Re: Crappy way Windows XP keeps you from playing games

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From: Jimmy S. (Private)
Date: 03/01/04 

Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2004 18:36:52 -0500

USE THE FOLLOWING INFO AT YOUR OWN RISK!

I don't really want to provide a tweaking guide, however it's
clear that there's a demand, so I'll share some tricks I've used
as long as you promise to set a restore point right now. Is that
a fair deal? ;-) Here's how to use Windows XP System Restore:
 http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/gethelp/systemrestore.asp

I use these methods only for special games such as grudge matches.

A: Setup Hardware Profile for Gaming
    Control Panel / System
        Hardware Tab / Hardware Profiles button
            Copy Profile 1 and rename it Gaming Profile
                Leave Profile 1 at the top of the list
                    Set to Select the first profile in 5 seconds

B: Disable Services for Gaming.
    Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Services
        For each service listed below do the following:
            Right Click / Properties / Log On Tab
                Click on Gaming Profile / click Disable Button
                    Click Apply but Do NOT disable for Profile 1

List of Services: Alerter / Automatic Updates / Computer Browser
Cryptographic Services (Will cause "Logo" Errors when installing SP1 or DX9)
Fast User Switching Compatibility / Help and Support / Messenger
Print Spooler / Remote Registry / Secondary Logon (Run as... will not function)
System Restore Service / Task Scheduler / Terminal Services / Themes
Upload Manager / VMWare Authorization Service (These services only appear if
you use VM Ware) / VMWare DHCP Service " " / VMWare NAT Service " "
Windows Image Acquisition (I won't be scanning while playing) / Windows Time.

* You cannot expect to install games and use windows everyday with the above
    services disabled. Those are just safe services to disable *WHILE* you're in
    a game. After the games are over, reboot and use the original Profile 1 again.

C: Disable Page File
    Since I have 512 MB Ram I find it faster to use RAM than to page to the HD.
        Control Panel / System / Advanced / Performance Settings / Advanced Tab
            Virtual Memory Change / Select each drive / click No Paging file and
                click SET. ****If you do not click Set it will not accept your change.

* Once you're finished your games turn back on the System Managed page file!

D: Use XP's Firewall Instead of 3rd Party Firewalls
    We've already disabled your firewall (Norton's, Zone Alarm, etc.) by disabling
    Startup programs in step D. Check your services using the method in step A to
    see if the firewall or antivirus program has services you should disable, i.e. Zone
    Alarm installs a True Vector service you can disable for the Gaming Profile.

E: Improve Framerates by Lowering Game Eyecandy and Sound
    I found that by setting my resolution in Halo to 800x600, and lowering the
    visual effects, I was able to improve my framerate from 24 to 52 FPS! :-)
    This is more improvement than any of the other tweaks provided.
    Sound is something that you don't need. Only keep sound settings that will
    help keep you alive, for example to hear a tank rumbling near you. Music and
    the sound effects made when you fire your weapons are expensive ear candy.

F: Set Performance Options for Best Performance
    Control Panel / System / Advanced / Settings / Visual Effects
        Adjust for best performance (remember to change it back after your games).

G: Disable Startup Programs
    Start / Run / type msconfig / Startup Tab / Click Disable all button.
    You will be prompted to restart, when it restarts you'll have 5 seconds to pick
    Gaming Profile or it will default to Profile 1 instead.

WARNING - DO NOT CLICK THE SERVICES / DISABLE ALL BUTTON!
*Never touch the Services Tab in msconfig! It allows you to disable ALL services
for ALL profiles with the click of one button and Windows won't startup again!!!

Okay, so now I've shared some of the tweaks I've used on my own system. I
hope this information will be helpful, and if used properly help you pwn your opps! 

-- 
Cheers,                                 Windows XP MVP Shell / User
Jimmy S.                               http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
Game FAQs: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=FH;[LN];gms
Visit my Zone.com / Gaming Helpsite: http://nibblesnbits.tk or Call / Contact
MS Support at: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=sz;en-us;top
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty;  nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________
<anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:22e901c3ffd8$81259ad0$a601280a@phx.gbl...
|I recently purchased a Dell computer which came with
| Windows XP installed.  I have found this operating system
| to be extremely unfriendly to people who like to use
| their computers to play games.  There is no way to easily
| shut down all of the garbage that someone decided you
| have to have running.  I tried to follow the help
| instructions on shutting down non-essentials.  This
| caused my computer to crash and take approximately 45
| minutes to reboot.  I much prefered the way Windows 98
| allowed you to select what you needed to shut down.  You
| need to get a simple system update out to those of us who
| want to game so we can just click on "ONE" icon to switch
| from Windows XP to game mode.  I firmly believe that if
| you are trying to serve the customer and make this
| operating system easier to use you are headed in the
| wrong direction.  I am not an idiot and the current
| system makes me feel like on.  Your help menu says in
| order to play a game, make sure only Explorer and Systray
| are running.  I was trying to shut down the other
| processes and kept getting messages like "Task manager
| can not shut this one down it is essential to
| operation."  Then I clicked on shut down for one and it
| said " system must shut down as ? has caused an error."
| After that I spent the next 45 minutes waiting while
| Windows looked at the hard drive to see what hadd
| happened.  I don't know exactly what the messages were
| because I refuse to try to recreate the problem and have
| another wasted 45 minutes.  Right now I am so extremely
| pissed off about this that I am seriously considering
| returning the compter to the manufacturer and ordering a
| different one that can do what I want without so much BS
| being required.  I am also going to send this message to
| your support unit everyway I can think of by email.
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