Specialized User Performance

[SeanGilbreth]

If I create a specialized XP user, which has no background tasks, no special windows effects, and anything possible to improve game/program performance, will it work? Or will the performance be just like on a normal account with background programs etc.?

Thanks!

 

[linney]

Have you seen these?

Games: How to improve game performance

http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;815069

Game XP

http://www.theorica.net/gamexp.htm

FAQ779-4784 may help.

windows XP running very slow
thread779-796508

Video Card 101

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/games/learnmore/videocard101.mspx

Maybe the game manufacturer has updated drivers or patches?

 

[SeanGilbreth]

Thank you, but what I mean is, if you create a new user on XP that has no extra programs besides games and game enhancing programs (if there are any) will it work better than the other users, that don't have those things installed?

 

[gpalmer711]

That really depends on the specification of your PC, lets say you have a 1ghz processor and 256mb ram. Changing the graphical visualisations and stopping things from loading with the profile will make a noticable difference.
On a machine with a 2ghz processor and 1gb of ram you would not notice any difference.

Greg Palmer
Freeware Utilities for Windows Administrators.

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[SeanGilbreth]

I have a 3.72GHz processor, and 1024mb of RAM, I guess it won't make any difference?

 

[gpalmer711]

I can't see it making any difference to performance, but at the same time it won't hurt anything if you wanted to test it.

Greg Palmer
Freeware Utilities for Windows Administrators.

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[SeanGilbreth]

What would happen if I created a user that only had basic services? (by using msconfig). Would I notice a difference in that?

 

[jrbarnett]

Service settings are not determined on a per user basis as they start with XP before a user logs in; they are set on a per hardware profile basis.
By all means take out unnecessary ones in a gaming profile, but be sure to leave those essential ones in there. Search the XP forum for "Services" and you will find many threads about which ones are necessary and unnecessary for certain tasks.

John

 

[SeanGilbreth]

So there is NO way I can have specific user service settings? Is there anything I can do to substitute the Service settings?

 

[jrbarnett]

No. Services start as the machine starts up, not when a user logs in.

If they are executable files (some are) and not required for machine operation, you should be able to run them from the user's local startup group, but its not a good idea to do this if they are designed to be run as services.

John

 

[SeanGilbreth]

If I enable Basic Services which service do I recheck to be able to use the internet?

 

[jrbarnett]

The exact requirements will depend on your hardware setup and how you access the internet.

John

 

[SeanGilbreth]

Ummm, could you give me a little more help?

 

[gpalmer711]

Well the services that you require for a dial up connection to the internet will differ from those needed to access the internet via a cable modem or network.

Let us know what hardware you have and how you connect to the internet and then someone here can advise on services that you might be able to disable.

Is there a specific reason that you are wanted to know this or just wondering? The reason I ask is that you have a pretty fast machine and I would advise against disabling services unless you have to.

Greg Palmer
Freeware Utilities for Windows Administrators.

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[SeanGilbreth]

Thanks for your advice, but I have stuck with the service option in one of the links that linney gave me.