winuae stalls/pauses for several seconds

Gaula92 · 03 April 2009, 16:28

every version I've tried keeps pausing for 2-3 seconds once in a while (every 15 minutes, for example) with sound buffer repeating.

I've managed to build a dedicated system with my 1,6Gz ATOM eee box, with no processes stealing cpu cycles, and no HD activity associated with those slowdows (I had cpu activity before, but I've tweaked pagefiles and indexing, so it's gone).

Do you have any idea of the cause? WinUAE is the only emulator causing this strange issue. I suspected hyper-threading could be the cause, but setting the cpu affinity to just one cpu doesn't help, so that's not the cause.

can you point out other possibilities?
small (512KB L2) cache? that would affect other emulators, and it doesn't...

NewDeli · 03 April 2009, 16:52

sorry to say : ATOM cpus shouldn't be used for more power hungry devices than say, Nintendo DS; But that's just my 2cent.

cosmicfrog · 03 April 2009, 17:35

thats bull Deleauvive Winuae works on my wind clone abet I have to adjust the sound buffers its an atom 1.6Mhz with 2 gig o ram

NewDeli · 03 April 2009, 19:20

this problem may come from Atom interaction with other components of the system (chipset...).
But I still think Atom is not the best suited CPU for WinUAE. gaula88, 'tis true its small cache doesn't help.

What game are you trying to play with it ?

Toni Wilen · 03 April 2009, 19:37

First, it surely has nothing to do with Atom.

Unfortunately I don't see anything useful information, not even if it happens in all configurations or only in some specific ones..

NewDeli · 03 April 2009, 20:06

AFAIK, Atom is a chip with hardcoded power-saving features (and a lot of enhancements left out to make it run cooler), a low MHz count and a small cache.

Depending on the chosen OS, the presence of upgraded hardware or not (e.q. HD replaced with a faster model), it will make WinUAE run smoothly or not.

Intel went real cheap on that one, but again you might get lucky if you try hard enough. This said, cats don't make dogs. (I'd rather go with AMD Neo -K8 powaaa

, personally)

I use a Yahoo Widget to monitor CPU usage : SystemDashboard. May be some other processes steal your CPU cycles while WinUAE is at work...

Toni Wilen · 03 April 2009, 20:12

Whatever but low power would cause CONSTANT issues, not random issues every 15mins..

Gaula92 · 03 April 2009, 21:12

let's see:

Intel Atom 1.66Ghz
1GB DDR2 RAM
WinXp SP3

No AV software or memory/cpu consuming processes in the background.

WinUAE tested versions from 1.5.3 to 1.6.0 Beta21.

Configuration:
-ECS, PAL System
-68020 CPU (no cycle-exact emulation, more compatible, sprite & backgr collisions, no JIT), 3.1 ROM
-Exact A500 speed.
-Sound output on portaudio, ASIO4ALL, buffer set on 1 (smallest possible), or DirectSound (same small buffer).
-Video mode: custom 720x576@50Hz resolution (I think it shoud be supported in the GUI, by the way), fullscreen.
-Null filter.
-Input mode on USB PS2 pad.

any other info you need, just ask

Thanks!

Toni Wilen · 04 April 2009, 00:25

Do you mean it randomly pauses for few seconds if you let some game intro run long enough using quickstart a500? (compatibility set to middle = no ce)

Does it happen if sound is disabled?

Perhaps it is caused by some power saving feature.

Gaula92 · 08 April 2009, 16:35

I've been doing some research on this issue. I am also very sad because I couldn't find it's cause.
-No powersaving features in my machines.
-I was wrong. It doesn't happen in A500 quickstart mode. Sorry for the mistake in previous report.
-It happens in 68020, rom 3.1, with or without sound , and "max cpu speed but mantaining chipset timing".
-It happens THE SAME in an ATOM 1.66 machine AND IN A CORE2DUO 2.20 MACHINE! It means the problem is something using 100% cpu resources in ANY processor.

I think I've partially discoveed it's cause: max cpu speed but mantaining chipset timing. This mode is supposed to use 100% host CPU to archieve the highest possible speed in the emulated cpu. Once in a while, Windows will run whatever it has to, and CPU usage goes over 100%, causing those stalls.

IT SHOULD be fixed by setting the "CPU IDLE" slider at 4 or 5, but IT IS NOT. It still happens-. This point makes me worry, as it seems there's something I don't understand about WinUAE configuration! I've been re-reading posts and docs again, but I just don't get it.

So what could be a solution?
Adjustable between cpu and chipsets seems to be a possibility: what setting do you recommend for A1200 emulation?

Thanks!

Toni Wilen · 08 April 2009, 16:57

Do you see any dips in task manager CPU usage graph when it happens?

Gaula92 · 08 April 2009, 18:46

It's fixed now!!!

I just had to turn off vsync!! If you use full screen mode, you don't need vsync: a double-buffered display seems to be activated by default!!!

I almost finished Harlequin without pauses/stalls at all!!

And YES: and ATOM in ENOUGH to emulate ANY Amiga game.

Thanks Toni!!

kirk · 08 April 2009, 20:33

ive only just stumbled across this thread, so its a bit late to chip in with my 2pennys worth,
but i was gonna say that i run winuae on an atom samsung nc10 with no probs (come back win xp, all is forgiven !) , i never had vsync turned on.
even aga runs ok (mainly) using winuae 1.2, although i think maybe winuae 1.5.3 runs it a tad slower but i cud be wrong there, more scrutiny needed by lazy me.

03 April 2009, 16:28	#1
Gaula92 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Spain Posts: 527	winuae stalls/pauses for several seconds every version I've tried keeps pausing for 2-3 seconds once in a while (every 15 minutes, for example) with sound buffer repeating. I've managed to build a dedicated system with my 1,6Gz ATOM eee box, with no processes stealing cpu cycles, and no HD activity associated with those slowdows (I had cpu activity before, but I've tweaked pagefiles and indexing, so it's gone). Do you have any idea of the cause? WinUAE is the only emulator causing this strange issue. I suspected hyper-threading could be the cause, but setting the cpu affinity to just one cpu doesn't help, so that's not the cause. can you point out other possibilities? small (512KB L2) cache? that would affect other emulators, and it doesn't...

03 April 2009, 20:06	#6
NewDeli Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Paris / FRANCE Age: 50 Posts: 1,248	AFAIK, Atom is a chip with hardcoded power-saving features (and a lot of enhancements left out to make it run cooler), a low MHz count and a small cache. Depending on the chosen OS, the presence of upgraded hardware or not (e.q. HD replaced with a faster model), it will make WinUAE run smoothly or not. Intel went real cheap on that one, but again you might get lucky if you try hard enough. This said, cats don't make dogs. (I'd rather go with AMD Neo -K8 powaaa , personally) I use a Yahoo Widget to monitor CPU usage : SystemDashboard. May be some other processes steal your CPU cycles while WinUAE is at work... Last edited by NewDeli; 03 April 2009 at 20:28.

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03 April 2009, 16:52	#2
NewDeli Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Paris / FRANCE Age: 50 Posts: 1,248	sorry to say : ATOM cpus shouldn't be used for more power hungry devices than say, Nintendo DS; But that's just my 2cent.

03 April 2009, 17:35	#3
cosmicfrog The 1 who ribbits Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: leek, Staffs, UK Age: 56 Posts: 3,557	thats bull Deleauvive Winuae works on my wind clone abet I have to adjust the sound buffers its an atom 1.6Mhz with 2 gig o ram

03 April 2009, 19:20	#4
NewDeli Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Paris / FRANCE Age: 50 Posts: 1,248	this problem may come from Atom interaction with other components of the system (chipset...). But I still think Atom is not the best suited CPU for WinUAE. gaula88, 'tis true its small cache doesn't help. What game are you trying to play with it ?

03 April 2009, 19:37	#5
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,502	First, it surely has nothing to do with Atom. Unfortunately I don't see anything useful information, not even if it happens in all configurations or only in some specific ones..

03 April 2009, 20:12	#7
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,502	Whatever but low power would cause CONSTANT issues, not random issues every 15mins..

03 April 2009, 21:12	#8
Gaula92 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Spain Posts: 527	let's see: Intel Atom 1.66Ghz 1GB DDR2 RAM WinXp SP3 No AV software or memory/cpu consuming processes in the background. WinUAE tested versions from 1.5.3 to 1.6.0 Beta21. Configuration: -ECS, PAL System -68020 CPU (no cycle-exact emulation, more compatible, sprite & backgr collisions, no JIT), 3.1 ROM -Exact A500 speed. -Sound output on portaudio, ASIO4ALL, buffer set on 1 (smallest possible), or DirectSound (same small buffer). -Video mode: custom 720x576@50Hz resolution (I think it shoud be supported in the GUI, by the way), fullscreen. -Null filter. -Input mode on USB PS2 pad. any other info you need, just ask Thanks!

04 April 2009, 00:25	#9
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,502	Do you mean it randomly pauses for few seconds if you let some game intro run long enough using quickstart a500? (compatibility set to middle = no ce) Does it happen if sound is disabled? Perhaps it is caused by some power saving feature.

08 April 2009, 16:35	#10
Gaula92 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Spain Posts: 527	I've been doing some research on this issue. I am also very sad because I couldn't find it's cause. -No powersaving features in my machines. -I was wrong. It doesn't happen in A500 quickstart mode. Sorry for the mistake in previous report. -It happens in 68020, rom 3.1, with or without sound , and "max cpu speed but mantaining chipset timing". -It happens THE SAME in an ATOM 1.66 machine AND IN A CORE2DUO 2.20 MACHINE! It means the problem is something using 100% cpu resources in ANY processor. I think I've partially discoveed it's cause: max cpu speed but mantaining chipset timing. This mode is supposed to use 100% host CPU to archieve the highest possible speed in the emulated cpu. Once in a while, Windows will run whatever it has to, and CPU usage goes over 100%, causing those stalls. IT SHOULD be fixed by setting the "CPU IDLE" slider at 4 or 5, but IT IS NOT. It still happens-. This point makes me worry, as it seems there's something I don't understand about WinUAE configuration! I've been re-reading posts and docs again, but I just don't get it. So what could be a solution? Adjustable between cpu and chipsets seems to be a possibility: what setting do you recommend for A1200 emulation? Thanks!

08 April 2009, 16:57	#11
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,502	Do you see any dips in task manager CPU usage graph when it happens?

08 April 2009, 18:46	#12
Gaula92 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Spain Posts: 527	It's fixed now!!! I just had to turn off vsync!! If you use full screen mode, you don't need vsync: a double-buffered display seems to be activated by default!!! I almost finished Harlequin without pauses/stalls at all!! And YES: and ATOM in ENOUGH to emulate ANY Amiga game. Thanks Toni!!

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

08 April 2009, 20:33	#13
kirk Zone Friend Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: uk Posts: 148	ive only just stumbled across this thread, so its a bit late to chip in with my 2pennys worth, but i was gonna say that i run winuae on an atom samsung nc10 with no probs (come back win xp, all is forgiven !) , i never had vsync turned on. even aga runs ok (mainly) using winuae 1.2, although i think maybe winuae 1.5.3 runs it a tad slower but i cud be wrong there, more scrutiny needed by lazy me.