Freezes with Windows 10 Redstone and Primocache 2.4 and 2.5 Topic is solved

[unic0der]

PrimoCache version: 2.4 and 2.5
Cache Settings: Only Level 2 cache activated, Cache strategy: Read-data Only
Windows OS: Windows 10 Pro, 64bit, Redstone Update (and all latest patches)
Hardware Information (CPU/Motherboard/Memory/Harddisks): Core2Quad, Dell Dimension 9200, 4GB RAM, 2x HD, 1x Sandisk SSD
Description:
I'm having a lot of problems with system freezes that sometimes last up to 5 minutes (or infintely), since I upgraded to Windows 10 Redstone. Since I upgraded from Primocache 2.3 to version 2.4 at the same time, though, I cannot say for sure which of the two might be responsible for the problem. One thing though I can say for sure: With Primocache 2.5 it also happens.

The freezes seem to happen especially often, when I switch between Tabs in Google Chrome (latest version) or open new Tabs in Chrome.
Interestingly, as soon as the crash happens, there seems to be 100% load on my SSD used for caching (see screenshot).

Specifically in the screenshot below:
(1) in this phase the computer freezed (100% load on SSD)
(2) here it unfreezed (suddenly almost 100% load on HDD C:)
Then I clicked "new tab" in chrome
(3) and it freezed again ... (100% load on SSD) ... and would no longer unfreeze until i literally pulled to power cable.


Please let me know how I can help you to further analyze the problem.

[Support]

Is SSD cache full?
If possible, can you try the version 2.3.0. It can be downloaded from the following link.
http://www.romexsoftware.com/download/p ... .Setup.zip

Thanks!

[unic0der]

Nope, Cache for sure was not full, as due to the many freezes/crashes I have a cache-reset every second day. I'd say the cache was maximum 20 or 30 % full at the time I took the picture above.

Will now try Version 2.3 with the exactly same settings and report back to you, whether or not this proves to be successful.

[Support]

Many thanks! I'm looking forward to test results!

[unic0der]

Just had a 2 minute freeze with Version 2.3 . I guess we can therefore say, that the freeze problem was not introduced by 2.4 and 2.5.

[Support]

Thanks for the testings!
I figure the problem might be related to Windows 10 Redstone build. Since this build release, we got some issue reports that seems quite weird and didn't happen before. We're tracing these incompatibility issues and will follow up this topic when we need more information or we have some updates.

[Jaga]

I suspect it is related to the automatic memory compression in Windows 10, coupled with the fact you have the absolute bare minimum RAM recommended for that OS. I can't even begin to imagine giving any of the 4gb away to Primo for a L1 cache.

Unfortunately, as you mentioned, you did both upgrades at the same time, so it's nearly impossible to tell which did it. The retro-test rolling back to 2.3 was a good idea though.

Do you have any additional memory you can add in, even temporarily, to test with? It would give the OS some breathing room. I have W10 anniversary edition and have used every version of Primo since it was called FancyCache, and have never had a problem like you describe. I believe it is related to trying to use minimum recommended RAM, but to know you'd have to add in more.

Windows is trying to page out to disk, while compressing RAM in use, while trying to use RAM as a cache. It's being overtasked. One look at your Memory use graph tells the story.

[Support]

yes, we're also looking at the automatic memory compression in Windows 10. It seems that some problems may be related to this new feature.

[unic0der]

Windows is trying to page out to disk, while compressing RAM in use, while trying to use RAM as a cache. It's being overtasked. One look at your Memory use graph tells the story.

Hi Jaga - No, unfortunately I don't have additional memory to test.

But not sure if it has to do with too much RAM-usage, because:
> At the time of the screenshot I had a lot of programs loaded. But the hangs also happen as often right after a fresh Windows start, when e.g. just 1.8 GB is full (so, more than the other half free).
> I am not using L1 cache at all.

Nevertheless, how about Romex Software gives the theory a shot and removes memory on one of their machines, until just a bare minimum is left?

[unic0der]

Update:

I have continued my own trouble-shooting over the last days and think I might have found a solution to my problem with system hangs (with 100% disk utilization):

1) According to https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3083595 "Task Manager might show 100% disk utilization on Windows 10 devices with Message Signaled Interrupt (MSI) mode enabled" the trick is to disable MSI for the SATA Controller.

2) I have switched the Energy Settings of the PC from Policy "Optimized" to "High Performance".

So far, things are running stable with MSI disabled and the changed Energy policy - no more hangs in the last couple of hours (which has almost been impossible before).

Will report back in a few days, if we can consider this case solved. As for now it looks like Primocache isn't at fault at all. The only strange question open is: Why on earth did this problem only start to appear after the Redstone update.