EZ Server

So, I vaguely remember back when I got this new cpu/motherboard/ram, etc that even though it is a quad core processor the game wouldn't load unless I switched it to 2 cores

AMD FX 4170 Quad Core
16g RAM
Max CPU Speed 4.20GHz
(Currently) 2 cores, 4 logical processors

So, I log in, 18 characters and just sitting in the game Task Manager is telling me that i am using 51% at 4.16GHz, I am using 11.2 of 15.9 GB RAM

When I do a pull in T9 (approx. 30ish mobs, small pull) suddenly the first logical processor peaks out at 100% and the overall goes to 80-95%ish, RAM stays the same. Now, if I do a respectable pull in T9 the CPU pegs out 100%, my Frame Rate Lag goes to hell, goes from 50/50 down to like 2/50 onscreen game meter.

Question(s)

1. why am I only using 2 cores again? can we use 4 cores? If so, why do I remember the game not loading with 4 cores enabled in bios

2. why does that first logical processor peg out?

3. shouldn't this processor be able to handle this?

4. what can I do to improve the effectiveness so I don't get the choppy lag on big pulls?

take into consideration that I use all stick figures with bare min settings on all toons and on main I use the regular look but still with very minimal settings, no flora, no spell shit going off, etc

I guess this never really bothered me in the past, for some reason I have latched onto it, mostly due to pulling a massive amount of mobs and lag bombing out. It happens with or without all the toons online. If i just have 3 toons logged in and farming, pull most of the zone it bombs out to the point of near DC.

The first thing I'd check is your filters, make sure you filter out rampages, enrages, flurries and whatever else mobs could be doing to send messages to all clients and just keep those active on your control toon.

Try taking the game off your primary processor, normally labeled zero. A lot of high priority and operating system processes default to that one. Try one and two, or one and three.