Hardware/CPU/VMWare question

[Joker76]

My main computer and botting system has the following specs (from Speccy):

Operating System
			Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1
		CPU
			[B]Intel Core i5 3570K @ 3.40GHz[/B]
			Ivy Bridge 22nm Technology
		RAM
			16.0GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 666MHz (9-9-9-24)
		Motherboard
			ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. P8Z77-V (LGA1155)
		Graphics
			SE50UY04 (1920x1080@122Hz)
			VX2450 SERIES (1920x1080@60Hz)
			3072MB ATI AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series (Sapphire/PCPartner)
		Hard Drives
			466GB Samsung SSD 840 Series ATA Device (SSD)
			1863GB Seagate ST2000DX001-1CM164 ATA Device (SATA)
		Optical Drives
			ELBY CLONEDRIVE SCSI CdRom Device
			LITE-ON DVDRW LH-20A1L ATA Device
		Audio
			Creative X-Fi Audio Processor (WDM)

I'm currently running 5 instances of HB with Dungeonbuddy and it's putting a huge load on my CPU. Each WoW is running 7-10%, and each HB is running between 5-8%. So all total my CPU is running at almost 100% load. I have limited the FPS on each WoW to 30, and disabled framelock in Singular. I'm also running the windows at very low resolution but I can't get the CPU usage any lower.

I'd like to use my PC to do other things while I'm botting, so I'm currently looking at a few options;

1. Upgrade CPU to a i7-3770k for hyperthreading and more overhead (used can be found for ~$240)
2. Set up VMWares for each bot, or run a couple bots on each (free)
3. Split the bots between my main computer and laptop, an Alienware M17x with i7-3720QM (free, but increased electricity costs)

I'd like to keep everything on 1 machine, because there are times when I have to manually play the toons ... like buying gear for Cata dungeons or setting up banks/transferring items to other toons, etc. Is this easily doable with VMWare? Would I be better off just upgrading my CPU and hoping to save ~20% CPU usage?

Thanks in advance for any tips.

 

[superfula]

You could drop that FPS down even further. I run my bots, sometimes 5 at a time, at 10 FPS or lower. Resolution is set to the lowest possible and the windows are sized down fairly small. I have the same processor as you but with half the ram and don't find myself maxing either out.

1) A decent option but I wouldn't buy anything until you've heard from someone with that processor.
2) VMs will just introduce more overhead.
3) Certainly the cheapest option.

 

[1101011]

I have a laptop with i7 and 8 cores (4 real).
I have tried to run wow from vm (just for fun). It worked for low grafics but .. the performanc wasn't best. Yes this modern cpus have no problem emulation a other operating systems. I couldn't detect any cpu load while the emulated os was idle
but when you try to game something like d3 or wow you run into troubles.

If I run one WoW with 800x600, lowest settings, no addons and fps set to 35 fps my CPU has a load of 4-9% (well most times areound 4%).



I think you can try to optimies your wow a little bit more. with settings (config.wtf) do you use? Do you use timing methode and processAffinityMask?
CVar processAffinityMask - WoWWiki - Your guide to the World of Warcraft
CVar timingMethod - WoWWiki - Your guide to the World of Warcraft

The HB team said they will switch to a newer .NET Version, this should increase the HB performance or decrease the cpu load .

I'd like to use my PC to do other things while I'm botting, so I'm currently looking at a few options

What do you want to do? I don't think you mean playing other video games or render movies ;-)
I wouldn't do anything. Your CPU maybe at 100% but
a.) are you sure your cpu runs at max clock? Well maybe Desktop CPUs doesn't decrease their clock if the power isn't needed. Just wanted to be sure ;-)
b.) do you notice any problems while your cpu is at 100% and you try to do something else?

Maybee there isn't enough cpu power what will be the result? You WoW may run at 20 insteaf of 30 fps.. Who cares?
Your bot may need a half second more time? Who cares?


I woulnd't change the computer settings. If you notice any problems I would recommand to try some software optimisations for WoW and wait for the next HB release.
If it isn't enough can't you just use your laptop for the "other" thins you want to do with your computer?

 

[BrPlxGimmeGold]

My spec are
fx 8320
8gb ddr corsair vengeance 1600mhz (Yes I need other 8gb)
radeon 7770 1gb ddr5
corsair 430w

and I run 10 wow and 6 honorbuddy...my pc get lagger for sure, but It be like ... 90% cpu and 99% memmory...becouse I also open facebook, youtube hehehe