Aound 1 in 5 boots, CPUSetsetter parks the wrong CCD in 9950X3D, so the cache cores get parked when a game is launched

[Panthium]

On this system the top 8-cores are the Cache CCD and the bottom row of 8 are the high frequency non cache CCD, i assume this is the same for every X3D CPU ?
This was the normal behavior over several months of using the normal managment tools in Windows 11 of XBOX Game bar + AMD V-Cache optimiser chipset driver and abserving in windows task manager, prior to installing CPUSetSetter
Launching a game always resulted in lower core CCD (freq) being parked.

After installing CPUSetSetter, aound 1 in 5 boots, CPUSetSetter is parking the wrong CCD (cache) cores when launching a game resulting in noticibly lower fps
I tried exiting CPUSetSetter and let windows and AMD 3D V-Cache Performance Optimizer Service mange the parking, but once its brokem it remains broken until a reboot, which generally fixed the issue until a few boots later.

I have tried both CPUSetSetter on default settings (not pinning any apps to any CCDs) or pinning luanched games to use the cache CCD and pinning appsl like discord to the frequency CCD - it mades no difference to the issue once its switched to using the wrong CCD.

It might be a bug in AMD 3D V-Cache Performance Optimizer Service, but i never observed this issue before installing CPUSetSetter.

AMD CHIPSET DRIVER 7.02.13.148
Windows 11 Pro 24H2, 2100.7171
CPUSetSetter v2.1.0.0

[SimonvBez]

That's really odd behavior indeed and not something I've ever had on my 9950X3D.
Before I start guessing where the issue could be, could you answer some more questions? The more detailed the better!

1. What CPU model do you have exactly?
2. With "CPUSetSetter is parking the wrong CCD", do you mean that the other CCD cores also turn grey in CPU Set Setter (in the usage bars on the Process tab)? Or do they just stay (almost) unused with the same background color?
3. What's your CPPC Preferred Cores setting in the BIOS?
4. What Power Plan are you using?
5. Do you have Windows Game Mode on or off?
6. Please include a screenshot of CPU Set Setter's Processes tab. It'd be even better if you can make it with a game running while your issue is occurring and the game is being ran on the wrong CCD.
7. Also include another screenshot of the Masks tab, with the Cache mask selected.

What I can say for sure, is that CPU Set Setter doesn't do anything when your PC boots. And any adjustments that it makes are only done to the ongoing processes that it applies a Core Mask to. There are no persisting changes that can outlast the lifespan of a process that it modified. So when you restart a game (and CPU Set Setter is closed, so it can't re-apply a mask), CPU Set Setter will not make any difference to how that game will behave.

And thanks for making the issue, I hope we'll be able to find and fix the root cause.

[Panthium]

Hi Simon, sorry i just realised i had game mode switched was back on, i'm sure i turned it when i first install CPUSetSetter a few months ago, so maybe i need to check if the issue happens again - could that have been the problem ?
i didn't get any warning message BTW

CPU is 9950X3D, Stepping 0, Revision: GNR-B0 (CPU-Z)
I do have PBO enabled with -30 curve optimser, but no other BIOS settings like preferred cores,, just EXPO memory enabled.
Power plan is balanced
I will try and get it to run a game on the freq cores again, normally takes a few reboots and take some screen shots.
Thanks for responding so quickly i will be back.

[SimonvBez]

On dual-CCD CPUs like the 9950X3D, having Game Mode on in combination with CPU Set Setter has a horrible impact on game performance.
Either you should have Game Mode enabled and NOT use CPU Set Setter on any active processes, so that AMD's driver can park the frequency cores. OR Game Mode should be disabled, so it doesn't conflict with CPU Set Setter's masks.

I did put a warning popup in place when CPU Set Setter is started that will come up when Game Mode is enabled. Did you perhaps disable that popup in the Settings tab?

Here's the settings I would personally recommend:

[Explo101]

Setting wreckfest 2 to prefer cache just doesn't work. Idk if that's fixable or maybe something broke in my set up. I'll be turning on Game mode for this specific game

[SimonvBez]

Setting wreckfest 2 to prefer cache just doesn't work. Idk if that's fixable or maybe something broke in my set up. I'll be turning on Game mode for this specific game

It's possible that the game itself (or some other program like Process Lasso, if you have it?) could be setting an Affinity, in which case the Affinity has a higher priority than the CPU Set.
I can have a look myself at that specific game soon, but just to check, what CPU do you have?

[SimonvBez]

@Explo101 Seems to work as intended on my 9950X3D, so it must be something in your configuration somewhere.

Cache mask:

No mask:

Screenshots of the core usage were taken without restarting the game. In both cases, CPPC is set to Driver, and Windows Game Mode is off. The only variable is the Cache and <no mask>

[Explo101]

@SimonvBez Same cpu as yours 9950x3d, CPPC set to Driver Power plan set to Balanced...
All other Games Perform Exactly how you describe.
"without restarting the game. In both cases, CPPC is set to Driver, and Windows Game Mode is off. The only variable is the Cache and "
Lasso not installed. Didn't play with any Affinity via task manager

**The only workaround would be to play with game mode or Manually set affinity in task manager to 0-15 **
So far it only happens in this game, It seems to Simply Ignore the existence of CSS

This is How The cores behave on this game when set to cache
Game Comparison

Deep Rock Galactic

Wreckfest (Clicked on game window)

Wreckfest (in race)

Even the steam Performance overlay Doesn't Shift to ccd0

Here's what I've tried so far...
Things tested

CPPC DRIVER
Just Gamemode Works

Reinstalled App (CSS)
Not fix

Reinstalled Chipsets
Not fix

Reinstalled Game
(located on Non windows Drive)
NOT FIXED

Run CSS As ADMIN
Not Fixed

Turned SHUTUP11 OFF (Reverted to factory settings)
Not Fixed

Set all Rules to (No mask)
manually set Wreckfest 2 to cache using hotkeys
Not Fixed

Moved Wreckfest 2 to C Drive
Not Fixed

Swap Power plan from balanced to power saving and back to balanced
Not Fixed

Swap Power plan from balanced to High Performance and back to balanced
Not Fixed

Removed Connected Usb
Not Fixed

Turned off Secondary monitor
Not fixed

removed appmanifest_1203190.acf if it was corrupted
Not Fixed

bios Setting DRIVER to (AUTO)
Not Fixed

bios Setting Auto to (Frequency)
Not Fixed

Set Windows Setting Wreckfest GPU Preference High Performance and Optimzation for windowed game to Off (was on)
Not Fixed

Removed CSS Json File in %appdata% (RESET)
Not Fixed

Re uninstalled AMD Drivers
Reset cmos
Set CPPC To Driver
Not Fixed

Tried CSS with net9
Not Fixed