| User | Post |
Dish
Posts: 515/596 |
Well don't jump to conclusions just yet. Step one is to find out which process is causing the problem -- it sounds like you're still guessing.
Next time you run ZSNES, keep Task Manager open in the background with the Process List in front and Alt+Tab to it when the stall occurs. You'll have to look quick, as the comp probably won't react right away and as soon as it does react it will be because the stall is over, but you should still have a half or second or so to see which process is the culprit.
Or you could play ZSNES windowed and keep the task manager in front the whole time so you can see the process list in real time.
At any rate -- figure out exactly which process is the problem -- you can't really do anything to solve it until you know for sure. |
Prier
Posts: 7131/8392 |
I was figuring more along the lines of Zonealarm trying to do it's antivirus every so often. I very rarily if ever get viruses on here let along spyware or anything related using FF so...I figure it's got to be something like the real time scanner getting in the way.
I'm not really sure. If I shut down the firewall, it might just do the trick, but at the same time I wouldn't want to take the chance with the net on. :\ |
Dish
Posts: 512/596 |
The most straight-forward solution is to kill the program that's taking your time (provided it's safe to kill). It was kind of a fluke that I figured out my network cord was the cause of the problem with services.exe =/ (you can't kill services.exe)
It's also possible it's a virus, poking in every once in a while to muck up your shit. Try running a full scan and run AdAware and all that crap. Defragging couldn't hurt, and I'd do it if I was fresh out of ideas -- although I can only see it solving the problem if your drive is fragged really bad.
Do you know which process is to blame? Knowing the name of it might point you in the direction of the problem.
It might be something silly like a virus scanner -- scanning your HD in little bursts or something. All you'd need to do then is disable it. |
Prier
Posts: 7119/8392 |
I'm thinking that's the issue, but how would it be resolved? :\ |
Dish
Posts: 511/596 |
Something like that will happen if ZSNES doesn't get the CPU time it needs -- like if you have some other program jumping in hogging all the CPU time. I had this problem a while ago when I had my network cord unplugged and SERVICES.EXE jumped in and took over my CPU while it tried to scan for a network connection -- effectively grinding my computer to a halt for 2 minutes every hour (it was a real pain in the ass)
If the hang lasts long enough -- you can try to flip to Task Manager to see what process is eating your CPU time. That might point you in the right direction.
If that is the culprit, then the problem shouldn't be specific to ZSNES -- it should occur in other programs as well (any emulators/games/other programs that require a heavy flow of constant CPU attention). If you're only having the problem with ZSNES it might be something else -- but I honestly don't have a clue what it could be. |
Prier
Posts: 7110/8392 |
I've got one to add, and this mostly on all programs actually...
Would there be a reason where ZSNES would momentarily hang and then start playing just as it was doing before? This isn't in netplay more than just normal playing (netplay hangs at times regardless). It does this randomly and with almost all programs which I'm beginning to think has something to do with the fact that I have broadband or ZoneAlarm; it didn't used to do this to me before and I've been dealing with it for a while now. |
Dish
Posts: 510/596 |
*shrugs* You could try increasing the priority of the input plugin your using -- like if you're listening to MP3s, select the MP3 decoder from the input plugin list and hit configure, make sure its priority is high.
If it's running with a high priority and high latency and still skipping, then your computer just isn't fast enough to run both -- you might have to get a more light-weight player or close down programs which might be eating CPU time. |
DDCecil
Posts: 6/11 |
fabio - Thank you!
Disch - Never mind my original message, it works great now. Thanks! |
Dish
Posts: 508/596 |
As for the first one:
Increase the latency on your Winamp's output plugin. Since ZSNES uses DirectSound, you might be better off using Winamp's waveOut plugin -- but on the other hand DirectSound would be faster (but I don't know if it would conflict with ZSNES). Try waveOut first -- I'd say it's safer.
Anyway, in Winamp, hit Ctrl+P, go to the "Output" option on the left side under "Plugins", select the waveOut output plugin and hit configure. The latency is probably 2000 ms -- beef that up a little more and see if that fixes your problems. |
fabio
Posts: 576/1479 |
I can easily answer question 2, when you want to take a snapshot, you have to press F1 to bring a menu. At the bottom of the menu it should say what type of file your snapshots will be. The default is bitmap of course so press enter to change it to png and then take your snapshot. The snapshot should be in .png images. |
DDCecil
Posts: 5/11 |
1. When using Windows XP Home a year ago, I could mute the sound on ZSNES and play WinAmp files during it and the music didn't skip.
After a file got corrupted recently, I installed Windows XP Office (couldn't find the Home disk) and now ZSNES will not let me play WinAmp files without skipping while playing a game. Is there any way to fix this?
2. All my snapshots come out as .BMP images. Where in the emulator menu is the option to change them to into .PNG files?
(I'm using V 1.36).
Thanks! |
