SL + Vista64 == blah

I would expect a potential driver issue, as a performance gain of 100% is outright bizzare.

For reference purposes, I'm running a Core 2 Duo E4500 (2.2GHz, 800MHs FSB), 2GB RAM, and an Intel GMA 950. Weak system I know, but it works.

The system is weak enough that if DWM was going to degrade performance, it would degrade it for me.

As for power consumption being used as a measure of utilization...a GPU's power consumption rises as utilization increases. It's not perfect, but it gives you an idea.

The newer ATI cards and drivers allow you to actually see a percentage representation of a GPU's utilization, and with DWM, the utilization hovers in the single digits.

Like I said before, if it helps to disable DWM, then it helps and you should, but you should check around your system to find out what's going wrong.

I'm also running Vista 64, Q6600 cpu, 4 GB RAM, BFG 8800 GTS. When running in windows mode I get about 6.1 fps, in full screen mode I get over 120 fps. screen resolution is native 1920 x 1200. Any ideas on the hugh difference?

Also, if I did jump back to XP, what would be the ramifications, other than loosing some of my memory?

okay a layman here. My only problems with my new 64 and 4GB is the RC.
I have had that stuttering issue on RC not the reg viewer.

You'd notice some performance loss, as XP isn't able to utilize your memory quite as efficiently. Vista will cache as much as it can in memory, XP tries to keep as much memory as it can free. Free RAM is wasted RAM.

You'll lose DX10 support, but that's not a big deal if you don't use it.

You may lose some network performance.

Just a FYI. I decided that SL+ATI+Vista64 just isn't worth all the hassles. I was still having very high number of crashes...and I think it's the fact I'm on Vista64 is the reason. Obviously, I'm not willing to downgrade and lose 4GB of memory (from my 8GB) to go back to 32bit just for SL. Hence, I pulled my ATI 4850 card temporarily and replaced my Nvida 8800GT because SL plays nicer with Nvida products on Vista (you guys really need to test more on ATI+Vista64). Let me know, if you fix SL to play nicely with Vista 64+ATI...and I'll put back my much faster 4850 card. Cheers.

I am running Windows Server 2008 x64 tuned as a workstation and everything runs great except Second Life. I have all the same symptoms as the original poster described. As a veteran Second Life user (and long-time Windows developer) I am pretty confident that the problem is with the SL client or the nVidia drivers and not the OS.

I'll poke around and try to find some solution, or maybe we can get Mark Russinovich on the case.

Windows Server 2008 x64 w/ Hyper-V
Intel Core 2 Quad @ 2.4 Ghz, 8GB RAM
nVidia GeForce 8800 GT (Forceware 175.19)

Reno,

Thanks for the help! Actually, my problem is mostly to do with ATI (not nvidia) driver's on Vista64 that's the problem. I can run SL with my older 8800gt card using Nvidia drivers just fine (though I have some of the same issues too as the org. poster)...it's the ATI drivers + SL that don't play nice. Crashes almost every time (over 80%). Can't even work in SL with the ATI Card. See my other post (and JIRA post) about the ATI driver issues for more info. Had to wiki that Mark guy...to see whom you speaking of...if you can get him to get ATI (and Nvidia to play nicer with SL on 64bit...I'm all for it!
People just don't realized the speed and pluses of the 64bit environment. Oh, read start64.com for the news about how 64bit is picking up speed this year...Cheers!

Turning off both streaming audio and streaming media helped quite a bit. I had to restart SL to see the benefits. Disabling DWM didn't change anything. Still getting periodic crashes but for now I'll just chalk that up to the new viewer.

Just thought I'd follow up to say that my problems were far more widespread than the SL client. My system's performance was great except when any kind of multimedia was playing. Windows Media Player was exhibiting the same kind of stuttering when seeking that SL was.

I think the reason was because most of my hardware was unsupported in Windows Server 2008 (despite the fact that the driver model is the same as Vista x64 which the manufacturers DO support.)

So long story short, despite many failed attempts to get better drivers, BIOS updates, whatever, I decided to go back to Vista x64 and everything is running perfectly. I'm sure the fact that all of my hardware was supported in one trip to Windows Update had a lot to do with it. The only thing I miss now is Hyper-V which I can only get from Windows Server. Oh well... back to Virtual Server I guess.

Yes, I don't think Win 2008 is got it's multimedia ready for prime time. Microsoft needs to warn people about this. And as for my problems...ATI should warn (as well as LL) it's openGL issues with it's Vista64 drivers. I'm sure they will fix them in due time...I guess this is why it's called "bleeding edge": it hurts to be the first.

Actually if it's not on the Windows Server 2008 Hardware Compatibility List that just means Microsoft doesn't want to support random consumer-level hardware on servers, it doesn't mean anything at all about Vista or WS 2008's multimedia capabilities.

And WS 2008 uses the exact same multimedia subsystem as Vista. If you look really hard it's in there.

I dont make it up as I go along, the CPU is sold by name as a 9.6ghz, which as you rightly point out, without multithreading and multicore 64 bit programmes, you do not gain 4 times the speed of a single core, especially with SL, However, you can asign background programmes to use a different core than SL.

My point was regarding the new technology of the AMD quad core, being the first available true quad core, having issues with the BIOS and manufactures of MB's, as it uses core voltage fluctuations within the 'Cool and Quiet' function to keep within the International directive of reducing the resources (in this case electricity) of the Carbon Footprint for Computers. This core voltage fluctations, can cause Vista 64 to become unstable, both during installation, and in operation. The current solution is to turn off Cool and Quiet, and or, fix the core voltages at a stable 2.45volts, which in turn reduces the core speeds to around 1.9ghz.

Hi.

Just a quick note that I've been able to use the new 8.9 Beta drivers with SL for the last week...and it's by far the best solution for Vista64. They seemed to added the correct OpenGL extensions SL needed. Still not the best framerates...but, maybe the final 8.9 will fixt that. Also make sure you turn off DWM...google that (basically turns off the pretty Vista GUI) I saw a speed up after that....Check the JIRA ticket for the download link...