Lowering PPD loss
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 10:27 am
I'm starting this topic since the last one (viewtopic.php?t=3387) is locked now. Here though I won't tell you to overclock CPU or GPU, I'll go forward to minimize PPD lost with changing software (main thing to do) and tweaking Windows (yes it's for Windows, sorry Linux and Mac OS guys). This topic is for people who are folding on their PCs while using it. This won't help much for the F@H dedicated rigs. Here we go (first OS optimizations, then the rest):
1. If you are not using Vista and your PC have the needed hardware to run it, update to it. Vista is using better the CPU and the GPU at the expense of RAM and HDD space. I've done tests with my old PC (Sempron 2500+, 1GB RAM, Radeon 9550) and the result is 2% PPD increase. Of course after installing Vista I've disabled everything new that XP don't have, thus making this test more accurate.
2. If you are using Vista and you don't have SP1, update to it. A notable change in SP1 is "Improves power consumption when the display is not changing by allowing the processor to remain in its sleep state which consumes less energy". This helps a little, but a little here and a little there and here you go - a percent PPD increase.
3. Turn off all animations (System Properties -> Advanced tab -> click first Settings button and disable unwanted effects).
4. If you are using Vista, turn off Aero theme. Personally I like Aero and I'll never turn it off. You decide.
5. If you are using Vista and DreamScene, you may consider turning off DreamScene.
6. Go to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939039 and read about all tasks running in Task Scheduler. Disable unused.
7. Search in Google, or your favourite search engine, "Windows services guide" and choose one corresponding to your Windows version. Disable unwanted services.
8. If you are using Winamp with Vista you should know that Vista is not using the hardware acceleration of your sound card. Everything is calculated using your CPU, thus loosing PPD. Here comes the OpenAL. For me with DirectSound Winamp used stable 5% CPU, and now with OpenAL - stable 0%. There are reports of 12 to 20% drop. You should know that this plug-in is currently in development (see http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php ... perpage=40 ) and some people don't notice any difference or even notice CPU usage increase. Here are the steps to install and run OpenAL output plug-in:
8.1. Go to https://sourceforge.net/project/showfil ... _id=230353 and download the plug-in.
8.2. Install it.
8.3. Go to http://connect.creativelabs.com/develop ... ndows.aspx and download OpenAL
8.4. Install it.
8.5. Run Winamp and press Ctrl+P (Preferences).
8.6. Go to Plug-ins - Output and select OpenAL plug-in.
8.7. Play some music and see if there is a difference.
9. If you are using Winamp no matter the OS you can remove all unused plug-ins, thus making Winamp start faster and not wasting CPU cycles.
10. If you are using torrents you may consider changing your torrent client with lighter one. Here are my test results for the torrent clients I've tried (tested at 1900 kilobytes per second download speed and 600 kilobytes per second upload speed):
Client - CPU usage
uTorrent - 0%
BitComet - 2%
Arctic Torrent x64 - 5%
Halite x64 - 5%
Sorry if I haven't tried your client, but I found uTorrent really good. Please post if you think the client you are using is better.
11. If you use 3rd party client for HTTP and FTP downloads, then consider to get the lightest one. Here are my test results for the torrent clients I've tried (tested at 6000 kilobytes per second download speed):
Client - CPU usage
VisualWget x64 - 0% (but limits download speed to 1.56MB/s)
Free Download Manager Lite - 0-2%
wxDownload Fast - 3-5%
Flashget - 4-5%
Orbit - 8%
LeechGet - 10-28%
TrueDownloader - crashes every time on my Vista x64
Sorry if I haven't tried your client, but I found VisualWget x64 to be the best for users with low download speeds and Free Download Manager Lite for the rest. Please post if you think the client you are using is better.
12. On September 2, 2008 Google released their browser, Google Chrome, for public beta test. I just lack of words to describe this new invention. It loads almost momentarily, better than Internet Explorer 64-bit. It has enormously big difference in JavaScript rendering - http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10030888-92.html - and plenty of new features never seen in other browsers. The browser is much lighter than others, I can't tell in percents, but if you try it you'll understand it, too. Try it and decide for yourself.
13. If you are using x64 OS try to find your software with native x64 support, or at least find analogue software with native x64 support. Not every x64 is better than x86, as you can see from my test results, but in time they will get better.
14. Always check for latest versions of your software, there might be a performance improvement.
After all these things I've decreased CPU usage with up to 20% if I use all programs at once, which is happening a lot. Some people may decrease it with more and some with less, depending on the hardware. If you have something to suggest or you disagree with something, please feel free to post.
1. If you are not using Vista and your PC have the needed hardware to run it, update to it. Vista is using better the CPU and the GPU at the expense of RAM and HDD space. I've done tests with my old PC (Sempron 2500+, 1GB RAM, Radeon 9550) and the result is 2% PPD increase. Of course after installing Vista I've disabled everything new that XP don't have, thus making this test more accurate.
2. If you are using Vista and you don't have SP1, update to it. A notable change in SP1 is "Improves power consumption when the display is not changing by allowing the processor to remain in its sleep state which consumes less energy". This helps a little, but a little here and a little there and here you go - a percent PPD increase.
3. Turn off all animations (System Properties -> Advanced tab -> click first Settings button and disable unwanted effects).
4. If you are using Vista, turn off Aero theme. Personally I like Aero and I'll never turn it off. You decide.
5. If you are using Vista and DreamScene, you may consider turning off DreamScene.
6. Go to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939039 and read about all tasks running in Task Scheduler. Disable unused.
7. Search in Google, or your favourite search engine, "Windows services guide" and choose one corresponding to your Windows version. Disable unwanted services.
8. If you are using Winamp with Vista you should know that Vista is not using the hardware acceleration of your sound card. Everything is calculated using your CPU, thus loosing PPD. Here comes the OpenAL. For me with DirectSound Winamp used stable 5% CPU, and now with OpenAL - stable 0%. There are reports of 12 to 20% drop. You should know that this plug-in is currently in development (see http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php ... perpage=40 ) and some people don't notice any difference or even notice CPU usage increase. Here are the steps to install and run OpenAL output plug-in:
8.1. Go to https://sourceforge.net/project/showfil ... _id=230353 and download the plug-in.
8.2. Install it.
8.3. Go to http://connect.creativelabs.com/develop ... ndows.aspx and download OpenAL
8.4. Install it.
8.5. Run Winamp and press Ctrl+P (Preferences).
8.6. Go to Plug-ins - Output and select OpenAL plug-in.
8.7. Play some music and see if there is a difference.
9. If you are using Winamp no matter the OS you can remove all unused plug-ins, thus making Winamp start faster and not wasting CPU cycles.
10. If you are using torrents you may consider changing your torrent client with lighter one. Here are my test results for the torrent clients I've tried (tested at 1900 kilobytes per second download speed and 600 kilobytes per second upload speed):
Client - CPU usage
uTorrent - 0%
BitComet - 2%
Arctic Torrent x64 - 5%
Halite x64 - 5%
Sorry if I haven't tried your client, but I found uTorrent really good. Please post if you think the client you are using is better.
11. If you use 3rd party client for HTTP and FTP downloads, then consider to get the lightest one. Here are my test results for the torrent clients I've tried (tested at 6000 kilobytes per second download speed):
Client - CPU usage
VisualWget x64 - 0% (but limits download speed to 1.56MB/s)
Free Download Manager Lite - 0-2%
wxDownload Fast - 3-5%
Flashget - 4-5%
Orbit - 8%
LeechGet - 10-28%
TrueDownloader - crashes every time on my Vista x64
Sorry if I haven't tried your client, but I found VisualWget x64 to be the best for users with low download speeds and Free Download Manager Lite for the rest. Please post if you think the client you are using is better.
12. On September 2, 2008 Google released their browser, Google Chrome, for public beta test. I just lack of words to describe this new invention. It loads almost momentarily, better than Internet Explorer 64-bit. It has enormously big difference in JavaScript rendering - http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10030888-92.html - and plenty of new features never seen in other browsers. The browser is much lighter than others, I can't tell in percents, but if you try it you'll understand it, too. Try it and decide for yourself.
13. If you are using x64 OS try to find your software with native x64 support, or at least find analogue software with native x64 support. Not every x64 is better than x86, as you can see from my test results, but in time they will get better.
14. Always check for latest versions of your software, there might be a performance improvement.
After all these things I've decreased CPU usage with up to 20% if I use all programs at once, which is happening a lot. Some people may decrease it with more and some with less, depending on the hardware. If you have something to suggest or you disagree with something, please feel free to post.