XP Gaming Tips?

I just upgraded from win98 to windows xp corporate and was wondering if there were any tips out there to improve gaming performance under this OS. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

On Fri, 07 Mar 2003 05:14:39 GMT, Ike wrote: > I just upgraded from win98 to windows xp corporate and was wondering if > there were any tips out there to improve gaming performance under this > OS. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. dont use xp, its bloated and full of spyware. i take it u didnt buy xp corp, but found it lying about on the web somewhere. do yourself a favour and go back to 98se.

Right before I upgraded to XP corp, I got all the latest win98se drivers and updated everything and ran a few benchmarks. Then when I loaded XP on, I did those same benchmarks and XP was just as fast at all benchmarks, or faster. 5FPS increase on Rally Trophy, etc.. I'm not disagreeing that XP might be bloated and full of spyware (although I've never found any spyware in XP). But I've done a few tests, and tehy were enough to convince me to update from my 5 year old OS. Mike http://mikebeauchamp.com "bigspud" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:9aX9a.411470$[email hidden]...

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> On Fri, 07 Mar 2003 05:14:39 GMT, Ike wrote: > > > I just upgraded from win98 to windows xp corporate and was wondering if > > there were any tips out there to improve gaming performance under this > > OS. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. > > dont use xp, its bloated and full of spyware. > i take it u didnt buy xp corp, but found it lying about on the web > somewhere. do yourself a favour and go back to 98se.

"Mike Beauchamp" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:VRX9a.85781$[email hidden]... > Right before I upgraded to XP corp, I got all the latest win98se driversand > updated everything and ran a few benchmarks. Then when I loaded XP on, Idid > those same benchmarks and XP was just as fast at all benchmarks, orfaster.

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> 5FPS increase on Rally Trophy, etc.. > > I'm not disagreeing that XP might be bloated and full of spyware (although > I've never found any spyware in XP). But I've done a few tests, and tehy > were enough to convince me to update from my 5 year old OS. > > Mike > http://mikebeauchamp.com >

I fully agree. My tired, bogged down, application-heavy, scrambled-registry daily working installation of XP Pro gives a substantial boost in framerate on N2003, Rally Trophy and GP4 compared to a clean install of Win98SE with the latest drivers. Oh, and it doesn't crash every day, although if you like the colour blue perhaps that's not a problem. Spyware can be easily dealt with by using a decent personal firewall which controll traffic in and out, plus running software like AdAware, and the bloat is really a factor in an era of cheap ram and hard drives. XP Pro gives me a great OS for my work, and the added benefit of working really well for entertainment. S.

bigspud left a note on my windscreen which said:

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> > I just upgraded from win98 to windows xp corporate and was wondering if > > there were any tips out there to improve gaming performance under this > > OS. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. > > dont use xp, its bloated and full of spyware. > i take it u didnt buy xp corp, but found it lying about on the web > somewhere. do yourself a favour and go back to 98se.

XP is the best OS to emerge from Microshite Corporation. Period. Not sure what spyware you found in your copy of XP but mine is squeaky clean. After using 2K/XP systems for ages now I not going back to any 9x system. -- Mortis [Insert sig here]

Mortis wrote:

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> bigspud left a note on my windscreen which said: > >>> I just upgraded from win98 to windows xp corporate and was >>> wondering if there were any tips out there to improve gaming >>> performance under this OS. Any suggestions would be greatly >>> appreciated. >> >> dont use xp, its bloated and full of spyware. >> i take it u didnt buy xp corp, but found it lying about on the web >> somewhere. do yourself a favour and go back to 98se. > > XP is the best OS to emerge from Microshite Corporation. Period. > > Not sure what spyware you found in your copy of XP but mine is squeaky > clean. After using 2K/XP systems for ages now I not going back to any > 9x system.

I would agree with that as well, I have used both XP Home and now XP Pro, and love it. Don Burnette

LOL "bigspud" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:9aX9a.411470$[email hidden]...

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> On Fri, 07 Mar 2003 05:14:39 GMT, Ike wrote: > > > I just upgraded from win98 to windows xp corporate and was wondering if > > there were any tips out there to improve gaming performance under this > > OS. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. > > dont use xp, its bloated and full of spyware. > i take it u didnt buy xp corp, but found it lying about on the web > somewhere. do yourself a favour and go back to 98se.

Have to agree. XP is by far the most problem-free Windows version. And I'm not employed by MS(hirr, hirr). I'll go as far to say that it's worth the $ needed to fork out for an upgrade. Though there are some interesting hardware conflicts happening on my setup cured with betadrivers ( xp + amd + gf ti 4800) /matt "Don Burnette" <[email hidden]> skrev i melding news:[email hidden]...

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> Mortis wrote: > > bigspud left a note on my windscreen which said: > > > >>> I just upgraded from win98 to windows xp corporate and was > >>> wondering if there were any tips out there to improve gaming > >>> performance under this OS. Any suggestions would be greatly > >>> appreciated. > >> > >> dont use xp, its bloated and full of spyware. > >> i take it u didnt buy xp corp, but found it lying about on the web > >> somewhere. do yourself a favour and go back to 98se. > > > > XP is the best OS to emerge from Microshite Corporation. Period. > > > > Not sure what spyware you found in your copy of XP but mine is squeaky > > clean. After using 2K/XP systems for ages now I not going back to any > > 9x system. > > I would agree with that as well, I have used both XP Home and now XP Pro, > and love it. > > Don Burnette > >

Try www.tweakxp.com. This is probably the article you should have a look: System Settings for a Game Machine http://www.tweakxp.com/tweakxp/display.asp?id=114 Brian "Ike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > I just upgraded from win98 to windows xp corporate and was wondering if > there were any tips out there to improve gaming performance under this > OS. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. >

Don't listen to this 'spud'. There are plenty of us around here running XP for gaming and without much trouble. Political issues aside, the key thing is to make sure your running the latest drivers and that you keep it as CLEAN as possible. Everything you add, be it scanner, USB this, USB that, Anti-Virus, etc... will install some sort of service/process and a lot of it runs in the background. All of this can affect gaming especially games that are fps dependent. I get around this in my own way. My system has TWO Windows XP installations on it. One for general computing, one for gaming. The one for General Computing has my scanners, printers, faxes, VPN Software,Virus Software, about 1000 applications, CDR Burners, etc.. installed and configured. On the Gaming boot NOTHING is enabled. I don't even have a printer enabled. No additional software except the games are installed. It works well for me. If your system configuration is fairly simple (mine certainly is not), then you probably don't have to go to such extremes at all. But the overall answer is yes, XP is FINE for gaming as long as the game is designed to run under XP/2K to begin with. Some really old 9x titles will certainly be problematic though. Larry "bigspud" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:9aX9a.411470$[email hidden]...

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> On Fri, 07 Mar 2003 05:14:39 GMT, Ike wrote: > > > I just upgraded from win98 to windows xp corporate and was wondering if > > there were any tips out there to improve gaming performance under this > > OS. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. > > dont use xp, its bloated and full of spyware. > i take it u didnt buy xp corp, but found it lying about on the web > somewhere. do yourself a favour and go back to 98se.

"Larry" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:Zw2aa.125618$[email hidden]...

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> Don't listen to this 'spud'. > > There are plenty of us around here running XP for gaming and without much > trouble. > > Political issues aside, the key thing is to make sure your running the > latest drivers and that you keep it as CLEAN as possible. Everything you > add, be it scanner, USB this, USB that, Anti-Virus, etc... will install

some > sort of service/process and a lot of it runs in the background. All ofthis > can affect gaming especially games that are fps dependent. > > I get around this in my own way. My system has TWO Windows XPinstallations > on it. One for general computing, one for gaming. The one for General > Computing has my scanners, printers, faxes, VPN Software,Virus Software, > about 1000 applications, CDR Burners, etc.. installed and configured. > > On the Gaming boot NOTHING is enabled. I don't even have a printerenabled. > No additional software except the games are installed. > > It works well for me. > > If your system configuration is fairly simple (mine certainly is not),then > you probably don't have to go to such extremes at all. > > But the overall answer is yes, XP is FINE for gaming as long as the gameis > designed to run under XP/2K to begin with. Some really old 9x titles will > certainly be problematic though. > > Larry How do you install a second XP? Is it enough to create two partitions, then specify which partition you want to install to?

Mortis wrote: > > XP is the best OS to emerge from Microshite Corporation. Period. Agree 100% > Not sure what spyware you found in your copy of XP but mine is squeaky > clean. After using 2K/XP systems for ages now I not going back to any > 9x system. Wrong I'm afraid, the Windows Update itself is sending info about your PC and what software you have installed back to MS, whether or not ehy use it for anything is up to each and everyone of us to figure out I guess I'll still use WinXP over any other MS OS, except perhaps Win2k if I'm not planning on running games or multimedia apps on it, which the Win2k was never designed for in the first place Beers and cheers (uncle) Goy "goyl at nettx dot no" "The Pits" http://www.theuspits.com/ "A man is only as old as the woman he feels" --Groucho Marx--

Much easier to create a second hardware profile that will accomplish the same thing.. "Stephen F." <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:3e68c120$[email hidden]... > > "Larry" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:Zw2aa.125618$[email hidden]... > > Don't listen to this 'spud'. > > > > There are plenty of us around here running XP for gaming and withoutmuch > > trouble. > > > > Political issues aside, the key thing is to make sure your running the > > latest drivers and that you keep it as CLEAN as possible. Everythingyou

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> > add, be it scanner, USB this, USB that, Anti-Virus, etc... will install > some > > sort of service/process and a lot of it runs in the background. All of > this > > can affect gaming especially games that are fps dependent. > > > > I get around this in my own way. My system has TWO Windows XP > installations > > on it. One for general computing, one for gaming. The one for General > > Computing has my scanners, printers, faxes, VPN Software,Virus Software, > > about 1000 applications, CDR Burners, etc.. installed and configured. > > > > On the Gaming boot NOTHING is enabled. I don't even have a printer > enabled. > > No additional software except the games are installed. > > > > It works well for me. > > > > If your system configuration is fairly simple (mine certainly is not), > then > > you probably don't have to go to such extremes at all. > > > > But the overall answer is yes, XP is FINE for gaming as long as the game > is > > designed to run under XP/2K to begin with. Some really old 9x titles

will > > certainly be problematic though. > > > > Larry > > How do you install a second XP? Is it enough to create two partitions,then > specify which partition you want to install to? > >

Yep. Start with a fresh disk with two partitions, or set up the partitions while in the XP installer. Install the first copy on the first partition. Once complete and set up, go back and do it again, choosing (or creating if necessary) the second partition. Then install the second copy. After it's all done, edit the Boot.INI to rename the startup menu to to display the boot names as you wish. Larry "Stephen F." <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:3e68c120$[email hidden]... > > "Larry" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:Zw2aa.125618$[email hidden]... > > Don't listen to this 'spud'. > > > > There are plenty of us around here running XP for gaming and withoutmuch > > trouble. > > > > Political issues aside, the key thing is to make sure your running the > > latest drivers and that you keep it as CLEAN as possible. Everythingyou

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> > add, be it scanner, USB this, USB that, Anti-Virus, etc... will install > some > > sort of service/process and a lot of it runs in the background. All of > this > > can affect gaming especially games that are fps dependent. > > > > I get around this in my own way. My system has TWO Windows XP > installations > > on it. One for general computing, one for gaming. The one for General > > Computing has my scanners, printers, faxes, VPN Software,Virus Software, > > about 1000 applications, CDR Burners, etc.. installed and configured. > > > > On the Gaming boot NOTHING is enabled. I don't even have a printer > enabled. > > No additional software except the games are installed. > > > > It works well for me. > > > > If your system configuration is fairly simple (mine certainly is not), > then > > you probably don't have to go to such extremes at all. > > > > But the overall answer is yes, XP is FINE for gaming as long as the game > is > > designed to run under XP/2K to begin with. Some really old 9x titles

will > > certainly be problematic though. > > > > Larry > > How do you install a second XP? Is it enough to create two partitions,then > specify which partition you want to install to? > >

Not necessarily, and it does not accomplish the same thing. Certain devices, drivers and software are not individually controllable no matter how many profiles you create. If you install software/drivers for a certain device for one profile, in some cases it is involved in ALL profiles whether you want it to or not. It depends on how low a level the software/device attaches itself to the system. By using two distinct partitions/boots this is not an issue at all. To each his own though :) Larry "Mitch_A" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:V74aa.236$[email hidden]...

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> Much easier to create a second hardware profile that will accomplish the > same thing.. > > > "Stephen F." <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:3e68c120$[email hidden]... > > > > "Larry" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > > news:Zw2aa.125618$[email hidden]... > > > Don't listen to this 'spud'. > > > > > > There are plenty of us around here running XP for gaming and without > much > > > trouble. > > > > > > Political issues aside, the key thing is to make sure your running the > > > latest drivers and that you keep it as CLEAN as possible. Everything > you > > > add, be it scanner, USB this, USB that, Anti-Virus, etc... will

install > > some > > > sort of service/process and a lot of it runs in the background. Allof > > this > > > can affect gaming especially games that are fps dependent. > > > > > > I get around this in my own way. My system has TWO Windows XP > > installations > > > on it. One for general computing, one for gaming. The one forGeneral > > > Computing has my scanners, printers, faxes, VPN Software,VirusSoftware,

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> > > about 1000 applications, CDR Burners, etc.. installed and configured. > > > > > > On the Gaming boot NOTHING is enabled. I don't even have a printer > > enabled. > > > No additional software except the games are installed. > > > > > > It works well for me. > > > > > > If your system configuration is fairly simple (mine certainly is not), > > then > > > you probably don't have to go to such extremes at all. > > > > > > But the overall answer is yes, XP is FINE for gaming as long as the

game

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> > is > > > designed to run under XP/2K to begin with. Some really old 9x titles > will > > > certainly be problematic though. > > > > > > Larry > > > > How do you install a second XP? Is it enough to create two partitions, > then > > specify which partition you want to install to? > > > > > >

On Fri, 7 Mar 2003 02:27:26 -0500, "Mike Beauchamp" <[email hidden]> wrote: >I'm not disagreeing that XP might be bloated and full of spyware (although >I've never found any spyware in XP). But I've done a few tests, and tehy >were enough to convince me to update from my 5 year old OS. I've had similar results. I'm a huge Microsoft hater, but I couldn't say enough good things about Windows XP (or the Xbox for that matter, maybe the new CEO is hiring the right people). The main reason I upgraded was because Win98, on a clean install with updated drivers/dx8 would crash in nearly every application after I upped my RAM from 256 to 512. Since upgrading, I can normally leave my machine on for months at a time and still get better performance in every game I play versus a clean Win98 install on a cold boot. Still wouldn't use it in a public setting (serving files, etc) but as a home OS it's pretty nice. Jason

One of the compelling reasons for upgrading was not having to add 500MB of updates after the install. Boy has that changed though :) Larry "Jason Moyer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > On Fri, 7 Mar 2003 02:27:26 -0500, "Mike Beauchamp" > <[email hidden]> wrote: > > >I'm not disagreeing that XP might be bloated and full of spyware(although

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> >I've never found any spyware in XP). But I've done a few tests, and tehy > >were enough to convince me to update from my 5 year old OS. > > I've had similar results. I'm a huge Microsoft hater, but I couldn't > say enough good things about Windows XP (or the Xbox for that matter, > maybe the new CEO is hiring the right people). > > The main reason I upgraded was because Win98, on a clean install with > updated drivers/dx8 would crash in nearly every application after I > upped my RAM from 256 to 512. Since upgrading, I can normally leave > my machine on for months at a time and still get better performance in > every game I play versus a clean Win98 install on a cold boot. > > Still wouldn't use it in a public setting (serving files, etc) but as > a home OS it's pretty nice. > > Jason

Keith Powell <[email hidden]> wrote in news:[email hidden]:

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> On Fri, 07 Mar 2003 05:14:39 GMT, Ike <[email hidden]> reckoned: > >>I just upgraded from win98 to windows xp corporate and was wondering if >>there were any tips out there to improve gaming performance under this >>OS. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. > > What spyware? The only spyware that gets flagged by Adaware is Alexia, > which is a false positive. >

Isn't media player by default a reporting device? Doesn't the collection of hardware profiles smack of spyware? Just because it doesn't 'appear' to be spyware, doesn't mean it isn't. dave henrie

On Fri, 07 Mar 2003 18:28:27 GMT, "Larry" <[email hidden]> wrote:

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>Yep. Start with a fresh disk with two partitions, or set up the partitions >while in the XP installer. > >Install the first copy on the first partition. Once complete and set up, go >back and do it again, choosing (or creating if necessary) the second >partition. Then install the second copy. > >After it's all done, edit the Boot.INI to rename the startup menu to to >display the boot names as you wish. > >Larry

And if you REALLY want to do dual boot to the SAME Windows XP, get Partition Boot Manager from http://www.sadevelopment.com and your XP installations can't even SEE each other unless you want them to. I have two installs of WinXP Pro on this PC, one for general use, photo editing, web surfing, all the normal stuff, and it can 'see' the game partition so I can copy files there, etc. The Game boot can't even 'see' the work partition, so no way can it corrupt it in any fashion. I mostly do this to keep the Game partition free from bloat, lean and mean, as it were. But I'll have to say, I haven't had ANY problem with WinXP even wanting to corrupt anything.

Goy Larsen left a note on my windscreen which said:

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> > XP is the best OS to emerge from Microshite Corporation. Period. > > Agree 100% > > > Not sure what spyware you found in your copy of XP but mine is squeaky > > clean. After using 2K/XP systems for ages now I not going back to any > > 9x system. > > Wrong I'm afraid, the Windows Update itself is sending info about your > PC and what software you have installed back to MS, whether or not ehy > use it for anything is up to each and everyone of us to figure out I > guess

And you always can turn Windows Update off. As I said - squeaky clean. -- Mortis [Insert sig here]

Tom Croft left a note on my windscreen which said:

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> >Doesn't the collection > >of hardware profiles smack of spyware? Just because it doesn't 'appear' to > >be spyware, doesn't mean it isn't. > >dave henrie > > Um, that's for activation purpsoses so either live with it or don't > install XP.

The activation doesn't trasmit any personal data - only system hardware. And it only does this the once so it's not checking periodically, using up your bandwidth. I'm not sure why someone would want to keep what speed their CPU is a secret - I mean I never tell hardware vendors to burn any record of my purchases for example. -- Mortis [Insert sig here]

"Mitch_A" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:V74aa.236$[email hidden]... > Much easier to create a second hardware profile that will accomplish the > same thing.. > I agree that it is easier to create hardware profiles than to install a redundant copy of an OS, but here's an example of the former not working and the latter being a great solution to a frustrating problem. I've posted before about GPL slow-motion problems with no solution on my notebook. Basically, for a while GPL ran perfectly, then suddenly it was unplayable. Of course, the "suddenly" implies something I did to the computer, but as I laid off GPL for a while, I couldn't pinpoint the OS change I had made which killed it. It turns out it is something in ServicePack1. SP1 has a lot of functionality which I need for my working environment, but simply having a second hardware profile would not allow me to fix the unknown problem in XP SP1 which was slowing down my GPL. I tried installing Win98 as a dual-boot, but it was stuttering like mad and had poor framerates with the various GPL upgrades. I was happy to stumble across the suggestion to install two versions of XP (one of those forehead slapping moments), and so I threw on a clean version of XP with no updates, and now I have liquid-smooth GPLing with all the newest cars and tracks. The additional advantage of having the second XP instead of Win98 is that my small "gaming" partition can access the other NTFS partition, so I can "outgrow" this partition if I need to. One happy camper, Stephen

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> > "Stephen F." <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:3e68c120$[email hidden]... > > > > > > How do you install a second XP? Is it enough to create two partitions, > > then specify which partition you want to install to? > >

> "bigspud" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:9aX9a.411470$[email hidden]... > > On Fri, 07 Mar 2003 05:14:39 GMT, Ike wrote: > > > > > I just upgraded from win98 to windows xp corporate and was wonderingif

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> > > there were any tips out there to improve gaming performance under this > > > OS. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. > > > > dont use xp, its bloated and full of spyware. > > i take it u didnt buy xp corp, but found it lying about on the web > > somewhere. do yourself a favour and go back to 98se. > >

Don't listen to him, Windows 98 uses about 24Mb of your very cheap memory and is very stressfull on your 128mb graphics card with all those fancy windows. You should go all the way back and use DOS. You can even run it from a floppy and get rid of that silly ata 133 200GB hard drive you've just bought. ;-) Some Call Me Tim I insatlled Windows 3.11 in VMWare on my 2.8Ghz pc the other week just for a laugh, my god I'd forgotton how crap things used to be.

> > I get around this in my own way. My system has TWO Windows XPinstallations > on it. One for general computing, one for gaming. The one for General > Computing has my scanners, printers, faxes, VPN Software,Virus Software, >> > Larry > Larry why do you use two installs? Did'nt you know that you can have different hardware configs that you can select on bootup? You can also have different user profiles , one which is a lean as possible for games and the other which starts up all the usefull stuff. Not really worth the bother mind you if you have enough memory and that cheap these days. Some Call Me Tim

"Some Call Me Tim" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> > > > I get around this in my own way. My system has TWO Windows XP > installations > > on it. One for general computing, one for gaming. The one for General > > Computing has my scanners, printers, faxes, VPN Software,Virus Software, > >> > > Larry > > > > > Larry why do you use two installs? Did'nt you know that you can have > different hardware configs that you can select on bootup? You can also

have > different user profiles , one which is a lean as possible for games andthe > other which starts up all the usefull stuff. > > Not really worth the bother mind you if you have enough memory and that > cheap these days. > One possible reason is that you can't have two different core structures of XP this way. XP plus Service Pack 1 works much better for almost everything I do on a day to day basis, but SP1 kills GPL on my particular machine (slow motion). It was much easier for me to quickly create a small second partition, and install a second copy of XP without the SP1 just to run GPL well. S.

> XP plus Service Pack 1 works much better for almost everything > I do on a day to day basis, but SP1 kills GPL on my particular machine(slow > motion). > > Thats pretty weird. I've had GPL on a couple of pc's with xp with no probs at all with sp1. Some Call Me Tim

Of course I know this. I do it for a living :) You must have missed my post where I indicated why this is not what I want. Even if you create separate Hardware Profiles and User Profiles, there are _still_ common files, drivers, etc... that get installed that are GLOBAL to all profiles whether you want them to be or not. I do not want this. I want 100% total control over what gets, or doesn't get, installed in my gaming partition. And the only way to do that is with totally separate XP partitions. I've been doing it this way for some 7 years now, going way back to the Win95 days. It also doesn't hurt to have that extra boot when one of them decides to detonate on you (not that Windows EVER does that :)). Finally, I have 350GB of drive space available to me. What the hell do I care about space :) Larry "Some Call Me Tim" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > Larry why do you use two installs? Did'nt you know that you can have > different hardware configs that you can select on bootup? You can alsohave > different user profiles , one which is a lean as possible for games andthe

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> other which starts up all the usefull stuff. > > Not really worth the bother mind you if you have enough memory and that > cheap these days. > > Some Call Me Tim > >