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[FleshForge]

Do you have any comparisons with the same map in the same state?  Serious question, please don't interpret that the wrong way (I don't even know if save files are portable between OS).

[thebigJ_A]

While I appreciate the suggestion, installing a completely new OS, unrelated to anything I've ever used, and that I have no experience with, to possibly get DF to run better, isn't exactly the advice I was hoping for.

I was hoping for something like, "uninstall this" or, "turn off that" or "change this setting". Maybe "download this program".

[FleshForge]

The simple answer is, when you have no programs running, is your processor utilization at 0%?  If it's not, then maybe something can be done.  If it's at zero percent when nothing's going on, then imo no amount of tuning or disabling is going to help you.  I think disabling Aero has been the best suggestion in the thread by a long shot/

[albatross]

Say, do you have DF in windowed or fullscreen mode? See if switching to the other mode would make a difference. Also, how's your antivirus scanner? Do other intensive programs work as well as before?

[Vehudur]

Say, do you have DF in windowed or fullscreen mode? See if switching to the other mode would make a difference. Also, how's your antivirus scanner? Do other intensive programs work as well as before?

I know that my AV (I run Kapersky) eats up a lot of CPU at times, so if I'm doing something memory intensive (megaprojects) I'll disconnect my computer from the internet (see: physically unplug the cord) and turn Kapersky off, and just go online with my other machine

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

My other machine would die if I tried to play DF on it, it's a number of years old and has a cpu that runs at some 2.1 mhz

- which may not be possible for everyone, but I know it works well for me.

[melomel]

Uhm...  How are you on auto-updater settings?  Those can affect performance on older PCs.  There are probably half a dozen settings, if it's anything like the previous Windows.  I'd like to help, but I got nothin' on Vista or newer machines.

I know that my AV (I run Kapersky) eats up a lot of CPU at times, so if I'm doing something memory intensive (megaprojects) I'll disconnect my computer from the internet (see: physically unplug the cord) and turn Kapersky off, and just go online with my other machine

I've done that before, without the backup PC.  It can help quite a bit.

[Vehudur]

Uhm...  How are you on auto-updater settings?  Those can affect performance on older PCs.  There are probably half a dozen settings, if it's anything like the previous Windows.  I'd like to help, but I got nothin' on Vista or newer machines.

I know that my AV (I run Kapersky) eats up a lot of CPU at times, so if I'm doing something memory intensive (megaprojects) I'll disconnect my computer from the internet (see: physically unplug the cord) and turn Kapersky off, and just go online with my other machine

I've done that before, without the backup PC.  It can help quite a bit.

It makes the difference between 20% cpu usage (sometimes) and 1% while idle.  That's a huge performance boost.

[thebigJ_A]

Well, I've spent two hours turning off processes and services, as well as shutting off all Vista's display shinies.

I have AVG for my antivirus. Most of the time, it only seems to use 4 or 5% of the cpu.

I think what I did squeezed a few more fps out, not anything amazing though.  I guess my processor just isn't up to snuff (which is so weird, seeing as someone with the same one has no probs, and the wiki says mine should be ok, also). I'll have to live with no temp/weather, I guess.

Barring some unforeseen source of income, it's going to be a while before I can upgrade, too. Are we allowed to post "send me money" threads? 

[Aussiemon]

Just in case this hasn't been posted already:

If you're on a Windows machine,

Start>Run (Run is hidden by default on Windows 7 machines)>"msconfig"

Turn off everything you don't want/need in the services and startup tabs.

Try Auslogics Disk Defrag instead of the default windows one. Faster and better.
Auslogics also has a good program called BoostSpeed that has some helpful performance tweaks.

Start>Right-click My Computer/Computer and select Properties>Advanced or Advanced System Settings>Performance>Turn off whatever you can do without

Finally, Gamebooster could help somewhat.

Google should be able to save me the trouble of posting links, right? 


P.S. I find that the latest Avast is a lot less cpu-intense than a lot of other products, not to mention better all-around, but your mileage may vary on that

[FleshForge]

While disk defrag is a very popular suggestion, it has pretty much nothing to do with how DF runs - you can look at the I/O count in task manager while it's running, basically DF never touches the disk except while loading/saving a game.  I guess if you don't have enough RAM to keep the process in memory then you could be swapping, but if that's going on then defragging your disk isn't going to help you too much.  Just FYI

[S31-Syntax]

1. Grab  Wubi
2. Install for dual-boot capability
3. Boot to linux
4. Grab linux version
5.
6. FPS profit!

Love it! Ubuntu 10.10 is pretty zippy so far... need to check it with DF... but i get about 100fps on a standard embark. 80-90 on a moderately developed fortress.

[Vehudur]

For a while I was running a (self-made) liquid nitrogen cooling system and overclocking my CPU to nearly 5.7 Ghz (normally I run at 3.9 3.6 overclocked to 3.9 Ghz), but the pump died broke apart spectacularly* after a month (probably because the pump wasn't designed to run that cold) and I have not been able to find an adequate replacement yet.

Oh by the way, liquid N₂ isn't that expensive.  Keeping it liquid, however, is a pain in the ass - oh, and it's dangerous.

*The metal shattered like glass, with no warning.  It was really creepy.

[thebigJ_A]

For a while I was running a (self-made) liquid nitrogen cooling system and overclocking my CPU to nearly 5.7 Ghz (normally I run at 3.9 3.6 overclocked to 3.9 Ghz), but the pump died broke apart spectacularly* after a month (probably because the pump wasn't designed to run that cold) and I have not been able to find an adequate replacement yet.

Oh by the way, liquid N₂ isn't that expensive.  Keeping it liquid, however, is a pain in the ass - oh, and it's dangerous.

*The metal shattered like glass, with no warning.  It was really creepy.

Um..........thanks? I guess?

[Aussiemon]

While disk defrag is a very popular suggestion, it has pretty much nothing to do with how DF runs - you can look at the I/O count in task manager while it's running, basically DF never touches the disk except while loading/saving a game.  I guess if you don't have enough RAM to keep the process in memory then you could be swapping, but if that's going on then defragging your disk isn't going to help you too much.  Just FYI

I figured that a better defrag wouldn't do much, if anything at all. Those are just my general performance tips for speeding up computers that I work on.

[FleshForge]

Yeah I'm not picking on you, and of course it's good maintenance anyway.