How to improve computer performance when you play Microsoft games (815069)

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Method 1: 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: back to the top

Method 2: 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: For more information about the Microsoft Windows Game Advisor, visit the following Microsoft Web site: 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.

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Method 3: Restart the computer by using a clean boot procedure

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 boot, 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.

To restart your computer by using a clean boot procedure, follow these steps when you are using Windows XP.

Note You may experience a temporary loss of some services functionality when you follow these steps. Restoring the settings restores the functionality, but may cause the return of the original error message or behavior.

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.

For more information or to view steps for other operating systems, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: After you perform a clean boot, empty the temp folder in Windows.

Windows XP or Windows 2000

Note 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.

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Method 4: Update your 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.

Identify the name and the manufacturer of your video adapter

To do this, follow these steps:

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.
3. Click Exit.

back to the topClick Play to view this streaming media demonstration.

Identify the name and the provider of the sound card

To do this, follow these steps:

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 under Driver, look for Provider.
3. 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: 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: Click Play to view this streaming media demonstration.

Method 5: 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.

Method 6: Adjust for best performance (Microsoft Windows XP only)

To adjust for best performance, follow these steps:

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.

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Method 7: Check the hard disk for errors

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 (Me)

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.

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Method 8: Defragment the hard disk

When a program is installed on your computer, the program's files may be stored in multiple, noncontiguous locations on the hard disk. This is fragmentation. If the hard disk is fragmented, programs on your computer may run slowly.

The Disk Defragmenter tool optimizes the performance of your computer by reorganizing the files on the hard disk into contiguous blocks. When the Disk Defragmenter tool finishes the defragmentation of files on the hard disk, your programs may run faster.

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 Programs (or 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.

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Method 9: 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 8.
11. Select the System managed size option, and then click Set.

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