# FiveM – Fixing FPS Drops & Server Hitches

Improve Fivem performance: reduce lag, boost tick rate – optimization tips from NexoraHost.

**Quick answer:** Improve server performance with targeted config changes – check RAM/CPU usage, tune settings and remove heavy mods/scripts.

This guide helps you identify and fix FPS drops and server hitches on your FiveM server. A hitch means the server "hangs" for milliseconds to seconds – all players freeze briefly, vehicles jump and the gameplay experience suffers massively.

**Note:** More guides on performance optimization can be found in the left navigation.

## Identifying Causes: Server-Side vs. Client-Side

    
        Problem
        Server-Side
        Client-Side
    

    
        **All players affected simultaneously?**
        Yes – everyone freezes at the same time
        No – only individual players
    

    
        **Main cause**
        CPU spikes, script loops, database lags
        GPU overload, local mods, graphics settings
    

    
        **Detection**
        Server console shows "server hitch" warnings
        Players report stutters, others don't
    

## 1. Identifying Server Hitches

### Hitch Warnings in the Console

When the server hangs, the console shows warnings like:

`Warning: server hitch of 345 ms detected
Warning: server hitch of 1200 ms detected – this is severe!`
Anything over 100 ms is noticeable. Anything over 500 ms is critical and causes visible stutters for all players.

### Finding Hitch Sources with txAdmin

    - Open txAdmin → **Diagnostics**
- Look at the **Performance Graph** – red spikes are hitches
- Click on a spike to see which script caused the hitch
- txAdmin shows the exact resource and duration in ms

## 2. The Most Common Causes of Server Hitches

### Database Queries During Gameplay

The most common reason for hitches. Every time a script makes an SQL query, the server can briefly hang – especially with unoptimized queries:

    - **Problem:** SELECT * FROM players without LIMIT with 1000+ players
- **Problem:** INSERT/UPDATE in a loop (e.g. saving each item individually)
- **Solution:** Use LIMIT on queries, use bulk inserts, use oxmysql (asynchronous)

### Bad Script Practices

    - **Endless loops:** while true do without Wait() – blocks the entire server
- **Too many Citizen.Wait(0):** Each 0ms wait forces a new tick – several per frame eat CPU
- **Large amounts of data in one tick:** Loading 1000 player data at once instead of in portions

### Streaming Assets

    - Too many YDR/YTD files (models/textures) being loaded simultaneously
- Large MLOs (interiors) that briefly block the server when entered
- Solution: Unload assets with `SetModelAsNoLongerNeeded()`, set stream priorities

## 3. Fixing Client-Side FPS Drops

### Client Configuration in txAdmin

In txAdmin under **Settings → Game Settings** you can enforce client-side settings:

`# Disable heavy graphics settings
setr game_enableFlyThroughWindscreen false
setr game_enableDynamicShadowCasting false
setr game_enableLongDistanceShadows false
setr game_enableHighQualityShadows false
setr game_enableVehicleHeadlightShadows false`

### Client Streaming Priorities

`# Increase streaming budget (MB)
setr streaming_memory 256

# Adjust stream tick rate
setr streamerTickMs 20`

## 4. Using Profiling Tools

### txAdmin Performance Graph

The best way to find hitches:

    - Open txAdmin → **Diagnostics → Performance**
- Observe the graph over several minutes
- Every red spike shows a hitch with the causing resource
- Temporarily disable the causing resource and check if hitches disappear

### OneSync Profiler

`# In server.cfg
set onesync_enableProfiler true`
The profiler shows detailed information in the console about sync load per player and resource.

## 5. Specific Optimizations

### Database Optimization

`# In server.cfg – test oxmysql with debug mode
set mysql_connection_string "mysql://user:pass@localhost/fivem?charset=utf8mb4"
set mysql_slow_query_warning 100  # Warns on queries over 100ms`

### Limit Script Tick Rate

`# In server.cfg – global tick rate
set sv_networkTickRate 30   # Default: 60, reduces CPU load by ~30%

# In individual scripts – reduce loop speed
Citizen.CreateThread(function()
    while true do
        Citizen.Wait(500)  -- Instead of 0ms – 500ms is enough for most checks
        -- Script logic
    end
end)`

### Streaming for Large MLOs

`-- In fxmanifest.lua or client.lua – set priorities
SetStreamingPriority(GetHashKey('my_mlo'), 0)  -- 0 = highest priority`

## 6. Emergency Measures for Acute Hitches

    - **Stop all non-essential scripts:** In the console, stop scripts one by one and check if hitches disappear
- **Temporarily limit player count:** `sv_maxclients 32` – fewer players = less sync load
- **More aggressive OneSync culling:** `onesync_distanceCull 300` (default: 424)
- **Restart server:** Sometimes only a restart helps – especially after long runtime, memory leaks can cause hitches

## Common Problems and Solutions

**Hitches only with certain actions:**

    - When entering a specific interior → MLO too large or defective
- When opening inventory → database query unoptimized
- When a specific player joins → too much data loaded at once

**Hitches at certain times:**

    - Check if a cronjob or backup is running at that time
- Check autosave interval – every server save can cause a brief hitch

**Hitches get worse over time:**

    - Classic sign of memory leaks – restart server regularly (every 6-12 hours)
- Check if a script collects data in a loop without releasing it

## Quick Checklist

    - Open txAdmin Performance Graph and identify hitches
- Find the causing resource (txAdmin shows it directly)
- Check and optimize the resource's database queries
- Check loops in code for Wait() – no Wait(0) in production
- Check streaming assets for size and quantity
- Optimize client-side graphics settings
- Restart server regularly (every 6-12 hours)