ParkControl - App does nothing (Resolved)

[Lyandra]

I found the ParkControl to be a great way to unpark/park the CPU, until I discovered the app really does nothing at all - big placebo
(and I used CPUeater to test this theory: all CPUs are not being parked/unparked like ParkControl says)

At first I ran into the error I didn't have permissions to make changes. I read through these forums and found that you have to go back into the registry and change the settings for unparking the CPUs and whala, was able to use ParkControl and disable all parking features.

Now that I was able to use ParkControl to Disable all Parking I decided to go into the registry and check to make sure those settings changed. Sure enough, ParkControl does not actually change the Park settings at all

I'm talking about the registry setting "0cc5b647-c1df-4637-891a-dec35c318583". ParkControl ran as Admin or not is unable to make these changes within the registry.

About the only good ParkControl is for is changing the PCs power.

Am I missing something here? Shouldn't this app also make those adjustments within the Registry? Now that I have ran into this I fail to see the reason to purchase ProcessLasso. It's pretty much killed my thinking any of this software actually works at all.

[chris635]

Something is not right on your end. My cores park and unpark depending on what applications I run. How were you controlling parking and unparking prior to Process Lasso?


Chris

[Jeremy Collake]

There are some fundamental misunderstandings here.

Core Parking is an attribute (setting) of Power Profiles. Therefore, the correct way to change the setting is to adjust the power profile configurations. ParkControl does this programmatically.

Directly editing the registry is *not* the correct way to adjust it. What you are doing by directly editing the registry is changing the power profile setting(s) on the 'back end'. The key "0cc5b647-c1df-4637-891a-dec35c318583" is the GUID for the parking setting of a power profile. That's why it exists multiple times in the registry, once for each defined power profile.

If you had previously edited the registry, this can cause the power profile configuration to enter an inconsistent state that may cause ParkControl's correct system changes to malfunction. That's why you shouldn't directly edit the registry. If this was a setting that was designed to be directly changeable via the registry, it wouldn't be named after a GUID.

It's not a placebo because it makes a simple system configuration change the right way. No other claims are made. I personally have seen pretty nice benefits from disabling core parking, and feel it is far too aggressive - as is frequency scaling. But, YMMV.

To help better understand that core parking is simply a power profile setting, you might try the registry tweak at the bottom of the ParkControl page that will unhide this setting in the advanced power options of Windows:
https://bitsum.com/files/parking_in_power_options.zip .

After you apply this, you will see the core parking option within the options of Windows Power Profiles:


You are right to be skeptical of the PC Optimization industry, it's full of hucksters and con artists. However, I can assure you that I'm not one. Lasso and ParkControl both do exactly what they say. They have definite and absolute functions that are of undeniable utility to some people. Your mileage may vary, but we're so far from the snake oil crap you'll find from other participants in the PC Optimization industry.

[Jeremy Collake]

BTW, maybe you didn't apply the ParkControl changes to every power profile, that may be why it didn't appear to be changed when you checked.

The parking setting is specific to each power profile.

Alternatively, you may be looking at a registry value that applies to some power profile not in use.

Regardless, something is amiss, and you can rest assured that ParkControl changes this setting the right way. If it doesn't work for you, there is some system config or permission issue. Conflicting software is also not impossible, especially if you use some other power management or PC optimization software.

[Jeremy Collake]

We can also work to determine what is going on with your PC. I'd like to get to the bottom of cases like yours. I've heard it a handful of times, though the greater majority have no troubles. I suspect it may be some local security policy, registry corruption, or other software interfering.

[Lyandra]

We can also work to determine what is going on with your PC. I'd like to get to the bottom of cases like yours. I've heard it a handful of times, though the greater majority have no troubles. I suspect it may be some local security policy, registry corruption, or other software interfering.

I read through your replies, thank you. I do not run any power management software. Just Windows 7 with Avast and my games. I run evga precision to kick the fans on high for the video cards and I do overclock my PC heavily (4.657Ghz from 3.6Ghz).

Is there anything I can provide you with to help ?

Also I am disabling all of the settings. Am I doing this correctly?


Also I applied the Reg Tweak you listed abovve (thank you) and can now see the settings you mentioned. I just want to unpark all cores, I game a lot and never want any parking.


I just want to make sure I am understanding these % settings and am doing it right.

Last question: will this increase my CPU temps by a lot? Or just some?

[Lyandra]

You are right to be skeptical of the PC Optimization industry, it's full of hucksters and con artists. However, I can assure you that I'm not one. Lasso and ParkControl both do exactly what they say. They have definite and absolute functions that are of undeniable utility to some people. Your mileage may vary, but we're so far from the snake oil crap you'll find from other participants in the PC Optimization industry.

That's why all my questions. I like to have a peace of software that's going to help me, greatly in the gaming area. I stream a lot and game with friends a lot and want all the performance possible I can get from my system.

Thank you kindly for your words, it's not often said by software developers these days

Now I just wish there was something like this for Video Card GPUs/Memory!

[BenYeeHua]

That's why all my questions. I like to have a peace of software that's going to help me, greatly in the gaming area. I stream a lot and game with friends a lot and want all the performance possible I can get from my system.

Thank you kindly for your words, it's not often said by software developers these days

Now I just wish there was something like this for Video Card GPUs/Memory!

PS:A lot of off-topic.
GPU Priority is not supported by Graphic card hardware and Windows, so you can just close the background apps that using the GPU(browser for example) to reduce the GPU performance loss, and full screen to bypass the DWM....
(Windows want to support Priority for GPU, but they fail, I think it is because of driver, for now each GPU software should be the equal priority)

For Memory, you can really upgrade your Windows to latest that has less memory footprint/usage, and hope the dev of your other software optimize the memory usage as well.
Or just really upgrade the RAM, and also upgrade the SSD, so that the access to Page File is much faster and less stutter because lack of free memory.

And also, hope most of your software don't page their Working Set, and paged it into the Page File to fake a small footprint...
----
Ok... I just update my database, and found this.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb174534%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
https://chromiumcodereview.appspot.com/9616035/

So it is for the apps that is using the GPU to control it only, I guess.
As this page is still the same, not yet used.

GPU Priority   REG_DWORD   The GPU priority. The range of values is 0-31. This priority is not yet used.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms684247%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
----
Wait...
So Chrome is using highest priority for the GPU presenter threads, I wonder did this is the answer for laggy game when running Chrome in the background or not.
---
Still, newer Windows has higher performance, like the reducing the overhead of Timer Resolution when it is too low by using dynamic tick, and the renew of Windows 10 win32k.

[Lyandra]

PS:A lot of off-topic.
GPU Priority is not supported by Graphic card hardware and Windows, so you can just close the background apps that using the GPU(browser for example) to reduce the GPU performance loss, and full screen to bypass the DWM....
(Windows want to support Priority for GPU, but they fail, I think it is because of driver, for now each GPU software should be the equal priority)

For Memory, you can really upgrade your Windows to latest that has less memory footprint/usage, and hope the dev of your other software optimize the memory usage as well.
Or just really upgrade the RAM, and also upgrade the SSD, so that the access to Page File is much faster and less stutter because lack of free memory.

And also, hope most of your software don't page their Working Set, and paged it into the Page File to fake a small footprint...
----
Ok... I just update my database, and found this.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb174534%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
https://chromiumcodereview.appspot.com/9616035/

So it is for the apps that is using the GPU to control it only, I guess.
As this page is still the same, not yet used.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms684247%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
----
Wait...
So Chrome is using highest priority for the GPU presenter threads, I wonder did this is the answer for laggy game when running Chrome in the background or not.
---
Still, newer Windows has higher performance, like the reducing the overhead of Timer Resolution when it is too low by using dynamic tick, and the renew of Windows 10 win32k.

Thank you for the understanding on GPU, that makes more sense now.

I don't run my browser in the background, learned about that a long time ago but thank you for pointing out.

As for my system I run 16GB memory and SSDs in RAID0 so I'm good there

[Lyandra]

My images above: am I setting up CoreParking correctly? (along with the Power Options screenshot)

[Jeremy Collake]

Yes, you are setting it correctly.

I'm still considering the best way to diagnose your problems. I'll start with asking a series of questions:

1. After disabling core parking for all power plans (or at least the current), you still see cores parked?

EDIT: CPU Temps may increase marginally, but not significantly. Disabling CPU frequency scaling has a bigger effect on CPU temps.

[Lyandra]

Yes, you are setting it correctly.

I'm still considering the best way to diagnose your problems. I'll start with asking a series of questions:

1. After disabling core parking for all power plans (or at least the current), you still see cores parked?

EDIT: CPU Temps may increase marginally, but not significantly. Disabling CPU frequency scaling has a bigger effect on CPU temps.

Jeremy,
I think you actually answered my questions with you're previous post. What you explained about the Registry settings and the CorePark app, this makes more sense to me now.

As for your latest questions: I see no cores parked via the CorePark app or within Task Manager when running the CPU burner app you have on the site.

I have a question about Games though when running ProcessLasso:

Q: I see there is an option for games and multimedia in the program "Process designated as games or multimedia". Does this help with games if I add them to this setting? Or should I not use that? The description was a little confusing for me.

EDIT: Just noticing that ProcessLasso (without and with using Process Designated as Games...) is making all my games run as Below Normal Priority. Why would it do this?

[Jeremy Collake]

Ah, good that your question was answered. I figured it was just a misunderstanding.

Ok, so if you see no cores parked, then that means ParkControl is acting correctly, if it was used to disable core parking.

I am working on a new version of ParkControl that is more clear. I took an objective look at it recently and realized it could be done better.

You should classify game processes because Lasso will adjust how it behaves a bit with them. You should combine that with 'Application Power Profiles', so that you switch to the preferred power plan when a game is launched --- a power plan you've got configured like you prefer when playing games, maybe with core parking and CPU frequency scaling disabled.

Gaming Mode is not well documented because it's in a state of flux right now as I prepare to launch our new Game Optimizer. [details confidential, but coming soon!]

I am not sure why Gaming Mode is causing your games to run as Below Normal. That doesn't sound right. They should be excluded from ProBalance restraint the moment they are marked as a game. However, you may want to exclude them from ProBalance by config as well, just to be safe. I'll also check the logic of Gaming Mode and make sure everything is functioning as intended.

Do you mean they go to Below Normal and *stay* at that priority class? If so, that's a really unusual scenario.

Is Lasso the only PC Optimization software you have installed? Other, inferior, products can be off doing stupid things to process priorities. I've had a few competitors try to replicate ProBalance lately, all have been dismal failures, and their implementations quite unsafe.

Thanks!

[BenYeeHua]

EDIT: Just noticing that ProcessLasso (without and with using Process Designated as Games...) is making all my games run as Below Normal Priority. Why would it do this?

Yup, this sound like rather a Config is having issues, or the other software is changing the priority.
---
Wait...
Did you check for it when your Game is minimized?
Because when the game is minimized, it is not the foreground process, so ProBalance will lower it as it should be.

Unless you means the priority is not changing by ProBalance(which you can check the log and check for it) but other thing, it should be working as it should be.

TR;DR:Check the log, as the game is background process while you are checking the process priority, the ProBalance should restraint it.

[Lyandra]

Ah, good that your question was answered. I figured it was just a misunderstanding.
Yes, I think it was more of my misunderstanding

Ok, so if you see no cores parked, then that means ParkControl is acting correctly, if it was used to disable core parking.

I am working on a new version of ParkControl that is more clear. I took an objective look at it recently and realized it could be done better.

You should classify game processes because Lasso will adjust how it behaves a bit with them. You should combine that with 'Application Power Profiles', so that you switch to the preferred power plan when a game is launched --- a power plan you've got configured like you prefer when playing games, maybe with core parking and CPU frequency scaling disabled.

Gaming Mode is not well documented because it's in a state of flux right now as I prepare to launch our new Game Optimizer. [details confidential, but coming soon!]
Oh this is good news to hear! I do hope it's more than a Service Disabler! I enjoy streaming my games and keeping my games running at top notch. If I could reverse time and force games to run from DOS I would! I like for my games to have all full resources available allowing the game to run at top notch, but I'm just picky

I am not sure why Gaming Mode is causing your games to run as Below Normal. That doesn't sound right. They should be excluded from ProBalance restraint the moment they are marked as a game. However, you may want to exclude them from ProBalance by config as well, just to be safe. I'll also check the logic of Gaming Mode and make sure everything is functioning as intended.
I'll take a look into this, thanks!

Do you mean they go to Below Normal and *stay* at that priority class? If so, that's a really unusual scenario.
Yes, appears to stay Below Normal. However I am able to change it and ProcessLasso does remember my change when adjusting it through the application, which is very nice.

Is Lasso the only PC Optimization software you have installed? Other, inferior, products can be off doing stupid things to process priorities. I've had a few competitors try to replicate ProBalance lately, all have been dismal failures, and their implementations quite unsafe.
Well I do run Prio in the background. This allows me to set, for example, my games to run as Above Normal or High and remember the setting. As for PC Optimizations, none at all. I have a very powerful system (I'll list the specs below) so I've never found a reason to run any Optimization software. I am addicted to tweaking things (just minor stuff in registry here and there, not a lot of stuff though) and came across your software and it intrigued me.

Thanks!

My specs:
i7 (2011) 3820 @ 4.675Ghz
16GB Memory @ 2100
Asus Sabortooth X79 board
GTX 780 Ti (2way SLI)
SSD RAID 0 (x2)
Windows 7 Home

[Lyandra]

Yup, this sound like rather a Config is having issues, or the other software is changing the priority.
---
Wait...
Did you check for it when your Game is minimized?
Ahh, yes I was minimizing it and checking it. I didn't think about that! Good catch! I'll have to check the logs like you suggested below

Because when the game is minimized, it is not the foreground process, so ProBalance will lower it as it should be.

Unless you means the priority is not changing by ProBalance(which you can check the log and check for it) but other thing, it should be working as it should be.

TR;DR:Check the log, as the game is background process while you are checking the process priority, the ProBalance should restraint it.

[BenYeeHua]

So the result is?

[Jeremy Collake]

Yes, great catch BenYeeHua! I should have asked that. I may have got to it in time, but you at least saved us lots of back-and-forth.

[BenYeeHua]

No problem, because that's what I always see(as I like to check the log when using PL) when I am checking for other processes while gaming.