Service Pack 2 Gaming Impact?

[imported_Noob]

I assume it would degrade performance in games because of all the new background security programs running. But is this a fact?

 

[imported_jambo]

You can just turn 'em off

 

[spherrod]

not noticed any difference with gaming since installling SP2

 

[toleraen]

If you run before and after benchmark tests, you might notice. Realistically though...nope. I haven't noticed any difference. Like Jambo said, you can just turn them off.

 

[KoolDrew]

Do you mean some of the new services such as Security Center? If so this will not degrade performance at all during gaming. The recourses used by the service would be practically nothing if the recourses are needed for something else such as a game.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: Noob
I assume it would degrade performance in games because of all the new background security programs running. But is this a fact?

Yes. For programs that are API-call heavy, there is as high as ~10% slowdown from the compilied-in "software DEP" in XP SP2.

This is different than the "hardware DEP"/NX-bit support. AFAIK, you cannot disable the overhead of the software DEP completely, although you can disable it from triggering an exception.

 

[bsobel]

Yes. For programs that are API-call heavy, there is as high as ~10% slowdown from the compilied-in "software DEP" in XP SP2.

Where did you get that number?

 

[imported_Kensai]

It's a little slower with SP2 than SP1.

 

[KoolDrew]

Originally posted by: Kensai
It's a little slower with SP2 than SP1.

I highly doubt this.