[Ham-Computers] RE: DOS under WinXP and CPU usage?

[Hsu, Aaron (NBC Universal)]

Phil, Robert, et al,

It's difficult to explain, but suffice it to say that it's possible that this may be "normal". With that in mind, more info is needed to further diagnose:

1.  Is it the application (or the command prompt) itself that's using CPU cycles?  To find out, open the task manager, then select the "Processes" tab.  One of the colums should be "CPU" - if not, then click "View" -> "Select Columns" and add the "CPU Usage" field.  What's the percent utilization of the Command Prompt (and or the application itself)?  Are there any other tasks taking up more than 2% CPU time (you can sort by CPU utilization by clicking on the CPU header)?  Normally "System Idle Process" should command most of the CPU time if the system is "idle".

2.  In the Task Manager under the "Performance" tab, click "View" -> "CPU History" and tick the "One graph per CPU" option.  This will show you the utilization "per CPU" (logical or physical).  On a Hyper-threading CPU (such as the one Phil has), the first CPU is the main "pipeline" and the second CPU is the hyper-threading pipeline where the CPU is utilizing unused CPU cycles.  What does the graph say about the first and second CPU's?

3.  Do other applications slow down (significantly) when Log-EQF is running?


One thing we can try is to lower the priority of Log-EQF.  This won't necessarily reduce the CPU utilization, but it will prevent Log-EQF from hogging up CPU cycles when other apps need them.  Post your findings on the above question before we start fiddling with Task Priorities.

73,

  - Aaron, NN6O




-----Original Message-----
From: ham-computers-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:ham-computers-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Philip
Sent: Monday, December 11, 2006 9:10 PM
To: Computers Ham
Subject: [Ham-Computers] DOS under WinXP and CPU usage?

Hi All,

For my beacon logging I use Log-EQF, the DOS ham radio logger.  For the past
7 years it's been my "exclusive" logging program for beacons (I use other programs for ham and SWL). It's never given me a lick of problems and I like it because it'll run on anything from an old "XT" up.  But on the computer that I'm using now I've noticed a "quirk".  Not in functionality, but in CPU usage.

The computer is a 3.4 GHz P4 with the Intel Dual threading processor, which shows up in the hardware configuration information as "Dual 3.4 GHz P4 processors".  Operating system is Win XP Pro with SP2, RAM is 1024MB.

I've long noticed that whenever I start Log-EQF (in a DOS window) the CPU fan comes on at higher speed, even if I'm not running any other programs (other than the back=ground stuff).  In checking the "Performance" with the Cont/Alt/Del key it indicates that I'm running the CPU at 50-54% capacity when Log-EQF is running, even if minimized and not being accessed.  The CPU usage graph is telling me that it's essentially using 100% of one of the
(virtual) 3.4GHz processors.  If I start other windows programs, the CPU usage will peak up, then drop back down to about 50-54%, indicating that they're not requiring much "horsepower" to run.  IF I quit the Log-EQF session, usage drops to about 0-4%, even with other windows programs running (like Excel databases etc).

IF I start the other DOS programs that reside on the machine (some RF design programs like "RF Toolbox" etc), CPU usage will MOMENTARILY peak to 50%, then drop back down to 0-4%, just like when the machine is totally idle.

WHY would a simple DOS logging program demand so much CPU resources (essentially one 3.4GHz P4 processor at 100% load).  Especially since the logging program is sitting idle MOST of the time, and since it will run just fine on an old XT, obviously doesn't require much "Horsepower"!

73 de Phil,  KO6BB
DX begins at the noise floor!

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