Posted: 8/22/2015 9:44 PM
Post subject: Bizhawk behaving strangely
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Raelcun
Player (57)
Joined: 8/22/2015
Posts: 73
I glanced through the forum and did a search, but couldn't find anything like this particular issue. The simple explanation is as follows: 1) BizHawk creates files in a way that windows doesn't think they exist unless I run it as admin. (Even screenshots) 2) Running BizHawk as admin makes the game I'm playing with run under 40 fps, but makes the files visible to Windows. I've checked every setting in BizHawk that I can find between the two, since running as admin uses different config files, to make sure all the options are the same, yet the unexplained slowdown from running BizHawk as admin persists. I'm not very good at explaining this issue in detail, so have some screenshots. Running Bizhawk normally is on the left, admin is on the right. http://i.picpar.com/BR3b.png http://i.picpar.com/CR3b.png http://i.picpar.com/DR3b.png http://i.picpar.com/ER3b.png Extra details: -Opening up the command prompt as admin still cannot to find the files in question. It shows an empty directory. (Same goes for trying to find the files in safe mode. I tried it just because why not.) -I tried changing the permissions on said files, but the only way to even open the properties dialogue is through BizHawk. When I actually attempt to change the permissions, Windows throws a "Windows is unable to find this file" error at me. -Changing the priority and affinity for BizHawk seems to have no effect on the performance issue. -I tried taking ownership of the hidden "Movies" folder that exists if I delete the Movies folder from the admin version of Bizhawk. Even taking ownership, removing the system permissions and setting everything to be fully visible and editable by the admin account, along with the option to make these changes to all subfolders and files makes no difference. I get the idea I'm missing something simple, but I cannot search out what that simple answer might be. Obligatory Computer details: Windows 7 64 bit i7 920 2.67 GHz 12 Gigs of RAM Geforce 550Ti graphics card Memory usage from BizHawk never seems to go above a negligible value, and watching the performance tab never shows the CPU going above 50% so I have no idea why BizHawk is running poorly as admin.
Posted: 8/22/2015 9:52 PM
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Atma
Former player
Joined: 9/1/2005
Posts: 803
Try placing bizhawks location to somewhere that either isn't on C:\, or into a base directory like C:\bizhawk\. As far as performance goes, I'd almost suggest overclocking your 920 a bit if you have a decent cooler, because those things overclock solidly.
Posted: 8/22/2015 9:54 PM
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creaothceann
He/Him
Editor
Joined: 4/7/2005
Posts: 1874
Location: Germany
Only users with special privileges can add/change files in "C:\Program Files*" directories. Change the file path settings or move BizHawk to a different directory (e.g. in %HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%, on the desktop or on a different partition/drive). EDIT: What Atma said.
Posted: 8/22/2015 10:05 PM
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Raelcun
Player (57)
Joined: 8/22/2015
Posts: 73
And there's the simple answer I was overlooking. Thanks. New question, since I still haven't been able to figure it out yet. Is there a way to save a movie to a new location instead of to the original? Because while this helps for new files, the current movie is still over in the other folder, with Windows claiming it to not exist. (It didn't even copy over when I moved the folder.) Edit: Running into the same slowdown issue again when it's running from C:\ or from the desktop even when not running it as admin.
Posted: 8/22/2015 10:23 PM
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Raelcun
Player (57)
Joined: 8/22/2015
Posts: 73
Well, it works now. It makes no sense on why it works, but it works. First, for moving the movie file: I made a movie of the same name in the new directory and then opened it in the Bizhawk that was working. While having the directory open through Bizhawk, I copied it into the new folder and selected move and replace. Second, for the performance issues. I tested to make sure it wasn't a cpu problem by running multiple instances of the working Bizhawk at the same time. For some reason, doing this made running Bizhawk as admin, and from the new location work properly and run at 60 fps instead of 40. I have no idea why that solution worked, but it did.