A fix that could help your FPS by a lot if you have duo core processor or higher

hiloboyshiloboys Join Date: 2008-05-27 Member: 64340Members
in Technical Support
I noticed that 2 of my 4 cores were "Parked" when monitoring my cpu usage. Now my 4 year old computer with full settings doesnt go below 50 fps.

Its called Unpark.

Link: <a href="http://www.gamefront.com/files/22708653/Unpark-CPU-App.zip" target="_blank">http://www.gamefront.com/files/22708653/Unpark-CPU-App.zip</a>

Scan results from virustotal.com: <a href="https://www.virustotal.com/file/ba606155cac926560dc25f3cf3b1df00b7537bed13366bcb50b5be51f807fe0d/analysis/" target="_blank">https://www.virustotal.com/file/ba606155cac...7fe0d/analysis/</a>

Feel free to test it again (I know I did 3 times)

How to use:
Unzip Folder to desktop
Run the .exe file
Start the scan. It will show which cores are not being used. (To save energy mostly)

Turn all of them on and close application. Then restart your computer.

Try playing NS2 again. See if that helps. (I Heard it doesnt help all people but for people with OVERBEAST computers and under powered computers so far its helped both of my computers and my wifes computer. Hopefully it will help youguys too. GL
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Comments

  • gamma113gamma113 Join Date: 2012-05-28 Member: 152651Members
    is it safe to unpark cpu? will there be any risk of damaging cpu? I have done some searching on the net, came back with no result.
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  • hiloboyshiloboys Join Date: 2008-05-27 Member: 64340Members
    I honestly have no idea how safe it is. All I know from researching is that its a feature built into windows that helps save energy. I didnt read anything about it causing problems. Just that some applications do not make the calls which trigger all of the CPU's to be used. I am currently testing it on 3 cpus and about to start testing it on 1 laptop. If your worried, id keep an eye on your computers temperature. If it causes a problem, just use the scan again and change them all back to parked.

    If anyone else knows why we shouldnt use it or there is a problem with it. Please fill us in. I am relatively new to this and so far has helped me on 3 of my computers. (About to see if it helps with my crappy laptop which caps at 15 fps)
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  • Omar - The WireOmar - The Wire Join Date: 2012-11-01 Member: 165320Members
    It's a default Win7 power saving feature, usually on notebooks.

    From what I've read, there have been some people who get BSOD and have to restore to a previous point, but overall no really glaring "OMG DONT DO IT".
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  • Jarl Ballin'Jarl Ballin' Join Date: 2012-11-25 Member: 173203Members
    Will test this and upload my findings when I get home from class.
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  • 1stToast1stToast Join Date: 2007-12-02 Member: 63067Members
    Here is a thread that gives out a lot of info on the subject. I might try it if I'm sure I won't damage my machine. Of course if I do then I'll have to upgrade from an i5 to i7. :-}

    <a href="http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=1861804&mpage=2" target="_blank">http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=1861804&mpage=2</a>
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  • Jarl Ballin'Jarl Ballin' Join Date: 2012-11-25 Member: 173203Members
    edited December 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=2040189:date=Dec 4 2012, 06:13 PM:name=1stToast)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (1stToast @ Dec 4 2012, 06:13 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2040189"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Here is a thread that gives out a lot of info on the subject. I might try it if I'm sure I won't damage my machine. Of course if I do then I'll have to upgrade from an i5 to i7. :-}

    <a href="http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=1861804&mpage=2" target="_blank">http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=1861804&mpage=2</a><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Mail me your i5 if you do. My Athlon 2 x4 640 has seen better days. lol
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  • Jarl Ballin'Jarl Ballin' Join Date: 2012-11-25 Member: 173203Members
    Didn't do anything for my AMD Athlon 2 x4 640.
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  • FallenonsaneFallenonsane Join Date: 2009-06-07 Member: 67735Members
    from the looks of this, all this does is change your windows power settings from, normal or power saver to high performance. Instead of using this file you can just go into your power settings via control panel and set your computer to high performance. This is how i have increased fps and performance in all the newer video games that have came out
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  • Jarl Ballin'Jarl Ballin' Join Date: 2012-11-25 Member: 173203Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2040279:date=Dec 4 2012, 11:31 PM:name=Fallenonsane)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Fallenonsane @ Dec 4 2012, 11:31 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2040279"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->from the looks of this, all this does is change your windows power settings from, normal or power saver to high performance. Instead of using this file you can just go into your power settings via control panel and set your computer to high performance. This is how i have increased fps and performance in all the newer video games that have came out<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    That's not what it does. Basically what that guide does is unlock a hidden setting in the advanced options of each performance setting. Letting you turn off "core parking". Core Parking was implemented in Windows 7 and Windows 8. Basically what it does is when your computer is idle, it parks your cores that aren't being used, reducing energy needed to power your CPU. What's happening is that some processors and applications have this feature enabled during certain game play so it is not utilizing all of the cores at maximum percentages like it should be. (e.g. only using 75% of your cpu load per core during full load). Resulting in FPS plummet. Most newer processors have core parking. Such as the i5 and i7. My older AMD Athlon 2 x4 doesn't seem to have it. By disabling this it will fix problems with CPU usage not being maximized. For me it did nothing.
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  • MarineAnimalMarineAnimal Join Date: 2004-05-14 Member: 28676Members
    Changing my power settings to high performance fixed everything for me.

    Any time I would go in combat, try to shoot or bite someone, my framerate went down and the enemies seemed to stutter everywhere. Very hard to register a hit. I've played for 100 hours like this. Glad I can finally enjoy the game now.
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  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    Doesn't look dangerous, but it does look like a hassle. It would be nice if Microsoft would simply make these features easy to disable.
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  • CoTTonCoTTon Join Date: 2005-02-28 Member: 42773Members
    Instead of downloading a app etc, this is a lot safer way to do it

    <a href="http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=1861804" target="_blank">http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=1861804</a>
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  • Dark_DragonDark_Dragon Join Date: 2007-12-21 Member: 63229Members, Constellation
    As stated you can easily do it through windows, its supposedly a power saving feature. I say supposedly because, it doesn't actually save any power.
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  • VitdomVitdom Join Date: 2012-04-30 Member: 151345Members, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Gold, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    This is very good knowledge! Thanks for telling about this.

    I am very skeptical towards the procedure to disable the parking of CPU cores, described though. Searching on Bing/Google/following CoTTon's link, yields me guides with apparently erroneous information.

    Everything tells me to find the GUID 0cc5b647-c1df-4637-891a-dec35c318583 and set the ValueMax value to 0.
    The description of the actual key in my registry though(Windows 7 Home Premium) says: Minimum number of unparked cores to allow.
    This simply means, that the value will decide the minimum number of enabled cores. If I set it to 0, I am allowing it to park all cores.

    I tried setting ValueMax and ValueMin to 75% i.e. to park only 1 of my 4 cores, and my results were correct! As opposed of the standard 2 parked cores, only 1 core was parked.

    Then I set it to 100% to allow a minimum of 100% to be enabled, and 0 of my 4 cores / 8 threads were parked. As I understand it, the information received from explanations on the web etc is wrong, and the reverse is actually correct.

    Is it just me who gets this all wrong or does this differ between Windows OS versions?
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  • ritualsacrificeritualsacrifice Join Date: 2012-11-14 Member: 171148Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Tried this, didn't really increase overall performance but it definitely fixed the major FPS drop I used to get late-game.
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  • ZaggyZaggy NullPointerException The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-12-10 Member: 24214Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Onos, Subnautica Playtester
    Hm, will keep monitoring this thread, if no big issues arise I will put it in the performance sticky.
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  • MindstormMindstorm Join Date: 2012-12-17 Member: 175356Members
    I use this tool for the core parking setting:

    <a href="http://bitsum.com/about_cpu_core_parking.php" target="_blank">http://bitsum.com/about_cpu_core_parking.php</a>

    Note:
    -Core parking WILL increase your computer's power ussage.
    -Core parking COULD decrease lifetime of your CPU because core are stressed a bit more. I would however not worry about this to much since CPU is mostly the last part failing of a computer
    -Core parking WILL increase your computers temperature. This should normally be no problem for your computer because on max load it should always be able to cool enough.
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  • StriderNS2StriderNS2 Join Date: 2012-12-22 Member: 175867Members
    edited January 2013
    <!--quoteo(post=2062530:date=Jan 18 2013, 02:22 AM:name=Zaggy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Zaggy @ Jan 18 2013, 02:22 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2062530"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Hm, will keep monitoring this thread, if no big issues arise I will put it in the performance sticky.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    The thing is that it's very processor specific. Only the newer AMD Phenom/FX and Intel i5/i7 use coreparking to my knowledge. As far as older CPU's go they don't support core parking. I know for a fact my Athlon II x4 640 doesn't.
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  • joederpjoederp Join Date: 2012-11-02 Member: 165992Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2062530:date=Jan 18 2013, 05:22 AM:name=Zaggy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Zaggy @ Jan 18 2013, 05:22 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2062530"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Hm, will keep monitoring this thread, if no big issues arise I will put it in the performance sticky.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I can assure you if any 'big issues' arise it is not from disabling core parking, but from people not able to follow the instructions properly. Core parking in windows 7 is something that should have never been enabled by default under any circumstances. Its robbing people of the performance of their chips. It should only be an option that is turned on when someone goes to a 'power saver' setting in Windows.

    As for risk to the system, there is zero risk to the hardware by enabling all cores. This simply allows the CPU to run the way it was designed to run from the factory. Doing this is akin to buying an 8 cylinder car, which for some reason comes with 4 cylinders disabled. Would you be worried about allowing all 8 to run? The obvious answer is no, its perfectly safe. You might see CPU temps go up slightly but unless you have a wet bandaid for a CPU cooler you won't have any problems with heat.
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