Found out what was slowing my work computer to a crawl......argh!

[Kyle_in_Tex]

So I do cad/cam at work. I have a decent Dell T5500 with 8 cores. Windows 7 64 bit Pro.

I have a "large to me" cam file open and I'm trying to get it to run, but it seemed super slow and would just get stuck, watching the endmill trying to cut the imaginary part on the screen. I right clicked on the bottom ribbon and clicked on task manager, clicked the performance tab to see all 8 cores at 100% and memory at about 50%. So I clicked on processes tab, and then the "cpu" column to sort by what was using the cpu's horsepower, to see that my mastercam was using about 87% of the cpu, AND SOME ADOBE CRAP MANAGER OR UPDATER OR WHATEVER WAS USING 13%. I didn't even have an adobe file or .pdf open. So I clicked on it and hit "end process" got the usual warning about closing down a process and BAM, my CAD/Cam took off like a rocket!!! Didn't have a slow spell the rest of the day. Who would have ever thought that the 13% was the dell killer?

When the day comes (it is here now) that Adobe products inhibit productivity, it is time to send their crap packing. I hate that they always need to be updated every 15 minutes and that they want you to have a permanent memory hogging program running all the time (if you don't know how to kill it).

That is all,
As you were.

 

[s219]

In recent years, their software has gone downhill and frequently eats up CPU/memory for no reason, or misbehaves in odd ways. I depend on a few Adobe apps for graphics work, but generally hate them. Hard to believe they can stay in business with such garbage.

The turning point was when they started using their own in house software development tools to make their apps. They no longer look like native apps on any platform, and they are full of issues and performance problems. Right now, Adobe Fireworks is using 9% CPU while sitting in the background doing nothing. Ridiculous.

 

[the old grind]

Adobe updater is as good as a spam portal. (Nitro Reader is a good .pdf read/write alternative.) Watch out for "Flash Player updates"! If not links to spyware, the real ones will usually reactivate Adobe's 'updater'.

D'you mean everyone doesn't keep task manager open on the task bar? Be sure to click 'show processes from all users' when looking for resource hogs. Windows tops 'em all in 'behind-the-scenes-ware'.

May I ask what CAM you're using? (member at PM too? several here are ..)

 

[zzvyb6]

For Windows:

Click Start
in the 'search programs & files' box, type "services.msc"
double click on any element that you want to quiesce.
select startup type, manual, etc

You can click on the header to get all the automatic startups sorted by auto, manual , stopped.

Kill those that suck cycles for no good purpose.

If you are connected wirelessly, watch your router monitor light. It should blink slowly for casual or moderate activity. If it's on heavy, find out what processes are repeatedly calling home and kill them. They are cycle suckers. Many don't use web addressing, they address the I.P. address of Mother Hubbard directly.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Adobe updater is as good as a spam portal. (Nitro Reader is a good .pdf read/write alternative.) Watch out for "Flash Player updates"! If not links to spyware, the real ones will usually reactivate Adobe's 'updater'.

D'you mean everyone doesn't keep task manager open on the task bar? Be sure to click 'show processes from all users' when looking for resource hogs. Windows tops 'em all in 'behind-the-scenes-ware'.

May I ask what CAM you're using? (member at PM too? several here are ..)

We have Mastercam. I often get good info at PM and like it. I admit to being a machinist, but alas, not always very practical.

Hey zz, I got to ride a Yamaha FZ9 last weekend. What a hoot for only $8 grand. Thanks for the tips.

 

[MacLawn]

Yep, Adobe stuff is a real mess. I avoid sites that use that flash junk.

 

[MossRoad]

Not excusing Adobe, however, if your CAD program is using 87% of the CPU, it could also be preventing the operating system from doing routine tasks, and other programs from working at the same time as your CAD program. You may want to consider setting the affinity of your CAD program so you leave a core free to do basic operations and housekeeping. Your PC will hang much less often.

How To Force Windows Applications to Use a Specific CPU

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Not excusing Adobe, however, if your CAD program is using 87% of the CPU, it could also be preventing the operating system from doing routine tasks, and other programs from working at the same time as your CAD program. You may want to consider setting the affinity of your CAD program so you leave a core free to do basic operations and housekeeping. Your PC will hang much less often.

How To Force Windows Applications to Use a Specific CPU

It rarely does this. I have never seen it using 100% of the cores for CAD. I think the Adobe was "vying" for cpu space maybe?

 

[MossRoad]

It rarely does this. I have never seen it using 100% of the cores for CAD. I think the Adobe was "vying" for cpu space maybe?

Could be. You could set the affinity for the Adobe products just as easily. Only let them grab one core when they need it.

 

[Jstpssng]

Adobe updater is as good as a spam portal. (Nitro Reader is a good .pdf read/write alternative.) Watch out for "Flash Player updates"! If not links to spyware, the real ones will usually reactivate Adobe's 'updater'.

D'you mean everyone doesn't keep task manager open on the task bar? Be sure to click 'show processes from all users' when looking for resource hogs. Windows tops 'em all in 'behind-the-scenes-ware'.

May I ask what CAM you're using? (member at PM too? several here are ..)

OUCH! I just checked out that program... next thing I knew I had adware windows popping up, my browser was changed and I got a call from the company IT guy saying DO NOT download Nitro, it was setting off the firewall like firecrackers.