and move on. Once you're done, reboot your system, run a scandisk, defrag your hard drive, and then turn on virtual memory again.
EverQuest Settings

In Game Settings
Of course, lowering your graphical settings can also help to increase performance. Luclin models off, particle effects off, names off, clip plane down... etc, etc, etc. As much as you can stand to get your machine running EQ as best it can. Simply press ALT + O, or press the Options button in your Window Select toolbar, to open up the Options menu, then click the "Display" tab.
eqclient.ini
Simply browse to your EQ folder (usually Crogram FilesEverQuest), open up eqclient.ini, and ensure that the following line is listed:
ServerFilter=1
This option was specifically designed to help lag issues by filtering out stuff you have turned off at the server rather than at you computer.
datarate.txt
Also in your EQ directory is a file called "DataRate.txt." This file is simply a number, 5.0 by default. This is the maximum the allowable data packet size, in kilobits, your client will accept from the EQ server. Its the number on the right of the green (usually) lag-o-meter on your screen in game. If the number on the right goes over the number in your DataRate.txt file x1000k (5.0 in the file = 5000 on the lag meter), you will probably be disconnected. Change the setting of that file based on what kind of connection you have.

Dial-up 7.0
DSL 8.0
Cable 9.0
Cache
If you're hurting in the RAM department, changing your Windows settings to flush the disk cache may lend you better EverQuest performance. The process is also, actually, quite simple, as intimidating as it sounds.
First of all, open up system.ini (do this by clicking Start > Run > system.ini). Now, try and find a line that says [vcache[. If you don't see it there, simply type it exactly as you see it here, between square brackets.
If you have more than 320MB of RAM, add the following lines under [vcache].
minfilecache=16384
maxfilecache=16384
chunksize=1024
namecache=6144
directorycache=128
AllocPageFixed=Off
And if you have less than 320MB of RAM, add the following.
minfilecache=8192
maxfilecache=8192
chunksize=1024
namecache=2150
directorycache=44
AllocPageFixed=Off
Before you save your changes to system.ini, add these lines under the [386enh] section. It should be there, but again, if it's not -- just type it in.
LocalLoadHigh=0
DMABufferSize=64
32BitDiskAccess=on
pagebuffers=32
MinTimeSlice=40
And that's it! Save changes to system.ini, reboot, and log on to EverQuest!


DMA
Finally, to juice that last bit of performance from your computer, turn on DMA. DMA enables your hard drive to write directly to the RAM, without having to pass through the CPU, and is one of the leading causes of poor computer gaming performance.
If you use a version of Windows other than XP, simply right click on the "My Computer" icon on your desktop, choose "Properties," select "Device Manager," choose your hard drive, choose "Properties," then "Settings," and finally, click Enable DMA.
On WinXP, again, right click "My Computer," only this time select "Manage." Then choose "Device Manger," click "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers," double-click the IDE channel you'd like to change, click on the Advanced Settings Tab, and set Transfer Mode to "DMA if available" on both devices.
-info taken from www.rpgsecret.com by unknown author

 

[Taron]

That doesn't sound like too bad of a fps, unless my build is set up wrong as well. I'm running dual 7900 GT's overclocked and push only 40-50fps on raids. I did find that moving texture detail from High to Medium made an impact on my fps moreso than changing the resolution or anything else (except shadows.. damn that memory hogging shadow option).

I thought you were going to say you were getting 10fps. And do you have unnecessary background stuff running? (cough antivirus).

 

[JimJohnson]

What FPS do you get in other games?
My first guess would be your agp drivers on your board, but I would assume you already did this as you mentioned it. Try to reduce the moduls you have on to just the one you need to use a horse. See how much a difference that makes.

I was getting better fps with my athlon 900 fx5200 with 768 ram 6 months ago.

 

[xcheck]

dollar to donuts it's a software related issue

what kind of stuff do you have in your start up menu?

click start
click run
type msconfig
go to the startup tab

check and see if any of that software could be slowing you down...if you're not sure, post them here.

You can go download Hijack This! - it will scan your system and let you see absolutely everything that is currenly running...

also, try:
http://www.connectedinternet.co.uk/2005/12/3/645
and
http://www.beemerworld.com/tips/servicesxp.htm
and/or
http://www.theeldergeek.com/services_guide.htm

Good luck

 

[skoop]

I forgot to mention some things before.

I have Sky on, Particle Effects on, Spell Effects off.

Thank you all for your replies also, with the help of some of the guides and other advice here I've pushed windows down from using 200ish MB of RAM by startup to 130ish MB. However, 130 or 200 I don't think make much difference when having 2gig to play with, and I never see my CPU load (in task manager) go over 0% unless I do something myself.

I don't run any antivirus or other background programs that would use any system resources except RAM.

Someone posted thinking I was getting good FPS, well maybe you're right but it just boggles my mind that the upgrade I did makes no difference what so ever, heh. Annoying too.

However, something that came to mind, is that I am connected to a Domain Network. Logged in as an administrator, also. I don't see how but maybe that, somehow, makes a difference? It shouldn't, but who knows I guess.

Either way, all said and done and stuff tweaked in Windows the difference I come up with is zero, unfortunately. Most of the time my FSP seems locked at either 64 or 32 FPS, depending on how much is in my view. Still when there are a couple more players in view, I drop to 17-25FPS.

Someone mentioned the speed of the RAM, so I digged into that. The only thing I could find was to push my RAM from 4 burst to 8 burst in the BIOS. I think I was just imagining things, but a slight increase migh have occured unfortunately nothing noticeable.

Does the speed of the RAM really make such a huge difference, though? I don't know.

I could most likely drop a couple models, go down to medium textures and so on, but quite frankly I was thinking that with a rig like this that by no means are the best, but still got a lot of power should produce better without having to drop stuff here and there.

This turned out to be a rather long post; last but not least I sincerely thank you all for the input, it has been interesting reads and please, if you come up with anything else let me know!

 

[xcheck]

The only other things I can think of...

does the resolution and refresh rate in EQ match your desktop resolution and refresh rate?

are your ram sticks in the correct slots?

do you have file cacheing turned on in EQ?

have you tried your drives as RAID 0?

for example, if you have 4 slots, sometimes you have to do 1/3 and 2/4, other times it's just 1/2

i would also try completely removing and then re-installign your video card and drivers.

Be sure you remove every file - video drivers can be a pita sometimes.

Some video card manufacturers provide an uninstall utility that removes every single last file and registry entry (like ATI).

 

[Yoda007]

Lol..

The reason why you see no diference in framerate is because you have acually bought the same model video card, its just the BFG has more ram on it.

Nvidia Phased out the 6600 line and have replaced it with the 7600 line.

A "GT" model acually will probably peform better then a "GS" model.

The only advantage your 7600GS has over the 6600GT is its memory size, allowing you to load up more textures into the video cards memory, i.e 2boxing alot more better !

 

[JimJohnson]

I have a 7600GS and 6 boxed with that PC up untill like 2 weeks before TSS release. Even with 6 toons loaded I pulled 30fps with active window. So I really doubt its your video card unless you have it mis configured.

 

[harvey]

OK couple of things.

Make sure your motherboards BIOS is up to date.
Make sure the drivers for your motherboard are up to date.
Make sure your Video card drivers are current.
Re-install the latest DX.
Turn off your NPC journal.
Make sure resolutions match in game to desktop.

Now, imho I would run some other demo's with your card to see how it performs in other games. 3DMark has a free version that will give you an idea of how your doing. www.guru3d.com is a good site to check for that stuff. Good forums also.