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[BufferPools] PoolSize=0 the holy grail of FSX performance...

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Ok, so you like facts? you want proof? you got it!! and you can check this for yourself if you have the right hardware.First, go get yourself a copy of GPU-Z, the latest version shows (in real time) HOW MUCH Video memory a Direct3D application is currently using.[bufferPools] PoolSize=0 Will tell FSX NOT to reserve ANY video memory at all. However, this doesn't mean FSX will not use it... IT WILL!!! and more effeciently because it does so at the driver level.In fact, Setting a PoolSize value (other than 0) makes FSX manage video memory, which might sound the logic thing to do.... however, this 'management' doesn't occur at the DRIVER level.. its a 'hack' by the FSX development team so FSX will not exhaust all the video memory available. this 'hack' is a static memory pool that needs to be constantly erased... guess what happens when FSX swaps memory in this static pool?? you guess it.. STUTTERS!! plus, the penalty of having CPU cycles devoted to this instead of having the driver handle it!!Setting PoolSize=0 allows FSX to utilize Video Memory at the DRIVER level, however, there is a problem with this approach. If you have a video card with LESS than 1GB this tweak will make your FSX crash and/or unstable!! why? because FSX doesn't know (or care) how much video memory you have... it will simply use ALL available video memory via the Direct3D driver until it is totally exhausted. FSX will crash or become unstable when it uses more than 65% or 70% of your available video memory. So even a 1GB Video card might not be enought unless you lower AA, AF and/or screen resolution.You can confirm everything I'm saying by doing your own tests, but you need a >1GB Video card and also the GPU-Z utility to measure Video Memory utilization. This will confirm my findings.I've been using PoolSize=0 since Oct 2008, it has always puzzled me why others don't see any benefit when using this tweak.. I think I found the answer.

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Ok, so you like facts? you want proof? you got it!! and you can check this for yourself if you have the right hardware.First, go get yourself a copy of GPU-Z, the latest version shows (in real time) HOW MUCH Video memory a Direct3D application is currently using.[bufferPools] PoolSize=0 Will tell FSX NOT to reserve ANY video memory at all. However, this doesn't mean FSX will not use it... IT WILL!!! and more effeciently because it does so at the driver level.In fact, Setting a PoolSize value (other than 0) makes FSX manage video memory, which might sound the logic thing to do.... however, this 'management' doesn't occur at the DRIVER level.. its a 'hack' by the FSX development team so FSX will not exhaust all the video memory available. this 'hack' is a static memory pool that needs to be constantly erased... guess what happens when FSX swaps memory in this static pool?? you guess it.. STUTTERS!! plus, the penalty of having CPU cycles devoted to this instead of having the driver handle it!!Setting PoolSize=0 allows FSX to utilize Video Memory at the DRIVER level, however, there is a problem with this approach. If you have a video card with LESS than 1GB this tweak will make your FSX crash and/or unstable!! why? because FSX doesn't know (or care) how much video memory you have... it will simply use ALL available video memory via the Direct3D driver until it is totally exhausted. FSX will crash or become unstable when it uses more than 65% or 70% of your available video memory. So even a 1GB Video card might not be enought unless you lower AA, AF and/or screen resolution.You can confirm everything I'm saying by doing your own tests, but you need a >1GB Video card and also the GPU-Z utility to measure Video Memory utilization. This will confirm my findings.I've been using PoolSize=0 since Oct 2008, it has always puzzled me why others don't see any benefit when using this tweak.. I think I found the answer.
I tried this tweak the other week in my everlasting quest to rid FSX of graphic anomalies inside Windows 7. Granted it performed smoothly without so much as a hint of stuttering, but it did so at the expense of ground texture corruption. I was presented with large rectangular textureless areas, populated with autogen.

Ryan Kelly

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Guest anthony31fs

Tried the bufferpools pool size=0 a while ago (not the first time this tweak has been mentioned). Removed the stutters but at the expense of having to constantly reload textures. Pretty much useless when making a turn or panning due to the textures needing to be reloaded. But, if it works for you ....

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You can confirm everything I'm saying by doing your own tests, but you need a >1GB Video card and also the GPU-Z utility to measure Video Memory utilization. This will confirm my findings.I've been using PoolSize=0 since Oct 2008, it has always puzzled me why others don't see any benefit when using this tweak.. I think I found the answer.
So what are you saying? Do you mean that setting bufferpools at 0 will work if you have a card with more than 1GB, or that no matter how much your card has, there is never enough? Stephen

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Guest FlyingBits
Ok, so you like facts? you want proof? you got it!! and you can check this for yourself if you have the right hardware.First, go get yourself a copy of GPU-Z, the latest version shows (in real time) HOW MUCH Video memory a Direct3D application is currently using.[bufferPools] PoolSize=0 Will tell FSX NOT to reserve ANY video memory at all. However, this doesn't mean FSX will not use it... IT WILL!!! and more effeciently because it does so at the driver level.In fact, Setting a PoolSize value (other than 0) makes FSX manage video memory, which might sound the logic thing to do.... however, this 'management' doesn't occur at the DRIVER level.. its a 'hack' by the FSX development team so FSX will not exhaust all the video memory available. this 'hack' is a static memory pool that needs to be constantly erased... guess what happens when FSX swaps memory in this static pool?? you guess it.. STUTTERS!! plus, the penalty of having CPU cycles devoted to this instead of having the driver handle it!!Setting PoolSize=0 allows FSX to utilize Video Memory at the DRIVER level, however, there is a problem with this approach. If you have a video card with LESS than 1GB this tweak will make your FSX crash and/or unstable!! why? because FSX doesn't know (or care) how much video memory you have... it will simply use ALL available video memory via the Direct3D driver until it is totally exhausted. FSX will crash or become unstable when it uses more than 65% or 70% of your available video memory. So even a 1GB Video card might not be enought unless you lower AA, AF and/or screen resolution.You can confirm everything I'm saying by doing your own tests, but you need a >1GB Video card and also the GPU-Z utility to measure Video Memory utilization. This will confirm my findings.I've been using PoolSize=0 since Oct 2008, it has always puzzled me why others don't see any benefit when using this tweak.. I think I found the answer.
Hi, Thanks for sharing your info, will look into a bit.I think it would be helpful if you posted more information.Some of us do not have stuttering and the performance isnt as big of a concern as the issue of running FSX on win7 64 a lot of high-end addons and running into the "Black Screen" if with great hardware, in that case some of us have gone to the oposit end of the spectrum with regards to BufferPools with good results. So it would first be helpful as a general rule to post your hardware/OS and FSX environment so as to compare notes as to relevance etc.For instance under what harsh demanding conditions have you tried this?We all know that turning certain things on or off or sliders to the right or left can have a great impact, AI Traffic, Scenery Shadows, Cloud Draw distance, the amount of AA, SuperSampling, GamaCorrection, What settings for Textures? - high Quality or >0< LOD? or performance type mode +0.5 LOD etc, What AF? - 8, 16? Do you have any backround services running? You sure? etc. etc. etc.Not meaning to get crazy on you, but as these "Holly Grails" come and go there needs to be an effort to keep it real or else everyone just starts chasing the tail or tale.My settings right now for flying a CS727/PMDG-MD11 type into FSDreamFleets JFK with Aerosofts Manhatten and My traffic set to %60 are: BufferPools=400000000 combined with TextureMulti=100 I am having less Black Screen issues, but it is just a test to compare against running FSX in XP-SP3 mode on a Win7-64 system, have no issues with stutttering or tearing all with very decent to high quality settings- 4xsAA, Supersampling, Gama Correction, 16xAF, V-Sync=on runing most sliders to the max right except Scenery is set to Dense as well as AG is at Dense, Ground shadows=off But Bloom and AC shadows are on FPS capped at 34 and all this with a LODRadius of 6.500000 or somtimes down to 5.500000 as I do a lot of Photscenery creation and flying, nothing beats nice sharp 13cm textures all the way to the horizon for me.Again thanks for sharring, just would like you to post more info.
So what are you saying? Do you mean that setting bufferpools at 0 will work if you have a card with more than 1GB, or that no matter how much your card has, there is never enough? Stephen
I think he's saying you need a 1Gb or larger card or there wont be enough videoram for this "tweak".

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For instance under what harsh demanding conditions have you tried this?
Harsh means:REX2, UTX, GEX, Manhattan X, FSDT KJFK in New York City with Ultimate traffic II at 100%, at dusk, fog & rainy weather and sliders for AutoGen and Scenery set to Dense. EVIDENTLY, this is a VERY specific scenario which will utilize around 650MB of VRAM according to GPU-Z (it shows how much Video Ram FSX is using) Operating System is Win7 64-Bit Ultimate w/6GB Ram running Low latency CAS 7-7-7-20. nVidia GTX 285 1GB (stock clocks) and i920 @ 4.2Ghzrunning FSX SP2 frames locked @ 25, FIBER_FRAME_TIME_FRACTION=0.25 AffinityMask=12 (I only use 2 CPU for FSX)
I think he's saying you need a 1Gb or larger card or there wont be enough videoram for this "tweak".
Correct, this is USELESS for Video cards with less than 1GB, which makes the tweak less than ideal. in short, I think the 'true' holy grail is not the tweak itself, but a 2GB Capable video card.. the tweak simply allows you to unleash the card true potential.If you check GPU-Z Video Memory utilization, you'll see that NO GAME uses more than 200MB of video ram.. I tried Mass Effect 2, COD: Modern Warfare 2, Dirt 2.. NONE of this games ever goes above 200MB, yet, FSX (in the above harsh scenario) uses around 550/650MB of video ram!!!! which, also explains why it is so common to have black textures in FSX.. its a VRAM hungry app.

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Guest FlyingBits
Harsh means:REX2, UTX, GEX, Manhattan X, FSDT KJFK in New York City with Ultimate traffic II at 100%, at dusk, fog & rainy weather and sliders for AutoGen and Scenery set to Dense. EVIDENTLY, this is a VERY specific scenario which will utilize around 650MB of VRAM according to GPU-Z (it shows how much Video Ram FSX is using) Operating System is Win7 64-Bit Ultimate w/6GB Ram running Low latency CAS 7-7-7-20. nVidia GTX 285 1GB (stock clocks) and i920 @ 4.2Ghzrunning FSX SP2 frames locked @ 25, FIBER_FRAME_TIME_FRACTION=0.25 AffinityMask=12 (I only use 2 CPU for FSX)Correct, this is USELESS for Video cards with less than 1GB, which makes the tweak less than ideal. in short, I think the 'true' holy grail is not the tweak itself, but a 2GB Capable video card.. the tweak simply allows you to unleash the card true potential.If you check GPU-Z Video Memory utilization, you'll see that NO GAME uses more than 200MB of video ram.. I tried Mass Effect 2, COD: Modern Warfare 2, Dirt 2.. NONE of this games ever goes above 200MB, yet, FSX (in the above harsh scenario) uses around 550/650MB of video ram!!!! which, also explains why it is so common to have black textures in FSX.. its a VRAM hungry app.
Nice!How much AA and AF? What other driver settings, texture quality, Gama/SuperSampling etc...Display settings in sim besides traffic %100You need to throw in a good AC into that scenario, something a long the lines of PMDG or Posky or CS, fly around for an hour and try to cycle thru and in and out of the views and menus a few times..how long till you get Black Screened? and now read GPU-Z...Give me a few days and I'll get back to this.Thanks again.

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Nice!You need to throw in a good AC into that scenario, something a long the lines of PMDG or Posky or CS, fly around for an hour and try to cycle thru and in and out of the views and menus a few times..how long till you get Black Screened? and now read GPU-Z...Give me a few days and I'll get back to this.Thanks again.
Yeah, I use the Level-D... I can cycle views, and see AI as long as I want, until VRAM reaches 690MB... at THAT point I know FSX will crash... so, GPU-Z is pretty accurate predicting when a crash is about to occur. I have a 1GB card, and just ordered a 2GB GTX 285.. If, when using the 2GB card, I can get past the 690MB mark with no crashes we can declare this a winner.. I simply providing some feedback as to my findings are (with some facts and tools to help the communty troubleshoot) I think we all are frustrated with the black screens, dissapearing menus and textures... a 2GB card might hold the key, but very few people have them!

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Honestly, I'd rather have a stutter now and then than crash the sim an hour and a half into a flight. I use a really large bufferpools statement, like 24000000, on a 1 G card. It's not quite as smooth as not having the statement in there at all, but it completely eliminates graphic corruption and is fairly smooth.



Lose not thine airspeed, lest the ground rise up and smite thee.

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How much AA and AF? What other driver settings, texture quality, Gama/SuperSampling etc...Display settings in sim besides traffic %100Thanks again.
Every single setting is set to HIGH QUALITY in the nVidia control panel... I don't use nHancer, latests nVidia drivers (Jan 10) AA is 8XQ Supersampling, AS is 16, 0 Pre-render frames and I use ENBSeries Bloom.Resolution is 1280x720, Scenery and Autogen set to Dense, No ground shadows, Clouds at 70 Miles, ALL other settings I think are at 100%I usually DONT get black screens... in fact, I never do.. however, I CAN replicate them doing crazy stuff like switching views over and over and panning around AI aircrafts.. however, it takes a while. Once I receive my 2GB card I will confirm if I still can replicate the black textures.

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Every single setting is set to HIGH QUALITY in the nVidia control panel... I don't use nHancer, latests nVidia drivers (Jan 10) AA is 8XQ Supersampling, AS is 16, 0 Pre-render frames and I use ENBSeries Bloom.Resolution is 1280x720, Scenery and Autogen set to Dense, No ground shadows, Clouds at 70 Miles, ALL other settings I think are at 100%I usually DONT get black screens... in fact, I never do.. however, I CAN replicate them doing crazy stuff like switching views over and over and panning around AI aircrafts.. however, it takes a while. Once I receive my 2GB card I will confirm if I still can replicate the black textures.
You don't need a 2G card to run settings like that. A 2G card will just zap your system RAM with increased address space demands.


Lose not thine airspeed, lest the ground rise up and smite thee.

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You don't need a 2G card to run settings like that. A 2G card will just zap your system RAM with increased address space demands.
Not true according to GPU-Z... FSX uses ALL of your VRAM.and the address space concern is not valid under a 64 Bit OS w/6GB of ram cosidering FSX will never use more than 3GB

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Guest FlyingBits
Every single setting is set to HIGH QUALITY in the nVidia control panel... I don't use nHancer, latests nVidia drivers (Jan 10) AA is 8XQ Supersampling, AS is 16, 0 Pre-render frames and I use ENBSeries Bloom.Resolution is 1280x720, Scenery and Autogen set to Dense, No ground shadows, Clouds at 70 Miles, ALL other settings I think are at 100%I usually DONT get black screens... in fact, I never do.. however, I CAN replicate them doing crazy stuff like switching views over and over and panning around AI aircrafts.. however, it takes a while. Once I receive my 2GB card I will confirm if I still can replicate the black textures.
Pretty low there with the screen res, why so small?24" here at 1920x1200

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Pretty low there with the screen res, why so small?24" here at 1920x1200
I capture videos with an external Video Recorder. The recorder (Gefen PVR) does not capture over 720P, so, I got used to a lower res (I record all of my flights for review) and fly 100% online. My monitor can do 1920x1080 at 23''

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Guest FlyingBits

Just tried BufferPools=0 at FSDT-JFK, I was in the default powered kite, flew for 5 min and Black Screened when I went into the menu to change planes.BTW even at 1920x1200 8Q is pretty poor, Simple 2x2 supersampling would be a big improvement for you, but you'll need RivaTuner or Enhancer. I'm using 4x4 SS and it is near perfect.

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