Alt+tab from 16x12 in game to desktop

[Shimmishim]

anyone else ever notice how long it takes to get from a game to the desktop with these vidoe cards?

i've been running ati cards for a while now (9800 pro, x800 pro, x800 xl)...

and then recently i got a evga 6800gt...

i play games at 16x12 specifically warcraft 3...

i've noticed that alt-tabbing out of warcraft 3 is instantaneous with ati cards... but with the 6800gt it takes a good 3 to 4 seconds before it gets to the desktop...

is this a video card issue? driver issue? some other issue?

oh, and my desktop is also running at 16x12 so alt-tabbing shouldn't take that long...

 

[Matthias99]

Most fullscreen games are not really built to be switched away from. It's more or less an issue with the game engine and the way Windows handles 'fullscreen' applications, not the video card/drivers.

 

[SonicIce]

its a ram issue

 

[Shimmishim]

Originally posted by: SonicIce
its a ram issue

i'm telling you...

i used the exact same setup...

only switched the video card...

and this started happening...

i have a gig of ocz vx so it's not ram

 

[Shimmishim]

Originally posted by: Matthias99
Most fullscreen games are not really built to be switched away from. It's more or less an issue with the game engine and the way Windows handles 'fullscreen' applications, not the video card/drivers.

i haven't had a problem before i started using the 6800gt..

the x800xl i had had no problems alt-tabbing

 

[tfcmasta97]

I noticed different results for different games through hte many many many ones ive been through.

Alt-tabbing in/out of Half-Life 2 at different resolutions has always been a 20-second-bitch for me.

 

[BillyBobJoel71]

nothing wrong its just that the computer has to swithc to windows for normal runnign, not the video card. its a software thing

 

[imported_Kensai]

Originally posted by: SuperTyphoon
nothing wrong its just that the computer has to swithc to windows for normal runnign, not the video card. its a software thing

It depends on the game, I can switch to and from WoW, EQ2 and most other screens, but HL2 and CS : Source take ages to switch to and from.

 

[jadbox1]

i went from a 9600xt took forever to alt+tab out of games
to a 6600gt whichs takes seconds

could be that it is just a better video card

 

[Concillian]

I'm not positive, but I'm recalling it taking a few seconds to alt-tab out of WoW using my x800 Pro.

I'll double check when I get home... speaking of which, it's 6:30, what am I still doing here?

 

[Shimmishim]

Originally posted by: jadbox1
i went from a 9600xt took forever to alt+tab out of games
to a 6600gt whichs takes seconds

could be that it is just a better video card

the x800xl is not a better video card than the 6800gt...

they are actually about the same...

 

[Concillian]

I counted 4 seconds to get to a usable desktop when alt-tabbing from WoW. This by the highly accurate 'seconds counter in my head' timing device.

A64 2800+ @ 2160 MHz
1.5G RAM 2.5-3-3-10 2T
x800pro
WoW @ 1600x1200
Desktop @ 1280x1024

 

[Munky]

I'm guessing it's in the drivers. It doesn't mean there's a problem, just that some drivers handle alt-tabbing differently than others. Personally, I don't alt-tab out of games that often, so I can't see why it even matters how many seconds it takes.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Once again... this has nothing to do with how fast the video card can redraw an image. This is a matter of switching from a 3d Game engine, to a 2d Windows environment. The RAMDACS (which draw the picture) can blurt out an image plenty fast. Remember you are switching between 2 completely different things!

Pure software problem, although im sure the HDD might have something to do with it. Ie: the people who have Solid State HDD's, more ram, and are running Multi CPU's; i would be willing to bet they do not experience as much. HOwever it is a software limitation, nothing to do with Video card or manfs.

-Kevin

 

[Shimmishim]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Once again... this has nothing to do with how fast the video card can redraw an image. This is a matter of switching from a 3d Game engine, to a 2d Windows environment. The RAMDACS (which draw the picture) can blurt out an image plenty fast. Remember you are switching between 2 completely different things!

Pure software problem, although im sure the HDD might have something to do with it. Ie: the people who have Solid State HDD's, more ram, and are running Multi CPU's; i would be willing to bet they do not experience as much. HOwever it is a software limitation, nothing to do with Video card or manfs.

-Kevin

thanks for the enlightenment... now i wonder if there's a way of speeding it up though

 

[dguy6789]

Alt tabbing slowness has nothing to do with anything except ram. People who say 1GB vs 1.5 or 2 means nothing havent experienced the alt tabbing goodness. I can run any game, and alt tab out of it as fast as if it were an internet explorer window. Buy more ram.

 

[Shimmishim]

so all of a sudden 1 gig is slow with the nvidia card but was enough with the ati card...

that just doesn't make sense to me somehow...

 

[hippotautamus]

I have a 9600 Pro and I tab out of Source and HL2 instantly..

It's probably a software bit, you should have no problems with that kind of hardware.

 

[darkswordsman17]

I think I might know what the difference is.

When using an ATi card, if I had made any changes to the visual stuff (gamma, contrast, etc) after I exited a game it would go back to the default ATi settings and not keep the changes I had made.

When using an nVidia card it will at the very first go back to default and then load the changes I had made, causing it to take several seconds.

Could be what you're seeing, but might not be, I dunno.

 

[digiram]

I've had the same experience in CS:Source/HL2. When alt+tabbing or making graphical changes while I was using a 6800, things took forever. However with my x800, it's almost instantaneous. I think HL2 likes ati cards better, that's all.

I must say that it feels smoother playing HL2 on a radeon than on a 6800 as well. Even though, according to the CS video test, the 6800 benched with more fps.

 

[Malak]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Once again... this has nothing to do with how fast the video card can redraw an image. This is a matter of switching from a 3d Game engine, to a 2d Windows environment. The RAMDACS (which draw the picture) can blurt out an image plenty fast. Remember you are switching between 2 completely different things!

Pure software problem, although im sure the HDD might have something to do with it. Ie: the people who have Solid State HDD's, more ram, and are running Multi CPU's; i would be willing to bet they do not experience as much. HOwever it is a software limitation, nothing to do with Video card or manfs.

-Kevin

That doesn't explain how for some people the delay lengthens with the only change to hardware being a change to nvidia cards. If it had nothing to do with the video card, then the delay should stay constant, shouldn't it?

 

[n7]

It seems no one is listening to the OP.

I really don't have any ideas, but i'm guessing it is driver related, as was mentioned.

I've had many more issues with nVidia drivers in the short time i've had my 6800 GT than in the few yrs. previous with ATi cards, so it wouldn't surprise me if they are worse for that too.

 

[thegimp03]

I don't really have a problem alt-tabbing out with my 6800NU. Running a 3000+ and 1gb of ram. It can take 1-2 seconds usually.

 

[Shimmishim]

Originally posted by: digiram
I've had the same experience in CS:Source/HL2. When alt+tabbing or making graphical changes while I was using a 6800, things took forever. However with my x800, it's almost instantaneous. I think HL2 likes ati cards better, that's all.

I must say that it feels smoother playing HL2 on a radeon than on a 6800 as well. Even though, according to the CS video test, the 6800 benched with more fps.

ahh thanks. it's interesting to see that i'm not the only one and that this occurs for other games as well.

i think it might be driver related. i wonder if there are residuals of my ati driver that are causing problems or maybe the nvidia drivers i am using now. i will try other drivers soon to see if this is still a problem.

 

[Shimmishim]

Originally posted by: thegimp03
I don't really have a problem alt-tabbing out with my 6800NU. Running a 3000+ and 1gb of ram. It can take 1-2 seconds usually.

what game?