Windows XP and gaming...

[chazdraves]

I'm looking (as everyone else) to smooth out gaming performance on my computer, and I wonder if anyone would mind sharing the things they do to improve gaming performance in Win. XP SP2? Defragging is simple enough, but what about some of the never-before-revealed secrets to upping framerate/playability?

Thanks in advance!
- Chaz

 

[Albatross]

disable eye candy

 

[Atheus]

Kill all unnescesary services and background processes before gaming. That includes antivirus.

Overclock.

 

[CalvinHobbes]

My game PC has no network access so I can use a stripped down XP install. I have no A/V not additional programs, pretty much anything extra is removed or disabled.
You can google for slipstream or bare-bones XP installs.

You can find some good info here:
http://www.msfn.org/

 

[Xyclone]

Originally posted by: Atheus
Kill all unnescesary services and background processes before gaming. That includes antivirus.

Overclock.

:thumbsup:

 

[chazdraves]

You mean there are no UBER-1337-COMPLETELY-CONFIDENTIAL secrets? Somebody's gotta have something!


- Chaz

 

[gizbug]

tweakxp.com

 

[JBT]

all the little registry tweaks and all that are going to maybe make up 1%performance increase. The best way to make windows/games faster is to get faster stuff or OC....

 

[Janet Reno]

Agreed.

All that registry crap and XP "optimization" has never worked for me. Infact, I've found it's either a waste of time by being useless, or it decreases performance. Many claim it causes system instability too.

I've found old fashioned overclocking/bios tweaking and disabling all the eye candy are you best bets for performance. And keeping a system tool bar from being loaded with several useless programs running. And having the latest drivers.

 

[chazdraves]

I see, I see. Well, I guess that's enough for me then.

- Chaz

 

[clickynext]

Originally posted by: chazdraves
You mean there are no UBER-1337-COMPLETELY-CONFIDENTIAL secrets? Somebody's gotta have something!


- Chaz

I have one... get a new computer!