# AMD silently launches Dual-Core Optimizer



## Darksaber (Jul 3, 2006)

The file is intended for all owners of dual-core processors, AMD Dual-Core Optimizer is a piece of software that allegedly improves gaming performance by bypassing Windows' API in some specific situations. This utility helps that software access the RDTSC instruction directly, in order to correct the Time Stamp Counter on separate cores. So if you want to give it a shot, it can be downloaded here.

*View at TechPowerUp Main Site*


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## Alec§taar (Jul 3, 2006)

Thanks for the tip on this one DarkSaber...



* We'll see how it goes here!

APK

P.S.=> Very interesting on the "mechanics" of it... bypassing the Win32 API sort of "mystifies" me, but I suppose there is SOME way of doing this (layered/filtering Interrupt intercepting device driver possibly imo)... apk


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## tvdang7 (Jul 3, 2006)

does this help ppl witht eh dual core issues? and so they wont have to do the dual core fix them selfs?


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## Alec§taar (Jul 3, 2006)

*Yup, device driver driven (right about my theory above about HOW they bypass API)*

It's a device driver, & this makes sense & was what I expected in my first reply above!



* It's now installed & working, + listed under Device Manager SYSTEM DEVICES as "AMD Special Tools Driver", or possibly as the "AMD Miscellaneous Configuration" driver IMO (there are other AMD drivers there too, but my guess is 1 of those 2) & it's listed as 'working properly' & all that, so... hopefully?

It does an even BETTER job of juggling threads etc./faster!

APK


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## Steevo (Jul 3, 2006)

I will wait untill they have task scheduling on the hardware level of CPU's before I want one.


Imagine a four core with 4Mb of cache that acts as one core, lies to windows and works on multiple tasks by assigning priority and scheduling. Mmmm, power.


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## Tatty_One (Jul 3, 2006)

Gonna give this ago on my dual core pocket rocket, thanks for the link.


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## Homeless (Jul 3, 2006)

I wonder what will happen if someone tries to use this on an intel dual core / HT system


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## OneCool (Jul 3, 2006)

I see no difference in anything


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## Solaris17 (Jul 3, 2006)

hey does anyone else see any benifit?/no benifit? this is actually really interesting.


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## Tatty_One (Jul 4, 2006)

140 points in 3DMark 2006!! well unless I got one of my settings wrong, will try again tomorrow


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## AMDCam (Jul 4, 2006)

Steevo said:
			
		

> I will wait untill they have task scheduling on the hardware level of CPU's before I want one.
> 
> 
> Imagine a four core with 4Mb of cache that acts as one core, lies to windows and works on multiple tasks by assigning priority and scheduling. Mmmm, power.




Seriously that makes no sense why the dual-core processors don't do that already. I mean why don't they come up with some CPU AI for dual-core and just split all the processes half onto one core and half onto the other? We don't need software made for it, or specific applications, it should work either way. And the AI could detect multiples of 1 program and for each running assign it to a different core (like 2 IE windows, assign 1 to 1 core and the other to the other)


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## AMDCam (Jul 4, 2006)

Gotta get my 1,000th post lol, sorry guys


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## DaJMasta (Jul 4, 2006)

Meh, as long as it isn't giving people problems, I'll give it a shot.

(just installed, works properly on x64)


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## Alec§taar (Jul 4, 2006)

*Well, nothing's "broken down" so far @ least...*

So far, so good!



* No "hassles" yet, but I would like to get more of a technical breakdown on this one...

APK

P.S.=> I'm going to do some searching on the instruction it supposedly aids & see what it turns up... apk


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## Steevo (Jul 4, 2006)

Bypassig windows API, Application Program Interface.

Application requests XXXXX amount of processor time.
Windows decides if thread is single or multi-threaded.
Windows decides what processor(s) has least workload.
Windows allocates processor, CPU time.
Program gets use of CPU.


Or

AMD special driver keeps track of least used CPU core.


Application requests XXXXX processor time.
AMD special driver determies if process is single or multi-threaded.
AMD special driver decides what core to assign.
Application is given access to CPU timeslice.



1 less step. But also a security issue if there are any holes in the software driver. A potential bypass for a overflow code. Welcome perhaps some of the first multi-threaded viri.


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## Steevo (Jul 4, 2006)

AMDCam said:
			
		

> Seriously that makes no sense why the dual-core processors don't do that already. I mean why don't they come up with some CPU AI for dual-core and just split all the processes half onto one core and half onto the other? We don't need software made for it, or specific applications, it should work either way. And the AI could detect multiples of 1 program and for each running assign it to a different core (like 2 IE windows, assign 1 to 1 core and the other to the other)




Wouldn't be very hard either, a simple query to the run list for PID.


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## Mad-Matt (Jul 4, 2006)

I may have found a game where the optimization patch does something.   The Dark Star One demo.  Level loading seems to go much smoother with the patch. enter hyperspace and instant fade out and after abit of hd thrashing the warp gate on the other side opens.

pre patch, enter hyperspace and it doesnt fade out, it gets very stuttery and looks like screen swaps and about to crash.  but does eventually load level.  Its a very buggy demo and far more glitchy then it should be so just maybe it was a fluke, still its only difference i noticed with patch so far.


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## RickyG512 (Jul 4, 2006)

any before and after 3d mark results


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## Tatty_One (Jul 4, 2006)

RickyG512 said:
			
		

> any before and after 3d mark results



3D Mark 2006:  Before: 5,463

                      After:  5,607

Maybe just a something I have done in my "tweaks" that I have not done before but I don't think so, will try again later.


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## b1lk1 (Jul 5, 2006)

No after 3D Mark runs, but all my games that needed manual affinity changes now run perfect without.  That fact alone makes me a happy camper.  All good here.


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## demonbrawn (Jul 5, 2006)

Can't wait to get home and test it out...


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## RickyG512 (Aug 4, 2006)

what does this actualy do, improve FPS


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## puredeath (Aug 21, 2006)

*RE : DuelCore Optimizer*

Was just wondering, will this help Intel DuelCore Processors too?


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## Tatty_One (Aug 22, 2006)

puredeath said:


> Was just wondering, will this help Intel DuelCore Processors too?




No it's an AMD one completely different chip architecture, leave well alone!  Have you searched for an intel version? Maybe they don't need one.


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## DaJMasta (Aug 22, 2006)

Tatty_One said:


> No it's an AMD one completely different chip architecture, leave well alone!  Have you searched for an intel version? Maybe they don't need one.



Actually, based on the brief description given, this would also help Intel dual core processors as it is an optimization to the windows API and uses an instruction which was introduced with the Pentium processor.

Whether or not AMD has put in code to disable it on Intel machines isn't told, intel has done simmilar things before, but if there is no CPU type check, this should improve performance on any and all dual core CPUs almost equally.  Not that I've noticed much a difference.


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## Tatty_One (Aug 22, 2006)

DaJMasta said:


> Actually, based on the brief description given, this would also help Intel dual core processors as it is an optimization to the windows API and uses an instruction which was introduced with the Pentium processor.
> 
> Whether or not AMD has put in code to disable it on Intel machines isn't told, intel has done simmilar things before, but if there is no CPU type check, this should improve performance on any and all dual core CPUs almost equally.  Not that I've noticed much a difference.



Very good point, I am sure I read somewhere though that someone had tried the optimiser with an Intel and they got the BSOD, some thought that there were some instructions specifically written into it to match some instruction set unique to the AMD x2 whatever that means!  I may be wrong though, I'll try to find it.


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## drade (Aug 22, 2006)

Just Downloaded it.


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## niko084 (Feb 13, 2007)

DON'T use this on an INTEL chip...

Windows WILL RESTART over and over and over again, required me to edit the registry from a command prompt.


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## mullered07 (Feb 13, 2007)

OOOOH  not good lol why would you try it on your intel chip tho  i spose someone had to lol


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## Alec§taar (Feb 13, 2007)

Fellas, this one's a "mixed bag", imo @ least (I read the thread where Niko installed it on an INTEL chipset & cpu setup is why I state this):

http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?p=261374&posted=1#post261374

BOTH parties are "right & wrong" here...

1.) If it's an AMD product, for AMD hardwares? Heck - do NOT install it on INTEL stuff!

&

2.) Yes, AMD should have built a CPU detection routine into it, JUST IN CASE somebody tries to install it on INTEL stuff!

(Either way? Lose/Lose situation... common-sense should have prevailed on the user's part, but also the developers should have put in a routine to check for the CPU type it was being installed to!)

APK


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## niko084 (Feb 13, 2007)

mullered07 said:


> OOOOH  not good lol why would you try it on your intel chip tho  i spose someone had to lol



Heh people were asking, I figured heh might as well give it a shot...

And thanks for lazy programmers that can't write error code...
I had a little mess on my hands...

I knew though I was asking for trouble, when I went to install it and saw no errors I just knew I was going to have problems. But even if it wasn't savable it wouldn't hurt me any, whoopty doo re-install... 

But now everyone know


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## niko084 (Feb 13, 2007)

Alec§taar said:


> Fellas, this one's a "mixed bag", imo @ least:
> 
> BOTH parties are right & wrong here...
> 
> ...




Yup thats exactly what I mean.. I knew I was asking for trouble... But common we aren't talking about another mile of code here...

Anyways I feel bad for anyone that tries to change from a amd to intel chip and leaves that installed and doesn't want to install windows all over again.... That could really suck..


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## Alec§taar (Feb 13, 2007)

niko084 said:


> Yup thats exactly what I mean.. I knew I was asking for trouble... But common we aren't talking about another mile of code here...



Don't worry about it, you're NOT alone in things like that... I.E./E.G.-> Not TOO long ago, maybe 3 months back or so? I installed Windows Server 2003 SP #2 RC2 & @ first? It was running pretty much fine... then, things started "lagging" badly, & one day? I was unable to bootup, & could NOT recover it.

My GHOST image was 'out of date' pretty bad, this is MY fault (lazy? I dunno... I am ALWAYS up to SOMETHING on this rig, but I let it slip), & didn't help much in saving me time either... it was WAY outta date!

So, it happens... I also knew I was 'heading for trouble', by not keeping my GHOST image up to par & timely, PLUS, installing a non-finished SP!

I had to redo my system, & it's STILL not anywhere near where I like it (security .reg file hacking/patching wise @ least).

APK


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## niko084 (Feb 13, 2007)

Ohh man thats sucks... I'm installing server '03 on my notebook today. Play with it abit if everything looks good I'll install it on my main machine tonight.

Curious does it handle dual cores better without the program being written for dual cores?


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## rcrews@nyc.rr.com (Oct 1, 2007)

*Hi Are u still running the program?*



b1lk1 said:


> No after 3D Mark runs, but all my games that needed manual affinity changes now run perfect without.  That fact alone makes me a happy camper.  All good here.


Hi Are u still running the program for the dual core?If so are you happy with it or has it done things u didn't expect?By the way my name is madwheels,and as u can c I'm using my subaddress for u to either e-mail me or leave a post?Thanks If it works?


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