1.1 slow load and frequent pauses, Win10, AMD

[OHara]

On a dual-core i7, 8MB RAM, switchable graphics with Intel HD 520 and AMD R7 360, a clean install of KSP 1.1 stutters, where 1.05 is easily playable.  On both 32- and 64-bit builds of KSP 1.1, 

+ Loading Systems takes 230 seconds (50s with 1.05)

+ Main Menu stutters about 1/2 second just before the sprites come into view

+ Transition screens, black with 'Loading..' in the corner, take 20 seconds (5s with 1.05)

+ In the scenario "EVA over Kerbin" panning to show the planet stutters for about 5 seconds; panning in camera-view in often stutters about 1 second

+ Transition from map-view to camera-view takes 1-10 seconds (less than 1s with 1.05)

+ Esc menu -> Settings -> Accept, with no changes to any settings, pauses for 30 seconds before the Esc menu is responsive

+ Main Menu -> Quit takes 20 seconds before the KSP window closes

This felt like garbage-collection, or file-system timeouts.  Things I tried with no noticeable help:
reducing graphics quality to minimum, setting the graphics to use AMD only, ensuring the same file-permissions on 1.05 and 1.10 install directories, turning off the send-progress-to-Squad option, pausing Windows Defender, setting the KSP option to use LEGACY_SHADER_TERRAIN, ...

Any suggestions?   Logs and DxDiag are here.

[sal_vager]

Hi @OHara, your logs show that KSP is using your Intel graphics card, not your AMD.

Quote

Kerbal Space Program - 1.0.5.1028 (WindowsPlayer)

OS: Windows 8.1  (6.3.10586) 64bit
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6500U CPU @ 2.50GHz (4)
RAM: 8076
GPU: Intel(R) HD Graphics 520 (2111MB)

To get the most from the game it is recommended that you use your main graphics card, you can do this by creating an application profile for KSP in the AMD catalyst control center.

[OHara]

Oh! Thanks. The GPU makes the difference, but in the opposite direction from what I would have expected.   KSP 1.10 used the higher-performance AMD, and that is associated with the delays.

Kerbal Space Program - 1.0.5.1028 (WindowsPlayer)
GPU: Intel(R) HD Graphics 520 (2111MB)
.. runs fine

Force GPU to AMD:
Kerbal Space Program - 1.0.5.1028 (WindowsPlayer)
GPU: AMD Radeon R7 M360 (2035MB)
.. stutters on any textures

Kerbal Space Program - 1.1.0.1230 (WindowsPlayer)
GPU: AMD Radeon R7 M360 (2035MB)
.. stutters on any textures

Force GPU to Intel:
Kerbal Space Program - 1.1.0.1230 (WindowsPlayer)
GPU: Intel(R) HD Graphics 520 (2111MB)
.. starts quicker and runs better than 1.05

It seems the Thinkpad E460 doesn't integrate the AMD in a way that is usable for KSP, but the KSP 1.1 runs just fine with the integrated Intel graphics chip.

[OHara]

The best solution was to use the latest driver from the manufacturer of the graphics chip.

With an AMD Radeon R7 M360 on Windows 10:
Windows'  update-driver utility installs driver version 15.201.1101.0,  6 August 2015, which shows the problems in the top post;
AMD's website offers driver version 16.150.2401.0, 15 April 2016, which resolved all those problems.

Edited April 28, 2016 by OHara
complete sentences