CPU Usage, affects the system

[Display123]

Help...

I've read that running MillV9 SP1 on Win XP Pro will get you a 100% CPU Usage, and from all the posts, it seems that there's nothing wrong with it at all, its just reporting the CPU Usage wrongly.

But, in my case, everytime I run Mill, it shows 100% CPU Usage, like everybody else, but my problem is....

 

Even trying to selecting the menus(highlights that follows the mouse pointer) is slow to respond, delayed ~1 sec.

And so does, panning a 3D object.

Its annoying to having slow-downs like this.

Can anyone lighten me up on this?

 

System Spec

P4 2.8GHz

512MB DDR333 SDRAM

120GB SATA HDD

128MB ATI Radeon 9200SE

Windows XP Pro SP1 (Fully Updated)

 

I'm asking this behalf of a friend, so I'm not that familiar with Mastercam, hope you guys could help me.

[Rick46]

try adding more RAM.. that always helps....

[Brendan P]

Do a search here.

It has been covered many times.

[Rekd™]

I generally don't have that problem. But a couple things to check would be that the system hasn't been running for a long time, and that MC hasn't been running for a long time. If either have been running a long time, and a re-boot/re-start fixes it for a while, then you've got a memory leak. (Yeah, big suprise there.. thanks Micro$oft for you hole-ridden bloat-ware!)

 

Otherwise, I'd say check your video settings, adjust the accel down a bit and see if it helps. I run MC on a similar machine, at 1600 x 1200 with highest color support. I rarely get slow-downs. When I do, restarting MC helps for quite a while.

 

I've also noticed I can run my comp for up to 2 weeks straight without experiencing major problems. (A much better run than any of the previous Windows I've run, so I shouldn't bash Micro$oft too much..)

 

HTH

 

'Rekd

[JG]

I remember that if you leave the ops manager open, cpu goes to zero.

[Rekd™]

It does, but that stops you from being able to do anything, and doesn't do anything for the delays he's experiencing.

[Bullines]

If this only happens with Mastercam, try swapping out the ATI card for an decent nVIDIA card.

 

If this happens all the time, regardless of whether Mastercam is running or not, check your IDE Controller's properties to make sure that it's not running in PIO mode. This sometimes manifests itself as a case of "jerky mouse".

 

[ 04-01-2004, 03:08 PM: Message edited by: Bullines ]

[Rekd™]

PIO mode? Is that the equivelant of the Micro$oft POS mode?

 

'Rekd

[Bullines]

Close. PIO is an old data transfer method for IDE components. It all happens through the system bus so it's slow. UDMA has replaced it and is much better since it passes it through much faster RAM instead of the CPU. If you have a flaky IDE controller or your hard disk/CD/DVD is failing, Windows will step down in UDMA settings until it gets to PIO.

[gcode]

In Performance Options of System Properties

Proccessor Scheduling should be set to Programs

Memory Useage should be set to programs

[Craig Madsen from CM3D]

Another thing to try before swapping out graphics cards -

 

Change your mouse pointer 'scheme' to none. (flat, non-rendered, non-animated cursors). If I use animated cursors on Open-GL enabled applications I have noticed substantial slowing of response with the mouse.

 

It is on the control panel / Mouse settings.

 

Craig Madsen

[krystof]

Its Your Video Card, go to display properties/Setting/advanced tab/troubleshoot/scroll back your hardware acceleration to disable direct draw and direct3D and this will correct the problem. I will not use ATI cards with Mcam

[Display123]

thx guys...

It really was the display card's fault.

after disabling Direct3D and DirectDraw it went all smooth.

Just wondering... y does ATI cards hav this problem with Mcam?

And does the upcoming version X has fixed this problem? and so, the CPU usage too fixed?

[Bullines]

quote:

---

y does ATI cards hav this problem with Mcam?

And does the upcoming version X has fixed this problem? and so, the CPU usage too fixed?

---

Many possible reasons, most of which I'd be speculating (and wouldn't be comfortable saying on a public forum that anyone can view). Most likely. Yes.

[P_Scott]

Display123,

 

The answer to "y ATI cards have this problem" would be because their "market" is entertainment cards with Direct X drivers, not CAD/CAM workstation cards with drivers for Open GL support.

 

Mcam X will be a full Windows application interface. This will allow for both Open GL support and Direct X. As far as the CPU usage, that shouldn't be a problem because the Win O/S will handle the processor usage and allocations of memory for X. That's just my understanding of the issue however and since I'm not employed by CNC Software, developers of Mcam, take it with a grain of salt. HTH

 

"D'OH!!" Bullines beat me to it.

[Mike Mattera - TFM]

It's not fair to blame Mastercam for all of these video problems. Yea it's software and some if it might be Mastercm. But if U install ANY video card and look at the README.TXT file that usually accompanies it, you'll usually find a list of known problems with lots of programs. I was having trouble with and Intel video card (as does everyone who has an Intel card) and I couldn't believe how many applications were on this list of known problems. I dont know how some of these companied can sell these cards.

 

NVidia is the way to go. The most releiable card for all applications.

 

Mike Mattera