[ QUOTE ]
*If you have a dual core or hyperthreaded processor, add the -renderthread to the shortcut's target line for the shortcut that the updater created. Example: My shortcut's target line looks like d:\games\coh\cohupdater.exe -renderthread 1
[/ QUOTE ]
What does the -renderthread option do?
The -renderthread 1 flag forces the game to utilize both cores or threads on a dual core or hyperthreaded processor.
For dual cores you should see a 30-50% FPS boost, for hyperthreaded procs, about a 15% boost.
Consider it necessary. Warning: If you have an ATI card, the -renderthread 1 flag does not play well with task switching.
Be well, people of CoH.
Many thanks. I just set up a new computer last week and have been wondering why CoH only takes 50% of my Intel Core 2 Duo. Silly me.
Not silly at all. It's not properly documented anywhere. For a time, it was defaulted to Enabled, but due to the issues with task switching, they switched the default back to Disabled.
Last I heard, NCSoft QA was asking Cryptic about it, but nothing came of that inquiry.
It would seem to me that with the influx of dual cores, and now quad cores, that it would be in Cryptic's best interest to return the default to Enabled. (Not that the -renderthread 1 flag enables quad core functionality, it doesn't, but at least two of the four would be used, instead of 1 of 4.)
Maybe one day they'll recode the game so that it can recognize what you have and utilize it fully.
Edit: Just think of all the non-forum readers that "suddenly" see vastly better performance in their gameplay.
Be well, people of CoH.
Sorry Im late, but I just found this thread. About task switching, I use dual monitor, so I dont need to alt-tab, just move to other monitor, but it still means CoX is no longer the active window, so how would it affect the game if Im using renderthread?
Honestly? Dunno. But the information you find would be happily read here. I haven't messed with multiple monitors and gaming in a long, long time.
Regardless, running without the renderthread flag on a dualproc/hyperthreaded system is too much of a performance kneecap to not use it.
Be well, people of CoH.
[ QUOTE ]
"Bill, what is the meaning of life?"
42
Possibly beer.
Probably 42 beers
[/ QUOTE ]
Brilliant!
As usual, a useful contribution to the community. Thank you, sir.
As a FYI, this also works in the following situations...
Moving from XP --> Vista*
Moving from Vista --> XP
*With this it tends to bring up the UAC menu everytime you start it up, since it's technically not a 'registered' application.
[ QUOTE ]
As a FYI, this also works in the following situations...
Moving from XP --> Vista*
Moving from Vista --> XP
*With this it tends to bring up the UAC menu everytime you start it up, since it's technically not a 'registered' application.
[/ QUOTE ]
About that. I have recently upgraded to Vista, and although I am not completely thrilled about this new-fangled thing from Microsoft, and most certainly not the UAC. Would it be adviceable to actually install the game using the orignal CDs and then download the entire game from scratch?
I am on a 4Mb connection, so it wouldn't take more than a couple of hours tops.
The question is: Would I gain anything from it?
Edit: Spelling mistake.
Main Hero: Flame Blade (Scrapper lvl 50; Katana/Regeneration)
Main Villain: Elenor Seahawk (Mastermind lvl 44; Necromancy/Poison)
My Arcs: #337278: Learning Curve
Fight my Brute: SMASH
None of this is working for me!
I followed the instructions to the letter, and when I run the copy of the CoV updater I get thsi:
Unable to find updater!
Fine, so I try the CoH updater, it starts to run and I get to the part where I say "NO"" and choose another location. Only, not matter what location I pick, it appends "city of heroes" to it.
Which means...a brand new install right on top of d;\games\cov instead of just using all of the up to date data in my directory. Know what I mean? If I say "no" to the prompt and choose where I really want it, d:\games\cov, it wants to install it to d:\games\cov\city of heroes
what gives?!?
one way I have gotten around the issue you are describing is to let the installer start a new install. Once it starts, I cancel it and copy my old install into the new directory it created. I know it's not a clean work around, but it does work.
I just did this - it tried to install into \games\city of heroes\city of heroes, when I'd copied the old one into \games\city of heroes.
So I went into the registry, looked for where it said \games\city of heroes\city of heroes and changed it to what it ought to be. Worked like a charm.
Thanks for this guide Billz. I always run into the "disk space" issue when making a Test copy, and now I know why. You saved my sanity today 
so....question then.
I've had to buy a new hard drive for my computer (because the old one keeps clicking/freezing on me), but I'm trying to copy as many files as possible from the old one to the new one before the old one dies.
Can i copy everything from my program files/coh folder, then just run the updater, and be up and running soon? Or will it want to download everything from scratch again once its installed on the new hard drive? I'm just trying to cut down on download time b4 i'm up and running the game again....I do have a cable internet connection, so it still shouldn't take too long to download everything....
thx for the help 
37 lvl 50s: 3 Brutes, 2 Stalkers, 2 Tankers, 7 Masterminds, 2 Scrappers, 3 Blasters, 3 Controllers, 3 Corruptors, Peacebringer, 2 SoA (Crab, Bane), 3 Defenders, Widow, 3 Dominators, Warshade, Fortunata
If you follow the steps for moving as laid out in the OP, the updater will only update anything that's changed from the last time you updated to today. Which I'm betting means today's patch and that's it.
Be well, people of CoH.
[ QUOTE ]
Warning: If you have an ATI card, the -renderthread 1 flag does not play well with task switching.
[/ QUOTE ]
Bill i guess your reply should be like this
[ QUOTE ]
Warning: If you have an ATI card, thru it from the window abd go buy 8800GTS
[/ QUOTE ] :P
THANK YOU!!! I recently had to move move everything I had from 1 computer to another because my motherboard was going bad. I had to wipe my hard drive and reinstall my OS also. I backed up everything I could, then after I reinstalled everything on my computer, I did what you said, after misunderstanding it and doing it a couple of different ways, and it took only a minute or 2 (maybe 3 tops).
I have yet to see if it worked but I believe it did and if not there are a couple of other things I could try in the thread that others have done. Thanks again. 
Ok maybe I got a little carried away, I posted when I saw the time it would take for the wole thing to finnish (or what I thought was the time it would take) then when I after I closed out of the internet I saw the bar about 99% full and the time had jumped to over 4 hours and it was saying it was fixing some of the files. I guess if I had done it right the first time this wouldnt be happening huh?
MARTy is proof positive the DEVs hate us...
Global: @Reiyichi
Protector (home)
I have Fixed my problem. I uninstalled, deleted what was left
and started over doing it the right way the first time. haven't tested it as of yet though, heres to hoping it works!
PS: You can have your 42 beers, I already know the REAL meaning of life.
MARTy is proof positive the DEVs hate us...
Global: @Reiyichi
Protector (home)
[ QUOTE ]
The -renderthread 1 flag forces the game to utilize both cores or threads on a dual core or hyperthreaded processor.
For dual cores you should see a 30-50% FPS boost, for hyperthreaded procs, about a 15% boost.
Consider it necessary. Warning: If you have an ATI card, the -renderthread 1 flag does not play well with task switching.
[/ QUOTE ]
Hey Billz, I was led here by one of your replies to my previous post, and I found this. I recently bought a new computer (Quad Core) Would this help my framerate? Currently it is at around 30-40 on max graphics.
As of an issue or two ago, the -renderthread 1 flag is enabled by default.
However, the game will not use more than 2 cores.
In other words, no, you'll need to seek other causes for your framerate issues. Best bet is to post dxdiag and hijackthis logs to a new thread in the tech forum.
Be well, people of CoH.
is this stickied yet?
[ QUOTE ]
*If you have a dual core or hyperthreaded processor, add the -renderthread to the shortcut's target line for the shortcut that the updater created. Example: My shortcut's target line looks like d:\games\coh\cohupdater.exe -renderthread 1
To get to the target line, right click the shortcut and choose properties, then click on the Shortcut tab.
[/ QUOTE ]
K... so this is my first time reading this thread, and as always Billz has covered bases that most people (read: me) didn't know were even there! ;D
But I have a rediculously ST00P1D question that I am sure most of you will *facepalm* as soon as you read it and think: "what a N00B!!!!!!!11!!!eleventyone!!"... butt... here goes:
I am not that smart when it comes to hardware and I was looking at my devices to see if I had a (prepare youselves...) dual processor. I comp was built for me by a freind who does it for a living and All it said was: Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 2.66GHZ... but it's listed twice. (told ya I wuz dum ) Is that a dual processor or no?
EDIT: If it is, I should add the -renderthread 1to the target line as I offten run 2 to 3 accounts at the same time.
[ QUOTE ]
"Bill, what is the meaning of life?"
42
Possibly beer.
Probably 42 beers.
[/ QUOTE ]
Classic!
I dont post very often but felt I had to say thanks for this to Bill. Just got a new rig and was dreading the test download/install. This worked perfectly
NOTE: The opinions expressed here represent the opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of those who hold other opinions.
Just wanted to post up and say a big THANK YOU -- this info has saved me lots of time over the last few months. Your posts are almost always useful or funny, and I defintely appreciate that!
Hi, folks.
I've been seeing a lot of unecessary info/steps being given when folks ask about backing up and moving their CoH/V installation directory and/or installing the Test Server client.
Here's how I do it and I haven't had an issue yet.
Backing up/Moving CoH/V:
To backup CoH/V, burn the entire installation directory to a DVD or copy it to an external/separate drive.
Reinstalling CoH/V:
*Once you have installed CoH/V once, you will NEVER need the CD/DVD again.*
Copy the installation directory from your DVD/other drive to the location that you want it to go. I prefer using d:\games\coh
Stick it wherever you like, but keep note of where you copied it to.
Open said directory and make a COPY, not a shortcut, of the cohupdater.exe file to your desktop.
Run the copy. You will be prompted to reinstall CoH. Choose NO to the default installation path and browse to the location where you copied your CoH directory.
For example, if you used my path above, you would be changing from the default of c:\program files\city of heroes to d:\games\coh
*Be sure to highlight the main directory and NOT one of the subdirectories of your CoH directory. Example: coh should be highlighted and NOT coh\screenshots.*
The updater should take seconds to complete, leaving you at the coh/v startup screen where you click the Next button.
Close this screen. You will now see on your desktop Two coh icons. The copy of the cohupdater you created and a new coh shortcut. DELETE the cohupdater copy that you created.
*If you have a dual core or hyperthreaded processor, add the -renderthread to the shortcut's target line for the shortcut that the updater created. Example: My shortcut's target line looks like d:\games\coh\cohupdater.exe -renderthread 1
To get to the target line, right click the shortcut and choose properties, then click on the Shortcut tab.
Create a Test Server Install:
Make a copy of your coh install directory and rename it to cohtest. Example: In my games directory I have d:\games\coh and d:\games\cohtest
Make a COPY of the cohupdater.exe from cohtest to your desktop. Now make a shortcut of that copied cohupdater also on the desktop. Change the target line of THAT shortcut, adding the -test flag. Example: c:\documents and settings\<loginname>\desktop\cohupdater.exe -test
Run the shortcut. When prompted, as above, direct the installer to install the test server to your test server directory. Again: d:\games\cohtest and not a subdirectory of that directory.
Again, seconds later (unless there's a new version on the test server) you will find yourself at the coh screen with the Next button. Close this. Delete the COPY of the cohupdater and shortcut that YOU created.
Locate the new shortcut that the updater create, and edit its target line to add the -test flag. Example: d:\games\cohtest\cohupdater.exe -test
If you are on a dual core or hyperthreaded processor you can have multiple flags. Example: d:\games\cohtest\cohupdater.exe -test -renderthread 1
Questions you may be asking:
"Bill, why must I make a copy of the cohupdater to my desktop prior to running it?"
Because often times, the cohupdater attempts to update itself and cannot because it is in use. You will probably see an error about disk space and unable to write to the cohupdater.exe file.
"Bill, why, when creating my test server client, must I create a shortcut to the cohupdater I copied out of my cohtest directory?"
Because you can't add the necessary -test flag to the updater itself.
"Bill, what is the meaning of life?"
42
Possibly beer.
Probably 42 beers.
Be well, people of CoH.