Memory leaks

[Drakos]

Hello!

I have problems with memory leaks in new client version (0.3.016). After world is loaded I just stand in place for a few minutes. During that time memory usage increases by 200 MB. After ten minutes of playing psclient process uses over 900MB memory. All measurement is done using Windows Task Manager with virtual memory column (at processes tab) turned on. It's impossible to play more than few minutes.

This problem existed when I successfully updated my 0.3.015b to 0.3.016 version. I have uninstalled old version and installed new one. The problem still exists.

I don't have any dumps because there aren't any errors. Maybe you have any suggestions what should I do to provide more accurate information.

Specs:
Toshiba L-20-181 laptop with 512MB RAM
Processor: Intel Celeron M 1,6 GHz
RAM: 1x512MB DDR2
Graphics: ATI Radeon® Xpress 200M
OS: MS Windows XP Home (SP2, updated)

Drakos

Edited.
Here are config files:
http://rapidshare.de/files/34503612/planeshift.cfg.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/34503875/psclient.cfg.html

[Peacer]

probably searching for malware, spyware, virusses etc. as well as shutting down some other processes you won't use...

the time i played windoez i was running without explorer.exe (scvhosts were all running)

maybe it's time for formatting?

[neko kyouran]

Also would help, if you posted what settings you are running.  Found under your PS setup application.

[Ralleyon]

I am also playing from a laptop, and except the video card which is a Intel GMA 900 on mine, the specs are identical (including the OS).

Mine works just fine with no such problems whatsoever so I would suggest that you check your system for viruses, spyware, malware and the like as Peacer suggested.

[Drakos]

Helllo again!

This isn't really the poor performance problem. Poor performance is the result of problem of psclient using too much memory (in the end using harddisk as ram).

I'm almost sure I don't have any troyan, viruses or other bad software. I don't read any emails using this computer. Every application running there is checked by up-to-date avast antivirus. Every time I connect to the interned Im using physical firewall (of course XP firewall is also turned on). OS is also up-to-date. I will scan for viruses again (full scan) using avast and web software. I will try to check for rootkits.

As for processes I'm trying to keep my OS clean as possible. I check process list quite frequently. Every time I see new tray icon or other process (or service) running I try to switch it off at startup. At the time of runnig PS I didn't have any other (beside OS) processes running. I have even killed avas processes (because they didn't want to exit).

Format isn't really the option. I am using XP on other comp since it came up (few years without format). And I don't have problem with performance. Beside laptop is quite new and I don't have any problems with it. I know that graphics card is rather poor but thought it is enough for playing PS.

I hope that I have cleared things a bit. Thank you for all suggestions. More are welcome.
I wonder if I could decrease my virtual memory settings to make PS crash. Maybe then it will create the dump with trace of function which calls for memory.

Drakos

Edited 27.09.2006
I have scanned the computer. No viruses, troyans and others found.

[neko kyouran]

This reason I ask for the settings you have put it on, is that under the default settings, which I, and many others run under, aren't experiencing this issue.  So, if you have changed a setting then, we can see if it that setting change that is causing the memory leak.  The only option I have changed from default is to check the option to keep maps loaded after loading them once. 

If you have not changed any settings, then I suggest you first unistall, making sure to remove all left behind traces, then install clean with the .03.16 version off of the downloads page, if you don't have the install file any more.  Then make sure to run the updater.

It sounds like something didn't update properly, and is causing a memory leak.

[Drakos]

Hello!

Thanks for advice. I'll try to update my client (with reboots). If that wont help I'll try to provide directory listing with file names and their create/modify dates (with command dir > listing.txt).

As I remeber the only option I have changed was graphics resolution (to 800x600). As for updater I have only ran it once or twice.

Thanks again for help.
Drakos

[Drakos]

Hello again!

I have taken some measurements. After world is loaded and I see game screen I checked memory used in windows task manager. The game uses about 130 MB main memory and 400MB virtual memory. After 8 minutes it uses about 200MB main memory and 750 MB virtual memory.

I have uninstalled the game, deleted planeshift directory and restarted computer. I have installed planeshift game again (md5 checked) and ran updater twice. The second time it told me that don't have anything to update. I didn't changed planeshift configuration and I started the game. The problem with memory leaks still existed. I have taken the measurements and have (about) the same results.

On other computer memory leaks problem doesn't exist. I don't know what could cause it.
Additional information:
- 5GB free disk space (not fragmented)
- 64MB RAM used as video memory by graphics card (from 512MB)

Maybe there is a problem with my drivers/video card?
Drakos

[Karyuu]

Try to see if you have the latest drivers - perhaps it would help to have the most recent :}

[Drakos]

Hello again!

I have done my video drivers update from Microsoft Update server (using Update drivers option in my video card details panel). It helped. I don't have memory leaks anymore. I think that was the reason since nothing else changed in the system (except maybe Windows patches).

Thank you all for help.
Drakos

Edited on 15.10.2006

I wrote this message too fast. The problem still exists. It didn't appear since I was at road to Oja. As soon as went into jungle road (this next to magic shop) memory leaks appeared. So I don't have any idea what's the source of the problem.

Drakos

[LARAGORN]

Have you done what Neko suggested, with the keep maps loaded?
try to play with this option, and see if it makes any differance.

[Xyl]

I've noticed a little memory leak issue with Planeshift since the latest update.

When ever I quit PS, it closes, but for some odd reason, it keeps running hidden in the background. One day I opened and closed PS 3-5 times and my computer started to lag big time(Which is unusual, specs at bottom of post). I opened task manager to find 4 copies of PS all still running... Each was using around 380mb-460mb of RAM... Once I killed them all, my computer resumed it's normal speedy status.

I've noticed this ever since the 0.16 update  Any ideas? It's all good as long as I open taskmanager after I quit the game and clear it from the process list.

My System Specs as follows:

AMD 3200+ (2Ghz @ 2.5ghz)
2Gb Corsair DDR400 RAM
Nvidia 6600GT PCI-E (91.** Drivers)
Windows XP SP2

[Rolenun]

psclient continuing to run as a background process after you quit is a known bug and has been covered in many other threads. When you quit, please check task manager and kill the process if it still exists. This is not a single bug, it is often many bugs. It is caused by psclient not releasing the memory in an object after the game is quit, often from new additions to the code. This bug will most likely continue to reappear.

[Drakos]

Hello!

I have done few more experiments with my PS client on a laptop. After switching on option Keep maps loaded (or something like that) nothing changes - memory leaks still exist.

My next solution was to install Planeshift on Linux. I have installed Ubuntu distribution (6.06 Live) and after that packages for ati 3D cards support. I have installed those drivers using first example command from ati-config-... program. 3D support worked with PS. I have set resolution to 800x600 and started the client. After a while I noticed memory leaks. Game has used near 400 MB of physical memory and 900MB of swap.

Memory leaks for both Linux and Windows clients were strange. But I think I have few clues:
- problem exists in both windows and linux clients
- problem exists on road near magic shop and hydlaa, not on oja road
- I had view distance set to 200 or 300 (in game configuration)
- when I turned view distance down I could normally play (I think without leaks)

In my opition there is some problem with some visible objects at longer distances or something related to it. Maybe that objects are not visible at Oja road or there are only a few of them. Maybe too many objects are created because of the distance radius.

I hope that helps a bit.
Drakos