Massive lag when I put GW in Window mode.

Not long ago, I decided to install win XP on my computer cause w7 wasn't really working out. It was okay, so I installed gw and all that stuff.

When I started GW it worked fine (As standar, me thinks, it opens in full screen.) til I went in window mode. Everything just started to lagg, really, really, really bad. I guess it doesn't matter HOW it lagged, but it did.

After uninstalling Windows 7 SKIN which I used cause... Well. GW went better, it can now be run in window mode but ONLY IF I do NOT open anything else. Say I need a calculator, well, guild wars goes crazy.

I'm not so good with computers so all that will be said as advice will go to my bf, haha. But tell me if I need to write down anything else.

I installed:
DX 9.0c
Lastest drivers for XP Pro from HP's website.

How much RAM do you have? Go to Control Panel > System, and it should list it there. You may also find it by going to Start > Run, and type dxdiag. It sounds like you are running out of memory to load the programs you are running.

Guild Wars typically consumes more resources in windowed mode than it does in full screen.

I have 2GB RAM.

It's just that, when I had w7 I could run alot of programs while in window mode but when I got win XP it suddenly got like this. So I don't quite understand what changed...

If you computer came pre-installed with windows 7, there might be no drivers available for some of your hardware for XP. When you installed the drivers from HP for your computer, did you check that you had drivers for every piece of hardware?

That's probably not the cause, but it never hurts to be sure...

Next time you run GW in windowed mode, also run the task manager, that way you'll be able to see if you RAM or CPU gets maxed out.

If you could post full system specs:
CPU
GPU (graphics card if you're not familiar with the tech lingo)
RAM
Screen resolution, on desktop and when you run GW in full screen mode
anything you find would be relevant

I have reverse lag when GW is in Windowed mode. GW might even run better BUT Windows itself lags. For example scrolling a website, watching a youtube video, typing or anything else that runs smooth in Windows while GW is running up in Windowed mode simply lags a half a second behind. Quite annoying but I'm used to it by now.

not enough to lag a computer that supports win7 so bad that you cant play guild wars it has almost no req.

I would guess its your graphics card not having the proper drivers installed, another thing if your running something in the background then you start guild wars full screen does it still lag?

My HP started as Vista and was later installed to w7.
I'm using a laptop btw, if that matters any at all.

Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU
T7400 @ 2.15GHz
2,00 GB RAM

1.ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 [ Default LCD ]

Screen Resolution: 1680 x 1050
Screen Resolution in GW: 1680 x 1050

If I recall..... (don't quote me. )

Windows XP desktop is 2D and, for compatibility with really old 2D video cards, XP wants to switch between 2D and 3D modes (on every scan line of the 3D app) if a 3D app is in a window - particularly if you haven't installed the proper graphics drivers. All that switching can eat up cpu cycles.
Windows Vista and 7 do away with the compatibility with old cards and just use 3D modes all the time, so they don't take a hit when 3D apps are windowed.

Makes sense. What can I do to fix this?

install new graphics drivers, here is a link to download the new drivers:
http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_ca...xp/mobility-xp

as you can see under "Graphics technologies supported " it lists your model "ATI Mobility Radeon X1600" and it supports windows so it should work fine. good luck

I did download it but when I tried to install I got this message:
Unfortunately, this software update cannot be installed on your system. Please contact your notebook manufacturer for driver updates.

I also can't find HP in the notebooks it supports >.<

The x1600 Mobility is a 3D graphics card, so the only thing that could cause the problem would be if XP is using it's default video drivers. However, XP should be able to detect that it's an x1600 and load it's default ATI drivers.

So, if you have installed the latest XP drivers - it might be best to go to AMD to get them - and it still does that, it must be something else....

I'm surprised that the x1600 manages to handle 1680x1050 at any decent frame rate at all. So here's something to try - go into the graphics settings for GW and (temporarily) turn off AA (if it's on), or knock the graphics/performance back a notch - to see if that makes a difference.

Of course, you could always start over with a clean install.

Reason #3257 to hate HP.

QTF! At least as far as the consumer products go. Their business products tend to be more reliable.

Anyways, check on the HP site if there have been driver updates for your GPU, if there have been, install the latest version. If you are currently running the latest version, try downgrading to an older version.

EDIT: Bob is right two posts down as well

common snogsy - everyone knows there are at least 5000 reasons to hate on HP.....

As long as the HP product isn't a PC, it's all good. Have had tons of HP products that were digital cams, printers and they all last a very long time.

I couldn't care less if you guys hate HP. If you hate it you might as well post it in another thread than write it here in mine.

Edit: The AA fixed the problem. It only lags on x4. Thanks for all answers. : )

Their just babbling anyway, every HP prebuilt my family and friends own are plain old tanks, they can survive kids using the dvd burner to rip a movie and play it at the same time (not made to do anything slightly similar to this) and survived a power outage flux where it powers on and off 30 times in 10 seconds.

The dell they used freaked out a week after purchase, thermal sensor failure with max rpm fans followed by overheating?

Crap.

Heh, sorry if the HP-hate in here has dented your pride, but we're just relating our experiences!

In general HP computers are troublesome.

In general Dell PCs are troublesome and expensive.

If you've had some good ones, you've bucked the trend and been lucky.

NOW - back on topic

...er, bugger - the topic finished

(I really shouldn't, but Quaker? That proprietary hardware nonsense is exactly what I meant by Dells being troublesome. They make great PCs, but it's like they're trying to force you into only using Dell-approved crap. I want my PC to have the bits I choose, and I want to remove bits I don't choose.)