Great little tool for setting CPU affinity

[redi]

http://www.nogripracing.com/details.php?filenr=27320

There are some tools around that allow you to start a game with affinity to all CPU cores, but none of those I found works so nicely as this one.

Games that may benefit from this tool:
- GT Legends
- GTR2
- Power and Glory mod
- rFactor (though it also has a command line switch itself to use all cores)
- Richard Burns Rally
- any race sim/game older than the ones above

Games that already use all cores:
- GTR Evo/STCC/Race On
- DiRT2
- NFS:Shift


CPU Affinity Explanation
Most older race sims (and games in general) were not optimized for CPUs with multiple cores, and hence they run on one core by default. Some games, however, will get better/smoother performance if run on multiple cores even though they were not programmed with multiple cores in mind.

Usually this involves ALT-TABbing from the game back to the desktop, starting Task Manager and setting the CPU affinity of the game's process, exiting Task Manager and switching back to the game. This is a bit of a chore to do each time, and some games don't like or even don't allow ALT-TABbing to the desktop (e.g. GTR2 on my PC).

Hence, programs like RunAff will start up your game and set the processor affinity immediately, either by starting the game from inside the tool or, in this case, by creating a shortcut that starts the game through the tool. The latter I find easier to work with because starting the game then only involves double-clicking the shortcut like how you usually start a game, instead of first starting the affinity tool

I believe the tool also unloads itself from memory when the game has started and the CPU affinity set, so will not even take CPU resources. A nice little gimmick is that it also lets you know clearly whether the affinity setting was successful or not.

[SwiftyOne]

OK, Was going to try this with GTRevo.....But, found out (bit slow on the up take ) what most people "May" know already, that, this programe is "not" needed in Evo as Evo "already" sets all four cores when you start the game.....I never knew "that"

Thanks tho

Swifty

[redi]

Yes, GTR Evo is recent enough to use all cores Maybe I should jot down a list of race sims that benefit from this tool

[BernL]

I suspect these changes reflect the value of this program?

CPURATING=5
SYSTEMRAM=2047
VIDEORAM=1127
OBJDETAIL=3
TEXDETAIL=3

versus before application values

CPURATING=1
SYSTEMRAM=0
VIDEORAM=0
OBJDETAIL=1
TEXDETAIL=1

a noticeble improvement.......windows XP

[redi]

Originally Posted by BernL

I suspect these changes reflect the value of this program?

CPURATING=5
SYSTEMRAM=2047
VIDEORAM=1127
OBJDETAIL=3
TEXDETAIL=3

versus before application values

CPURATING=1
SYSTEMRAM=0
VIDEORAM=0
OBJDETAIL=1
TEXDETAIL=1

a noticeble improvement.......windows XP

Not sure how that could be related to using the tool The 'before' values are obviously wrong, no idea how that could have happened in XP (in 64-bit Vista the whole determination of these parameters seems to go wrong). Are you using 64-bit XP?

Anyway, it seems to have sorted itself now, maybe keep an eye on those settings for a while

[DucFreak]

Cool little program this!
Seems to be working as advertised.

[zome]

This app is just what I need. I downloaded it and don't know how to use it. I read instruction but I still don't have a clue how to utilise it.

Any help, someone

[dartguy]

"E:\Program Files\RunAff\RunAff.exe" E:\GTR2ALMS\GTR2.exe E:\GTR2ALMS 0123 15 -trace=100

zome,

This is what my line looks like when I look at the shortcut properties. This is a great tool.

[zome]

I still don't get it..

Here's what I done. Created shortcut of the program RunAff.exe, placed it into GTR2 folder and renamed it to "GTR2 RunAff.exe". Than I edited its target line with this command:
D:\Programi\RunAff\RunAff.exe E:\Igrice\gtr2\GTR2.exe E:\Igrice\gtr2 01 0

I can't set " " on "D:\Programi\RunAff\RunAff.exe", because it wanishes after apllying changes.

After statring that shortcut, game runs, but I get this error:

Line 3484 (File "D:\Programi\RunAff\RunAff.exe"):
Error: Variable used without being declared.

My original RunAff program is located at D:\Programi\RunAff\RunAff.exe

I really do feel stupid, because this appeard very simple to me, at first atleast. It confuses me that, I have 2 programs and where and in witch shortcut should target be edited?

please, help

[gazman]

you don't need a 3rd party app
just start e.g. GTR2 hit ctrl,alt,delete . find GTR2 in the processes , right click on it set affinity and tick your cpu boxes. you can also set higher priority as well

[Supra4]

I use "CPU control".

Simply tell it what cores to use for which game or program and let it start on system startup. It works based on the process name, so as soon as you boot it it'll automatically assign it to your preferred cores even if you have multiple installs of your game.

[zome]

Originally Posted by gazman

you don't need a 3rd party app
just start e.g. GTR2 hit ctrl,alt,delete . find GTR2 in the processes , right click on it set affinity and tick your cpu boxes. you can also set higher priority as well

Thanks mate, but I already doo that every time i start game. This tool is usefull and makes it much easier, so I wanted to try it.

[zome]

Originally Posted by Supra4

I use "CPU control".

Thank you, I'll try it

[Derek Speare]

This program works perfectly. You just have to make sure you get your command line syntax just right. If you have DOS experience or are an experienced windows user, then you'll have no issues with it. I love the thing!

As far as alt+tabbing to the Task Manager is regarded, I'd say doing that each time you run the game is tedious and cumbersome. RunAff will set the CPU affinities each time you run it and does so seamlessly. I have a shortcut on my desktop, and I even use the GTR2 logo for it!



If there are spaces in the path in your command line properties, you MUST enclose the path with quotation marks. I have a 6 core cpu and have verified that GTR2 is assigned all 6 when it runs.

Just my two cents.

Derek

EDIT -

Originally Posted by redi

Yes, GTR Evo is recent enough to use all cores Maybe I should jot down a list of race sims that benefit from this tool

QFT - Hi Redi,

These are the ones I know which will use multiple cores:

F1 2010
Dirt2
GTR Evo and its progeny

rFactor will with the +fullproc switch.

I am sure that NKP and iRacing will, that they are very new makes me feel this way. I'd guess that LFS will as well. I will check when I have time. I would also guess that GT Legends does not, and that one may benefit from RunAff. I don't have that sim so I cannot check it.

[davehenrie]

Originally Posted by gazman

you don't need a 3rd party app
just start e.g. GTR2 hit ctrl,alt,delete . find GTR2 in the processes , right click on it set affinity and tick your cpu boxes. you can also set higher priority as well

If I remember correctly, you can't alt tab and then set the affinity with Vista. You CAN alt tab out, you CAN bring up the task manager to set the core affinity, but nothing happens, the checkbox won't get checked. I have used your method with XP, but it did not work on my wife's Vista box.

dh

[Siggs]

Don't use Vista for gaming then

[davehenrie]

Originally Posted by Siggs

Don't use Vista for gaming then

Hence my XP computer, but there are probably plenty of users who are stuck with Vista until they can afford an upgrade.

On another note, I just took a look at the CPU Control program, I may be missing a command somewhere, but it only seems to address programs or processes on the Boot C drive. I have GTR2 over on a 2nd HD. Is there some way to get CPU Ctrl to access other locations?

dh

[dartguy]

Alt-Tab and Task Manager work fine in Win 7. But RunAff is much easier. Plus my game likes to crash once in a while when alt-tabbing. I have 4 GTR2 installs all using the RunAff with no problems.

[davehenrie]

I had this running back when the thread first started, seemed to have lost track of it. I re-did the shortcut and got it to load GTR2, but when I alt-tabbed out from the main menu, the affinity was only shown as core 1 of my core 2 duo.

[redi]

Originally Posted by davehenrie

If I remember correctly, you can't alt tab and then set the affinity with Vista. You CAN alt tab out, you CAN bring up the task manager to set the core affinity, but nothing happens, the checkbox won't get checked. I have used your method with XP, but it did not work on my wife's Vista box.

dh

Strange, running Vista x64 here and setting affinity works fine in Task Manager

Originally Posted by davehenrie

I had this running back when the thread first started, seemed to have lost track of it. I re-did the shortcut and got it to load GTR2, but when I alt-tabbed out from the main menu, the affinity was only shown as core 1 of my core 2 duo.

Do you get the "Processor Affinities Assigned Successfully" message?

Here's my GTR2 shortcut for comparison:

...\RunAff\RunAff.exe GTR2.exe D:\games\GTR2 01 5

[JJC1]

Originally Posted by zome

I still don't get it..

Here's what I done. Created shortcut of the program RunAff.exe, placed it into GTR2 folder and renamed it to "GTR2 RunAff.exe". Than I edited its target line with this command:
D:\Programi\RunAff\RunAff.exe E:\Igrice\gtr2\GTR2.exe E:\Igrice\gtr2 01 0
....
After statring that shortcut, game runs, but I get this error:

Line 3484 (File "D:\Programi\RunAff\RunAff.exe"):
Error: Variable used without being declared.

A bit late this replay but I only just stumbled over it today

Crap error message I know (will fix next release)

The problem is the zero delay (last parameter)
GTR2 will not start instantly, set the delay to 5 seconds

[redi]

Has the tool been tested on Win7 x64? I tried to use it on my new PC but got some serious error messages/crashes so I stopped using it. Worked well on Vista x64 though...

[dartguy]

Originally Posted by redi

Has the tool been tested on Win7 x64? I tried to use it on my new PC but got some serious error messages/crashes so I stopped using it. Worked well on Vista x64 though...

Works just fine.

[DucFreak]

Yep, working fine here with Win7 64bit as well!

[DurgeDriven]

Concur

Any image or fresh drive I copy over a backed up runaff folder to Program Files (x86) and then use same drive letter for SIMS partition on all drives so shortcuts do not change.

[redi]

Retried the tool with GTL and it works fine now. I guess it was part of the instability issues caused by the SSD not being able to cope with Win7's hibernation mode.

[frapp]

Syntax, Syntax, Syntax...

I could not get this thing to work for the life of me. I had a long, extremely detailed post written up explaining everything. When I got to the part where I wrote Start in box reads:, I copied and pasted the line, before I hit "Post Quick Reply", I checked it against post #8 (Dartguy) and found an extra space that didn't belong in command line. Hit back space and drum roll... voila - Turbo Time!!

Three thoughts:

#1 Thank you for making us aware of this great tool

#2 Thank you Mr Dart Guy

#3 Maybe it is a good idea when working in tight boxes to copy and paste your
command line on a seperate doc to check/edit - especially if you're a member of the
Slowsky Clan.


Thank you Guys


FraPP!!!

[jason_peters]

hi

anyway to get this working with the weather patch which runs a file called GTR2wx.exe

tried a few things but can't get it to run gtr2 with all afinity

[pjj1180]

I don't have this, but maybe you could write a .bat file to start both and link to that.

[Tkrau]

Waking this up to ask...

Using Win7 HP 64-bit...my usual .exe for both GTL and GTR2 is their respective no-CD modded.exe and tagged with the 4 gig patch hack; is there a way to use this app along with the no-CD .exe? Each uses a dedicated .exe apparently, and I can't figure a way to combine them into a single launcher.

[psyfungi]

That RunAff is really good! I like it. Now, does it actually improve performance of GTL or GTR2, or F1 2011... need some benchmarking....

[Malcolm Reynolds]

I use RunAff for both GTL and P&G and it's very handy, and yes it does improve frames on my system - on a lot of tracks I can have shadows set to high without any drop below 60FPS with vertical sync on.

[redi]

Originally Posted by psyfungi

That RunAff is really good! I like it. Now, does it actually improve performance of GTL or GTR2, or F1 2011... need some benchmarking....

That really depends on the particularities of your system. Old games like GTL and GTR2 are in no way optimized for multiple cores, so in principle it should do nothing. However, if your system is choking with the game running on one core, it could help for the system to be able to switch the load of the program to another core.

[nikbear]

http://www.ntcore.com/4gb_patch.php Or http://www.ntcore.com/exsuite.php
Do both these do a similar thing,or can you use both together?? Confused :-\

[DucFreak]

Originally Posted by nikbear

http://www.ntcore.com/4gb_patch.php Or http://www.ntcore.com/exsuite.php
Do both these do a similar thing,or can you use both together?? Confused :-\

Both do same thing, but the 4gb_patch simplifies the process (the other has other features besides the mentioned one).

[nikbear]

Ahhh,thank you!