unplayably low performance

[PcJunky]

I've got a really old notebook (some celeron CPU that was allready weak the time I bought it) and enjoied play W:A for many years now.

But since the last beta patch (3.6.29.0) I can't continue playing W:A because my keyboard stops reacting due to the high cpu load. I know there were lots of cool addons and RAM intesive color maps and my notebook could even play BIG maps smoth-running.
Anyway, since that new beta I got screenlags druing my turns what keeps me from roping or even holding space for the right time in BnGs.
This drop in framerate only occurs during my turns, the playback works fine.

can't you decalcify the betas a bit, CyberShadow?

except of that good work! (I've read every single line on every changelog since the beta 3.6.19 started with deadcode)

[CyberShadow]

So you're experiencing a difference in performance during your turns in 3.6.29.0 that wasn't present in 3.6.28.0?
I can't think of anything which would cause that difference (unless you are playing on large maps). Try playing with the TimerWorkaround_On/Off.reg tweaks (found in the Tweaks subfolder).

[orbik]

Could it be related to WA appending the replay file every second or so? On my thinkpad 3.6.28 lagged badly until I symlinked the User\Games folder to a ramdisk. Also the replay file handling is changed in 3.6.29.

[CyberShadow]

Are you using any anti-virus software? It might be possible that the anti-virus is rescanning the replay file every time W:A writes something to it.

[orbik]

Well, I wasn't using any antivirus. I'd guess the lagging is easily reproduced by installing WA 3.6.28+ on any ThinkPad T4# or X4# laptop.. there are enough confirmed cases.

Maybe hard disk write caching is different on laptops or WA forces cache flush on every write or smth.. because it seems there's always (audible) HD activity during the lag phase.

[KRD]

So in conclusion, this has nothing to do with WA becoming any more heavy on the hardware, right? If anything, I've noticed that the opposite has been the case in the past few beta releases.

[CyberShadow]

Not much was changed in the way W:A saves replays in 3.6.29.0, but it's possible there was a change in the VC++ 2008 runtime. Regardless, we're switching back to VC++ 2005 for future betas.

[franpa]

try defragmenting your hard drives? may help reduce stutters if they are caused by HDD activity.

[CyberShadow]

try defragmenting your hard drives? may help reduce stutters if they are caused by HDD activity.

That won't explain the dramatic difference in performance between 3.6.28.0 asd 3.6.29.0.

[Wormetti]

I get what appears to be replay writing related lag in 3.6.28.0 and 3.6.29.0 on my AMD2400+ notebook. When watching a replay the game is fine and the non beta builds don't have that lag. I did try a RAMDISK at some point but I didn't get it working. There is no antivirus software on that machine.

[orbik]

One should note that OP didn't say whether it worked fine in 3.6.28 vs 3.6.29, or after updating non-beta to beta.

[PcJunky]

yes it worked fine for me in 3.6.28

didn't make that clear in my post because I was drunk.

ty for your replies.