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amd dual core optimzer

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terran2k

Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2004
I've installed it, I do not see it running as a process. I can double click on the installed exe and nothing. its even in my registry to run @ startup. Am I missing something here?
 
terran2k said:
I've installed it, I do not see it running as a process. I can double click on the installed exe and nothing. its even in my registry to run @ startup. Am I missing something here?
AFAIK if it shows in Add- Remove programs in control panel, it's installed & running.:)
 
terran2k said:
I've installed it, I do not see it running as a process. I can double click on the installed exe and nothing. its even in my registry to run @ startup. Am I missing something here?
Ummm...

What is this optimizer supposed to do? (I would assume it helps the :mad: brain-damaged :mad: Windows scheduler deal with more than one CPU...)
 
Captain Newbie said:
Ummm...

What is this optimizer supposed to do? (I would assume it helps the :mad: brain-damaged :mad: Windows scheduler deal with more than one CPU...)
It might only run periodically, it synchronizes timings when some games don't
utilize the internal timing of system/cores. Without it, the games will begin to
slow down or "stutter" after 1/4 - 1hr or so. Cool 'n Quiet is involved as well
but my memory is fuzzy, I read about this a long time ago so details may be
wrong but something like that. There are also some different apps. that have
same problems as games. (crappy multithreading solutions???)
 
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Stebly said:
It might only run periodically, it synchronizes timings when some games don't
utilize the internal timing of system/cores. Without it, the games will begin to
slow down or "stutter" after 1/4 - 1hr or so. Cool 'n Quiet is involved as well
but my memory is fuzzy, I read about this a long time ago so details may be
wrong but something like that. There are also some different apps. that have
same problems as games. (crappy multithreading solutions???)
Here's what AMD has to say:
"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 processor systems, by "PERIODICALLY" adjusting the core time-stamp-counters, so that they are synchronized." (capitalised & quotation marks by me)
 
Last edited:
Stebly said:
It might only run periodically, it synchronizes timings when some games don't
utilize the internal timing of system/cores. Without it, the games will begin to
slow down or "stutter" after 1/4 - 1hr or so. Cool 'n Quiet is involved as well
but my memory is fuzzy, I read about this a long time ago so details may be
wrong but something like that. There are also some different apps. that have
same problems as games. (crappy multithreading solutions???)
A preponderance of game developers, regrettably, know nothing about SMP and multithreading. (id excepted; they've been SMP since the P3 days)

So it tweaks the timestamp counter...fascinating. I would prefer not-brain-damaged developers instead. Even worse, it looks like we're letting a user-land program do it. :(
 
if you ever run the AMD dual core driver/optimizer, before doing so, look at your boot.ini file. all it does is add an extra parameter to your boot.ini to make it 'work better'.

In some instances, without this 'patch', certain games are glitched and run hyper fast or hyper slow.... same as certain other programs.
 
The newest Dual Core Optimizer package from AMD also adds the Throttle subkey to the following key in the registry...

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE | SYSTEM | CurrentControlSet | Control | Session Manager

... along with the PerfEnablePackageIdle DWORD, w/ a Value data of 1 (as explained in the following MSKB article):

Computers that are running Windows XP Service Pack 2 and that are equipped with multiple processors that support processor power management features may experience decreased performance
http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?id=896256

... which is why I don't think the WindowsXP-KB896256-v4-x86-ENU.exe hotfix is required if installing the Optimizer package (possibly if using an older version of the Optimizer). The optimizer also adds the /usepmtimer switch to the boot.ini, which according to this KB article...

Programs that use the QueryPerformanceCounter function may perform poorly in Windows Server 2003 and in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/895980

... fixes the problem that occurs when the computer has the AMD Cool'n'Quiet technology enabled in the BIOS.
In Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and in Microsoft Windows XP, a program that uses the QueryPerformanceCounter function to query system time may perform poorly. For example, if you run the ping command at the command prompt, you may receive low or incorrect latency values.
 
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Captain Newbie said:
A preponderance of game developers, regrettably, know nothing about SMP and multithreading. (id excepted; they've been SMP since the P3 days)
(

I remember 4 way P1 systems...
But really i think its a wonder the dual Celeron 300A's durring the golden age of overclocking didnt open some Dev's eyes
 
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