Sound -170%, CPU 160+% problem...

Grimbog · 22 December 2006, 20:04

edit: This issue is now solved!

-------------

Hey folks,

Just wondering if anyone else is getting this issue... I've been using WinUAE for a while now. The latest versions have been awesome, but at seemingly random moments the Sound led starts to bomb out to about -140% before flashing red, and then bringing the CPU meter up to 160+%. This initially happened when I was playing Hired Guns, but after testing other games is seems to occur on everything that uses a combination of sound and graphics.

At this point the sound starts stuttering and graphics slow down the a crawl. The odd thing is that if I press F12 and then go back, it will briefly work again for 3 seconds, before going back to the same issue.

I've tried default configs, so I can't see what the problem may be, as it used to run really smoothly on the same machine. I installed AntiVir PE Classic recently, but I've disabled it, and cancelling all services that it executes, so I don't think thats the issue.

I've tried messing around with the cpu usage settings, but no matter what settings its at I fall back to the same problem. As a test I'm going to download some back-dated versions of WinUAE until I've spotted one that doesnt cause the problem. I'll try to post up the logs in due course.

I've tried altering the buffer levels, but the sound led starts going to -160% again, and then stutters. Even if I use the lowest quality of sound, it will do the same, unless I simply disable it altogether, which defeats the point of using the emulator effectively.

The only possible thing I was wondering was if the old (2002) Intel chipset was to blame with later versions of WinUAE?

Here are my comp details:

Pentium 4 CPU 2.00 GHz
256MB RAM

Operating System
Windows XP (Build 5.1.2600, Service Pack 2)

Platform Information
Processor Type: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 Processor
Processor level: Family 15
Processor Revision: Model 2 Stepping 4
Active Processor Mask: 1
Number of Processors: 1

dlfrsilver · 22 December 2006, 20:23

Just rise your memory to 1gb, you'll better 256 mb of RAM is way too short actually...

Marcuz · 22 December 2006, 21:03

if it is something happened out of the blue, it could be something related to your audio drivers. do you have a motherboard integrated audio chipset? it could be the drivers needs to be reinstalled. but the ram amount is sure too little, WindowsXP keeps probably 90% of it for itself and will force big movement of data between that and the pagefile. that will bear the CPU and winuae is a demanding application on it

Belgarath · 22 December 2006, 22:21

Load up winuae and under the priority section try changing the active priority to above normal and see if that makes any difference.

andreas · 23 December 2006, 04:48

Well, I even have CPU 500% sometimes. In 95% of all cases, this stands for decrunching one or more files, especially with demos. After the decrunch process, CPU normally goes back to ~ 20% or lower.

Grimbog · 23 December 2006, 13:17

Hey again folks.

I think I've managed to solve it. As Marco pointed out, it may have been my integrated soundcard. I have quite a terrible one in this machine (Intel AC'97), which had a driver installed for the Win2k system, not XP.

I quickly rolled back to the original that was provided for XP, and all seems good!

edit: actually, sorry, problems occured again! As a brief work-around I found out that if I set the FPS to 30, and refresh every second frame, then it pretty much solves the issue.

Toni Wilen · 23 December 2006, 15:18

Does latest 1.3.4 beta do the same?

Marcuz · 23 December 2006, 18:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grimbog

Hey again folks.

I think I've managed to solve it. As Marco pointed out, it may have been my integrated soundcard. I have quite a terrible one in this machine (Intel AC'97), which had a driver installed for the Win2k system, not XP.

I quickly rolled back to the original that was provided for XP, and all seems good!

edit: actually, sorry, problems occured again! As a brief work-around I found out that if I set the FPS to 30, and refresh every second frame, then it pretty much solves the issue.

i hear you mate, i had similar problems with some ubisoft game, for instance. if you experience something similar again , try to see about Via 4in1 drivers about audio issues (provided your motherboard has that chipset) i remember that some reinstall of motherboard drivers, and that of the chipset did the trick for me

Grimbog · 23 December 2006, 19:54

Excellent, this issue is now effectively solved! I firstly tried installing the beta's, which sadly didnt make a difference, so I knew it had to be hardware related. The mention of the Via (urgh) driver problems made me wonder about possible bottleneck issues with older intel machines...

So, I reinstalled the Intel MB drivers for my machine, and then uninstalled a program that was on my system called "Intel Application Accelerator" (IAA). God knows why I installed it in the first place, as its most likely obselete by todays standards. Anyway, after a combination of reinstalling intel motherboard drivers, and deleting IAA from my system I've been able to use WinUAE without any cpu/sound related problems!

Thank you mods for the quick support! Was beginning to worry I'd never be able to solve it!

My suggestions to anyone who's having such problems to check their system for so called 'accelerators', and/or controllers which may not be up-to-date.

22 December 2006, 20:04	#1
Grimbog Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: UK Posts: 31	Sound -170%, CPU 160+% problem... edit: This issue is now solved! ------------- Hey folks, Just wondering if anyone else is getting this issue... I've been using WinUAE for a while now. The latest versions have been awesome, but at seemingly random moments the Sound led starts to bomb out to about -140% before flashing red, and then bringing the CPU meter up to 160+%. This initially happened when I was playing Hired Guns, but after testing other games is seems to occur on everything that uses a combination of sound and graphics. At this point the sound starts stuttering and graphics slow down the a crawl. The odd thing is that if I press F12 and then go back, it will briefly work again for 3 seconds, before going back to the same issue. I've tried default configs, so I can't see what the problem may be, as it used to run really smoothly on the same machine. I installed AntiVir PE Classic recently, but I've disabled it, and cancelling all services that it executes, so I don't think thats the issue. I've tried messing around with the cpu usage settings, but no matter what settings its at I fall back to the same problem. As a test I'm going to download some back-dated versions of WinUAE until I've spotted one that doesnt cause the problem. I'll try to post up the logs in due course. I've tried altering the buffer levels, but the sound led starts going to -160% again, and then stutters. Even if I use the lowest quality of sound, it will do the same, unless I simply disable it altogether, which defeats the point of using the emulator effectively. The only possible thing I was wondering was if the old (2002) Intel chipset was to blame with later versions of WinUAE? Here are my comp details: Pentium 4 CPU 2.00 GHz 256MB RAM Operating System Windows XP (Build 5.1.2600, Service Pack 2) Platform Information Processor Type: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 Processor Processor level: Family 15 Processor Revision: Model 2 Stepping 4 Active Processor Mask: 1 Number of Processors: 1 Last edited by Grimbog; 23 December 2006 at 19:56.

23 December 2006, 13:17	#6
Grimbog Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: UK Posts: 31	Hey again folks. I think I've managed to solve it. As Marco pointed out, it may have been my integrated soundcard. I have quite a terrible one in this machine (Intel AC'97), which had a driver installed for the Win2k system, not XP. I quickly rolled back to the original that was provided for XP, and all seems good! edit: actually, sorry, problems occured again! As a brief work-around I found out that if I set the FPS to 30, and refresh every second frame, then it pretty much solves the issue. Last edited by Grimbog; 23 December 2006 at 13:28.

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22 December 2006, 20:23	#2
dlfrsilver CaptainM68K-SPS France Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Melun nearby Paris/France Age: 46 Posts: 10,413	Just rise your memory to 1gb, you'll better 256 mb of RAM is way too short actually...

22 December 2006, 21:03	#3
Marcuz Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: . Age: 48 Posts: 5,562	if it is something happened out of the blue, it could be something related to your audio drivers. do you have a motherboard integrated audio chipset? it could be the drivers needs to be reinstalled. but the ram amount is sure too little, WindowsXP keeps probably 90% of it for itself and will force big movement of data between that and the pagefile. that will bear the CPU and winuae is a demanding application on it

22 December 2006, 22:21	#4
Belgarath HOL Team Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Manchester Posts: 2,513	Load up winuae and under the priority section try changing the active priority to above normal and see if that makes any difference.

23 December 2006, 04:48	#5
andreas Zone Friend Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Germany Age: 50 Posts: 5,857	Well, I even have CPU 500% sometimes. In 95% of all cases, this stands for decrunching one or more files, especially with demos. After the decrunch process, CPU normally goes back to ~ 20% or lower.

23 December 2006, 15:18	#7
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,506	Does latest 1.3.4 beta do the same?

23 December 2006, 19:54	#9
Grimbog Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: UK Posts: 31	Excellent, this issue is now effectively solved! I firstly tried installing the beta's, which sadly didnt make a difference, so I knew it had to be hardware related. The mention of the Via (urgh) driver problems made me wonder about possible bottleneck issues with older intel machines... So, I reinstalled the Intel MB drivers for my machine, and then uninstalled a program that was on my system called "Intel Application Accelerator" (IAA). God knows why I installed it in the first place, as its most likely obselete by todays standards. Anyway, after a combination of reinstalling intel motherboard drivers, and deleting IAA from my system I've been able to use WinUAE without any cpu/sound related problems! Thank you mods for the quick support! Was beginning to worry I'd never be able to solve it! My suggestions to anyone who's having such problems to check their system for so called 'accelerators', and/or controllers which may not be up-to-date.

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