Helios Timer Server Utilization

CancunRayz · 10-25-2002, 07:07 AM

Andy,
Is the Timer Server (TimerSrv.exe) application in Helios supposed to use about 60% of the CPU on a Windows 2000 system? I loaded task manager this morning and noticed it running steady at 60%.

Andy · 10-25-2002, 07:20 AM

Interesting Kent, I am really not sure ... are you experiencing performance problems with your computer?

I have Win2000 on my test system ... started Task Manager CPU usage hovering between 5% to 10%.

Started TimerServer.exe (alone without Helios) initial jump to 90% (did it a second time jump to 30%) just for a second and then returned to 5% range.

Now, I do not have a TMax connected to my test system so it is not polling the timer on an ongoing basis (that may be the source of the issue).

I also closed TimerServer and started Helios normally ... same impact.

Helios Tech Support (senior staff) may be able to shed some additional light here.

_________________

Andy Thompson
ACT Business Solutions
Toll-Free 877-777-6717
andy@atso.ca
ACT Help Center [ This Message was edited by: Andy @ ATSO.ca on 2002-10-25 07:21 ]

CancunRayz · 10-25-2002, 09:18 AM

Okay, I figured I go to the expert before consulting the "un-informed".

Andy · 10-25-2002, 09:51 AM

Let me know if they you get any additional valuable info.

_________________

Andy Thompson
ACT Business Solutions
Toll-Free 877-777-6717
andy@atso.ca
ACT Help Center [ This Message was edited by: Andy @ ATSO.ca on 2002-10-25 10:06 ]

Danno · 10-25-2002, 11:52 AM

Hi Andy,

I Just checked it on a XP Machine, it ran between 88 and 91 percent.

That is using Database timers.

Andy · 10-25-2002, 12:00 PM

must be the consistent polling of the timer and the beds.

Have not noticed any significant impact on any clients processing speed ... any one else??

_________________

Andy Thompson
ACT Business Solutions
Toll-Free 877-777-6717
andy@atso.ca
ACT Help Center [ This Message was edited by: Andy @ ATSO.ca on 2002-10-25 12:00 ]

jcole · 10-25-2002, 02:35 PM

Do you have power managment enabled? What kind of processor do you have?

Since Windows NT 4, there has been a feature that actaully stops the CPU (issues a HALT command) when the computer is idle, and effectivly reduces the amount of power and heat generated by the cpu. Laptops CPU's have extended this feature for all OS's (intel's speedstep processors for example).

The upshot of this is that the task manager can mistakenly show a process taking a large percentage of the CPU, when in reality it's the CPU scaling down and reducing the overall capacity of the system (it only happens when the system is idle, so it does not effect overall system performance).

One way to determin if your seeing a power saving artifact is to pull up the task manager and let the system stabilize. When you are seeing a normally low CPU usage program go to 80% or so, move the mouse quickly for a few seconds. Normally, moving the mouse uses more CPU cycles, but when power in power saving mode, it has the effect of preventing the CPU from saving as many cycles and the CPU usage meter will drop to near zero (which is the actual useage of the timer or mouse movement).

If that's not the case, then your timer server is really taking up too many cycles and you should call Helios Tech support on it.

CancunRayz · 10-26-2002, 08:07 AM

John,
I checked using your method and the CPU stays at 60%, I think it's the constant polling being done wiht the T-Max timer. It's not causing any performance degradation at this time. I just wanted to make sure whether or not is is a common fluke to Helios and not an isolated problem. We are running Windows 2000 Professional on an Intel Pentium 4 2GHz processor system with 512MB of Ram.

_________________
A proud member of Don's Army
Cancun Rayz Tanning Salon
http://www.cancunrayz.com
Kent A. Orso[ This Message was edited by: CancunRayz on 2002-10-26 08:08 ]

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10-25-2002, 07:07 AM	#1 (permalink)
CancunRayz Join Date: Feb 20 2002 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Age: 45 Posts: 140 Rep Power: 7	Andy, Is the Timer Server (TimerSrv.exe) application in Helios supposed to use about 60% of the CPU on a Windows 2000 system? I loaded task manager this morning and noticed it running steady at 60%.

10-25-2002, 07:20 AM	#2 (permalink)
Andy Join Date: Jan 25 2000 Location: CT Posts: 1,760 Rep Power: 9	Interesting Kent, I am really not sure ... are you experiencing performance problems with your computer? I have Win2000 on my test system ... started Task Manager CPU usage hovering between 5% to 10%. Started TimerServer.exe (alone without Helios) initial jump to 90% (did it a second time jump to 30%) just for a second and then returned to 5% range. Now, I do not have a TMax connected to my test system so it is not polling the timer on an ongoing basis (that may be the source of the issue). I also closed TimerServer and started Helios normally ... same impact. Helios Tech Support (senior staff) may be able to shed some additional light here. _________________ Andy Thompson ACT Business Solutions Toll-Free 877-777-6717 andy@atso.ca ACT Help Center [ This Message was edited by: Andy @ ATSO.ca on 2002-10-25 07:21 ]

10-25-2002, 09:18 AM	#3 (permalink)
CancunRayz Join Date: Feb 20 2002 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Age: 45 Posts: 140 Rep Power: 7	Okay, I figured I go to the expert before consulting the "un-informed".

10-25-2002, 09:51 AM	#4 (permalink)
Andy Join Date: Jan 25 2000 Location: CT Posts: 1,760 Rep Power: 9	Let me know if they you get any additional valuable info. _________________ Andy Thompson ACT Business Solutions Toll-Free 877-777-6717 andy@atso.ca ACT Help Center [ This Message was edited by: Andy @ ATSO.ca on 2002-10-25 10:06 ]

10-25-2002, 11:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
Danno Join Date: Dec 10 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 46 Rep Power: 0	Hi Andy, I Just checked it on a XP Machine, it ran between 88 and 91 percent. That is using Database timers.

10-25-2002, 12:00 PM	#6 (permalink)
Andy Join Date: Jan 25 2000 Location: CT Posts: 1,760 Rep Power: 9	must be the consistent polling of the timer and the beds. Have not noticed any significant impact on any clients processing speed ... any one else?? _________________ Andy Thompson ACT Business Solutions Toll-Free 877-777-6717 andy@atso.ca ACT Help Center [ This Message was edited by: Andy @ ATSO.ca on 2002-10-25 12:00 ]

10-25-2002, 02:35 PM	#7 (permalink)
jcole Waiting Confirmation Join Date: Oct 17 2000 Posts: 254 Rep Power: 0	Do you have power managment enabled? What kind of processor do you have? Since Windows NT 4, there has been a feature that actaully stops the CPU (issues a HALT command) when the computer is idle, and effectivly reduces the amount of power and heat generated by the cpu. Laptops CPU's have extended this feature for all OS's (intel's speedstep processors for example). The upshot of this is that the task manager can mistakenly show a process taking a large percentage of the CPU, when in reality it's the CPU scaling down and reducing the overall capacity of the system (it only happens when the system is idle, so it does not effect overall system performance). One way to determin if your seeing a power saving artifact is to pull up the task manager and let the system stabilize. When you are seeing a normally low CPU usage program go to 80% or so, move the mouse quickly for a few seconds. Normally, moving the mouse uses more CPU cycles, but when power in power saving mode, it has the effect of preventing the CPU from saving as many cycles and the CPU usage meter will drop to near zero (which is the actual useage of the timer or mouse movement). If that's not the case, then your timer server is really taking up too many cycles and you should call Helios Tech support on it.

10-26-2002, 08:07 AM	#8 (permalink)
CancunRayz Join Date: Feb 20 2002 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Age: 45 Posts: 140 Rep Power: 7	John, I checked using your method and the CPU stays at 60%, I think it's the constant polling being done wiht the T-Max timer. It's not causing any performance degradation at this time. I just wanted to make sure whether or not is is a common fluke to Helios and not an isolated problem. We are running Windows 2000 Professional on an Intel Pentium 4 2GHz processor system with 512MB of Ram. _________________ A proud member of Don's Army Cancun Rayz Tanning Salon http://www.cancunrayz.com Kent A. Orso[ This Message was edited by: CancunRayz on 2002-10-26 08:08 ]

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