Vista: performance and copyright policing

[SpiderWaffle]

How does the performance of 64bit vista compare to XP pro SP2? When do you think vista will start to show significant performance increases?

I've heard vista checks all your files for pirated tags and will disable them. Is this true? Is there any way to prevent it if so?

I would hate the idea of my OS checking all my files to see if they're pirated or not. Also couldn't that lag your system?

 

[Whatsisname]

then perhaps its time to get an operating system that you can trust, and nothing made by microsoft will be suitable for that.

I would hate the idea of my OS checking all my files to see if they're pirated or not. Also couldn't that lag your system?

 

[Azhar]

How does the performance of 64bit vista compare to XP pro SP2? When do you think vista will start to show significant performance increases?

1. No operating systems, be it Linux or MacOS or Windows have ever produced a next generation operating system thats faster or equal to it's previous. You can't expect Vista to perform on par with XP. It's slower and thats all there is to it. But at least this time Microsoft made a next gen operating system that's scalable with your hardware. It may be a bit on the slow side compared to XP, but it performs very decently and unless you keep your eyes glued to the FPS meter, you won't really notice that much of a difference.

2. Vista will show significient performance increase when you upgrade your computer. So only you can answer that question.

I've heard vista checks all your files for pirated tags and will disable them. Is this true? Is there any way to prevent it if so?

I would hate the idea of my OS checking all my files to see if they're pirated or not. Also couldn't that lag your system?

That sounds like an admission if I ever heard one.

 

[LstBrunnenG]

How does the performance of 64bit vista compare to XP pro SP2? When do you think vista will start to show significant performance increases?

I've heard vista checks all your files for pirated tags and will disable them. Is this true? Is there any way to prevent it if so?

I would hate the idea of my OS checking all my files to see if they're pirated or not. Also couldn't that lag your system?

If you have recent hardware (I consider my 2005-era dual core K8 system recent) Vista will actually be faster for certain things. Based on your usage habits, Vista will cache frequently used programs in RAM, causing faster load times and snappier response for your apps.

Games are another story. Most people here will tell you that Vista is on a par with XP for game performance, but a few die-hards will try to convince you that the ~5% you may lose from the switch is a deal-breaker. I've never noticed a game that was unplayable on Vista but playable on XP. However, if you're one to get excited over the fact that FRAPS says 85 instead of 90, Vista isn't for you.

Finally, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Vista's pirated file check is a feature, not a problem. Often times friends will send me files that I won't even realize are pirated. Ever since I've gotten Vista, I've realized what a pervasive problem piracy really is. I mean, I never thought it was wrong to pirate music from my legally owned CDs to my MP3 player. I certainly didn't suspect that my friends were trying to involve me in illegal activites by sending me pirated content!

Sometimes Vista's anti-piracy warnings and deletions are followed by the appearance of real policemen at the door. As long as you give them the information they want about where and how you got the files, they'll usually leave you alone. I have heard of some people going to jail, though. I blame their illegal practices, not the operating system that turned them in.

Back on topic, no, the anti-piracy checks don't affect performance. Like Aero and other advanced Vista features, the anti-piracy measures are de-activated and swapped to disk the moment you start a game.

 

[Catweazle]

LOL! What 'anti-piracy checks'?

I've heaps of ripped music and whatnot on several Vista rigs. Vista doesn't treat it any differently than XP did.

Yes, there is a check running to detect protected high definition DVD content. That's because, out of the box, Vista contains the capacity to actually PLAY such content. It's no big deal, and the 'performance hit' is so miniscule that it's completely negligible.


Vista does NOT check files for piracy activity and then disable the files. LstOfTheBrunnenG is being facetious!

 

[Vette5885]

... wow this thread is funny. OP, either the other posters are making fun of your noob questions, or they're just spreading more FUD. I've used Vista Ultimate x64 since it came out, plus Vista x86 Home Premium for 4 months, and for the most part, I haven't had any problems with anything.

The ONLY thing that has slowed me down is that for some strange reason, Aero doesn't automatically turn off when I run a game. However, all I have to do for the games where Aero doesn't turn off is manually set the compatibility settings to 'Turn Off Desktop Composition', and the game will run fine.

And about the piracy checking...I've been accessing tons of, well, "stuff", and files from less-than reputable sources, and I have NEVER had Windows tell me that something was pirated. To my knowledge, there is no such thing as a 'Pirated Tag'. Its not like the release groups say 'hey, lets give everyone a real easy way to find pirated files'. Legally downloaded video files (and then some...) play perfectly fine on both Vista machines.

I do know that Windows will check on itself to see if its pirated, but that isn't something that I've had issues with (my 2 copies are legally purchased)

And is there a performance loss in games? Yes, but as LstOfTheBrunnenG said, its very minimal.

 

[Finn]

I've found out in my testing that the best way to handle Aero is to turn it off. All that eye candy makes the OS look even more toyish than it is.

 

[Rampage1329]

Sometimes Vista's anti-piracy warnings and deletions are followed by the appearance of real policemen at the door. As long as you give them the information they want about where and how you got the files, they'll usually leave you alone. I have heard of some people going to jail, though. I blame their illegal practices, not the operating system that turned them in.

lol, made my day.