Re: Any tweaks to speed up games under XP?

From: Anthony Procissi [MSFT] (procissi_at_online.microsoft.com)
Date: 03/13/04 

Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2004 13:00:59 -0800

I can't believe I'm going to dispute a statement made by the all knowing
Jimmy S... I might as well go after Chris H! :) However, the "Disable All"
button in MSConfig - Services will leave "Essential Services" enabled.

You could use the Disable All button, reboot and run XP.

Please note: I have test machines for such things, and do not recommend
trying this at home. I did so because if the Disable All button caused
Windows to no longer operate we would need to address that.

Thanks, 

-- 
-Anthony Procissi [MSFT]
 US-Application Experience & Compatibility
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
"Jimmy S." <Private> wrote in message 
news:ePp0rfSCEHA.596@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Hi pjp,
>
> I echo Chris's caution.  You should upgrade to a P4 instead of tweaking.
> You found one good trick already though, (run high) here's some more...
>
> 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.
> _________________________________________________________
>
> "Chris H." <winxpnews@hotmail.com> wrote in message 
> news:eZBPqzRCEHA.3348@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> | Have you tried, instead of "tweaking" what you might think is necessary 
> in
> | Services, to run the default?  Indexing, for instance, when turned off 
> will
> | actually stop some games in their tracks.  It is there for a purpose, 
> and
> | that is to make things run smoother and faster.  There are a couple web
> | sites and a PC magazine article which make recommendations to "speed up" 
> XP
> | for gaming, but they don't tell the consequences - like turning off
> | Cryptographic Services.
> | -- 
> | Chris H.
> | Microsoft Windows MVP
> | Associate Expert
> | Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
> |
> | "pjp" <pjp_is_located_at_@_hotmail_._com> wrote in message
> | news:u3fQ0uRCEHA.3024@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> | > XP Pro with integrated sp1 plus all criticals from Update site 
> applied.
> | > Latest VIA 4-in-1;s applied as first install after OS up and going.
> | > DirectX9.0b, passes all DXDiag tests and there's "No Problem ..." all
> | > around.
> | >
> | > Tyan Trinity 400 S1854 motherboard
> | > PIII at 733Mz (to spec)
> | > 512 megs ram running at 133mz fsb (to spec)
> | > Radeon 64 DDR VIVO (7200)
> | > Xpert98 (2nd display multi-monitor)
> | > two wd hd's, 15 & 40 gigs with plenty free space on each
> | > Creative SB-PCI128 sound card
> | >
> | > 2 Logitech Rumblepads
> | > 2 Logitch wheels (MOMO Force & Racing)
> | >
> | > Mustek flatbed scanner "Twain", (lpt port pass thru model)
> | > Creative Webcam (also appears as a Twain scanner)
> | > Fuji digital camera as webcam or Mass Storage Device
> | >
> | > 3 printers, 2 Epson inkjets and an old Canon laser
> | >
> | > Logitech mouse
> | > Wacom pressure sensitive tablet
> | >
> | > Ethernet card connected to four other older 98SE pc's in-house (TCP/IP 
> and
> | > Netbuie as protocols, including XP)
> | > USR Robotics 56K external modem
> | >
> | > 2 self-powered external four port USB hubs for all the USB devices. 
> Does
> | > provide 500Ma spec to every port simultaneously, e.g. no attached 
> device
> | > shows any kind of  problem in use..
> | >
> | > The hardware seems stable an there was/is specific XP drivers for it 
> all
> | > (I
> | > was surprised I found scanner driver). The ethernet is up and running 
> with
> | > printers and folders being shared as expected from both sides. I even
> | > managed to get the Guest account to be able to use a proxy server on 
> one
> | > of
> | > the other pc's to connect to the net after giving up in frustration at
> | > it's
> | > refusal to allow use of the dialup modem connection even though it's
> | > specified as "shared by all" by the "Admin" account that set it up 
> (Users
> | > are ok and can use it). The only problem hardware wise is, I can't get 
> the
> | > back speakers working off the sound card as there appears to be only 
> XP's
> | > built-in support for the card.
> | >
> | > This is the one thing I've found really makes a difference for games 
> is,
> | > use
> | > batch files to start the game so you can elevate it's priority, e.g. 
> "cmd
> | > /c
> | > start /High LinksLauncher.exe" is noticably faster (as I'd expect).
> | >
> | > I feel the basic problem is background "tasks" as Performance under
> | > Ctrl-Alt-Del shows cpu bouncing from 2 to 13% continually (but 
> randomly in
> | > magnitude). I've tried to determine exactly what all these various
> | > services
> | > do but when you try to research them it seems like the answer becomes 
> a
> | > circular reference and it's never really explained. In particular, 
> it's
> | > undetermined what's going on in the background regarding the ethernet.
> | > There
> | > seems to be a number of various services that might be doing some type 
> of
> | > "polling" for shares or something but as they're not really documented 
> I
> | > have no idea what one's I can turn off etc. at no risk to basically
> | > mucking
> | > up what works now (the Guest account can connect to web using a Proxy
> | > server
> | > running on one of the other pc's as it "refused" anything to do with 
> the
> | > dialup miodem connection). Basically, I'm very wary of blindly 
> changing
> | > things under any version of Windows because as often as not 
> "un-changing"
> | > it
> | > doesn't bring the system back to what it was (e.g. unknown inadvertant
> | > consequences).
> | >
> | > For example, I have no idea what the "Alerter" service REALLY does, 
> what
> | > "other features" absolutely require it to be running in order to 
> function
> | > correctly nor what these "other services" also do. Ask help for "them" 
> and
> | > you get another reference etc. which eventually seems to lead no-where
> | > usefull.
> | >
> | > I have turned off the obvious, e.g. disk performance monitoring 
> service,
> | > indexing and the like.
> | >
> | > As usually MS's help isn't helpfull, just frustrating.
> | >
> | > "Chris Catt" <notknown@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
> | > news:uhM4JnPCEHA.712@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> | >> Hi, all depends upon your hardware specs, we really need to know your
> | >> hardware specs before we can give you advice. What we need are cpu -
> | >> type/speed. motherboard, ram - amount/type, video card. If you have 
> any
> | >> problems finding this out then here
> | > http://www.aida32.hu/aida32-download.php
> | >> is a good tool to use. Suffice to say that XP hardware requirements 
> are
> | > much
> | >> higher than those of win98, therefore if you've not much ram, say 
> 128mbs,
> | > XP
> | >> will really need twice that before you get reasonable game 
> performance. I
> | >> expect Jimmy S will have more to say on this, over to you Jimmy :-)
> | >> Chris C
> | >> Chris
> | >> "pjp" <pjp_is_located_at_@_hotmail_._com> wrote in message
> | >> news:OiF0SEHCEHA.2308@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> | >> > Just installed XP Pro as dual-boot with existing 98SE.
> | >> >
> | >> > Same game (NFS:U) running from same folder (e.g. just created new
> | > shortcut
> | >> > under XP) is basically unplayable under XP it's running so slow 
> (slow
> | >> > motion) at 640x480 where-as under 98SE I can run it acceptably at
> | >> 1024x768.
> | >> > All other settings the same including under Properties DirectX
> | >> > settings.
> | >> > Links 2003 and Flight Sim 2004 seem the same but not so 
> exaggerated,
> | >> > probably because they're not high speed "action" type games.
> | >> >
> | >> > Is this typical? I'm running same revision drivers for the Radeon, 
> e.g.
> | >> Cat
> | >> > 4.3.
> | >> >
> | >> > I'm hoping it's all the crap running in the background so wondering 
> if
> | >> > there's any site(s) document what all that crap actually does as 
> MS's
> | > help
> | >> > doesn't even try to explain what they actually "do" in most cases.
> | >> >
> | >> >
> | >>
> | >>
> | >
> | >
> |
> |
>
>