https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2024/01/proposed-windows-nt-sync-driver-brings-big-wine-proton-performance-improvements/ This website makes use of cookies to enhance your browsing experience and provide additional functionality -> More info Deny Cookies - Allow Cookies * Login * Register * Mailing List * Statistics * Steam Tracker * Support Us * Steam Play * Search Articles * Contact Us * Forum * IRC * Discord * Search * Theme: [ ] * GamingOnLinux * GamingOnLinux * Sections + Mailing List + Statistics + Steam Tracker + Support Us + Steam Play + Search Articles + Crowdfunded Games * Contact Us + Email Us + Meet The Team * Forum * IRC * Discord search articles [ ] Go [SUBMIT] Login * Login * * Register * * Theme: [ ] * [ ] [SUBMIT] Check out our Monthly Survey Page to see what our users are running. [INS::INS] We do often include affiliate links to earn us some pennies. See more here. Proposed Windows NT sync driver brings big Wine / Proton performance improvements By Liam Dawe - 24 January 2024 at 10:44 am UTC | Views: 36,612 Zeb Figura of CodeWeavers has proposed a Windows NT synchronization primitive driver to help performance of running games and applications designed for Windows on Linux with Wine / Proton. As per the RFC (request for comments) posted onto the Linux kernel mailing list Figura notes: "This patch series introduces a new char misc driver, /dev/ntsync, which is used to implement Windows NT synchronization primitives." Then giving some background on it: "The Wine project emulates the Windows API in user space. One particular part of that API, namely the NT synchronization primitives, have historically been implemented via RPC to a dedicated "kernel" process. However, more recent applications use these APIs more strenuously, and the overhead of RPC has become a bottleneck. The NT synchronization APIs are too complex to implement on top of existing primitives without sacrificing correctness. Certain operations, such as NtPulseEvent() or the "wait-for-all" mode of NtWaitForMultipleObjects(), require direct control over the underlying wait queue, and implementing a wait queue sufficiently robust for Wine in user space is not possible. This proposed driver, therefore, implements the problematic interfaces directly in the Linux kernel." Figura did a presentation on it at the Linux Plumbers Conference in 2023 that you can see below: YouTube Thumbnail YouTube videos require cookies, you must accept their cookies to view. View cookie preferences. Accept Cookies & Show Direct Link What kind of performance difference might we see with something like this? The difference depends on your hardware and what you're trying to run but some FPS examples were given from multiple users including: +--------------------------------------------------------+ |Game |Upstream|ntsync|improvement| |----------------------------+--------+------+-----------| |Anger Foot |69 |99 |43% | |----------------------------+--------+------+-----------| |Call of Juarez |99.8 |224.1 |125% | |----------------------------+--------+------+-----------| |Dirt 3 |110.6 |860.7 |678% | |----------------------------+--------+------+-----------| |Forza Horizon 5 |108 |160 |48% | |----------------------------+--------+------+-----------| |Lara Croft: Temple of Osiris|141 |326 |131% | |----------------------------+--------+------+-----------| |Metro 2033 |164.4 |199.2 |21% | |----------------------------+--------+------+-----------| |Resident Evil 2 |26 |77 |196% | |----------------------------+--------+------+-----------| |The Crew |26 |51 |96% | |----------------------------+--------+------+-----------| |Tiny Tina's Wonderlands |130 |360 |177% | |----------------------------+--------+------+-----------| |Total War Saga: Troy |109 |146 |34% | +--------------------------------------------------------+ What hardware and software each was tested on was not noted. Some impressive numbers but again it's hardware dependent, but even so any performance uplift would be welcome, so hopefully the patch series gets some good comments and approval after any tweaks are done that may be needed. Looks like we could end up seeing a nice future performance improvement for Linux and Steam Deck gaming with Wine and Proton. Source: Phoronix Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com. Tags: Steam Play, Kernel, Misc, Open Source, Wine 20 Likes Share Share to Mastodon [twitter] [reddit] [facebook] [telegram] About the author - Liam Dawe author picture I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon. See more from me Some you may have missed, popular articles from the last month: * Last Epoch crosses 1 million Early Access sales, new trailer and pre-order bonuses * Supernatural horror adventure ASYLUM finally hits Beta * Steam Deck officially hits over 13,000 games Playable and Verified [INS::INS] 18 comments Page: 1/2>> Go to: [1] Quote This [Debian]whizse a day ago * Link [whizse375_] View PC info * Supporter Essentially this is the long awaited replacement/improvement for esync and fsync. 11 Likes, Who? [Pop]DrNick a day ago * Link [DrNick499_] View PC info * Steam * mastodon Sounds like my Steam Deck is gonna have an easier time running some games. 9 Likes, Who? [EndeavourO]TheRiddick a day ago * Link [TheRiddick] View PC info * Steam * twitch * gogprofile DO IT! 3 Likes, Who? [Arch]based a day ago * Link [based904_a] View PC info * Steam I hope this gets tested more asap 4 Likes, Who? [Ubuntu]apprentix a day ago * Link [apprentix5] View PC info * Steam Fantastic! Last edited by apprentix on 24 January 2024 at 11:58 am UTC 2 Likes, Who? [Pop]Sakuretsu 4 years a day ago * Link [JonasBento] View PC info Oh how I love the Linux devs! Thank God you guys exist! 3 Likes, Who? [Ubuntu]F.Ultra a day ago * Link [F] View PC info * Supporter Note that the improvements in the table is vs using the wineserver only so this is not compared with fsync or esync. Looks like the performance is similar to fsync/esync according to the presentation, just that some edge cases like Pulse Events and WaitOnAll now works while they are broken on fsync/esync. 6 Likes, Who? [Debian]Shmerl a day ago * Link [Shmerl725_] View PC info Quoting: F.UltraNote that the improvements in the table is vs using the wineserver only so this is not compared with fsync or esync. Looks like the performance is similar to fsync/esync according to the presentation, just that some edge cases like Pulse Events and WaitOnAll now works while they are broken on fsync/esync. Yeah, for Linux gamers the main benefit of this will be simply that things will finally be upstreamed. Those edge cases will barely matter for anyone. 3 Likes, Who? ToddL a day ago * Link Quoting: DrNickSounds like my Steam Deck is gonna have an easier time running some games. I can't wait to see these changes get added to the Linux kernel and SteamOS because if these numbers are any indication, it sounds like we're in for some awesome gaming experiences on the Steam Deck [smile] 3 Likes, Who? [Debian]Shmerl a day ago * Link [Shmerl725_] View PC info Quoting: ToddLI can't wait to see these changes get added to the Linux kernel and SteamOS because if these numbers are any indication, it sounds like we're in for some awesome gaming experiences on the Steam Deck [smile] Steam Deck is already using fsync with corresponding kernel API, so it already benefits from better than wineserver approach. I.e. this ntsync isn't going to improve performance over esync or fsync if I understood correctly. It will just make it more formally correct for edge cases. Last edited by Shmerl on 24 January 2024 at 4:34 pm UTC 4 Likes, Who? 1/2>> While you're here, please consider supporting GamingOnLinux on: Reward Tiers: # Patreon. Plain Donations: # PayPal. This ensures all of our main content remains totally free for everyone! Patreon supporters can also remove all adverts and sponsors! Supporting us helps bring good, fresh content. Without your continued support, we simply could not continue! You can find even more ways to support us on this dedicated page any time. If you already are, thank you! Login / Register [ ] [ ] [ ] Stay logged in. Note: Checking this box requires a cookie. 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