2.5.6 introduces stutter every 30 seconds or so

As you can see from my specs, I have a pretty decent PC. DCS always runs superbly on it (if you don't count VR). However, since the new patch, I'm consistently getting a half-second pause every 30 seconds or so.

It's very frustrating, as it ruins the immersion. Any ideas? And yes, I've tried installing it on a super fast M.2 Samsung EVO Pro with 32GB DDR-4000 memory.

I've had some tendencies of this, but only in the F-16 of the planes I've tested. No problems in the Hornet or M2000. But do you have these problems in other planes than the F-16, GunSlinger?

did u clean your fxo and metashaders file after u installed latest build?

seems to help give it a whirl also helped me was a "clean" of the module DCS Updater utility

cheers

I notice these from time to time as well - using VR. I delete my FXO and metashaders2 folders every time prior to starting DCS.

Cheers,

Don

did u clean your fxo and metashaders file after u installed latest build?

seems to help give it a whirl also helped me was a "clean" of the module DCS Updater utility

cheers

Can please explain the bold sentence for a certified noob?

Can please explain the bold sentence for a certified noob?

In your saved games folder, then DCS open beta folder, then fxo folder - delete the contents of this. Then go back one level, find metashaders2 folder, delete the contents of that folder. Then boot DCS. The contents of those folders are shaders and texture files that can cause problems by duplicating or not being replaced properly after an update.

Cheers,

Don

This kind of stutter sounds to me like a background task grabbing ressources every 30 secs. Maybe a virus scanner or an indexer?

Some people report that this helps with stutters: https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=4060188&postcount=1 and maybe also add disable_write_track=true if you don't need the track files.

sorry bud....just check Zipties answer

all the best

Malwarebytes is a known cause for those random stutters you mentioned. If you're using it (or an equivalent) I suggest excluding your DCS install. Good luck!

As you can see from my specs, I have a pretty decent PC. DCS always runs superbly on it (if you don't count VR). However, since the new patch, I'm consistently getting a half-second pause every 30 seconds or so.

 

It's very frustrating, as it ruins the immersion. Any ideas? And yes, I've tried installing it on a super fast M.2 Samsung EVO Pro with 32GB DDR-4000 memory.

1. Download the Microsoft ADK for Win10 - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/get-started/adk-install

The current latest is 1903, direct link: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2086042

2. Use custom installation and you only need to install the Windows Performance Toolkit (WPT) so only select that, this is a web installer, it will only download the selected components. (there is offline available but for the whole ADK)

3. Download and Install the NET Framework 4.8 Runtime (not developer pack), the WPT GUI may need it (i'm not sure which ver, but get the latest and you're safe) https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet-framework/net48

4. Reboot

5. Search for "Windows Performance Recorder" and start it, expand the tree and deselect everything else, only select the checkboxes for CPU Usage, Disk IO, GPU Activity. And make sure you don't use Verbose detail level, switch to Light. Verbose is default and it will never remember the setting.

6. Start DCS, load your mission fully, where you know it's laggy (not a big mission tho) but do not start playing yet so don't unpause.

7. Start the Recorder, then go immediately inside DCS and play. Do not change the views or rotate the camera when recording, keep it strictly stationary at all times. Record for about 1 minute. Make sure the issue is actually present when recording, or else you have to scrap and cancel and repeat the recording.

Please SAVE the file immediately, a new dialog will appear asking to confirm filename, click SAVE at the bottom immediatley, waiting there AFAIK creates an annoying section of uselessness (IMO) in the graph called "trace rundown", rename the file if you wish later manually with the explorer (such as DCS_version_description_Date). Do a test recording before, to set up the output path, it should remember it, while filenames are auto generated.

8. Do several recordings of variable lenght from 30 seconds to 1-2 minutes in various sections of your mission. Don't record over 2 minutes in one piece. Do not select a mission with too much activity, not too many AIs, prefer small mission.

9. The output is saved to .ETL files in Documents or wherever you saved it, make sure you at least zip them to compress the size significantly, use WinRAR or similar to use much better compression than the old ZIP format uses. Upload them here so I can take a look, you can do it yourself but I think you already got full hands with this especially if you're doing it first time. You can't really take a look at it quickly, it would take you hours to do anything (in depth stuff takes days, weeks) to get the experience to use the analyzer correctly, and to know what to look for. 4-5 recordings should well be enough if the spike is happening all the time, across all modules, missions, etc.