FAQ

Is this safe?

Yes. The app only does two things: reads the process list and sets CPU affinity masks. It doesn't modify your BIOS, overclock anything, change registry keys (unless you use Driver Preference mode), or write to disk beyond its own config and local game database.

All affinity changes are reversible -- they're restored when you switch to Monitor mode, close the app, or if the app crashes (via dirty shutdown recovery).

The app is fully open source under GPL v2. You can audit every line of code on GitHub.

Will this hurt my system performance?

No. The app itself uses under 0.5% CPU -- it's lighter than Task Manager. The affinity changes it makes are the same thing Process Lasso and power users do manually.

Moving background apps to CCD1 doesn't slow them down. CCD1 uses the same architecture at the same clock speeds -- it just has less L3 cache, which background apps don't need.

Why does it need admin rights?

Windows requires administrator privileges to change the CPU affinity of other processes. Without admin, the app can monitor but can't actually optimize anything.

The app makes no network connections by default, collects no telemetry, and uses admin rights exclusively for SetProcessAffinityMask() calls.

Does it work with anti-cheat?

The app sets CPU affinity -- a standard Windows feature -- not a code injection or memory modification. Based on community reports, most anti-cheat systems are not known to flag affinity changes, but behavior can vary by game and anti-cheat version.

If an anti-cheat protected process blocks affinity changes, the app catches the error silently and skips that process. Your game continues normally.

That said, anti-cheat policies can change. If you have concerns about a specific game, run the app in Monitor mode first to verify there are no conflicts.

Does it work on single-CCD processors?

No. Single-CCD processors don't have the scheduling problem this tool solves. The app detects these and shows a friendly message explaining why it's not needed.

On single-CCD X3D chips like the 7800X3D, all cores already share the V-Cache. There is no wrong CCD for the scheduler to pick -- every core has access to the full cache. On single-CCD standard chips, there is only one CCD, so there is nothing to isolate.

Can I use this with Process Lasso?

You can, but it's not recommended. Both tools manage CPU affinity, and they'll fight over the same processes. Pick one or the other.

If you want to transition, you can run X3D CCD Optimizer in Monitor mode alongside Process Lasso to compare behavior before switching.

What happens if the app crashes?

On every optimization action, the app saves a recovery file (recovery.json) containing the original affinity masks of all modified processes. If the app crashes or is force-killed, on next launch it reads this file and restores all affinities to their pre-optimization state.

If both the app and your system crash (e.g., a BSOD), the recovery file on disk ensures cleanup happens on the next app launch. In the worst case, a system reboot clears all affinity changes because Windows resets process affinities on restart.

What happens if I close the app while in Optimize mode?

If "Minimize to tray on close" is off (default), the app performs a full shutdown: restores all affinities, cleans up the recovery file, and exits. Your processes return to normal Windows scheduling.

If "Minimize to tray on close" is on, clicking X minimizes the app to the system tray. Optimization continues running. Right-click the tray icon and select "Exit" for a full shutdown.

How is this different from AMD's V-Cache driver preference?

AMD's V-Cache driver and Windows CPPC hints are valuable improvements that work behind the scenes. The driver's registry preference suggests which CCD to favor, and CPPC helps Windows make smarter core decisions. These work for many users without any manual intervention.

X3D CCD Optimizer adds two things on top: visibility (you can see exactly where every process is running) and explicit control (you decide which processes go where, rather than relying on implicit hints). For users who want to guarantee their game stays on V-Cache and their background apps stay off it, the app provides that certainty.

The app supports both direct Affinity Pinning and AMD's Driver Preference as optimization strategies. See AMD V-Cache Driver Preference for details.

Does the app make network connections?

Not by default. The app makes zero network connections out of the box. There is no telemetry, no crash reporting, no usage tracking.

The only optional network feature is Download Game Artwork (Settings --> Detection), which is off by default. When enabled, it connects only to Steam's public CDN to download box art images for the Game Library tab. No data is ever sent.

What game launchers are supported?

The app scans three game launchers for installed games:

• Steam -- reads ACF manifest files from Steam library folders
• Epic Games Store -- parses JSON manifest files from Epic's local data directory
• GOG Galaxy -- reads GOG Galaxy's SQLite database combined with Windows registry data

Library scanning runs automatically on first launch (with user consent) and can be re-triggered manually from Settings --> Detection --> Rescan Game Libraries. Scanned games appear in the Game Library tab.

My game isn't in the database. Can I still use the app?

Yes. You have several options:

1. Library scan: If the game is installed via Steam, Epic, or GOG, it should be detected automatically by the library scanner. Check the Game Library tab or trigger a rescan from Settings --> Detection.
2. Manual add: Go to Settings --> Process Rules, type the game's exe name in the V-Cache column text field, and click Add.
3. GPU detection: The app monitors GPU usage. If a process exceeds the GPU threshold while in the foreground, it's flagged as a potential game even if it's not in any database.

If you'd like to report a game detection issue, open a GitHub issue with the game name and exe filename.

Is this AI-generated code?

This project is AI-assisted. The architecture, design decisions, testing, and quality assurance are done by the developer. Implementation is done in collaboration with AI coding tools. This is stated openly in the README and in the About dialog (accessible from the dashboard), which includes an AI disclosure.

The code has undergone multiple security audits, defensive audits, and real-hardware testing on a 7950X3D system.