Need Help Fixing GMod Server Lag

[Rambomst]

So I have recently set up a GMod 32 Slot DarkRP server and once it gets around 20 players and beyond it starts to lag a lot and it can be quite irritating to play once the lag starts. There are 2x 64bit 2.8ghz Xeons dedicated to it and 8GB RAM with 2x 74GB 15,000RPM SCSI disks. All the addons on the server are:

Code:

Adv Duplicator
Combo-Fists
CSS Realistic Weapons 4.0 (Only the knife is installed)
daf (wasn't sure if it was needed for GMod but I have it on all of my CSS servers so I put it on)
DarkRP (latest SVN)
DurgzMod
keypad
keypad cracker
metamod
phx (latest SVN)
RiotShield
SourceMod (Only use it for SourceBans integration and have removed all unneeded addons from it)
ulib (latest SVN)
ulx (latest SVN)
wire (latest SVN)
wire model pack 1 (latest SVN)

My server.cfg is:

Code:

sv_lan 0
maxplayers 32

rp_showjob 1
rp_toolgun 1
rp_proppaying 1
rp_letters 1
rp_earthquakes 1
rp_maxcps 5
rp_drugpayamount 30
rp_maxdruglabs 4
rp_maxgangsters 5
rp_maxgundealers 2
rp_allowpdchief 1
rp_dm_autokick 0
rp_runspeed 400
rp_toolgun 1
rp_chiefjailpos 0
rp_voiceradius 1
rp_AdminsSpawnWithCopWeapons 0
rp_allowvehicleowning 0
rp_alltalk 0
rp_chiefjailpos 1
rp_chiefjailpos 0
rp_jailtimer 600
rp_restrictbuypistol 1
rp_propcost 0
rp_earthquakes 0

sv_voiceenable
sv_alltalk 0

sv_maxcmdrate 66
sv_mincmdrate 33
sv_maxupdaterate 66
sv_minupdaterate 33
sv_maxrate 30000
sv_minrate 7500

mp_falldamage 1

decalfrequency 3

sv_logbans 1
sv_stats 1
log 1

sv_cheats 0

sv_downloadurl "http://trident-gaming.net/meow/garrysmod"
sv_allowdownload 1
sv_allowupload 1
net_maxfilesize 64

sbox_allownpcs 0
sbox_maxprops 30
sbox_maxragdolls 0
sbox_maxnpcs 0
sbox_maxballoons 0
sbox_maxeffects 0
sbox_maxdynamite 0
sbox_maxlamps 0
sbox_maxthrusters 5
sbox_maxwheels 4
sbox_plpldamage 0
sbox_playergod 0
sbox_maxhoverballs 0
sbox_maxvehicles 0
sbox_maxbuttons 5
sbox_maxturrets 0
sbox_noclip 0
sbox_godmode 0

sv_region 5
sv_timeout 65
fps_max 550
sv_stats 0
mp_timelimit 180

I have never set up a GMod server before but I have a lot of experience with other source games but unfortunately GMod is so different so it was no help and I have no clue what could be causing this. Any help is much appreciated! A $25USD reward will be given to the person who helps me fix this issue (Hope that isn't against the rules if so I will remove it).

[Spartanfrog]

Are they the Xeons based upon P4 architecture or the newer ones?

[Rambomst]

They are P4 based but the server has never used up 100% of either CPU.

[loopyman]

I never had much consistency above 16 slots of gmod with those old P4 Xeons.
Also, how are you calculating the processor usage? Are you typing stats in rcon? Or looking at the RDP?

In my Opinion that server would be strained to run that large of a garrysmod server... For CS:S it might be okay.

To reduce your servers processor usage you can always drop your fps_max to 150 ( ~ 128fps )
EDIT: Just noticed you set your fps_max to 550... This is a no no for garrysmod as it all it does it eat more CPU and provide little benefit. Reduce to 128 fps for less processor usage.

Code:

fps_max 150

[Rambomst]

I watch my CPU usage using something called Cacti which graphs CPU, Memory, HDD Space, Network Traffic etc and looking at them now one CPU hasn't gone above 60% usage and the other hasn't gone above 40% usage so I don't see why reducing fps_max will do anything but I have done it anyway.

[loopyman]

Because game servers that use a higher fps max use a lot more server processor... The main reason why it costs more from most GSP's

[Rambomst]

That might be true but the server isn't using all of the CPU in the first place so I don't see how it could be causing the lag.

[loopyman]

Srcds.exe does not multithread so what you could be seeing is the result of windows bouncing the program between multiple processors so it "looks" like its multithreading... Limit the game server to one processor
- Ctrl Alt Delete
- Processes
- Right click on your game server -> set affinity to one processor

Then see what the processor usage.

[Rambomst]

I restricted it to 1 CPU and it still didn't hit 100% usage but I have noticed the tickrate dropping very low what can cause that when all the hardware isn't even been used to it maximum potential?

*EDIT*

After more looking into my issue it seems the server FPS is really low at first it starts out ok but atm it has 16 people in it and has an FPS of "17.35" which is horrid. Any suggestions on how to increase it?

[Rambomst]

Bump.

[loopyman]

That can happen with garrysmod when a lot of things are going on, or there is a high prop limit and such...

Generally FPS drops are caused when the OS or the Hardware cant keep up. From my personal experience on those dual Xeons is that they cannot run a garrysmod server well after 12 - 16 slots. My gaming community used a Quad Xeon 3.16GHz HyperThreaded server and we could not get it to run a gmod server well past 16 slots... ( Even a RP ). So we upgraded to a Q8300 and things were fine there after.

[shepsie]

Im not sure if someone has asked this, but where is this server hosted (Home or Co - located)?

[Rambomst]

The server is hosted in a data centre on the same box as a steam mirror.