What method can I use to keep the CPU cores idle when exiting a game?
What method can I use to keep the CPU cores idle when exiting a game?
On the Ryzen 9950X3D with core parking, it only stays parked when connected to the game window. The problem is that if I'm using VR and switch tabs to Spotify on another monitor, the CPU cores stay unparked while playing VR until I actually open the game in the taskbar. Is there a method to keep the cores parked while a game is running?
No, my problem is that you can keep playing VR games on the vr headset even when your desktop is open to other applications. For instance, while you're in VR, you click the virtual menu to switch your desktop, which lets you view other monitors for tasks like Discord. If you tap on anything, the Windows scheduler thinks you're not actively using the game, even though you're still playing through your VR headset. This causes the core parking to stop until you manually switch back to the desktop view and open the game again, which shouldn't be necessary since you can simply reopen the VR game from the SteamVR menu.
Parking and unparking cores pose a challenge because they require the OS to handle these tasks effectively.
If your problem is the VR game becoming slower, it's not related to core parking. Open task manager and assign the VR game the highest priority. Click right-click on the game's exe in task manager, navigate to 'details', right-click again and select priority, choosing real-time. If this doesn't resolve the issue, try setting it to high. If the game controls its own priority, this might not help, but there could be an option in its menu such as lower priority (sometimes FPS) while paused, not focused, or in background.
Modern processors with thermal limits require boost algorithms to function effectively. These chips rapidly switch between states to save energy and minimize heat generation in the cores. At the highest state, C6, the core is essentially inactive. When powered down completely—without clocks or voltage—it behaves similarly to a "parked" state, even though it differs from traditional core parking.
Ryzen processors are designed to operate this way efficiently, enabling fast and frequent changes without significant delays. By shifting processing tasks to nearby cores that share local caches, the system avoids bottlenecks. Windows' scheduler is built to understand CPU architecture, adapting thread assignments to support boost functionality regardless of whether it's Intel or AMD.
Checking if a core is in C6 isn't straightforward, as this would cause it to exit the state prematurely. Updated tools like HWInfo64 can estimate how often each core enters C6 over time. Monitoring this percentage helps visualize performance variations. Surprisingly, even lightly threaded tasks can result in substantial core inactivity.
For multi-core systems, having extra cores allows idle ones to cool while others handle work, maintaining overall speed. Forcing certain cores into a "parked" state can hinder this balance, causing other cores to overheat and slow down. Avoid setting priorities too high in the task manager, as it may prevent necessary OS input checks. If you must restrict a core, consider shutting down the machine entirely—this is sometimes necessary to prevent damage.