[HOWTO - RAMDRIVE] Increasing SWTOR System Performance

[Voar]

I have the game on SSD and Win7 on a slow HDD, so this would surely have sped up my game.

 

I tried runing the batch file and it couldn't find the install folder. It came up with an error about D:swtor/launcher couln't be found. Is it possible there isn't any reference in my registry of SWTOR install? I did install it on my HDD and then moved it to my SSD.

 

I am not smart enough to identify/alter the batch file code.

[Dyaheon]

I have the game on SSD and Win7 on a slow HDD, so this would surely have sped up my game.

 

I tried runing the batch file and it couldn't find the install folder. It came up with an error about D:swtor/launcher couln't be found. Is it possible there isn't any reference in my registry of SWTOR install? I did install it on my HDD and then moved it to my SSD.

 

I am not smart enough to identify/alter the batch file code.

 

Yeah, if you move it then the registry very likely points to the old location, and that won't work. However, the OP has pretty clear instructions, try those

[Raffii]

Very Nice, works awesome,

[Astralll]

Update: I see a huge difference on my Asus G73 laptop with 8GBS of memory and on my Desktop with 16gbs of memory I saw a difference as well.

 

Note: I also have my ini file graphics all tweaked out for better graphics. The last patch increased my frame rate and performance on the Imperial fleet. And now this has really helped with loading. I was wondering if it had anything to do with load balancing from the server but now this makes more sense.

 

At the root of this- is it the engine and how it is coded with windows? Seems like a nice tweak.

 

 

Is there anyway to write a .bat file that would do the same thing for Windows 7 64bit?

Edited January 27, 2012 by Astralll

[Lemon_King]

ok then , i had some problem setting the 24 go , nvm i will stay with lemon 's tweak.

 

but just to know , do you guys have a :

 

1/ Diskcachearena 1go file who is modified at start ( for example 6h12 ) and after 30 min playing no modif on it ( it still notice : 6h12 last modified).

 

2/ On the T:\swtor\swtor\ there is 2 files of 0 ko stream and static + a link (junction) for setting .

 

3/ On the intall location : C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\BioWare\Star Wars - The Old Republic\swtor , the diskcachearena link (junction)

 

 

all is correct ?

 

offtopic : is it possible to make some junction for asset , like art / gfx / etc ? , i tried one , game lauch but without some textures^^ .

1: The junction file shouldn't show with an updated modify time.

2: the Stream and Static files will only show size if refreshed while they are holding data

3: Looks right.

 

Update: I see a huge difference on my Asus G73 laptop with 8GBS of memory and on my Desktop with 16gbs of memory I saw a difference as well.

 

Note: I also have my ini file graphics all tweaked out for better graphics. The last patch increased my frame rate and performance on the Imperial fleet. And now this has really helped with loading. I was wondering if it had anything to do with load balancing from the server but now this makes more sense.

 

At the root of this- is it the engine and how it is coded with windows? Seems like a nice tweak.

 

 

Is there anyway to write a .bat file that would do the same thing for Windows 7 64bit?

I built my batch file in 7 64bit.

e: Whoops, didn't know which batch file you were talking about.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Lemon_King

[mrkitethreeeight]

Update: I see a huge difference on my Asus G73 laptop with 8GBS of memory and on my Desktop with 16gbs of memory I saw a difference as well.

 

Note: I also have my ini file graphics all tweaked out for better graphics. The last patch increased my frame rate and performance on the Imperial fleet. And now this has really helped with loading. I was wondering if it had anything to do with load balancing from the server but now this makes more sense.

 

At the root of this- is it the engine and how it is coded with windows? Seems like a nice tweak.

 

 

Is there anyway to write a .bat file that would do the same thing for Windows 7 64bit?

 

The batch file should work on Windows 7 64-bit, that's what I wrote it on.

 

EDIT - I mean the all-in-one. Lemon_King wrote the original bits, of course, and it sounds like he uses Windows 7 x64 also.

 

 

Hello,

just to point some things :

1. It's works wonders - and i really curious that BW doesnt use accesible memory as cache for his own engine. If it bearable and doable with simple RamDrive - it would be 2 times more effectiv if they implement caching as their own process.

 

They should have demanded a 64-bit version of the engine. All methods for using more memory on 32-bit are hackery (AWE, LAA, etc.)

 

2. Batch file is good but missing some things:

i think - in order to confirm proper link to settings from T: there should be If EXIST check for T:\SWTOR\swtor\settings\anyini.ini. I have had situation where links was not properly estabilished. Doesn't tested it at full degree - but looks like some timing problem.

 

And common things that improve load times alot:

Don't forget to turn AV checks/ru time guard on main intallation directory and ramdrive as whole off. Some AV engines are horrible if they should check huge files on the fly.

 

I'll look at adding another check.

 

 

Definitely trying this, some use for my 18GB RAM.

 

However, as I'm cruising around the fleet, it is not only the DiskCache files that are getting hit obviously. As I don't have enough RAM to fit whole assets folder in RAM, I wonder if it would be possible to just put some commonly used files from the assets folder (in addition to the disk cache ones obviously) to the RAM drive, such as Warzones, fleet, Ilum, Operations, player models etc etc., while leaving the large and rarely visited (from a lvl50 perspective) leveling planets assets as is?

 

Here's an example of what gets read while speeding around the fleet: http://i.imgur.com/b9GbP.png

 

EDIT: Actually, the OP apparently has a command for just that, linking single files. Will have to figure out if I could make use of it

 

This would work, but the more things you move around each time, the more complex the setup is and the longer the initial load takes.

Edited January 27, 2012 by mrkitethreeeight

[Dyaheon]

This would work, but the more things you move around each time, the more complex the setup is and the longer the initial load takes.

 

Yeah. I suppose it is only worth considering if you have lots of unused RAM and don't boot your computer very often

[Susliks]

Legendary speed improvement.

Task Scheduler for automation is not considered as set back with this boost.

 

ty

Edited January 27, 2012 by Susliks

[Adeptt]

Bump +1

[mrkitethreeeight]

Bump +1

 

They should just sticky this since it's the only non-complaining thread on the first page...

[Rion_Starkiller]

Rate this thread 5 stars -- if you haven't done so already!

[Lemon_King]

Legendary speed improvement.

Task Scheduler for automation is not considered as set back with this boost.

 

ty

 

19 pages in and still glad to see people are still getting speed improvements.

Edited January 28, 2012 by Lemon_King

[Kabhal]

The game runs fine for me already, but I've got 12 gigs of ram sitting around doing nothing so I thought I'd use this for a performance boost and it works great. My only problem is I have to manually right click the batch file and select "Run as admin" every time because the option to "run as admin" in the properties tab is greyed out. I wish I could "ungrey" it, check the option (to run as admin) and then I just click the icon to play.

 

EDIT: Sorry didn't mean to sound like an ungrateful douche, appreciate lemon and mrkite for figuring all this out and putting my idle memory to good use. I'd just like to make it a one-click icon option instead of right-click, run as admin, option. (still worth it regardless). I'm guessing batch files default to greyed out run as admin?

 

EDIT: I'm on vista 64.

Edited January 28, 2012 by Kabhal

[Lemon_King]

EDIT: Sorry didn't mean to sound like an ungrateful douche, appreciate lemon and mrkite for figuring all this out and putting my idle memory to good use. I'd just like to make it a one-click icon option instead of right-click, run as admin, option. (still worth it regardless). I'm guessing batch files default to greyed out run as admin?

 

EDIT: I'm on vista 64.

Use this guide to set up a task so it runs the batch on Boot.

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/window-on-windows/make-vista-launch-uac-restricted-programs-at-startup-with-task-scheduler/616

[Kabhal]

Use this guide to set up a task so it runs the batch on Boot.

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/window-on-windows/make-vista-launch-uac-restricted-programs-at-startup-with-task-scheduler/616

 

Yeah I already tried that, but on reboot the t: drive doesn't show up. I have to manually do it. I don't have UAC enabled and I am the administrator. I set up that task with elevated privileges but for some reason it just won't run. When I look at task scheduler events it shows the fail, but doesn't say what caused the fail.

 

EDIT: Actually the T: drive does show up, but I think it balks at the format stage. When I go to look at the T: drive in explorer it says unformated and prompts me to format it.

 

EDIT2: But then I just right-click the batch file and run as admin and everything works fine. The T: drive is then formatted and I can see it in explorer with the appropriate directories.

Edited January 28, 2012 by Kabhal

[MalakDawnfire]

Nevermind. Good read though! Edited January 28, 2012 by MalakDawnfire

[Lemon_King]

Yeah I already tried that, but on reboot the t: drive doesn't show up. I have to manually do it. I don't have UAC enabled and I am the administrator. I set up that task with elevated privileges but for some reason it just won't run. When I look at task scheduler events it shows the fail, but doesn't say what caused the fail.

 

EDIT: Actually the T: drive does show up, but I think it balks at the format stage. When I go to look at the T: drive in explorer it says unformated and prompts me to format it.

 

EDIT2: But then I just right-click the batch file and run as admin and everything works fine. The T: drive is then formatted and I can see it in explorer with the appropriate directories.

Have you tried setting a minor delay on the task after boot?

[Kabhal]

Have you tried setting a minor delay on the task after boot?

 

 

No, but I set it to retry on fail every minute for 3 times so I think that is effectively the same thing?

 

I appreciate the help Lemon. I don't understand why I can't set a batch file to run as administrator though? Obviously I'd prefer it to automatically setup at startup as above but if I have to click an icon I'd like to just click and go and not have to right-click run as administrator every time. I guess I need to google more about how to elevate a batch file even though I'm the admin and have UAC off.

[Kabhal]

nvm I'm mentally challenged.

 

EDIT: http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/8946/screenhunter01jan272131.jpg I edited it for 4g but otherwise the same. It still won't launch from startup. T: drive is ramdrive.

 

EDIT2: Performance boost works great though, so thank you regardless, it's worth the extra click.

Edited January 28, 2012 by Kabhal

[Vidneras]

I used mrkitethreeeight's method at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=1965652

 

I am getting the cannot find \launcher.exe error

 

I'm not sure what to do.

 

If it helps, when I go to regedit and try to navigate to "hklm\software\wow6432node\bioware\star wars-the old republic" I notice that I can get to the "hklm\software\wow6432node\" but then there is no bioware folder.

 

Doing a search in regedit finds my SWTOR launcher files in other places like "HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-2122706955-377316012-2677261142-1001\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\MuiCache"

 

Ideas?

 

note: my actual launcher file is located at

C:\Games\Star Wars-The Old Republic\launcher.exe

Edited January 28, 2012 by Vidneras

[Daemonjax]

Is there really a performance benefit to doing this?

 

How is using extra ram for a ramdrive really that different than just letting the OS use extra ram for a file cache, especially with writeback caching enabled on the drives?

 

 

I used procmon to monitor file access, and I don't see it touching the cache files on my drives much. This is with 8gb of ram, btw.

 

I did consider doing this myself after I upgraded to 8gb of ram, but after using procmon to look at how often it was touching these cache files... I just opted to move them to my SSD drive instead.

 

EDIT: I just doublechecked again via procmon, and this just doesn't look like this would be a performance issue to me. Probably because I'm not having performance issues. I dunno. I'd recommend just having more ram than you need, and enabling writeback caching on all your drives along with disabling OS flushing. Go ahead and disable Superfetch while you're at it, too.

Edited January 28, 2012 by Daemonjax

[renkei]

so at each reboot the cache is wipe ?

[Rion_Starkiller]

It's pretty easy to type this in CMD each reboot:

 

• imdisk -a -s 2G -m T: -p "/fs:ntfs /q /y"
  
• mkdir T:\SWTOR\swtor
  
• mklink /J "T:\SWTOR\swtor\settings" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\BioWare\Star Wars - The Old Republic\swtor\retailclient\settings"
  

 

 

It's not as monotonous as I thought it would be.

 

 

EDIT: Misunderstood.

 

 

 

so at each reboot the cache is wipe ?

 

Ya, the RAMdisk will be removed/deleted each reboot.

Edited January 28, 2012 by Rion_Starkiller

[Cupelixx]

I had wondered about trying something like this when I saw people mentioning severe HD usage with this game but never got around to trying it. Thanks for the basics.

 

I wonder. For people having problems mostly in IF/RF, Warzones or places with a lot of players around...can some of the main assets be linked to this? I'm not sure which ones to try. It would take a lot of testing and a lot of RAM but hey. I've got 12GB and the game itself hardly uses any of that so why not.

 

I bet whatever assets are used for IF/RF and the player data running in a RAM drive would fix problems there, anywhere there are lots of people and possibly warzones too. Provided you have enough RAM. Maybe it's not possible with specific files. The whole assets folder is some 16GB.

 

I implore you, look into this more if you have time. I do see a noticeable difference just with the arena cache. If I'm right and getting more of the 'problem' assets into a RAM drive is possible, this might save the game for me until they pull off a real fix.

[Rogoo]

The batch file works fine for me.

 

As for the whole solution, due to the nature of MMO's (bencharking is hard) am unsure if I got any performance gains.

 

Will try WZs later.