ArmA 2 I/O analysis results

[Liquidpinky]

Leon86 or qwertz could you write a step by step guide how to install ramdisk? If I understand correctly this can be done if you have 4GB of ram or more?

Click my sig.

[1longtime]

I don't want to sidetrack this thread, but I want to post a counter-example to this post:

To be clear for those who said or might think it: A SSD-Drive isn´t a solution at all (for ArmA2). If you compare qwertz´s VelociRaptor Kamikaze-RAID I/O-Values with those of a Samsung PBJ-22 256GB SSD you see superior values for the SSD of course but you are still not able to go from the Countryside to Chernogorks or Elekrozavodsk without that massive stuttering, no matter if you walk, drive or fly. So a RAM-Drive might be the only solution to get rid of that.

This is the exact opposite of what I have recently posted, particularly how happy I was to drive through Elektroz without stutters. An SSD WAS the solution for me. It solved all the "massive stuttering." I'm not sure why you are still having problems... perhaps you have an older SSD? The older ones had major problems with write caching...

The RAM-Drive is faster, without a doubt. I don't have enough RAM to move the entire Arma2 folder, but even with only the highly used PBOs it will undoubtably be an improvement for performance. However, I'm very happy with my SSD performance now so it won't be a high priority. Very interesting though.

Add a Radeon 5870 and an E8600 @ 4GHz with 8GB DDR3-RAM and I´m still not able to get more than 20fps in 1920x1200 with minimum AA and normal object detail in those cities, even if I stand still with little Streaming-Activity at all the engine sucks delivering performance. So if you get rid off one bottleneck you´re just facing the next. What is it worth to remove the stuttering if you can´t play in cities anyway with the same settings you just had 60fps with on the countryside without lowering the details?

Again, I'm sorry you're having problems with your SSD, but I want to respond as a counter-example: I bought a newer-generation SSD and it makes Arma 2 awesome. HDD reading is a major bottleneck, and SSD solved it. A RAM-disk is no doubt even MORE awesome. I'm jealous.

If you have that amount of RAM and don´t use it anyway it´s worth a try but no one should consider buying a SSD or more RAM just for ArmA2 in my opinion.

Maybe. But we know this is the best game on the market... so a little bit of obsessive behavior isn't so bad.

I chased the dream of ultra-high-resolution Arma2 with ultra-high-performance... and you know what it cost me? Another 8800gtx (eBay for $65) and an SSD ($320 + tax). Totally worth it.

[qwertz]

This is the exact opposite of what I have recently posted, particularly how happy I was to drive through Elektroz without stutters. An SSD WAS the solution for me. It solved all the "massive stuttering." I'm not sure why you are still having problems... perhaps you have an older SSD? The older ones had major problems with write caching...

The RAM-Drive is faster, without a doubt. I don't have enough RAM to move the entire Arma2 folder, but even with only the highly used PBOs it will undoubtably be an improvement for performance. However, I'm very happy with my SSD performance now so it won't be a high priority. Very interesting though.

I think it all depends. I am sure that - compared to a mechanical hard disk - a modern SSD is a huge improvement. If you look at the I/O results using a RAMdrive, though, you will see that ArmA 2 can generate a load of more than 1000 IOPS (I will post some results later). Now have a look at SSD performance:



Random I/O maxes out at 300-400 IOPS with these SSDs. So, while 98% of the time ArmA 2 will work in the range of what a SSD can deliver, it is those nasty 2% of times where they don't that can create visible stutter.

Here's a (slow) RAMdisk for comparison:



And here a Hard Disk:



Basically, as a rule of thumb, in random read a RAMdisk is 100x, a SDD is 10x faster than a HDD.

But at the end you are quite right, there is a certain level of perfectionism at work here

[wasserkool]

My pressing questions is will a 4GB RAM disk work or I have to put the ENTIRE game 8GB onto a RAM disk to see performance. 16 GB of RAM with 4X4GB config cost the same as a smaller capacity SSD.

[.kju [PvPscene]]

Old IBM:



Old samsung:



Intel M:



Ram drive:

[Liquidpinky]

My pressing questions is will a 4GB RAM disk work or I have to put the ENTIRE game 8GB onto a RAM disk to see performance. 16 GB of RAM with 4X4GB config cost the same as a smaller capacity SSD.

4gb is okay, you just have to be selective of what you put in it.
Just run qwertz test with Process Monitor to help decide what you would prefer for your own gaming scenarios.

I have it currently down to 3gb of files and the spare 1gb as a pagefile.
That was taken by analysing one of qwertz earlier tests then deciding what would make the game smooth and sorting out things that wouldn't effect graphical performance like sound files etc.
I do recommend putting the UI files in there though as map and menu loading is a treat now.

[ReiLar]

Hi guys,

I have fixed my tool - you can download it here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=5...4e75f6e8ebb871

Should work with everyone's data now - let me see the results !

Yes, now it works perfectly
I've now moved whole my ArmA 2 installation folder onto a ram drive and logged a couple of minutes flying in a Harrier over Chernagorsk.
This is the analysis of it using your excelent tool:
http://www.mediafire.com/?kmrzzzytcni

Still get some stutter though even if it's better than without a ram drive.

[.kju [PvPscene]]

How about having people post a screenshot of their ingame video settings.
After all this should have a visible and noticeable effect no matter what.

[Leon86]

How about having people post a screenshot of their ingame video settings.
After all this should have a visible and noticeable effect no matter what.

http://forums.bistudio.com/showpost....9&postcount=56

I notice an effect in my 2 video's

[GLeek]

Yes, now it works perfectly
I've now moved whole my ArmA 2 installation folder onto a ram drive and logged a couple of minutes flying in a Harrier over Chernagorsk.
This is the analysis of it using your excelent tool:
http://www.mediafire.com/?kmrzzzytcni

Still get some stutter though even if it's better than without a ram drive.

your entire arma2 folder ? 16GB you have installed ?
my mobo can manage maximum 4x2GB @ 667mhz. my overclock impose 720mhz x9 . grrrrr!!!

i will still buy 4 more gig , because ramdrive rocks