Laptop Pro Tools users at 100% CPU load - UNITE!

[rgorka09]

Our Engineering Department has provided us with the following information regarding the 100% CPU issue;

This is an intentional process used to disable processor stepping on certain laptops.

As part of its advanced power management features, the Windows XP operating system can slow the CPU clock frequency on certain processors (usually laptops) to conserve power (battery management). The clock speed adjustment happens automatically and without any warning to the user. This feature is also popularly known as SpeedStep (Intel CPUs), PowerNow (AMD CPUs), and CPU throttle (Microsoft). This changing clock frequency causes various performance problems for ProTools. The specific manifestation of this problem appears to be machine specific.

In order to provide solid laptop performance, upon Pro Tools launch, we check the registry to see if there is a "laptop processor" in the system. If there is, we run the processor at 100% and disable the step down processes. One unfortunate offshoot of this is that some laptop manufacturers decide to crank their fans on all the time if they sense this....yet others don't.

I understand completely.

However, why not just let Windows Laptop users disable powersaving features?!!

Wouldn't that prevent the problem in a more efficient manner? (Unless you at Digi are worried about lots of boneheads not disabling power management and then having PTLE run poorly...)

Gorka

[EEmarty]

Just loading the processor doesn't sound like a very elegant solution. Perhaps there is another way to prevent the processor from switching speeds. Maybe change the registry key for the 'laptop processor' so windows wont use speedstep when protools is run. Or find the registry key (or service) that controls the frequency of the cpu and make sure it is always the maximum while protools is running. I'm not a programmer, your guys should have better ideas than me!!!


The bottom line is that the solution Digi engineers came up with to fix the speedstep problem you mentioned is causing other serious problems that need to be remedied. Hopefully your engineers can spend some time and find a solution which doesn't cause anything else to go wrong.

I have a brand new Dell 700m which has this problem. I dont think the heat is an issue. I think the process digi uses to run the processor at 100% just tricks windows into thinking it is loaded but doesn't actually load the cpu. Some laptop manufacturers have the fan come on when the cpu is at 100% and some (like the thinkpad) use the fan only when the temp rises enough. That is manufacturer specific, but like I said, a better solution would be not to trick windows into thinking it is seeing 100% load.

Thanks for being so responsive in this forum,

Martin

[EEmarty]

I understand completely.

However, why not just let Windows Laptop users disable powersaving features?!!

Gorka

I have to disable, in the hardware manager, my power saving features in order to prevent prolific HW buffer errors anyway, so it wouldn't be anymore inconvenient for me.

martin

[hjorte]

In order to provide solid laptop performance, upon Pro Tools launch, we check the registry to see if there is a "laptop processor" in the system. If there is, we run the processor at 100%

Oh no! This is a very dirty way of doing it. By forcing the processor to 100% it will generate lots of heat THUS forcing the fans to start.
Let me repeat this tricky part: the fans DOES NOT start because you force the processor to 100%. The fans start because the processor runs very hot during 100% load and therefore the fans start.

100% CPU utilization is NOT the same as maximum CPU clock frequency, but yet you seem to think so.

All you need to do, is to let the user know, that Digidesign only supports PTLE on laptops with SpeedStep/PowerNow features disabled. That way we can disable the feature ourselves and run the laptop constant at maximum CPU CLOCK FREQUENCY. That does NOT put the CPU in 100% utilization AND PTLE has the maximum powers of the laptop available. All of the time.

This is certainly the way to do it - not the other way around. Man, i'm surprised of the way Digidesign chose to do this. I sure hope this can be changed. Please

/Henrik

[Larue]

Is it easy to disable SpeedStep/PowerNow? Does it require going into BIOS?

[rgorka09]

Is it easy to disable SpeedStep/PowerNow? Does it require going into BIOS?

I believe this depends on the model of laptop you have, but I could be wrong.

As for my laptop, I can disable powersaving features by adjusting Windows power settings to "Always On".

There has got to be a more optimal way to deal with this problem than just maxing the CPU out!!! I thought my laptop would burn up, so I bought a laptop cooler...it helped a little...

-Gorka

[rgorka09]

Bumpity bump

[mushmouth]

I can cook breakfast off my laptop while using protools...seriously. PT's and laptops = sterility

[Digi ETS]

Hey folks,
We have not stopped looking at this issue. I met with some developers today and we are investigating some workarounds for you.

Stay tuned.

Digi ETS

[yarrick19]

Thank you Digi.

We need a good work around for this issue. Lets keep this post at the top of the list guys...