[TIP] AMD Athlon 64 X2 CPU's

[ShiningDragon]

Hi there, here's something very interesting for those, who are using the Dualcore CPU's from AMD:

AMD Dual-Core Optimizer - The AMD Dual-Core Optimizer can help improve some PC gaming video performance by compensating for those applications that bypass the Windows API for timing by directly using the RDTSC (Read Time Stamp Counter) instruction. Applications that rely on RDTSC do not benefit from the logic in the operating system to properly account for the affect of power management mechanisms on the rate at which a processor core's Time Stamp Counter (TSC) is incremented. The AMD Dual-Core Optimizer helps to correct the resulting video performance effects or other incorrect timing effects that these applications may experience on dual-core or multiple processor systems.

Source

AMD Dual-Core Optimizer

And a new Cool'n'Quiet Driver 1.3.2 here too for WinXP:
http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_...usetup.exe

[David]

I'll have to give these a try. I've had regular problems with my ATI x600 AIW PCIE card. I have also had ongoing and more obvious problems with Yahoo Messenger, which I am guessing relates to its 'webcam' feature accessing video sources.

I installed GBPVR on my 64 x2 workstation to see if I could watch TV more reliably than the ATI software. Too much trouble to get it working with the software recorder plug in. I'll put my effort into my PVR box.

Were you having problems with any particular software that this has helped resolve?

[ShiningDragon]

Where you having problems with any particular software that this has helped resolve?

Till now, i have no problems with my X2, but i have it only for 2 or 3 weeks now. I even installed the Patch for Dualcore CPU's from Microsoft after built in the X2.
But one different Point could be your used Graphicscard; i don't know Ati's knowhow with Dualcore optimized drivers; in this point NVIDIA is really good. All their newer 8x.xxer driver are Dualcore optimized.

But Problems...? No, not really. GB-PVR is limited to only one core, other programs/games works well with both cores enabled. With this new Patch from AMD you should get more Power.

One Friend of me has a X2. Before the Patch he got something around 5.2xx 3DMarks 2006..., after installing this Patch the Points grown up by ~300 Points. It's not SOOOO much, but ~6 Percent MORE Power without oc'ing or something like this? Why not, if there are no problems.

Longtimes errors will be shown by time, not within minutes/hours.

I wish you luck =)

[sub]

But Problems...? No, not really. GB-PVR is limited to only one core

This is just a configuration setting though, controlled by the <ForceSingleProcessorAffinity> in config.xml.

[ShiningDragon]

This is just a configuration setting though, controlled by the <ForceSingleProcessorAffinity> in config.xml.

Yep, and it's running very good with this. Btw., dear sub, for what is the line <ForceSingleFPUAffinity>?

[sub]

I dont have have any <ForceSingleFPUAffinity> setting, or did you mean the <ForceSingleProcessorAffinity> setting? If so, it just tells windows to only use one processor/core for the GB-PVR process. Some video decoders dont work well with multi-process/multi-core systems. This setting works around this.

[ShiningDragon]

Sorry sub, i meant this one:

<ForceFixFPU>false</ForceFixFPU>

[sub]

Most people shouldnt need to enable that. It related to some other installed apps leaving the floating point unit in an inconsistant state, which would result in a failure in GB-PVR when it tried to create a font.

Setting this to 'true' reinitializes the floating point unit when GB-PVR starts.

To enable it you need to have a specific version of the Microsoft run time libraries installed.