Microsoft KB Archive/933478

= The Windows Experience Index rating may inherit an incorrect value after you make a change to your computer's hardware configuration or you start Windows Vista for the first time =

Article ID: 933478

Article Last Modified on 9/3/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Windows Vista Ultimate
 * Windows Vista Business
 * Windows Vista Enterprise
 * Windows Vista Home Basic
 * Windows Vista Home Premium
 * Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit Edition
 * Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit Edition
 * Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition
 * Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit Edition

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SYMPTOMS
In Windows Vista, the Windows Experience Index rating may inherit a lower value or a higher value than expected. You may experience this problem if either of the following conditions is true:
 * You start Windows Vista for the first time.
 * The Windows Experience Index runs before you update a driver.
 * You make a change to your computer's hardware configuration. For example, you add memory or remove memory.



CAUSE
This problem occurs when the Windows Experience Index evaluates the scores of hardware configurations and updates items that have high scores. Each score in the Windows Experience Index relates to a particular hardware item. For example, the Memory score relates to random access memory (RAM). The Graphics score relates to the video card. The Windows Experience Index may inherit earlier ratings. The index is especially likely to inherit earlier ratings for components that relate to gaming graphics, such as memory.



Method 1: When you start Windows Vista for the first time or when the Windows Experience Index runs before you update a driver
To do this when you start Windows Vista for the first time or when the Windows Experience Index runs before you update a driver, follow these steps:  Click Start, type performance information and tools in the Start Search box, and then click Performance Information and Tools in the Programs list. If the following information appears, click Refresh Now to update the Windows Experience Index:

Your Windows Experience Index needs to be refreshed.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or click Continue.

Windows Experience Index assesses the components in the computer. Note the value that appears next to Your computer has a Windows Experience Index base score of. Click Update my score.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.

Windows Experience Index assesses the components in the computer.

Method 2: After you change the computer's hardware configuration
To do this after you change the computer's hardware configuration, follow these steps:  Click Start, type the following path in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER:

%SYSTEMROOT%\Performance\WinSat\DataStore

 Delete all the .xml files in the folder.</li> Follow the steps in method 1.</li></ol>

<div class="status_section">

STATUS
This behavior is by design.

<div class="moreinformation_section">

MORE INFORMATION
The Base score value in Windows Experience Index displays the minimum value for the five components that Windows Vista tests to determine the Windows Vista Experience Index. Therefore, the Base score value represents the value of the lowest sub-score when Windows Vista tests the components in the computer. Windows Vista tests the following five components:
 * Processor
 * Memory (RAM)
 * Graphics
 * Gaming graphics
 * Primary hard disk

Consider the following example.

The following table displays results from Windows Vista Experience Index:

In this example, Windows Vista sets the Base score value as 4.5 because the lowest value for these tests is 4.5.

For more information about Windows Experience Index, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/f59082f4-6385-4a61-ba7e-2de9625a780a1033.mspx

Keywords: kbtshoot kbbug kbhardware kbprb kbexpertiseinter kbexpertisebeginner KB933478

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