Microsoft KB Archive/815069

Knowledge Base

How to improve computer performance when you play Microsoft games

Article ID: 815069

Article Last Modified on 12/4/2007

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Flight Simulator X Deluxe
• Microsoft Flight Simulator X Standard
• Microsoft Halo 2 for Windows Vista
• Microsoft Links 2003 Championship Edition
• Microsoft Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
• Microsoft Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion
• Microsoft Age of Empires II Gold Edition
• Microsoft Age of Empires III
• Microsoft Age of Empires III : The WarChiefs
• Microsoft Age of Mythology
• Microsoft Age of Mythology Gold
• Microsoft Age of Mythology: The Titans
• Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 3: Battle for Europe
• Microsoft Dungeon Siege
• Microsoft Dungeon Siege II
• Microsoft Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna
• Fable: The Lost Chapters PC
• Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 Professional Edition
• Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: Century of Flight
• Microsoft Freelancer
• Microsoft Gears of War (PC)
• Microsoft Halo: Combat Evolved for PC
• Microsoft Impossible Creatures
• Microsoft Links 2003
• Microsoft Links 2003 Championship Edition
• Microsoft MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries
• Microsoft RalliSport Challenge PC
• Microsoft Rise of Nations
• Microsoft Rise of Nations: Gold Edition
• Microsoft Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends
• Microsoft Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots
• Microsoft Shadowrun (PC)
• Microsoft Train Simulator
• Microsoft Viva Pinata (PC)
• Microsoft Zoo Tycoon
• Microsoft Zoo Tycoon 2
• Microsoft Zoo Tycoon Complete Collection
• Microsoft Zoo Tycoon: Dinosaur Digs 1.0
• Microsoft Zoo Tycoon: Marine Mania
• Microsoft Zoo Tycoon 2: African Adventure
• Microsoft Zoo Tycoon 2: Dino Danger
• Microsoft Zoo Tycoon 2: Endangered Species
• Microsoft Zoo Tycoon 2: Marine Mania

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This article is intended for a beginning to intermediate computer user.

You may find it easier to follow the steps if you print this article first.

Symptoms of the problem

This article contains information to help you improve the performance of a computer when you play any one of the games that is listed in the "Applies to" section.

Symptoms of poor game performance may include the following:

• Intermittent playback of video clips
• Slow video frame rates
• Choppy game play
• Choppy or poor-quality video display
• Distorted audio playback

Steps to resolve the problem

Check for any known issues

There may be specific issues documented or troubleshooting steps for your game that may help resolve performance problems. To view any known issues for your game, visit the following Microsoft Web site, and then select or search for your game:

http://support.microsoft.com/games

Analyze and compare the computer that you are using to another computer

To analyze the gaming performance of your computer and to view the ranking of the computer that you are using with regard to other computers on the market, visit the following Web site:

http://gameadvisor.futuremark.com/gameadvisor/service/game_index.jsp

For more information about the Microsoft Windows Game Advisor, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/upgradeadvisor.mspx

If your computer ranks low, you may be able to improve the performance of the game by using the following methods. However, you may have to update your computer's hardware for optimal performance. For information about how to update the hardware on the computer that you are using, contact the manufacturer of the computer.

back to the top

Method 1: Restart the computer by using a clean startup

When you start Microsoft Windows, typically there are several programs that start automatically and run in the background that may interfere with the game. These programs may include antivirus and system utility programs. When you perform a clean startup, you prevent these programs from starting automatically. You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group to complete this procedure. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may also prevent you from completing this procedure.

Windows Vista

1. Click Start, type System Configuration in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
   

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

1. Click the General tab, and then click Selective Startup.
2. Click to clear the Load system services check box and the Load startup items check box.
3. Click to select the Load system services check box.
4. Click OK, and then click Restart.

Microsoft Windows XP

1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. On the General tab, click Selective Startup.
3. Under Selective Startup, click to clear the following check boxes:
   • Process SYSTEM.INI File
   • Process WIN.INI File
   • Load Startup Items
4. On the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All.
5. Click OK, and then click Restart.

Click Play to view this streaming media demonstration.

After you perform a clean startup, empty the temp folder in Windows. Windows Vista

Note The temporary folder is located in each specific user folder--for example, C:\Users\user name\AppData\Local\Temp. To empty the Windows temporary folder, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, type %temp% in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
2. On the Edit menu, click Select All.
3. On the File menu, click Delete.
4. Click Yes.
5. Test the game.

Windows XP or Windows 2000Note The temporary folder is located in each specific user folder (for example, C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Local Settings\Temp).

To empty the Windows temporary folder, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type %temp% in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. On the Edit menu, click Select All.
3. On the File menu, click Delete.
4. Click Yes when you receive the following message:

   Are you sure you want to send these items to the Recycle Bin?

5. Test your game.

If the issue still persists, continue to Method 2.

Method 2: Update the video adapter driver and sound card driver

To do this, use one of the following methods:

• Contact the manufacturer of your video adapter to obtain and install the latest version of the driver for your video adapter.
• Contact the manufacturer of the sound card to obtain and install the latest version of the driver for the sound card.

Step 1: Determine the name and the manufacturer of your video adapter

Windows Vista

1. Click Start, type dxdiag, in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
2. Click the Display tab.
   

Under Device, look for Name and Manufacturer.

1. Click Exit.

Windows XP

1. Click Start, click Run, type dxdiag in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. Click the Display tab.
   

Under Device, look for Name and Manufacturer.

1. Click Exit.

Click Play to view this streaming media demonstration.

Step 2: Determine the name and the provider of the sound card

Windows Vista

1. Click Start, type dxdiag in the Start Search box, and then click dxdiag.exe in the Programs list.
2. Click the Sound tab.
   

Under Device, look for Name and Drivers, and then look for Provider.

1. Click Exit.

Windows XP

1. Click Start, click Run, type dxdiag in the Open, and then click OK.
2. Click the Sound tab.
   

Under Device, look for Name, and then look for Provider under Driver.

1. Click Exit.

For information about how to contact the manufacturer of your video adapter or sound card, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

65416 Hardware and software vendor contact information, A-K

60781 Hardware and software vendor contact information, L-P

60782 Hardware and software vendor contact information, Q-Z

Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information. To see whether applicable driver updates are available, visit the following Microsoft Windows Update Web site:

http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

Click Play to view this streaming media demonstration. If the issue still persists, continue to Method 3.

Method 3: How to improve multiplayer performance in games

Games that have fewer players generally provide better performance than games that have many players. To improve multiplayer performance in games, reduce the number of players who can play the game when you set up a LAN or an Internet multiplayer game. Additionally, reduce the number of players who are joining the game.

If the issue still persists, continue to Method 4.

Method 4: Adjust for best performance

Windows Vista

To resolve this issue, follow the steps in the appropriate section.

The computer is connected to the Internet

View the "Ways to improve your computer's performance" topic on the following Windows Online Help and Support Web site:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/

The computer is not connected to the Internet

View the "Ways to improve your computer's performance" topic in Windows Help and Support on the computer's hard disk by following these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Help and Support.
2. In the Search Help box or in the Search online Help box, type Ways to improve your computer's performance, and then click Search Help.
3. In the list of topics, click Ways to improve your computer's performance.
4. Click the link that best describes the problem that you are experiencing.
5. Follow the suggestions to troubleshoot the problem that you are experiencing.

Windows XP

1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
2. On the Advanced tab, click Settings under Performance.
3. On the Visual Effects tab, click Adjust for best performance, and then click OK.
4. Click OK to close the System Properties dialog box.
5. Test your game.

If the issue still persists, continue to Method 5.

Method 5: Check the hard disk for errors

Windows Vista

1. Exit all open programs.
2. Click Start, and then click Computer.
3. Right-click the hard disk drive that may be damaged.
4. Click Properties, and then click the Tools tab.
5. In the Error-checking area, click Check Now.
6. Click to select the Automatically fix file system errors check box.
7. Click to select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box.
8. Click Start.

Windows XP or Microsoft Windows 2000

1. Open My Computer.
2. Right-click the hard disk that you want to check, and then click Properties.
3. On the Tools tab, in the Error-checking section, click Check Now.
4. Click to select the Automatically fix file system errors check box and the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box, and then click Start.

Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click ScanDisk.
2. Select the drive where the game is installed, and then click Start.

If the issue still persists, continue to Method 6.

Method 6: Defragment the hard disk

Windows Vista

1. Click Start, type disk defragmenter in the Start Search box, and the press ENTER.
   

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

1. Click Defragment Now.

Windows XP, Windows 98, and Windows Millennium Edition

Note You can use your computer when Disk Defragmenter is running. However, your computer operates slowly during the defragmentation process and restarts if the contents of the drive change during the process.

To defragment the hard disk, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter.
2. Select the drive where the game is installed, and then click Defragment.
   

Note On Windows 98 and Windows Millennium Edition (Me), click OK.

If the issue still persists, continue to Method 7.

Method 7: Rebuild the Windows paging file

Windows XP

Note You must be recognized as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group on your computer and on the computer that you are managing to perform this task.

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Click Performance and Maintenance.
3. Click Administrative Tools.
4. Double-click Computer Management.
5. In the console tree, right-click Computer Management (Local), and then click Properties.
6. On the Advanced tab, click Settings under Performance.
7. In the Virtual memory section, click Change.
8. In the Drive list, click the drive that contains the paging file that you want to change.
9. Under Paging file size for selected drive, type 0 (zero) for both Initial size (MB) and Maximum size (MB), and then click Set.
10. Restart the computer, and then repeat steps 1 through 6.
11. Select the System managed size option, and then click Set.

Similar problems and solutions

For more information about how to buy a personal computer that is designed to handle today's demanding computer games, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.gamesforwindows.com

For information about how to upgrade your graphics hardware, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/moviemaker/expert/dunn_03august11_vc.mspx

For more information about how to perform a clean startup of other operating systems, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

331796 How to perform a clean boot procedure to prevent background programs from interfering with a game or a program that you currently use

Keywords: kbtshoot kbarttypeshowme kbexpertiseinter kbceip KB815069

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