vista gaming problems

[Chris C]

Hope this is the right place to post. Im having problems playing games on vista. My older weaker computer that ran XP played games great but this one is not. When I first got vista things worked well but now Im getting bad lag and freeze ups that last for 2-3 seconds. Heres the thing this lag comes and goes like clock work. I will play lag free for several minutes then the game will freeze for 2 seconds. This happens over and over. The game is BF2. This computer should play bf2 fine. Anyway its not a bf2 problem because I played BF1942 for the first time in a long time and the exact same thing happened. Played for a few minutes then got the few second freeze up. For sure this computer should not lag on a 5 year old game but it does. So Im thinking it might be a vista problem. Any thoughts on what might help? Major specs of the comp is an athlon64 4000+, X1900XT and 2 gigs of ram. Thanks for the help.

[rugscrubber]

yeah i have one, reformat, put XP back on... I had the same issue when i installed vista. Are youhooked up to a wireless network? I was... and i had so much lag it was sick. In certain games it wouldnt even recognize my connection and i could never find any servers. I had all the updated drivers for my hardware so that wasnt the issue... it came down to Vista (the only thing that had been changed). When i went back to XP everything ran normal. Im sure opinions on Vista are prolly 50/50 in the forums, for some it works... for others it doesnt. I would say if youre a big time gamer stick with XP for awhile at least until M$ gets Vthe bugs worked out of Vista... but this all just one OCers "opinion" :beer:

[Chris C]

Well after posting this last night I did some google searching. Looks like vista does not like Linksys wireless and that is what I was using. I went from my cable modem to the linksys to my comp hardwired. The router was for my xbox360. I took the linksys out of the loop anyway just to see if that made it any better but no luck. BF2 is almost unplayable. Also played a round of fear online and same thing. Cant go back to XP now rugscrubber. When I built my new comp awhile ago I tossed the case for the old one in the dumpster. Only later when I was installing XP did I remember the CD key was on back of the case :( . After spending $300 on vista I would like to get it to work.

[SteveLord]

Cant you dualboot both?

[Salomon Orangge]

Weird.

I'm amazed at how many people have issues with Vista when I've been running Vista for near 4 months without an issue. I even use a Linksys router, as you mentioned Vista having issues with them, but mine doesnt have an issue at all.

I doubt I would have loaded Vista had I not won it in a raffle, but now that i'm running Vista Ultimate x64, I have to say that I do enjoy it very much. I even run all the games I can throw at it without issue.

[Neuromancer]

I have noticed some lagging in FEAR also (although I play only single player) It all revolves around loading. For some reason when the game is saving or loading it takes over for about 1-2 seconds.

Oblivion does it too me also during the outdoor transitions between areas, I figured it was just a slow harddrive... hmmmHave not had any other problems though :)

[Chris C]

Cant you dualboot both?

I dont have the XP disks at all anymore.

Just to test it out single player BF2 ran great. Only online games are having problems. All servers and different games all act the same. I got little to no lag when I first got vista. Its been getting worse and worse the past few months. Virus maybe? I dont run an anti virus. I may end up reformatting and reinstalling everything in a week or two if i cant figure it out. Thanks for the replies.

[MRD]

It's a common problem with Vista and gaming, especially on single core systems. Vista just uses so many system resources that you're bound to get lag, because the cpu is bogged down running the OS. Dual core helps a lot though, then you have one core to run Vista and one to run the game.

Personally, all DRM issues aside, just based on OS performance, I would not consider Vista on any computer less than a dual core processor, 2 gb ram, and a 256mb graphics card, at least a 6800/7800/8600 or higher. It's an OS that is made for either the top of the line hardware of today, or what will be normal hardware during the middle of its lifecycle, which is still a few years away.

For gaming, every single benchmark has shown Vista noticeably slower and laggier than XP. You WILL lose fps running Vista. It's inevitable. How much varies, but you will lose some fps.

If you still have the XP key, I'd borrow a friend's disc and install XP with your key.

If you really want Vista, I'd look at getting a dual core processor if the mb will handle it, or even a faster graphics card. You shouldn't need a faster graphics card, but you might with Vista eating up so many system resources.

You might also want to try disabling Aero and going to the windows classic interface. That may free up some cpu cycles (or gpu cycles) for your gaming.

[Oc1Kenube]

Im back on XP after falling in and out of love with vista, sorry to hear your probs mate

[rugscrubber]

It's a common problem with Vista and gaming, especially on single core systems. Vista just uses so many system resources that you're bound to get lag, because the cpu is bogged down running the OS. Dual core helps a lot though, then you have one core to run Vista and one to run the game.

Personally, all DRM issues aside, just based on OS performance, I would not consider Vista on any computer less than a dual core processor, 2 gb ram, and a 256mb graphics card, at least a 6800/7800/8600 or higher. It's an OS that is made for either the top of the line hardware of today, or what will be normal hardware during the middle of its lifecycle, which is still a few years away.

For gaming, every single benchmark has shown Vista noticeably slower and laggier than XP. You WILL lose fps running Vista. It's inevitable. How much varies, but you will lose some fps.

If you still have the XP key, I'd borrow a friend's disc and install XP with your key.

If you really want Vista, I'd look at getting a dual core processor if the mb will handle it, or even a faster graphics card. You shouldn't need a faster graphics card, but you might with Vista eating up so many system resources.

You might also want to try disabling Aero and going to the windows classic interface. That may free up some cpu cycles (or gpu cycles) for your gaming.

I agree with you to a point... I agree that Vista was built for the top of the line hardware of today but if you check MY sig you'll see that Im running a dual core, 2 gigs of pretty damn good ram, and an 8800GTX... I believe Chris and I are having the same issue as I too was using a Linksys Wireless card... Vista simply doesnt work with Linksys products... or at least Linksys wireless cards. I know the routers work quite well as my brother has no issues using his laptop on our network... his wireless card IS NOT a linksys though. Ive tried a few different computers all with Linksys branded cards and i had the same issues with all of them. I suggest either A) finding a key for XP (you can get an OEM off of newegg for relatively cheap or try a hardware wholesaler in your area) or B) trying a different wireless card in your PC.

[SteveLord]

Weird.

I'm amazed at how many people have issues with Vista when I've been running Vista for near 4 months without an issue. I even use a Linksys router, as you mentioned Vista having issues with them, but mine doesnt have an issue at all.


You shouldn't be amazed.

Its because your mileage may vary. Just because an OS or game works perfectly for one person, doesnt mean issues do not exist for others....or (not saying you said this) everyone else is stupid and doesnt know how to take care of their computer.

[Kampfzerstorer]

Or we could just attribute this to Vista being a piece. Because it is. I wouldn't pay for it if it was only $3.50 right now. Because it doesn't work properly. Once they sort things out enough with it so I can play games without the nvidia drivers crashing every 2 minutes then I'll pay $xxx for it.

[NsOmNiA91130]

nvidia drivers crashing
Right, that would be third-party software, something that's nVidia's fault, not Microsoft's. Are you using beta (read:could have problems, I personally never have) drivers, old drivers, or the incorrect drivers (XP, 32/64-bit). It's something that you might want to look into.

[Mr.Guvernment]

wasnt their a patch from MS for vista and how it handles vid card ram as system ram, and this patch changes that so that only games can access the vid card ram.... thuis improving gaming performance.

[rugscrubber]

yes... there was... but its not the game performance thats suspect its the network...

[Mr.Guvernment]

Or we could just attribute this to Vista being a piece. Because it is. I wouldn't pay for it if it was only $3.50 right now. Because it doesn't work properly. Once they sort things out enough with it so I can play games without the nvidia drivers crashing every 2 minutes then I'll pay $xxx for it.


thats funny, i paid for it because it is working %110 for me, one on a macbook and one a core 2 duo /2g / 7600 GT rig i am typing this on.... (my system with the 7600 gt has never crashed, even after 7 hours of gothic 3 of all games)


peoples experience vary, just because you had a bad one and i am sure caused mostly by bad 3rd party support..... so dont call vista crap cause NVIDIA couldnt / cant make working drivers for it.... learn to place blame where it belongs.


I would not consider Vista on any computer less than a dual core processor, 2 gb ram, and a 256mb graphics card, at least a 6800/7800/8600 or higher. It's an OS that is made for either the top of the line hardware of today, or what will be normal hardware during the middle of its lifecycle, which is still a few years away.


so my macbook core 2 duo,. 1g of ram and integrated intel graphics cant run it well? runs pretty flawless for me......., that is because i did what most people SHOULD do, instead of running out to buy the ULTIMATE edition and never use %99 of the features, buy the version you will use, for my macbook it was Vista Buisness and my desktop home premium..... unfortuantly people like to brag "ah man i got vista ULTIMATE!!!!!!!" now i am 1337!!!! but my computer crawls with 50 million services started up and i dont use any of them.... so vista sucks!

[rugscrubber]

unfortuantly people like to brag "ah man i got vista ULTIMATE!!!!!!!" now i am 1337!!!! but my computer crawls with 50 million services started up and i dont use any of them.... so vista sucks!

lol wouldnt be so funny if it wasnt so true lol my complaint isnt really with the operating system at all... Im NOT gonna say it sucks cause in my opinion it hasnt been out long enough to "suck" now if by this time next year we still have the same issues then it sucks! Its very unfortunate that some things that you would think should run perfectly or at least adequately simply dont work at all, i.e. wireless networking, to a point...

[DanFraser]

Believe me, it is not Vista that's the issue with everything you people have mentioned.

It's all 3rd party. Some of you I really want to slap you down for being pretty blind. Others will agree with that, others won't. But some of you are so fanatic about XP it's not funny. It's worse than a PC Mac advert/argument. Xp was a lot worse for a lot longer before it worked decently. Vista was truly ready when it came out, I'm not kidding.

[SteveLord]

Believe me, it is not Vista that's the issue with everything you people have mentioned.

It's all 3rd party. Some of you I really want to slap you down for being pretty blind. Others will agree with that, others won't. But some of you are so fanatic about XP it's not funny. It's worse than a PC Mac advert/argument. Xp was a lot worse for a lot longer before it worked decently. Vista was truly ready when it came out, I'm not kidding.

Thats because it doesn't do much more than XP that makes it worth dropping a few hundred bucks on and spending the labor and time installing it and hunting for drivers that will hopefully work.

Issues with games, hardware and other software is not debatable. Its a fact that they exist.

Why spend the money for the risk? So you can show guests your "cool modern desktop /w Vista and its pretty gadgets"? So you can play mediocre games like Shadowrun and HALO 2?

But someone has to be on the beta team. And deep down, we all thank you for that. nyuk nyuk nyuk :beer:

[NsOmNiA91130]

Thats because it doesn't do much more than XP that makes it worth dropping a few hundred bucks on and spending the labor and time installing it and hunting for drivers that will hopefully work.

Issues with games, hardware and other software is not debatable. Its a fact that they exist.

Why spend the money for the risk? So you can show guests your "cool modern desktop /w Vista and its pretty gadgets"? So you can play mediocre games like Shadowrun and HALO 2?

But someone has to be on the beta team. And deep down, we all thank you for that. nyuk nyuk nyuk :beer:
Isn't that what they said about XP?

:beer:

[SteveLord]

Isn't that what they said about XP?

:beer:

And I didn't get XP till SP1 was part of the package and got tired of doing driver workarounds for 98SE. And of course...USB started being used more. :)

[tricknasty]

i heard punkbuster was creating alot of problems in bf2 lately. I also have vista running and i get that same 2-3 second lag every so often.
Im not sure what causes it but i sure wish i could get rid of it~~

[>HyperlogiK<]

Yeah, I have been suffering some lag recently, but I'm not sure whether it is because I now run games under vista or because of pb.

[Kampfzerstorer]

thats funny, i paid for it because it is working %110 for me, one on a macbook and one a core 2 duo /2g / 7600 GT rig i am typing this on.... (my system with the 7600 gt has never crashed, even after 7 hours of gothic 3 of all games)


peoples experience vary, just because you had a bad one and i am sure caused mostly by bad 3rd party support..... so dont call vista crap cause NVIDIA couldnt / cant make working drivers for it.... learn to place blame where it belongs.

Sure its nvidia's fault, but you'd think MS would be all up in nvidia's arse to get this resolved stat, since Vista just plain doesn't work for a significant number of people because of nvidia's drivers.

As an end user it doesn't matter who is really at fault. All that matters is that I can't do what I need to do on it :p

[Mr.Guvernment]

So shouldn't people be getting up in NVIDIA's face and tell them to get them working (which they have lately) it is not MS's job to babysit hardware vendors, because of this NVIDIA is losing money due to crap drivers so places like Dell and other OEM's go to ATI exclusive for some rigs because they know they work.

I understand your view, people always assume it is MS's fault, or their car makers fault those new rims dont fit right, always someone else's fault these days it seems.

I am sure MS has had their words with NVIDIA but likely said screw it, if you dont want to make your cards work %100, you had plenty of time and help from us (SDK kits and crap months / years before vista was out) then fine, dont.