Windows Vista Operating System and Guild Wars
Xandria Necromancer
I couldn't find any threads about this so I thought I would start. I am thinking of installing Windows Vista and was wondering if anyone out there has this operating system and can still play Guild Wars. If you can, I would appreciate any helpful advice you can give. I'm just afraid of installing the Vista OS and I can't play Guild Wars.
ElinoraNeSangre
There's a few threads on it if you search; it's come up a lot. 
I've been playing GW on Vista for over a year (I played as far back as the Factions preview event), and I love it, it works great.
The only sticking point people have had that I'm aware of is drivers, which is easily figured out by running the upgrade advisor. Just make sure you have drivers for everything and you're set (and if your computer is fairly new-ish, this probably won't be an issue at all).
I've been playing GW on Vista for over a year (I played as far back as the Factions preview event), and I love it, it works great. The only sticking point people have had that I'm aware of is drivers, which is easily figured out by running the upgrade advisor. Just make sure you have drivers for everything and you're set (and if your computer is fairly new-ish, this probably won't be an issue at all).
Xandria Necromancer
Thanks for the fast reply. I did do a search and nothing came up
My PC is a year old so I hope I have no issues. Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it!!! Will be installing it immediately 
My PC is a year old so I hope I have no issues. Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it!!! Will be installing it immediately
Trbayth
The biggest issue you're going to have is the amount of video memory you have. At least 128MB (not shared) and you should be ok.
I usually play on an Inspiron 6000 laptop with an ATI Radeon X300 and 256MB vram running Vista 32bit. I can play at 1920 X 1200 with most settings on max and get *ok* frame rates. If I back the resolution down a bit I can get good frame rates.
I usually play on an Inspiron 6000 laptop with an ATI Radeon X300 and 256MB vram running Vista 32bit. I can play at 1920 X 1200 with most settings on max and get *ok* frame rates. If I back the resolution down a bit I can get good frame rates.
makosi
No problems with Vista and GW here. Trbayth is right in saying memory is a problem because Vista's shiny looks hog memory. 768MB system memory is probably the minimum recommended.
Trbayth
Makosi brings up another point. I have 2GB RAM. If you find your system marginal running GW on Vista, try switching to the "Windows Classic" look (looks like Windows 2000.)
Malice Black
2GB RAM is essential for gaming in Vista. I get roughly 50-60fps on my notebook running 1680x1050 with everything on high/4xAA
Xandria Necromancer
Thank you all for your replies, it has been VERY helpful!
Lonesamurai
Yep, Vista actually gave me a boost in performance thanks to its better dual core optimization and I get 100FPS @1280x1024 with full details and AA
Hyper.nl
Vista reduced my FPS quite a bit, and gave me some trouble with saving screenshots and skill templates. But it does work.
Lonesamurai
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Originally Posted by Hyper.nl
Vista reduced my FPS quite a bit, and gave me some trouble with saving screenshots and skill templates. But it does work.
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I must admit though that using NVidias own graphics drivers not only dropped my frame rates, but also locked up my system sometimes, but rolling back to the drivers that came with the retail of vista they worked beautifully with no hassles, however, the latest Nvidia drivers work great
Miss_Enix
well ive been using vista and gw together since vista came out (im using ultimate) and its great, aero knocks itself off when i start gw so no fps drops. the only thing that concerns me it the screen flickeres from normal to black then to normal whenever i load an area, am i the only person whos experianceing this or is this normal. specs :
Sempron 3000+ (64bit) oc'd to 2.5GHZ
1GB Ram
9600 Atlantis (256MB) @ 400/400
i know its not a great pc but it runs vista sweetly and everything else i want to do
Sempron 3000+ (64bit) oc'd to 2.5GHZ
1GB Ram
9600 Atlantis (256MB) @ 400/400
i know its not a great pc but it runs vista sweetly and everything else i want to do
Lonesamurai
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Originally Posted by Miss_Enix
the only thing that concerns me it the screen flickeres from normal to black then to normal whenever i load an area
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I've had it on both my last Nvidia 5200 and now my 7600 GT that I'm now running Vista Home Premium on
Upgrading to an 8600GTSsoon though (after they do an upgraded version with more than a 128bit memory bus, although under Vista, the 8600GTS benchmarks slightly higher than 2x 7600 GT's in SLI, which is pant wetting good)
Fitz Rinley
I grant I have:
Intel E6600 Duo Core 2.4 GHz
nVidia 7900 GS 256
1 GB RAM
I have turned off everything Vista I can possibly turn off, largely because I do not like most of the glittery garbage. Using classic mode.
If more RAM does not do it what is the next step. So far I cannot do Wayward Monk without a problem nor would I be able to take that one beast master boss in the area where the snow is falling. I do not yet know how many other areas are denied me at this point. And this means GW is a wash with Vista becoming the future dominant OpSys. The current response I just received from techsupport looks like they don't care and ain't gonna. (Well, it had all the enthusiasm of the auction house possiblity that has been tossed out since I started playing 19 months ago.)
Intel E6600 Duo Core 2.4 GHz
nVidia 7900 GS 256
1 GB RAM
I have turned off everything Vista I can possibly turn off, largely because I do not like most of the glittery garbage. Using classic mode.
If more RAM does not do it what is the next step. So far I cannot do Wayward Monk without a problem nor would I be able to take that one beast master boss in the area where the snow is falling. I do not yet know how many other areas are denied me at this point. And this means GW is a wash with Vista becoming the future dominant OpSys. The current response I just received from techsupport looks like they don't care and ain't gonna. (Well, it had all the enthusiasm of the auction house possiblity that has been tossed out since I started playing 19 months ago.)
Lonesamurai
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Originally Posted by Fitz Rinley
I grant I have:
Intel E6600 Duo Core 2.4 GHz nVidia 7900 GS 256 1 GB RAM I have turned off everything Vista I can possibly turn off, largely because I do not like most of the glittery garbage. Using classic mode. If more RAM does not do it what is the next step. So far I cannot do Wayward Monk without a problem nor would I be able to take that one beast master boss in the area where the snow is falling. I do not yet know how many other areas are denied me at this point. And this means GW is a wash with Vista becoming the future dominant OpSys. The current response I just received from techsupport looks like they don't care and ain't gonna. (Well, it had all the enthusiasm of the auction house possiblity that has been tossed out since I started playing 19 months ago.) |
hell, apart from the RAM, your machine is a bit more spritely than mine and I have GW running at full res @ 1280x1024 with 4xAA and running at 100FPS in the guild hall and 30 FPS in a crowded area/GvG
to be honest, the ONLY reason i upgraded to 2gb ram was for the more snazzy games that are coming out, and the ram hasn't given me any real performance increase than 1gb did, except in some of the newer games
*EDIT*
just remembered, a friend had similar trouble to yours with it when doing an upgrade instead of a full reinstall, however, the upgrade version is only a full version anyway, just let it do a full install instead of an upgrade and wait until you are completely installed and ready before activating it... You'll then have a full install, clean as a whistle and shouldn't have any issues
however, one thing I should point out... Don't, DON'T, use the 64bit version of vista, no software company is making 64bit software that works yet (neither did they with XP64), use the 32bit version and you have a smoother, quicker, snazzier version of XP...
Fitz Rinley
Ok, what upgrade are you talking about. The only upgrades I get are regular patches. I am Vista Home Premium and they are not getting another cent out of me beyond what they took through the MFG company. If that is the upgrade you mean. I can't afford it anyway. The computer is only $20 less a month than my rent. And I don't have the 64 bit version. The tech.s all say I should not be having any problems, and ANet says I'm opsoyoed.
Lonesamurai
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Originally Posted by Fitz Rinley
Ok, what upgrade are you talking about. The only upgrades I get are regular patches. I am Vista Home Premium and they are not getting another cent out of me beyond what they took through the MFG company. If that is the upgrade you mean. I can't afford it anyway. The computer is only $20 less a month than my rent. And I don't have the 64 bit version. The tech.s all say I should not be having any problems, and ANet says I'm opsoyoed.
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I'm guessing you have no clue about computers then? No offence meant on that and yeah I'll PM you
ElinoraNeSangre
Also, with the video/shiny Vista visuals, you can set your GW shortcut so that it turns those off when you open GW. That's what I do (I don't need to but I feel better doing it anyway).
Pjstaab
How does GW run under 64bit vista?
Lonesamurai
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Originally Posted by Pjstaab
How does GW run under 64bit vista?
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Although to be honest, 64bit windows (of any flavor) is useless to anyone bt professionals... No software runs properly on it and drivers need to be rewritten for it
Bibblenorn
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Originally Posted by ElinoraNeSangre
Also, with the video/shiny Vista visuals, you can set your GW shortcut so that it turns those off when you open GW. That's what I do (I don't need to but I feel better doing it anyway).
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Fitz Rinley
Ok, Lonesamurai, I turned off UAC and you know the rest through PM. That seems to have made a difference, but not enough. I still can't get all the eay to the cave from Mhenlo's position. Thus far, that is the only place in game I have that trouble for me. Though I was with a runner to Droknar's Forge today and while watching his problems with lag, my computer screen blacked out. I carefully tapped along the top til I caught minimize and then maxed screen back out. This restored the screen. In the snow flurry section I sometimes am not allowed a curser, or not allowed a visible one, during the screen locks.
Any more ideas?
Any more ideas?
Lonesamurai
Umm... Ok, do you know what type of graphics card you have?
if not, a good way of finding out is by using Xfire and using the system spec function on your profile homepage (also allowing others to see what sort of Uber gaming rig your running )...
it honestly sounds like something with the graphics, either turning the graphics settings down, and/or updating your graphics driver
if not, a good way of finding out is by using Xfire and using the system spec function on your profile homepage (also allowing others to see what sort of Uber gaming rig your running
)... it honestly sounds like something with the graphics, either turning the graphics settings down, and/or updating your graphics driver
Fitz Rinley
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Originally Posted by Lonesamurai
Umm... Ok, do you know what type of graphics card you have?
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Quote:
| it honestly sounds like something with the graphics, either turning the graphics settings down, and/or updating your graphics driver |
Lonesamurai
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Fitz Rinley
nVidia 7900 GS 256
I have set the graphics buy using both the "Find what's best for my system" method and just turning everything down to mud. I get the same results. |
Lonesamurai
just a lil update as this has become a strong vista thread... After a reinstall this evening, the 'afore mentioned Control panel crash bug is gone, which is lovely
Fitz Rinley
So far the place with Mhenlo near Minaar's Worry is the only place in the game I have this problem. I find I can clear the screen temporarily for one move or click by minimizing and maximizing screen. Once I make it into Minaar's cave it goes away. I am now as far as the wilds with my newest character.
It reminds me of NwN 2 ane GW start screens where if enlarged I have no ability to use them until I move them aside, click on the task bar, then click back onthe game screen. At that point I can click on the options, but until I go through this ritual they will not respond.
It reminds me of NwN 2 ane GW start screens where if enlarged I have no ability to use them until I move them aside, click on the task bar, then click back onthe game screen. At that point I can click on the options, but until I go through this ritual they will not respond.
Bringer Of Fury
Im running GW on Vista 64bit and have no problems with either performance or bugs.
Reason im running 64bit is that i have 4gb ram and vista 32 wont work all that well with that much.
Since i have a lousy gfx card i only play on 1280x1024 with everything but the shadows on high and have abou 55-70 fps (feels lagg free).
When i used win XP i had about the same fps, so no difference there.
Also since my computer is about 2 months old i have had no problems with drivers with vista 64bit, and the os itself is way faster (imo) than 32bit vista.
Reason im running 64bit is that i have 4gb ram and vista 32 wont work all that well with that much.
Since i have a lousy gfx card i only play on 1280x1024 with everything but the shadows on high and have abou 55-70 fps (feels lagg free).
When i used win XP i had about the same fps, so no difference there.
Also since my computer is about 2 months old i have had no problems with drivers with vista 64bit, and the os itself is way faster (imo) than 32bit vista.
Warrior Of The Toon
Well personally I can get a playable FPS in small towns, but as soon as I enter combat it drops to around 3-8 =( And that's with 7600GS, 768mb RAM (upgrading soon), windows 2000 theme and a stationary wallpaper, luckily I dual boot with xp so I can get back to being able to play properly :P
Fitz Rinley
I don't know but as of this morning I was discoed about 8-10 times between 0600 CT and 0800 CT. I checked with ISP and there was no problem what so ever with my connection at this end. I also cleared the modem and that did not resolve the issue. Some disconnects were less than a single sentence apart; and the person I was talking to about Elona's Reach didn't even notice I had discoed twice I was in and out and in and out and in so fast.
However, this seems more like a server issue than a Vista one and like I said, I already checked with my ISP. I know better than to ask ANet since I have Vista they won't care.
However, this seems more like a server issue than a Vista one and like I said, I already checked with my ISP. I know better than to ask ANet since I have Vista they won't care.
turtleghandi
I used Vista to play Guild Wars for a while, and had some issues with sound not working and my video driver would constantly stop responding. I highly recommend staying away from Vista until at least service pack one. Also, Ive run Guild Wars on 64 bit, and it was actually quite a bit slower.
Lonesamurai
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Originally Posted by turtleghandi
I used Vista to play Guild Wars for a while, and had some issues with sound not working and my video driver would constantly stop responding. I highly recommend staying away from Vista until at least service pack one. Also, Ive run Guild Wars on 64 bit, and it was actually quite a bit slower.
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what spec are you using and are you using the latest and newest drivers?
*EDIT* Quick other point, did you install from the main program or did you buy the 64bit OEM? basically there is bugger all on the market that really works with 64bit at the moment (unless you happen to work in one of the industries that has been using 64bit programmes for a while of course) and installing as the 64bit version is highly NOT reccomended... reinstall as the 32bit version if you can, and if you can't, oops, sorry...
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Originally Posted by Warrior Of The Toon
Well personally I can get a playable FPS in small towns, but as soon as I enter combat it drops to around 3-8 =( And that's with 7600GS, 768mb RAM (upgrading soon), windows 2000 theme and a stationary wallpaper, luckily I dual boot with xp so I can get back to being able to play properly :P
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Fitz Rinley
I don't know but as of this morning I was discoed about 8-10 times between 0600 CT and 0800 CT. I checked with ISP and there was no problem what so ever with my connection at this end. I also cleared the modem and that did not resolve the issue. Some disconnects were less than a single sentence apart; and the person I was talking to about Elona's Reach didn't even notice I had discoed twice I was in and out and in and out and in so fast.
However, this seems more like a server issue than a Vista one and like I said, I already checked with my ISP. I know better than to ask ANet since I have Vista they won't care. |
However that does sound more like an ISP issue, i get it from time to time on my cable (wired) connection, when they are working on the lines somewhere in my area, but also living near one of the main centres, i get it from time to time from Virgin Media, but thats only because they are doing some massive upgrades for free (free upgrade to 20meg broadband from 10meg... Nice!)
XvArchonvX
I just got a new laptop with Vista and 2 gigs of RAM. When I run GW on it, I get a maximum of 14 fps at the lowest visual quality. I've tried running the game in compatibility mode for several different settings, but none have produced any different results. I don't remember the video card atm, but I'll find out later. If there are any drivers I need, where could I find them and which ones should I look for? Any help is greatly appreciated since I'm stuck and very frustrated. 
*edit* I found a site that has drivers for my vid card (Radion XPpress 1150) and have installed them. I found a bit of an improvement, but still only get about 23-25ish max fps, which is at least playable, but still very low for a brand new computer with 2 gigs of ram. My old computer that had 1 gig of RAM and ran on Windows XP had a better framerate than this...
*edit 2* After playing around with my graphics card settings and the graphics setting in game, I was finally able to get about 25-30 fps at a reasonably low graphics setting. I'm guessing this is as good as it gets. :P
*edit* I found a site that has drivers for my vid card (Radion XPpress 1150) and have installed them. I found a bit of an improvement, but still only get about 23-25ish max fps, which is at least playable, but still very low for a brand new computer with 2 gigs of ram. My old computer that had 1 gig of RAM and ran on Windows XP had a better framerate than this...
*edit 2* After playing around with my graphics card settings and the graphics setting in game, I was finally able to get about 25-30 fps at a reasonably low graphics setting. I'm guessing this is as good as it gets. :P
Lonesamurai
Well, 1, your on a laptop, so expect lower performance and 2, the XPress 1150 is a rubbish graphics chip now... shocking, although to get 25FPs from it, be VERY happy
daddyrabbit
Anyone used to EAX on Creative cards will have surround sound issues on GW as well.
daddyrabbit
Anyone used to EAX on Creative cards will have surround sound issues on GW as well.
ElinoraNeSangre
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Originally Posted by Bibblenorn
I just installed vista, and I was wondering how do you go about this? My frame rate is pretty horrible, and before I did the clean install, I was running at max graphics very smoothly with factory installed XP on my laptop. I would like to get back to that, or near that if possible.
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Lonesamurai
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Originally Posted by daddyrabbit
Anyone used to EAX on Creative cards will have surround sound issues on GW as well.
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