Vista users....

[AVGWarhawk]

I have Vista 64 now and I find something strange. I loaded up SH4 and COD waw. For some reason, a desktop icon for the games do not appear. Any reason why Vista does not allow a desktop icon to appear after the game is installed?

[CaptainHaplo]

Some installers were pre-vista and did not / do not put a desktop shortcut up. Make sure you set the desktop itself to classic view. Also if an icon doesn't appear, its easiest to create the icon thru sending one to the desktop from the start menu.

One really big word of advice - with vista 64 there are 2 program files folders - do NOT install programs to either one. While that is the default location with many programs - its much better to place them elsewhere - in a "games" folder or something off the root.

[AVGWarhawk]

I see. What I did was was find the .exe file and made a short cut to the desktop. Why should I not load a game to the program files? I do see program files and then a second program files (X86). Currently my two games are loaded to the (X86) program files. Both work fine. So, what is the benefit of loading games to a games file?

Just a quick look at this (X86) file apparently handles 32 bit games/applications. The other program file handles 64 bit applications. Some say you can load to X86 without issue. Other say make a different folder. At any rate, if the game runs 64 bit the computer will run it at 64 bit no matter where the file is loaded. Anyway, running SH4 in X86 I was able to load up JSGME and get mods working etc. Seems ok to me.

I have also just read that the X86 program files are protected files and some games can not save the 'game save' function. I was able to save SH4 without issue. Unless there is a super valid reason to move SH4 out of X86, I will leave it there. My next game I will create a games folder.

[Thomen]

I have Vista 64 now and I find something strange. I loaded up SH4 and COD waw. For some reason, a desktop icon for the games do not appear. Any reason why Vista does not allow a desktop icon to appear after the game is installed?

More recent games will place a shortcut in the Games folder that is attached to your Start menu. Others, like SH4 wont sometimes show up at all, as you said.

As far as the directory structures goes: No idea. Haven't noticed any difference at all. It might be that they are just named differently so you can see what are the new folders, if you had a previous Windows version. But thats just my guess, of course.

[Spike88]

I installed SH4 on my 32bit vista and realized that it didn't create a folder in the start panel nor did it create a icon on my desktop, so I had to go looking through my program files to find it and create a shortcut of it.

[AVGWarhawk]

That is what I did. The games loaded to the program files X86. I navigated to the just the program files and nothing there. I then navigated to the X86 files and that is were I found them. I was busy not paying attention to where I was loading the darn things:88). Anyway, I did just that, sent a short cut to the desktop. However, I did not use the SH4.exe icon. I used the GU.exe that was loaded with the 1.5 add on. Worked fine. As far as COD waw, I just load the disc and the splash screen loads and I click play.

[FIREWALL]

I just went to install Microsoft FSX on my Vista and it won't let me. :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

It has a conflict with the software. :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

And Billy wants me to buy Windows 7 ? :roll: :D

[Task Force]

I think Il give windows 7 a couple of months/year before I get it. (The end product might not be that great, buggy mess.):hmm:

What are the main differences between 64 and 32 bit.

[FIREWALL]

I think Il give windows 7 a couple of months/year before I get it. (The end product might not be that great, buggy mess.):hmm:

What are the main differences between 64 and 32 bit.

I guess it makes things look better ?

I think I maybe didn't need Ultimate 64.

I built a new hi-end gameing rig use only and went with the flow.

I did a dual boot to keep my XP.

I think XP is more gamer user friendly. Especially for beginners without big computer software experience.

[Zachstar]

I think Il give windows 7 a couple of months/year before I get it. (The end product might not be that great, buggy mess.):hmm:

What are the main differences between 64 and 32 bit.

If MS is really serious this time (They would be idiots not to keep this high performance and staleness) I would say at max 2-3 months and not a whole year until SP1.

Getting away from Vista is worth any slight bugs it will have at that point.

[AVGWarhawk]

I think Il give windows 7 a couple of months/year before I get it. (The end product might not be that great, buggy mess.):hmm:

What are the main differences between 64 and 32 bit.

If MS is really serious this time (They would be idiots not to keep this high performance and staleness) I would say at max 2-3 months and not a whole year until SP1.

Getting away from Vista is worth any slight bugs it will have at that point.


Main differences between 64 and 32 bit

http://www.vistax64.com/vista-news/99613-64-bit-more-than-just-ram.html


Reading up on Windows 7, apparently it is very fast. I do not know much more about it. As far as XP being more gamer friendly, for now it is. In the very near future, Vista/Windows 7 will be the OS to have for gaming. Remember back to XP and deciding to dump Windows 98 because it seemed more user friendly. I have used Vista for 2 days. Maybe 4 hours total. Navigating is very easy. Files and such are much like XP, MS just has you navigate to them a bit differently. Heck, you can change it all to the classic view (XP). I have SH4 loaded and rolling all the mods. COD waw is working just fine. Personally, I like Vista 64 and glad I purchased the OS.

I built a high end gaming machine. Phenom X4 9850, 4 gig DDR2 and EVGA 9800GT vid card. Coolmaster Hyper TX2 CPU cooler and three 120mm case fans. All powered with 600 watt PS. It does not even burp when I fire up SH4. Vista 64 OS installed.

From my readings, 64 bit is the way the industry is going. I have a IE icon for IE 64. Does not work on most sights as they are still 32 bit. But, eventually they will have to go 64.

[CaptainHaplo]

AVG - there are really good reasons not to install games to Program Files or Program Files (x86) - its because of vista permissions scheme and its good in theory/bad in practice shadow copy.

First - the Program Files folders are protected via permissions. Installs pften require you run them with admin level priviledges (this assumes your normal logon does not have elevated or admin rights to the box) and if the sftw installs - then runs from the installer (as many applications do) - the first run of the sftw is at the elevated permission level. Because its in the "protected" program files directory, things such as config files are written - and then when the app is run as normal (via user level permission) - these configuration files will not be permanently changed as they should. This causes things like - first run graphix autodetect - you exit - patch your game - go back in - decide hey - I want to run at a higher resolution - or change texture detail, etc. Its possible that you can make the changes - save and run fine - but next time you open the game - your back at the "detected" settings - because the game couldn't correct/rewrite the config files because of permissions and file location.

The other bugger is windows "shadow copy" mess. The idea is sound - it keeps a backup copy of a file just in case something screws up. Bad implimentation means you might edit a file - and see it in the right place - but it won't work as edited - but rather works like the default file did. This is because windows is using a shadow copy of the file - the ORIGINAL file at that - in an effort to "protect" you. You have to track down the shadow copy and blow IT away to get your "new" file to work right.

This doesn't happen with everything - its a bit quirky - but it can and has caused people alot of problems. Keeping things OUT of the "protected" files area keeps headaches from happening.

[FIREWALL]

@ AVG How about SH-3 ?

I put it in my User folder. Seems to work ok.

Copied it over from XP folder. No icon on DT but I use SHC to start anyways.

[AVGWarhawk]

I have not played SH3 for over 2 years. I could not tell you how it runs but others with Vista say it works just fine. Yes, no desktop icon. I just find the program folder and make a short cut .exe to the desktop. You can do that off the programs list also off the start button. That is trivial in my book. I was just play COD single player and online. Man, single player is just nuts.

[Zachstar]

Granted if you have a monster computer Vista will run fine. but not for long however. As whatever extra performance gained from being ahead of software makers will likely end in 09 as things like the HL2 ESP 3 engine and such.

The only way to get around it a bit is to go in and spend hour after hour figuring out what you can safely disable. Even on XP this is a priority if your computer is pre-2006. I can play SH4 only due to going as far as replacing the shell with Blackbox. (A lightweight *nix shell)

[AVGWarhawk]

Looking at games HL2 looks to have plenty of issues with Vista. No doubt. I have not seen ESP 3. Never played HL2. I see some new cpu cores coming out reaching 5Mhz. Personally, I do not see cores getting much faster with heat issue, etc. I do not see games going any deeper then what we are experiencing with today hardware. DX10 has yet to really get off the ground. It will come. I do not see any earth shattering games on the horizon. Only those utilizing quad core, more RAM and hefty videocards. Also, if the software makers want to make a buck, they need to conform to MS and the MS OS of the day. MS does not build the OS around what other software makers are creating.

As far as XP and my pre 2006 computer, AMD3200+, 2 gig RAM and 7800GS, I spent little time shutting down background programs. The game ran fine. Not like it does on a monster rig for sure, but all the same ran fine. The thing with multiple cores, mutliple things can be going on and shutting down/disabling programs is not needed. The machine is working with multiple threads on all the cores, not sharing one core for all programs.

[Zachstar]

5 mhz!!! OMG did the 8086 come out already?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_8086

The 80s are going to be AWESOME!!!

[AVGWarhawk]

I was just glacing though on CPU coolers today and saw some CPU cranking 5. The heat must be nuts. I see water cooling being perfected in the future.

[Zachstar]

The IBM power6 CPU can push 4.7

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POWER6

[FIREWALL]

I was just glacing though on CPU coolers today and saw some CPU cranking 5. The heat must be nuts. I see water cooling being perfected in the future.

I use this :http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3829140&CatId=499

And the filtered fans that came with my case to keep things kool. :http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3649419&csid=_21

I don't plan on doing an upgrade for a looong time.:roll: :D

[Wolfehunter]

I have Vista 64 now and I find something strange. I loaded up SH4 and COD waw. For some reason, a desktop icon for the games do not appear. Any reason why Vista does not allow a desktop icon to appear after the game is installed?Vista puts most icons for games in the game explorer

Sometime it doesn't even show in your programs depending on the game.

I don't like that setup that vista has for icons. I know their is a purpose for it I just can't recall what. :hmm:

[AVGWarhawk]

Game Explorer? Hmmmm. I will have to check that out. You are correct, the SH4 start icon is not in the program folder. I made the short cut to the GU.exe that was installed after the 1.5 patch was introduced. Where can I find the Game Explorer folder?

[AVGWarhawk]

I was just glacing though on CPU coolers today and saw some CPU cranking 5. The heat must be nuts. I see water cooling being perfected in the future.
I use this :http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3829140&CatId=499

And the filtered fans that came with my case to keep things kool. :http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3649419&csid=_21

I don't plan on doing an upgrade for a looong time.:roll: :D

I have a Coolmaster Hyper 2. I watched my cooling last night while playing SH4 and COD waw. Max temp on the CPU is 40'C. At idle the CPU is at 32'C. Cut off and terminal meltdown on the X4 7850 is 61'C. I have a lot of breathing room. Can think about overclocking the CPU with that kind of low temp under gaming conditions.

[AVGWarhawk]

Found Game Explorer. My SH4 and COD icons to launch the games were there:up: Thanks for the heads up on this!

[AVGWarhawk]

OK, it is to my understanding with Vista that it is best to just access administrator account for changes, etc. and then create a user account to actually play games, surf the net, etc. Is that in fact true?

[Enigma]

Have had no problem with HL2, SH4, or any of the other games mentioned with my Vista. However, I cannot run my C&C:Genrals, nor my battlefield Vietnam on Vista.:cry:

[AVGWarhawk]

So you feel it is ok to play games, surf the net etc while running as the administrator?

[Thomen]

So you feel it is ok to play games, surf the net etc while running as the administrator?

As dangerous as it may seems to be, I do everything as admin and never had any problems. I am either just that lucky, or the security is totally underestimated.

[AVGWarhawk]

I was running everything under the administration account. I read on the Vista Forums that doing so is like running the computer as if it had XP as the OS. One women reported that she created 2 user accounts and she used the admin account. Her account under admin ran much slower than the user accounts. Of course the Vista Forum (MS folks) said she should create herself a user account to solve the slower admin account problem which really was for maintenance anyway. She responded she did and all was well after she created the user account. Running the user account, I see in the lower right hand corner that internet protection is on. Meaning it will start questioning the user before allowing to download files. It really is just another layer of protection from rogue files I guess. Running as admin account, the protection is noted as off.

As a side note, I do not see any difference in speed when using the admin account or using the user account. Since each account is set up individually by the user, perhaps her admin account was firing up programs and running in the background thus slowing the computer. Who knows. Anyway, I set up a separate user account on mine. The only thing I find is SH4 will run under admin only. No biggy really. COD waw runs in the user account fine.

[CaptainHaplo]

Personally I run as an admin all the time. The UAC is off, and I have secured the system as needed for what I use it for.

With that said - you can run any app from a user account and yet have admin priveledges just for that series of processes. I often have to walk users thru setting it up as they are (as they should be) locked out to a point.

Right click on the shortcut (either in the all programs or on the desktop - whichever one you use) and left click properties. Go to the Compatibility tab and down at the bottom is a check box that says "Run this program as an Administrator". Check it and hit the apply button. Now when you run from that shortcut - the app will have full priveledged (even if you dont).

This is especially useful for productivity apps that need access to database files and such as they usually require a level of permission above what the end user has.

[AVGWarhawk]

Well, I went with the admin and a user account. No big problem really to get things going as just a user. Oh well, I have learned a lot about vista in a short time:doh: