SP2 and gaming concerns

[Computeruser99er]

Hello all!

I am waiting to install the soon to be released SP2 for XP pro through AU. Prior to the SP2 installation, I was curious to see if anyone out there, who is indeed concerned about obtaining every little bit of graphics performance for gaming and who has installed SP2 on their rig, has noticed decreased and/or increased performance on their machines? What about bugs or incompatabilities? Any thoughts and/or benchies?? As soon as I update my rig I will post data, if anyone is interested.

Thanks!

C99er

 

[nitromullet]

None of that here. WinXP basically runs the same as it did before SP2.

 

[Cawchy87]

SP2 slowed down my computer for a few days, but now everything is alright.

 

[BFG10K]

SP2 will not change performance and any incompatibilties can be cured by disabling the firewall.

 

[Marsumane]

It should be the same

 

[ryedizzel]

i had installed the final beta version of SP2 and it slowed my entire system down. not to mention is totally messed up by DVD copying apps (DVDShrink and Nero). i had to reformat my system.

not sure if the final release is any different. but im afraid to install it yet.

 

[Optimummind]

Even with the SP2 installed, these following games are all stable and runs the same: Doom 3, Far Cry, Thief 3, & Warcraft 3.

Only those games are mentioned cuz I didn't install any others.

 

[Skillet38]

There is at least one popular MMO being played that it isn't compatible with. City of Heroes warns against installing it as of now.

 

[zodder]

So far, I've had no problems with:

Dungeon Siege
Far Cry
Painkiller
D3
Deus Ex II

 

[VirtualLarry]

Darn it, I wish that I had saved a bookmark to that thread. It was about this guy overclocking his XT800 video card and rig, both using seperate phase-change cooling systems, to break 18000 3DMark03s. He also specifically asked for someone with a copy of WinXP Gold, not SP1/1a/2, apparently there is some performance advantage with the original release over the ones with the SP. (Guessing due to the updated memory-allocation changes that they made, that many people reported slowdowns from after SP1 was released?)

But that performance comparison would be between the "Gold" release, and SP1, not between SP1 and SP2, which is what I think the OP's question was. In fact, since SP2 includes DX9.0c, some games may see (extremely minor) framerate increases compared to SP1.

 

[Schadenfroh]

i ran a few benchmarks after upgrading from SP1a to SP2, mind i did go from DX9b to DX9c during the install, all drivers should be same.