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I get a new computer for Christmas and....

• jakestanfill7 949 Posts

  Mon, Dec 27 2010 5:19 PM

  Boise,

  I was having some pretty bad issues (WGT ONLY) with my HP Pavilion laptop that's about a year old.  Decided to reformat the hard drive.  Computer is running like a top for everything but WGT.  I can't even play on that computer now.  Windows 7 and FF but have tried all browsers.  All have the massive lag that you speak of.  I could get used to the lag and time it but meter is also quite jerky.

  All drivers current and have continued to tinker with almost everything imaginable but no success.  Oh well.  At least my other computer seems to be behaving ok these days. 

  Good luck my friend.

• VanHalenLover 1,422 Posts

  Mon, Dec 27 2010 5:30 PM

  If you guys are using affinity settings, don't forget to set other running processes to use a different core. Typically all are set to have access to any core. By changing the browser to use a specific core, all other programs are still allowed access to that same core. If you really want to tweak it, set everything else to use one core, and the game browser to use the other core all by its lonesome.

  If you restrict your browser to the 2nd core, and all other processes still have access to that 2nd core, you can actually decrease your performance.

  Take a look at the priority settings too - these are actually a more efficient way of giving processing rights. Restricting core access is risky business, especially when multi-core cpu's are designed to hand out work to the lowest utilized core to begin with.

  Don't forget also - whenever you set affinity or priority... those settings are lost once you close that program. You have to reset them each time you start that particular program (browser, etc). There are programs to monitor this for you and set them automatically, or a guy could create a script to do this as start up, but then its just more stuff running...

  ** edit **

  anyone using firefox might also want to check out this thread for how it is handling flash (among others) within containers.

• andyson 6,415 Posts

  Tue, Dec 28 2010 4:45 AM

  b0geybuster:

  Andy, I have never done this and am curious to what it achieves.   Also do I just select either CPU for both processes?

  bb, I found this technique back in August and reported it in this post.  Essentially, people playing Farmville, another Flash based game, on Facebook had severe stutter and lag.  Someone then discovered that Flash does not play nice with the hyperthreading function of multi-core processors and the Windows O/S. 

  You can pick either CPU, I've found it doesn't matter.  It is important to not have another browser window open, only the game client should be open.

  VHL, I set affinity to a different CPU for any major applications (like Skype) I run in parallel with the game.    I don't use GameBooster, so I have like 80+ other processes active. Those 80 are idle 99% of the time, and when something does run it appears Windows allocates the work to cores with the least work so the core running the game is not affected as far as I can tell.  Its not worth my time to run GB and set affinity for whatever tasks would remain.  Its extremely rare for me to get a meter hit in single player, and I still get an occasional hit in multi-player mode since it uses more of my single CPU resource.

  I haven't been able to find an answer to how Windows allocates threads to the cores, if you find anything let me know please.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Tue, Dec 28 2010 5:05 AM

  Lost in the conversation here is the initial reason the Iron browser came onto the scene. Jake's post made me think of it. When a Flash version update a while ago started causing graphic problems some sleuthing by Andyson, among others, revealed a snag with some video drivers not meshing with the newer Flash.

  Iron is a Chrome browser left available for developers to tinker with. One of the things Chrome and FF do is automatically update Flash and unless you stayed on top of your video card updates you had issues. Iron doesn't do this plus it uses an older version of Flash where driver conflicts weren't evident.

  Is it possible the latest and greatest stuff on computers reverts back to this in some way? My laptop is 2 years old and the video drivers are proprietary to Toshiba so I couldn't update them. I was having the same issues as the OP and Jake so I went to the Iron browser and do not have these issues. Perhaps trying the Iron browser would help. This thread goes into more detail and has a link to the browser. GL

• piztaker 5,743 Posts

  Tue, Dec 28 2010 5:15 AM

  He gets bought a new computer and he's moaning. All I got were socks and after shave.;-)

• GOBOISESTATE 6 Posts

  Tue, Dec 28 2010 5:39 AM

  Andyson - love the blue golf BB course. I always thought it would be cool to see golf courses use dye colors for exhibition tourneys.You already see it on Soccer/Football fields.

  Thanks everyone for your help. I am trying affinity settings right now and will report back my findings.

• GOBOISESTATE 6 Posts

  Tue, Dec 28 2010 5:53 AM

  Ok - I did exactly as instructed and utilized core#4 for firefox and Flash. Also set priorities as directed.

  The result: Slightly less delay - but it's still there and at an unacceptable level for me to enjoy this game the way I used to...

  My last system was a Dell Inspiron 1503. I kept it clean and efficient for five years and it could play WGT well - with the occasional meter flutter like everyone's experienced from time to time.

  Not sure what to do at this point. Logic tells me that a new system should play WGT with better performance. Never in a million years would I believe my old system would play this game better than a new system.

  Still open to any remedies.

• iwb1 110 Posts

  Tue, Dec 28 2010 7:07 AM

  Try reading  through         http://www.blackviper.com/Windows_7/supertweaks.htm

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Tue, Dec 28 2010 7:07 AM

  GOBOISESTATE:

  Logic tells me that a new system should play WGT with better performance.

  First mistake. Just because it's new doesn't mean it's better. LOL-guess you figured that out.

  Compare your before and afters. Look at what worked with your old bot and then look at what you changed by buying the new one-CPU, RAM, video card, stuff like that. This is where your logic will work. Learn what changed and you will have the clue you need to fix it, or set it right.

  It is too easy to wind up in LA LA Land when something basic is missed and steps are skipped. You don't have to be an IT guy to figure it out-just logical. GL

   

  p.s., Good link IWB-thanks.

• andyson 6,415 Posts

  Tue, Dec 28 2010 7:47 AM

  GOBOISESTATE:

  Still open to any remedies.

  My apology for failing to mention....since we've now cut down our processing power after setting affinity to a single CPU it is more important than ever to pause at the top of the backswing for 4 to 5 seconds.  i.e. pull back the power meter then wait for a count of 5 before releasing the swing meter.

  This allows the CPU to complete whatever work was started.  (like switching zoom after aiming or changing clubs, spin, etc.)

  I assume you've already adjusted the game options to turn off the reflections, putting grid, and set flash quality to med. or low.