How to improve my server's stability and performance ? - Garry's Mod

Hi guys, After about 3 or 4 years of playing gmod, I finally joined the facepunch community ! A true pleasure. First, you have to know I'm french, so I appologies for my mistakes, please believe I do my best to avoid it. I'm now running a home dedicated server for 2 weeks. I finally installed a lot of usefull addons, the Evolve admin plugin, wich I think is pretty good. But there is something i can't fix since the beginning : Crashes. I guess i'm not the first owner of a server crying because of the bad stability of it. So, i improved the stability by making the sandbox limits lower, but it's still easy for somebody who really wants it, to make the server crash, and when i'm not at home, i can't restart the server. Also, the ping can easily raise up when the SRCDS uses the maximum CPU it can (and even if the internet brandwidth isn't fully used), wich means many objects are under many contrainsts => I've got the Evolve plugin and his nolag feature, wich does that with the command !nolag, an admin can freeze everything on the server, so it can fix the ping problem... But when there is no admin... So finally, what i want to know : How to make the server stronger so it crashes less (for now it crashes about 1 to 4 times a day) ? How to avoid the server process using the maximum ressources available ? And why not : How to save brandwidth ? Here is my computer's configuration : OS : Windows 7 Pro x64 CPU : Core 2 Quad Q9450 @ 3.55Ghz RAM : 8GB DDR2 PC8500 System/Server HDD : 2x640Go RAID 0 Wester Digital Here is the useful part of the server's config file : //Network Configuration sv_lan 0 sv_allowupload 0 sv_allowdownload 0 sv_downloadurl "http://ultimatebyte.free.fr/Gmod/" net_maxfilesize 300000 sv_minrate 10 sv_maxrate 35000 decalfrequency 10 sv_minupdaterate 40 sv_maxupdaterate 200 cl_cmdrate 66 cl_updaterate 66 rate 10000 //Performance sv_client_cmdrate_difference 1 sv_client_predict 1 sv_client_min_interp_ratio -1 sv_client_max_interp_ratio -1 fps_max 120 // Sandbox server settings "sbox_maxnpcs" "3" "sbox_godmode" "1" "sbox_plpldamage" "1" // set this to 1 to disable player vs player damage. "sbox_noclip" "1" sv_voiceenable "1" sv_alltalk "1" // Sandbox limits "g_ragdoll_maxcount" "0" //Nombre de ragdolls morts "sbox_maxprops" "300" "sbox_maxragdolls" "5" "sbox_maxnpcs" "3" "sbox_maxballoons" "5" "sbox_maxeffects" "5" "sbox_maxdynamite" "15" "sbox_maxlamps" "15" "sbox_maxthrusters" "15" "sbox_maxwheels" "20" "sbox_maxhoverballs" "20" "sbox_maxvehicles" "4" "sbox_maxbuttons" "200" //INV "sbox_maxsents" "20" "sbox_maxemitters" "10" "sbox_maxspawners" "4" "sbox_maxturrets" "10" sbox_maxbridge "10" //total amount of bridge pieces. // sbox_maxbridgelength " " // max amount of bridge pieces in each bridge. // Sandbox WIRE limits "sbox_maxwire_wheels" "90" "sbox_maxwire_waypoints" "90" "sbox_maxwire_values" "90" "sbox_maxwire_twoway_radioes" "90" // "sbox_maxwire_turret" "90" "sbox_maxwire_thrusters" "90" "sbox_maxwire_target_finders" "90" "sbox_maxwire_speedometers" "10" "sbox_maxwire_emitters" "95" "sbox_maxwire_simple_explosive" "30" "sbox_maxwire_sensors" "90" "sbox_maxwire_screens" "90" "sbox_maxwire_relays" "90" "sbox_maxwire_rangers" "90" "sbox_maxwire_radioes" "90" "sbox_maxwire_sockets" "90" "sbox_maxwire_plugs" "90" "sbox_maxwire_pixels" "90" "sbox_maxwire_panels" "90" "sbox_maxwire_outputs" "90" "sbox_maxwire_oscilloscopes" "90" "sbox_maxwire_locators" "90" "sbox_maxwire_lights" "96" "sbox_maxwire_inputs" "90" "sbox_maxwire_indicators" "91" "sbox_maxwire_hoverballs" "90" "sbox_maxwire_gyroscopes" "90" "sbox_maxwire_gpss" "90" "sbox_maxwire_gate_trigs" "90" "sbox_maxwire_gate_times" "90" "sbox_maxwire_gate_selections" "90" "sbox_maxwire_gate_memorys" "90" "sbox_maxwire_gate_logics" "90" "sbox_maxwire_gate_comparisons" "90" "sbox_maxwire_gates" "90" "sbox_maxwire_explosive" "90" "sbox_maxwire_dual_inputs" "90" "sbox_maxwire_detonators" "90" "sbox_maxwire_buttons" "100" "sbox_maxwire_adv_inputs" "200" The list of addons i'm running : evolve adv duplicator phoenix 3 simpleproprotection wiremod vuvuzela hurtsounds jetpack cagegun for_allah chatsounds combo fists CSS Realistic weapons 4.0 youtube player Unbreakable anti-noclip Stacker Stacker Advanced Wire Model packs keypad admin keypad cracker anticrash (just reconnects the clien if the server crashes) soundemitter playx masslessthrusters weight tool CSS npcs Doors tool smart_welding Buoyancy tool Laser tool propcannons2 fading doors SmartSnap Easy Precision Prop Resizer v2 ModelManipulator Advanced Stacker Raveball Harmless companion cube Fin tool 2 advanced spawner skins switcher wiremod Extras npc_scene particle maker GM Paint 0.77 Crate Maker Easy Alignment Fuze Player weld Permaprops PortalRadio wolfdj exosound equipment Thank you for reading, hoping we will find solutions !

cl_cmdrate 33 cl_updaterate 33 Are more useful than 66. fps_max should be 300 Less addons would also help stability.

Thanks. I'll try that. But what exactly does the fps_max can change for a server ?

[QUOTE=UltimateByte;25466291]Thanks. I'll try that. But what exactly does the fps_max can change for a server ?[/QUOTE] it changes the MAX FPS the server puts out.. default is 250

Yeah, but what is the consequence ? Does it makes the physics smoother ? Does it uses more CPU ? Anyway, that's the performance side, the less important i would say. What about the stability ?

up ? :(

Most often than not it comes down to the model precache. For those who don't know: This is an index that lists all of the [u]unique[/u] models that are spawned. Once the list is filled, the server will crash. Not a whole lot can be done to avoid this. (Keep in mind a "Prop Cleanup" WILL NOT reset the list, a mapchange/server restart does)

Very useful to know... Thanks. I thought that list was reseted when the props were deleted. No crash since i put the serv to tick 33, and to 300fps. And nobody seems to find it laggy or choppy, so it's cool ! Anyway, according to you DatMeg, i have to set a map autochange or an automatic map reload... Does anybody knows an addon which makes that well, and almost wich makes a regular countdown to tell poeple the server will change map ?!

Actually, the server's still crashing sometimes, i guess that's the same as before... I now use the ServerChecker 3.02 wich looks great... But i'm still looking for any advice on how to improve the stability of the server... And my previous question still don't have any answer.