Vista taxes graphics 50% more than XP?

I just installed Vista, and stabilized the system from constantly BSD'ing on me due to driver issues and finally began to enjoy the pseudo-asthetic splendor of the OS. When I play any source game like Counter-Strike, per se, my frame rates are at ~35 no matter how low I turn my settings. I had about a stable 70-80 range when I had XP. Why is it taxing my card so much more?

 

More overhead, and less advanced drivers, give them time.

 

So, what should I look for? Just check for Nvidia updates for drivers? Or is it some kind of fix that Microsoft will release?

 

From todays MG front page.

NVIDIA Forceware (XP\2K) 32 Bit 162.18 Beta
http://www.majorgeeks.com/NVIDIA_Forceware_XP2K_32_Bit_d3294.html
Unified Driver Architecture (UDA) Delivers rock-solid forward and backward compatibility with software drivers. Simplifies upgrading to a new NVIDIA product or driver because all NVIDIA products work with the same driver software. Includes full support for PCI Express and AGP.
Size: 37.7 Mb License: Freeware

Shows as "Beta" Bazza

 

Driver updates will help, but nothing is gonna solve the fact that your using a more demanding os unless you start turning off advanced graphics options and such. Ie go back to classic view and not use the new aero or looking glass (what ever the new interface is called) features.

 

How much RAM in your graphics card?
Vista likes lots more than XP, double at least, I believe. Bazza

 

Some system specs would be nice.

 

Also, could adjusting the Screen Refresh Rate, help in this area? Or at least check it out to make sure it's at the optimum. confused

 

Just copied my system specs from my newegg quote:

--APEVIA X-QPACK-RD/420 Black/Red Aluminum 1.0 w/ ABS plastic front panel MicroATX Desktop Computer Case 420W Power Supply - Retail
--BIOSTAR GEFORCE 6100-M9 Socket 939 NVIDIA GeForce 6100 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
--EVGA 256-P2-N553-AX GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail
--Maxtor DiamondMax 10 6L250R0 250GB 7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA133 Hard Drive
--AMD Opteron 144 Venus 1.8GHz Socket 939 Processor Model OSA144BNBOX
-Patriot Signature Series 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model PSD1G400KH - Retail

I have my refresh rate at its max, and my 7600GT has 512mb of ram, 256 dedicated.

I'll try to install that forceware and see where it leaves me. I'll post a reply after I do a stress test and what not.

 

Conflicting information--

Your specs say 6100, which is integraed and leaches off the system ram.

Yet you say you have a 7600GT, with 256mb dedicated, and has 512mb of ram? That indicates its also some sort of integrated video.

Which is it? If the 7600GT is a dedicated card, how are you allocating an extra 256mb of video ram to it? (Is this a Vista feature I dont know about?)

Also, Vista does use more ram. So, knowing that 1gb is the ideal minimum for Vista in all its splendor, then (from your description), allocating 256mb of that 1gb ram to graphics...that leaves you with 768mb of system ram.

I'd say you are taxing the system there, with just a few apps open. I also think that its driver related, as mentioned above.

 

This is just a stab in the dark really, but have you disabled your onboard graphics card in BIOS?

 

My bios allows me to set that 6100 integrated on "auto." I just have it that way in case my card kicks the bucket, I'll still have some decent display.

The attachment is a printscreen of what vista tells me through control panel display options. For some reason Sandra Lite won't display any information about it, though. It says my display adapter in the general computer overview is a 7600GT, but when I go into the specifics "display adapters", it lists a blank for my video adapter. Don't know why that is either.

By the way, that comment is not a "stab in the dark", I'm no guru and I acknowledge that.

 

Why are you giving me forceware for xp?

 

The onboard GPU 6100, by the way..cannot be disabled through bios. It only has the option of "auto" and "always enabled".

 

Sorry, my bad. Bazza

 

If your'e curious vista allocates system ram to the video card only if needed because of the higher video requirements for vista so you may not even be using that other 256MB and if your'e not using it vista keeps it as system ram, so you wouldnt be lacking ram nessessarly, like my X800 XT shows up as 511MB and my 2900 XT shows up at 768MB in Vista but i dont believe i have ever had to used shared system memory (it would be so much slower)