Windows Vista Performance and Tuning
Windows Vista and SP1 focus on delivering greater performance and overall system responsiveness. By striking a balance between speed and responsiveness, Windows Vista and SP1 deliver a level of performance that has the greatest positive impact on the system’s usability.
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31.7.2008 Access Windows Server 2008 SP2 Performance Tuning Guidelines
The need to squeeze every last drop of performance out of a specific system running Windows is even more stringent when it comes down to server infrastructures compared to client machines.
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29.7.2009 Windows 7 Performance Tools - Performance Tools Kit 4.1.1
Internet Explorer 8 will be not only an apex of performance, but also the next major iteration of the Windows client, according to Microsoft.
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1.9.2008 Windows Vista Imaging and Installation Performance
Ideally, installation of an operating system is two fairly simple steps. First, copy all the OS files to the hard disk.
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4.10.2006 Final Names for Windows Vista Performance Features
Windows PC Accelerators is the new term that encompasses Windows Vista's new performance-enhancing technologies.
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7.4.2006 12 Tweaks - Squeeze Every Last Drop of Performance Out of Windows Vista
Windows Vista is a resource hog. Microsoft’s latest operating system will swallow every last bit of hardware resources you throw at it in the race for a top user experience, a concept synonymous with high performance.
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15.9.2007 Check PC Performance Details with WinSAT in Windows 7 or Vista
Since Windows Vista, including in Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows System Assessment Tool (WinSAT) has been added into the operating system. WinSAT is a free benchmarking tool that measures various computer performance ratings, characteristics and capabilities, and display the ratings as Windows Experience Index or WEI score.
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20.4.2009 Microsoft releases the Windows Vista Performance and Reliability fix packages
These are the fixes that leaked last week, now the fix packs are publicly available (Validation Required).
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8.8.2007 Windows XP SP3 Yields Performance Gains Over Vista SP1
After a disappointing showing by Windows Vista SP1 (see previous post), we were pleasantly surprised to discover that Windows XP Service Pack 3 (v.3244) delivers a measurable performance boost to this aging desktop OS.
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24.11.2007 Windows 7 Search Performance – Superior to Vista SP1 and XP SP3
Get ready for the Windows 7 indexer on steroids, as Microsoft will deliver the first taste of the operating system to the world at the end of this month.
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14.10.2008 Windows 7 build 7057 - Performance that blasts past XP, Vista
Over the weekend I’ve been spending time with the latest leaked build of Windows 7 - build 7057. While this isn’t the release candidate (RC) build that some people claim it is, this build is certainly pretty close to being RC.
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16.3.2009 Vista SP1 a Performance Dud
With the initial performance characteristics of Windows Vista leaving much to be desired (see our previous post on the subject), many IT organizations have put off deploying the new OS until the first service pack (SP1) is released by Microsoft early next year.
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20.11.2007 Another Vista Reliability & Performance Update
Vista’s performance is one of those topics that won’t be exhausted until Windows Seven hits RTM. It all comes down to trade-offs.
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12.12.2007 Vista Performance Post SP1
Poor performance was one of the sins associated with Windows Vista RTM, especially in comparison to Windows XP throughout 2007.
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9.10.2008 Vista Compatibility, Performance and Reliability Pack
Windows Vista Compatibility, Performance and Reliability Packs – SP1 Preview - Microsoft offers fresh Vista updates to testers.
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31.7.2007 New Performance and Reliability Updates for Vista SP1
A reliability and performance update is available for download for Windows Vista Service Pack 1. This specific release targets all Windows Vista editions, provided that they have the first service pack integrated.
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25.6.2008 x64 Vista SP2 JPG Rendering Performance Inferior to x86 Vista SP2's
The JPG rendering process on 64-bit flavors of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 is inferior to that on the 32-bit variants of the operating system.
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10.6.2009 Performance Results Mixed with Vista Service Pack 1
Files copied faster in our initial tests, but other performance was slightly slower with the SP1 installed.
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7.2.2008 Vista SP1 Evolves with New Reliability and Performance Boost
Microsoft is indeed starting to deliver an increasing volume of details related to the upcoming Windows 7 client and Windows 7 Server releases, but the end of 2009/ the debut of 2010 is still not even on the horizon, and neither are the next iterations of the Windows platforms.
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19.8.2008 Install Vista SP1 RC Refresh for the Added Performance
According to Microsoft, one reason to install Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Release Candidate Refresh and test drive it is the added performance.
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15.1.2008 Boost Vista's Performance, Responsiveness, and Reliability ahead of Vista SP1
Windows Vista Service Pack 1 RTM is without a doubt in sight. But the fact that the service pack's availability is contouring on the immediate horizon, and is now but a month away, provides little comfort for the users of Windows Vista RTM.
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14.2.2008 Vista to XP Copying Performance Slower with Intel I/OAT Enabled
One of the issues that plagued Windows Vista when the operating system was launched in January 2009 was the slow copying speeds delivered.
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5.7.2009 Windows Performance Blog
As I said in yesterday’s introduction, my job as an engineer on the Windows Vista team is to improve performance. I wanted to look at a study that measure a key area that we focused on for Windows Vista – consistent responsiveness during the times that matter most to users (when starting up their machine, after being idle, and when you are under the gun running tons of apps, etc.).
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29.12.2006 Windows 7 Performance Pillars
Attempting to avoid the rather sluggish experience that has become inherently associated with Windows Vista RTM, Microsoft promised, through the voice of Steven Sinofsky, that Windows 7 would not set a single “bit” out of Redmond until it would meet a set of performance criteria.
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29.8.2008 Windows 7 Performance, Explained
From startup to the way it handles hardware resources available, power consumption and applications, Windows 7 has been applauded as delivering a level of performance superior to that of Windows Vista, even as early as pre-Beta Build 6801.
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29.11.2008 Windows 7 -- Approach to System Performance
Many folks have commented and written email about the topic of performance of Windows. The dialog has been wide ranging—folks consistently want performance to improve (of course).
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28.8.2008 Squeezing Every Drop of Performance Out of Windows 7
In the sense in which Microsoft is building Windows 7 as the evolution of Windows Vista, the next iteration of the Windows client will perform as if on steroids, compared to its precursor.
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17.12.2008 Windows 7 beta 1 performance test
How does Windows 7 beta 1 compare to Vista and XP in terms of performance? That’s a question that’s been hitting my inbox regularly over the past few weeks. Let’s see if we can’t answer it!
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2.1.2009 Windows 7 on Steroids – Next-Generation Performance Boosters
Yes, the silence around Windows 7 is certainly deafening, disconcerting and certainly a source of frustration for end users, but Microsoft is building the next iteration of Windows.
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20.5.2008 The Raw Performance Parallel Universe of Windows 7
Windows 7 more so than any other Windows client will be at the core of the transition to manycore hardware.
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11.10.2008Overview Series: Windows Vista Performance and Tuning
Windows Vista and SP1 focus on delivering greater performance and overall system responsiveness. By striking a balance between speed and
responsiveness, Windows Vista and SP1 deliver a level of performance that has the greatest positive impact on the systems usability. This guide looks
at the following areas of performance improvement:
- Making configuration changes that help a computer feel more responsive when you
use it.
- Using hardware to boost the actual physical speed of a computer.
- Making configuration changes that help a computer to start
faster.
- Making the computer more reliable may help increase performance.
- Monitoring performance occasionally so that you can stop
problems before they get too big.
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29.07.2008Windows 7 HD and SSD Performance Analyzed
Today we're going to look at how various types of disks perform under Windows 7, both of the traditional platter based variety and new solid state
disks. We're not only curious about how disk performance changes between the operating systems, but if Windows 7's new solid-state specific
optimizations and tuning give you even greater performance compared to Vista.
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29.05.2009Gibson Shows Self-Tuning Guitar
Musicians of the world are getting a new kind of artistic freedom with technology that eliminates the challenging chore of tuning.
"Powertune," a robotics technology developed by German company Tronical Gmbh in partnership with Gibson Guitar Corp. enables Gibson's
newest Les Paul model, available globally on Dec. 7, to tune itself in about two seconds. The system is based around a processor which directs motors
on its six tuning pegs to tighten or loosen the strings accordingly after listening for the guitar's pitch. To set the instrument to a particular
tuning, the user pulls a knob, turns it to the desired style, indicated with a blue light, and then pushes the knob back in. An electric signal
travels up the strings to the motors on the tuning pegs. The system is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The Les Paul Silverburst model
is to cost about $2,780 in Japan and $2,499 in the U.S., with self-tuning offered for $900 extra.
Read full story.....
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04.12.2007Microsoft: Another Vista Reliability & Performance Update
Vista’s performance is one of those topics that won’t be exhausted until Windows Seven hits RTM. It all comes down to trade-offs. Ever
since the features of Vista were finalized, Microsoft tried to tip the scale the other way by focusing on performance, with the obvious limitation of
not disabling any services. Updates regarding performance and stability are numerous, but most have not hit Windows Update as they are not quite ready
(preview releases). The Windows Serviceability Team wants feedback on one such update, available for download at the Microsoft Download Center, before
its expected release on Windows Update in January.
Read full story.....
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13.12.2007Inside CNET Labs: Windows Vista SP1 performance
The long-awaited Service Pack 1 update for Windows Vista brings with it a number of significant bug fixes and other improvements. Microsoft promises
that with it you will also see a number of noticeable performance improvements as well. In
our initial round of testing, we saw a mixed bag of results:
we saw a few notable performance improvements under some conditions as well as significant performance degradations in others. For the most part,
however, we saw little difference in performance between Vista and the Vista SP1 update.
As we dug a little deeper into
Microsoft's claims, we discovered that many of the performance improvements being touted aren't actually directly attributable to SP1. Many
of the claimed performance improvements, such as improved boot-time, are actually more a function of improved third-party drivers and applications
that are benefiting from a year's worth of programming for Vista and from the programmers getting continued feedback and guidance from Microsoft. So
as long as you have been diligent about keeping your Vista system current with the latest Windows updates and third-party drivers, you likely
already have many of the potentially performance improving enhancements.
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14.02.2008Windows XP SP3 Yields Performance Gains Over Vista SP1
After a disappointing showing by Windows Vista SP1 (see previous post), we were pleasantly surprised to discover that Windows XP Service Pack 3
(v.3244) delivers a measurable performance boost to this aging desktop OS. Testing with OfficeBench showed an 10% performance boost vs. the same
configuration running under Windows XP w/Service Pack 2.
Since SP3 was supposed to be mostly a bug-fix/patch consolidation release - unlike
w/Vista SP1, Microsoft made no promises of improved performance for XP - the unexpected speed boost comes as a nice bonus. In fact, XP SP3 is
shaping-up to be a "must have" update for the majority of users who are still running Redmond's not-so-latest and greatest desktop
OS.
Of course, none of this bodes well for Vista, which is now more than 2x slower than the most current builds of its older sibling.
Suffice to say that performance-minded users will likely choose to stick with the now even speedier Windows XP - at least until more "Windows
7" information becomes publicly available.
Read full story.....
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24.11.2007Microsoft study: Vista improves networking
Companies that deploy Windows
Server 2008 and Windows Vista
in tandem could see more than
a threefold increase in
networking performance for
file transfers, downloading
roaming profiles for mobile
users and accessing files on a
portal, according to a
Microsoft-commissioned study
conducted by the Tolly Group.
In a 38-page white
paper titled "Enhanced
Network Performance with
Microsoft Windows Vista and
Windows Server 2008," the
Tolly Group compares the
networking performance for
file access on WANs and LANs
using various configurations
of Windows Server 2003 R2 or
2008 on the backend and XP SP2
or Vista on the frontend.
Not surprisingly, the
combination of the newest
operating systems brings the
best gains in network
performance in large part,
Tolly concludes, because of an
upgraded TCP/IP stack and
updates to thefile-sharing
Server Message Block (SMB )
protocol...
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07.06.2007Windows Vista: The Facts
When choosing a new operating system, the first thing many people ask is, "What will it help me do?" In answer, much of this site shows you the
great experiences Windows Vista helps you have. The second thing many people say is, "Prove that it's better." In particular, many of you have
asked about performance and safety improvements. The following information provides specific proof that Windows Vista is faster and safer.
- The
majority of Windows Vista-based PCs boot in less than a minute, which can be an improvement over Windows XP boot times. And the new Windows Vista
sleep and resume features can bring your PC to life in a snapin fact, the vast majority of all Windows Vista-based PCs resume from sleep in less than
6 seconds.
- PCs running Windows Vista that are equipped with 512 MB memory experience a performance boost of up to 40 percent with Windows
ReadyBoost. Just plug a USB flash drive into your computer, and Windows Vista will automatically start using it to speed up memory access to important
data.
Read full story.....
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20.01.2008Vista Fix Packs Now on Windows Update
Following their public availability on Microsoft's Download Center, two hotfix packs for Windows Vista that improve performance and reliability are
now available as optional downloads via Windows Update. They will not, however, be delivered automatically to Vista users...
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29.08.2007XP SP3 speed lead over Vista SP1 narrows under similar workloads
A heavily promoted performance test by an evaluation software firm appeared to situate Windows Vista SP1 performance against Windows XP SP3. But the
initial workloads were actually different due to the Office software used...
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28.11.2007XP SP3 outperforms Vista SP1, but less when running same Office version
A heavily promoted performance test by an evaluation software firm appeared to situate Windows Vista SP1 performance against Windows XP SP3. But the
initial workloads were actually different due to the Office software used...
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28.11.2007Last-minute reminder: Windows Vista performance webcast Wednesday morning (PST)
Anyone interested in a webcast on Windows Vista performance? Mark Russinovich is hosting a roundtable discussion webcast tomorrow morning, part
of the Springboard series, at 9 a.m. Pacific time with a panel of IT pro experts: customers, partners, MVPs, etc. It should be a good
discussion, focusing on common causes of Windows Vista performance problems and how to improve overall system performance. There will be live
Q&A toward the end of the session, so start thinking of questions.
For more information, visit
https://ms.istreamplanet.com/springboard/.
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24.09.2008Gaming Performance: Windows Vista SP1 vs. XP SP3
Even as Microsoft tries to shove Windows Vista down the collective and unwilling throat of computer users worldwide, the company is still perfecting
the well-aged and well-loved Windows XP. The latter of the two operating systems just received its third (and evidently last) service pack.
<...> Of course, with the release of a new service pack comes a huge, pressing question: How does it compare to Windows Vista and its own
recent update, Service Pack 1, in the game performance department? Vista, of course, has been plagued by criticism that games run on it don't perform
as well as they do in Windows XP, even though most of the problems were due to early graphics drivers and have gradually been worked out.
Come with us as we install XP SP3 and take it for a test drive, and more importantly compare it to Vista SP1 with a batch of performance
tests. Though DirectX 10 is Vista-only, many a gamer has sworn not to upgrade; will XP SP3 cement their decision, or has Vista and its drivers matured
enough to change a few minds?
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12.05.2008Windows Vista Performance
Enhancements
MVP Charlie Russel describes
the new features in Windows
Vista that improve overall
system responsiveness and
reduce startup and shutdown
times...
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22.07.2006How to fix Vista's network bottlenecks
As much as I enjoy using Vista, I've definitely noticed that in some networking activities, it definitely seems to struggle. Particularly compared
with Windows XP.
For the most part it's not a problem - I just assumed that Vista's beefy network stack was responsible, and made a
mental note to fix it at some point. And then forgot.
But recently I encountered a really frustrating problem. Using Remote Desktop
Protocol (RDP) to connect from a Vista Enterprise machine to a Windows 2003 server, the performance was so woeful that I was starting to worry whether
there was a problem with the server.
As it happens, my fears about the server were unfounded, but the thought that Vista's networking
stack was to blame turned out to be correct. The Next Generation TCP/IP stack in Windows Vista supports something called Receive Window Auto-Tuning.
This is nothing to do with the RDP "window" you see on the screen, but rather a TCP buffer which TCP/IP clients use to ensure smooth
transmission.
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27.09.2007Windows Vista SP1 vs. Windows Vista RTM vs. Windows XP SP2
Principled Technologies has released two Microsoft commissioned reports on Windows Vista SP1 performance. In these tests, Principled Technologies
measured responsiveness of Windows Vista SP1 vs. Windows Vista RTM vs. Windows XP SP2 when performing a set of common business and home tasks. The
results show that SP1 performs on par with Vista RTM and Windows XP.
The test show that as with Windows Vista RTM, overall performance is
on par with Windows XP. It’s important to remember that Windows Vista is a more advanced operating system, which includes many more capabilities
than Windows XP. By default, Windows Vista includes antispyware, a search indexer, and the shadow copy service. All these work in the background,
providing important services to customers, but they of course take up a portion of the PCs memory and processor resource.
On several common
business and home operations Windows Vista SP1 was noticeably more responsive after rebooting than Windows XP.
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28.02.2008Beta Patches Hint at Vista SP1 Features
Microsoft has released to
Windows Server 2008 beta
testers two new hot-fix packs
for Windows Vista, which
improve performance and
reliability, along with the
operating system's
compatibility with drivers and
hardware. The 12MB worth of
fixes are expected to make
their way into Vista Service
Pack 1 later this year...
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30.07.2007The right time to assess Windows Vista's performance
Nick White: Measuring the performance of an operating system is a tricky thing. At the same time, it's the right and necessary thing to do, because
performance is one of many criteria important to customers. Part of the trick of measuring performance is to time testing execution with the product
cycle such that the results are as meaningful as possible for customers; this helps them make a better decision by making use of the full array of
available information. As one example, about a year ago we commissioned a firm called Principled Technologies to
conduct a study comparing Windows XP
SP2 to Windows Vista RTM. That study found the performance measures of the two operating systems were within the same range for many tasks that home
and business users frequently perform under real-world conditions.
My point is that we waited to conduct these benchmarking tests
until Windows Vista had reached the RTM milestone in the product cycle, as this allowed us to provide our customers the most meaningful data available
at the time -- the data most likely to directly affect their decision to upgrade to Windows Vista. We do a whole range of performance tests at every
stage of the OS development process, but, as a general rule, we avoid sharing benchmark tests of software that hasn't gone RTM (i.e., final code).
This explains why we have not to date published any findings of benchmark tests (nor commissioned anyone to do so) on performance improvements brought
about by Windows Vista SP1. Publishing benchmarks of the performance of Windows Vista SP1 now wouldn't be a worthwhile exercise for our customers,
as the code is still in development and, to the degree that benchmarking tests are involved, remains a moving target.
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01.12.2007E-mails: Microsoft execs raised 'Vista Capable' concerns
At a hearing in federal court in Seattle today, lawyers debated whether the lawsuit over Microsoft's "Windows Vista Capable" stickers should be
granted class-action status.
As in past legal cases against the company,
internal e-mails from Microsoft executives and employees were once again used as evidence to bolster the plaintiffs' case.
Quick
background, for those just tuning in: The suit, filed last year, alleges that some people bought "Vista Capable" machines thinking they would be
able to run all the Windows Vista features that Microsoft was promoting -- such as Aero Glass, Flip3D, and the Media Center interface -- even when
their machines were only capable of running the bare-bones Windows Vista Home Basic. Microsoft says that there was plenty of information available to
people to distinguish among the different Vista editions.
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09.02.2008Vista SP1 benefit will be stability and reliability, not performance
The problem is one of the major issues with Vista is performance...
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes: Will Vista SP1 and how this
wont bring any relief to those who find Vista a bit slow or sluggish? Not really, but then again service packs arent about performance increases;
theyre about reliability and stability.
Ive seen a lot of service packs in my time. Windows 95 and ME both got one service pack,
NT 4.0 saw six, Windows 2000 had four and XP has so far seen two. But what I dont remember regarding any of these service packs is installing it onto
a system and then seeing any significant boost in performance. Service packs dont really work that way. Sure, youll feel specific improvements as a
result of some of the tweaks and fixes contained in the service pack, and you might feel the benefit of having your operating system refreshed by
loading the service pack onto it, but a service pack should not be looked upon as a performance upgrade. If your system cant run an OS, what it needs
is upgrading or replacing, not the application of a service pack.
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26.11.2007
