Hi all,
I'm having some serious issues regarding CPU usage spikes in X3. I have noticed, especially since the "c" patch that my usage on core 0 is spiking more than twice the level than the other 7 cores (system specs in my signature). My computer is pretty powerful so I'm a little perplexed. Not the model of efficiency at the moment, though.
 
Also, I am also getting a continuous rise in core 1 until overload and dropout when I use MOTU Mach 5 synth. It happens over about 15 seconds or so. It's never done this before. I have reset the plugins and rescanned but the problem persists.
 
What could be causing such a disparity between the cores? I have changed the max thread count in the config file and that didn't help so returned to 0.
 
Thanks in advance for the help. 

Lots of people have reported this type of behavior related to Speed Step. 
 
You should be able to use Latency Monitor... 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/2915420
This tool will show you information for your system and by processor. My guess about speed step is just a guess, but if you run LatencyMon for 10 minutes while your experiencing problems and post the results to this thread, folks should be able to point you in the right direction.
 
I believe you disable speedstep in the BIOS, if you can find it.
 
 

This may have nothing to do with the issue, but you may want to check that you don't have virus scans running.  Also, I go to RUN | MSCONFIG | STARTUP and turn off everything that does not have to be running.  Windows is notorious for starting up 50 things that you don't need.  Most are very small CPU hits, but they add up.  Virus Scan is the biggest CPU hog (which is why I use only Microsoft's free Security Essentials).
 
Again, I'm sure the problem lies elsewhere, but this can help if not already done.  Best of luck.

Thanks for the responses guys. I ran LatencyMon and my DPC and ISR numbers were fine. I had a ton of hard pagefaults, though. The highest number was caused by Microsoft Windows Search Filter Host, whatever the hell that is, followed by Microsoft Windows Search Indexer. I'm not really sure about the results but I have a big, red line under pagefaults.
 
I'm also not sure why the MOTU sampler is causing what almost looks like a leak. Core 0 goes steadily up until it drops out. 

Have you installed the 3.2 update of Mach 5?

Yes, I installed the update. Didn't help, unfortunately.

Did you disable speed step?

southpaw3473
Thanks for the responses guys. I ran LatencyMon and my DPC and ISR numbers were fine. I had a ton of hard pagefaults, though. The highest number was caused by Microsoft Windows Search Filter Host, whatever the hell that is, followed by Microsoft Windows Search Indexer. I'm not really sure about the results but I have a big, red line under pagefaults.
 
I'm also not sure why the MOTU sampler is causing what almost looks like a leak. Core 0 goes steadily up until it drops out. 

It may be worthwhile to check your drivers first to see that they are current (http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/2909231 )
 
The windows search indexer should not run when you are using your machine, and simply indexes files for quicker searching. If you type "Indexing Options" in the search box above the start button (in Win 7 anyway), this will allow you to modify both the search features, and where that index file is loaded. If that index is fragmented, the indexer has actually blue screened my computer before when it was idle. (but do NOT defrag an SSD if you have them, only magnetic HDD's).
 

Thanks again, guys. I have made sure all my drivers (both audio and graphics) are up to date. I'm not sure what speed step is. This is located in the BIOS? What does it do and what happens when it's disabled?

Oh you have AMD so you should try and disable PowerNow (not speed step which is Intel equivalent) in BIOS.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerNow!