Abnormal Performance In Game / Dual-Core w/Cool-and-Quiet...Follow

Our compatibility lab has worked with some dual-core systems and come up with some more permanent resolutions to the dual-core affinity issues. This is not a complete solution, but it's a start towards a complete fix. Here are a couple of the links they sent out with a little information that may help detail what to do:

AMD X2 Driver Update Page – The driver labled "AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 Dual Core Processor Driver for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Version (exe)" should be installed. Note that there are two versions. One for x64 and one for regular 32-bit, which most people run.

Microsoft's HotFix page for Dual-Core processors on Windows XP SP2 – This Microsoft knowledge base article should be followed for Windows XP Service Pack 2.

Hotfix information: A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. (this hotfix may receive additional testing) Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Windows XP service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit Microsoft's Web site.

Jason Crawford,
Customer Support Representative

For answers to other questions, please review our searchable Knowledge Base


From: Sarkaukar-Povar
Response:
Google for Runfirst.exe and place it into your EQ folder.

Try doing the following steps exactly in order:
1. Delete all everquest shortcuts from your desktop

2. Make sure runfirst.exe is in your main everquest folder with everquest.exe

3. Right click on runfirst.exe, hold right click, and drag it to desktop. Choose "Create shortcut here" on the menu that appears. (alternately you can right click and choose "send to... desktop (create shortcut)" instead of dragging it)

4. Right click on the shortcut to runfirst.exe on your desktop and choose "properties"

5. You will see a line like "C:\Program Files\Sony\Everquest\runfirst.exe"

6. Do not modify what's in the quotes at all.
Add a space and then everquest.exe to the end, so the shortcut reads something like:
"C:\Program Files\Son\Everquest\runfirst.exe" everquest.exe

7. Hit the apply button at the bottom, then hit the OK button to close the window.



8. Run EQ via the shortcut to runfirst.exe

From: Stordito
Response:
I have tried these fixes. Runfirst and the hotfix. I have increased my mempry size updated the drivers on my cpu and motherboard, also vidoe card. I am able to get to login but go into total pc lockup at the time i click login. im posting in multiple threads to try to get my answer. appreciate all the help i can get. thanks

From: FreedomElite
Response:
Hey. I read this article and found it quite interesting. I never needed the hotfix or the "runfirst" program while using amd 64 x2 duel core. although the processor ran well, I never saw any boost in performance either.

However, when i decided I didn't like my cpu and wanted to switch to intell, I installed a intell core2 duel core (64 bit cpu), it runs so much better than the previous cpu, and that time i needed the hotfix. the hot fix was fairly easy to setup, but really didn't make a difference in everquest. stangely enough using this cpu, everquest is the only game that gives me a problem.

the final resolution I used for running everquest, was making an incon on desktop for the runfirst.exe, which i had places in the everquest game folder, under the line where it says target : "C:\Program Files\Sony\EverQuest\RunFirst.exe" everquest.exe

it works but performance is sluggish, even with a nice 256 or 512 card. I doubt even dual sli cards would be sufficient. I'm not sure what the problem is. the performance issues relates to the network connection interfering with the video output, every time i get a spike in upload speeds, the video gets a lag spike, but if you pull up the netstat, you will see no lag on your connection to everquest.

Now that you've read that, notice that i never have this performance problem while dual cpu's is enabled. The problem we need solved here, is the fact the the game is obviously not supporting dual cpu's properly.

You could easily say that "oh I have amd dual cpu's and I've never had a problem", that is because amd dual core does not recognize as one cpu and programs don't use the full potential, thus no performance gains. But intells core 2, has two cpu's working as one cpu, so you have full performance boost.

I know everquest is really old, but if we could get the programmers to make the game support dual cpu's fully, imagine the possibilities. but i guess that's like asking them to update the graphics, and they'll just respond with "go buy eq2". Never!!! EQ1 for life!!!

Enough said.

You can find the remains of this article at : http://eqforums.station.sony.com/eq/board/message?board.id=tech&message.id=136760