MSCONFIG tuning tips

[solareagle]

I just thought I would share a few things for those who haven't tried them.  I'm sure most know MSCONFIG - Go to Start>Run and open msconfig.  Works the same in XP and Vista.

On the General tab you'll be set to Normal Startup if still in the default state, or Selective Startup if your boot files have been modified via MSCONFIG.  To get back to the default state at any time just click Normal Startup, click OK and reboot.

The fun begins on the Startup tab, where you can disable your background applications.  On my system I kill everything but a couple lines for my firewall, fraps, and my download manager, but other systems may be different.  Sometimes I'll disable the network adapter through the control panel and kill the firewall as well.  Almost all startup items can be eliminated with no affect, and if you disable something you need you can just re-enable it.

There's some more fun to had on the Services tab.  To start put a check in Hide All Microsoft Services.  Again I eliminate everything but a few lines for my firewall and nhancer support, which can easily be spotted.  When my NIC is disabled I'll take those out too, with just nhancer remaining.  Again each system is different so you might spot some items you need. 

After the changes are made reboot so they can take affect.  If your fancy keyboard buttons stop working or some other undesired results just go back and add in what you need.  Trial and error works if you and locate the one you're after.  If you want to know what all those goodies actually are...

http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php

Running with no virus scanner seems to make a noticeable difference in some cases as well, so I just go without, though that may not be advisable unless you're up to it.  I only use mine for scanning.

If you want even more control over your startup items get the Autoruns program from the Windows Sysinternals Technet site, which is found under Process Utilities.  Lots of other goodies too.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/default.aspx

[Sniper31]

Solareagle,

Those are some good tips. I've been using MSCONFIG for years, as I'm, sure many folks here have been. Still, I am amazed at how many people still are not aware of it, and the beauty of it is that it is built right into Windows! Very handy.

Recently, I came across another handy utility that has been even more helpful for this this sort of thing...a program called 'AlacrityPC'

I heard about this little guy from somewhere in the FS community (can't remember where now, but but bottom line is that one of the ACES guys was using it and suggested it). Ken Salter is the guy who wrote it. This is one handy puppy for shutting down programs and services that take up lots of system resources and run in the background. I've seen hundreds of programs that claim to do what this one can, but this one works. Anyhow, best of all, its free! Here's a link to where you can find it:

http://alacritypc.kensalter.com/

Anyhow, VERY handy and very user friendly. Everyone on here probably already knows about it anyway already.

[Turnip]

There is a batch file out there that has +FULLPROCESS in it or something like that. When I hit CTRL ALT DELETE and pull up PERFORMANCE, I see two boxed under CPU USAGE HISTORY. I am assuming that this tells me both CPU's are being used as I have a dual core. Does this mean that I don't have to run the FULLPROCESS batch file to get both CPUs running in FSX? When I fly FSX without the batch file, both CPU USAGE HISTORYs are there. Hence both cores are being used. Or am I mistaken?

[macca22au]

If you have a multicore CPU and Acceleration or SP2 you need do nothing.  SP2 provides some threading of terrain and textures which mean your two or four cores are used.  However it is not complete so your first core, 0 in computing terms carries most of the load.

However it is definitely a help, and if you are running a third party program like ASX or one of the moving maps, then you should go into Ctrl+Alt+Del and assign their Affinity to one of the outer cores thereby giving FSX priority on Core 0.

There is no action needed on your part if you have a multicore, except to assign affinity to third party programs.  However it is still a great help to use your task manager to close down a large number of processes that take CPU cycles and are not needed (like Nero, GUI interfaces and the like).

[solareagle]

There is a batch file out there that has +FULLPROCESS in it or something like that. When I hit CTRL ALT DELETE and pull up PERFORMANCE, I see two boxed under CPU USAGE HISTORY. I am assuming that this tells me both CPU's are being used as I have a dual core. Does this mean that I don't have to run the FULLPROCESS batch file to get both CPUs running in FSX? When I fly FSX without the batch file, both CPU USAGE HISTORYs are there. Hence both cores are being used. Or am I mistaken?

The main FSX program runs on core 0, which will almost always be at 100% usage.  Any additional cores beyond that are mainly used for loading terrain textures and to reduce stutters, so usage on your second core will be much less.  Adding more cores will not increase your frame rate, as that is determined by the clock speed/cache/etc of core 0. 

[Wolter van der Spoel]

As for the core usage the following:

if you add this to your fsX.cfg file, you can tell the CPU (in this case a Quad core) wich cores to use,

I've set mine to use core 2, 3 and 4 this to leave core 1 for the other proggies like TS and other gadgets, works fine at this end

[JOBSCHEDULER]

AffinityMask=14

//1  = 1 core           0001 // cores read from back to front ~ last is first

//3  = 2 cores         0011

//7  = 3 cores         0111

//14= 3 cores         1110

//15= 4 cores         1111

As for the +FULLPROCESS thingy,

I use this : start /realtime fsx.exe +fullproc.

create a notepad file call it fsx.txt put the "start /realtime fsx.exe +fullproc." text in there and safe it, then copy it to your main fsX folder and rename it to fsx.bat, create a shotcut to it on your desktop.

hit the shortcut and your fsx will startup in the fullproc mode realtime

keep you original shortcut to the standard fsx.exe in case off, this so you always can start the "normal" way.

and in case of doubt, write it down on a notepad with a pencil what you have done so you can retrace where eventually you took a wrong turn

[macca22au]

Thanks for that, it is further useful information.

If I recall the cores are actually numbered 0,1,2,3 for a four core CPU.  One of the tricks of the computer trade I guess!

With Acceleration/SP2 there is no need to insert the Affinity Mask command into the FSX.cfg as the limited threading occurs automatically as a result of the re-write ACES did in SP2.

As a result Core 0 still carries most of the load, but terrain and autogen are threaded across the other cores and I have found an appreciable improvement in 'smooth'.

ASX or other programmes which you have running with FSX can however be assigned an affinity to one of the other cores using the Task Scheduler (right click on the process, for instance ASX is shown in the process list as x-engine, scroll to Affinity and set it to 3),  So far I haven't found out how to make this permanent.

[Wolter van der Spoel]

I called them 1, 2, 3 and 4 on purpose as 0, 1, 2, and 3 may add to the confisuion

[Turnip]

Would it be prudent to set the ATI CCC to core 1 in affinity? or leave it set to 0 and 1?