Question about Vista and fast user switching.

[korialstraz]

Question about Vista and fast user switching.

I just tried using fast user switching on Vista for the first time today, and it takes up a lot of my CPU. I got an intel E8500 I think it was, 3,16 GHz and I have not OC'd it. Is it usual for Vista when using fast user switching to take as much as 40-50% of my CPU? I know it's Vista and all, but that just seemed like a lot. I've yet to try with a third user, but I know when I used XP on my old machine which can't even compare to this, running 3 users was no problem for my CPU (less than 50% load).

Anyone else have similar expirience?

 

[jmervyn]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

Anyone else have similar expirience?

Vista? What the hell are you using that for? :crazyeyes:

 

[Johnny]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

Because the market dictates windows to be the most superior OS around.

 

[krischan]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

If there's something to do and there's nothing to wait for, like I/O or user input, the CPU will always be used at 100% to do the job as quickly as possible, of course. If it takes long in spite of 100% CPU usage, blame the OS, lack of memory, too many programs running or having activated too many bells and whistles.

If things go slowly which interact with the user, like graphics, sound, keystrokes or mouse movement and you have a halfway decent computer, the OS doesn't do enough of a good job to give it the highest priority possible. Windows is a bit notorious with respect to that.

 

[korialstraz]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

Vista? What the hell are you using that for? :crazyeyes:

Because I don't mind Microsoft OS and at the time I bought the comp I also wanted to buy an OS so to avoid the hassle of DLing one or borrowing from a friend. Since Windows 7 is too far from now to be worth waiting for, and xp is so old I settled for Vista so that I can later upgrade to Windows 7.

Because the market dictates windows to be the most superior OS around.

No... see above.

If there's something to do and there's nothing to wait for, like I/O or user input, the CPU will always be used at 100% to do the job as quickly as possible, of course. If it takes long in spite of 100% CPU usage, blame the OS, lack of memory, too many programs running or having activated too many bells and whistles.

If things go slowly which interact with the user, like graphics, sound, keystrokes or mouse movement and you have a halfway decent computer, the OS doesn't do enough of a good job to give it the highest priority possible. Windows is a bit notorious with respect to that.

Thanks for the answer Krisch. I've never noticed my comp using so much CPU before even if it was available to complete a task, is that new to Vista? The OS and other stuff seemed to run just fine despite being at or close to 100% and the CPU and RAM should be more than sufficient for running 2 copies of D2. Even my old comp did so without problems and it is far inferior.

Nothing was slow though so I guess it is as you say it dedicates more CPU to get the task done.

 

[jmervyn]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

Because I don't mind Microsoft OS and at the time I bought the comp I also wanted to buy an OS so to avoid the hassle of DLing one or borrowing from a friend. Since Windows 7 is too far from now to be worth waiting for, and xp is so old I settled for Vista so that I can later upgrade to Windows 7.

Hey, your funeral. I'd have made sure to get the XP 'downgrade' option and then have the store perform it, if I decided on that course of action.

And, of course, I think the hassle you'll encounter with Vista dwarfs any difficulty you'd have with Ubuntu. If you had the cash I'd have recommended a Mac with the XP alternate boot (whatever that's called).

No... see above.

Don't mind Johnny; trolling is his raison d'etre

 

[Johnny]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

And, of course, I think the hassle you'll encounter with Vista dwarfs any difficulty you'd have with Ubuntu. If you had the cash I'd have recommended a Mac with the XP alternate boot (whatever that's called).
Don't mind Johnny; trolling is his raison d'etre

Did Bill gates run over your dog or what?

Mac is at best equal to windows.

 

[Crowd Control]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

Mac isn't even a bad option. Can't you 'just' install OS/X on a self assembled comp nowadays?

 

[stephan]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

@OP

Is the CPU only going up during the switching, or does it stay that while having more than one user logged in?

 

[Dondrei]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

Fast user switching in Windows has always been a resource drain, same in XP. MS just doesn't design it with that in mind.

Because the market dictates windows to be the most superior OS around.

Ah, but not Vista...

Mac isn't even a bad option. Can't you 'just' install OS/X on a self assembled comp nowadays?

Nah, hax still required, pretty sure.

 

[jmervyn]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

Mac is at best equal to windows.

See? I rest my case. Only a blithering idiot or a deliberate troll would make a statement such as the above.

And I've been working with... make that beating my forehead against... Windoze since version 1.0 - possibly longer than Johnny's been alive.

 

[Johnny]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

Mac, Windows. Same bull****, different hats.

And I've been working with... make that beating my forehead against... Windoze since version 1.0 - possibly longer than Johnny's been alive.

Hence the M$ every 5th post I take it. As if mac works non profit.

and why do you talk of old age like it's something to be proud of?

 

[SaroDarksbane]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

How did I know jmerv would be the first person to reply?
And how did I know it would be a "lol @ windoze, amirite?" post?

These questions may never be answered . . .

Although I do sympathize somewhat, since I think (correct me if I'm wrong here, J-man) that he actually sysadmin'd a Windows network at some point, which I hear can make anyone bitter, and I'm sure uncovers a slew of new "features" that normal users don't normally see.

For just a personal computer, Windows is actually quite nice. I like being able to plug in absolutely anything I can get my hands on (My toaster is the next thing I try) and have Windows recognize it and know how to use it right off the bat.

(Because I'm a masochist, I installed the latest Ubuntu yet again to my second partition to see if perhaps I would find it less cumbersome, and then I spent the next two hours trying to figure out why it wouldn't save my Static IP settings upon reboot. Turns out, it's a bug that won't be fixed until the next release, or somesuch. Great. I love having to re-enter my network information everytime I startup my computer. *sigh* I never learn . . . )

 

[jmervyn]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

Although I do sympathize somewhat, since I think (correct me if I'm wrong here, J-man) that he actually sysadmin'd a Windows network at some point, which I hear can make anyone bitter, and I'm sure uncovers a slew of new "features" that normal users don't normally see.

For "at some point" replace "for the past 10 years" and you're closer to the mark.

(Because I'm a masochist, I installed the latest Ubuntu yet again to my second partition to see if perhaps I would find it less cumbersome, and then I spent the next two hours trying to figure out why it wouldn't save my Static IP settings upon reboot. Turns out, it's a bug that won't be fixed until the next release, or somesuch.

How the hell did you manage that? :smug:

Yeah, it's configured to use DHCP by default, but configuring a static is easier than it is with Windows. Do you have a Malaysian-standard NIC or something?

I take it you're referring to this... here's a solution, though it involves something that you might get arrested for.

 

[SaroDarksbane]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

Yeah, it's configured to use DHCP by default, but configuring a static is easier than it is with Windows. Do you have a Malaysian-standard NIC or something?

I wouldn't say it's harder or easier. Doesn't matter what OS you use, you just have to enter in the info. Once it was in, it worked fine.

My problem was, it would reset to DHCP upon reboot, losing all my static IP info in the process, thereby forcing me to re-enter it all.

After searching online through a few dead ends, I found that the answer was to "jiggle" the buttons a bit (Deselect an option, enter the info, re-select the option). I think it was a problem with how the network manager requested (or didn't, in this case) root access to change the underlying files. Just entering the information and hitting apply wasn't enough to cause it to request the admin password, whereas de-selecting one of the random options and re-selecting it would trigger the password box and then you could be sure it would actually save your changes upon exit. Or something.

Either way, a very Linux moment. :thumbup:

 

[korialstraz]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

Sorry for late reply. Been busy at work, spamming the etf and well... not expecting any good replies due to the first couple ones (no offence).

@OP

Is the CPU only going up during the switching, or does it stay that while having more than one user logged in?

It is at around 50 at all times, rising to around 70-85 when running 1 copy of D2 at 1 user. If I have 2 copies running and 1 as the main window so to speak it tops out at around 80-90/100%. Though it doesn't seem to slow down in a way you'd expect it to. Good thing is though once you minimize D2 it stops taking as much resources. Having 2 copies running in user switching takes about 45-60% when I'm not playing.

Hey, your funeral. I'd have made sure to get the XP 'downgrade' option and then have the store perform it, if I decided on that course of action.

And, of course, I think the hassle you'll encounter with Vista dwarfs any difficulty you'd have with Ubuntu. If you had the cash I'd have recommended a Mac with the XP alternate boot (whatever that's called).
Don't mind Johnny; trolling is his raison d'etre

I actually like Vista after fixing some settings. The UAC had to go right away obviously, but after that it's very much like a fancy XP, and I believe it's cheaper to upgrade from Vista to windows 7 than from XP? Or is that just me who thinks so :crazyeyes:

Anyway I'd never buy a Mac. I've tried working a little on it at work, and I just don't like it. Perhaps at some point it'd grow on me but I'm not so sure. I don't have much trouble with Vista at all, so I don't see a reason to change OS. Besides windows is more suited for games than linux or mac for the most part isn't it? And I mostly do gaming so :thumbup:

 

[Crowd Control]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

You do know there is this flaw in the *crowbar swings* game engine that it always sucks up almost all of your cpu resources when maximized? This occurs virtually always and is only resolved by either minimizing an instance of it or having multicore processors.

 

[korialstraz]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

I guess that explains why it didn't suck up more than about 40-50% which on top of the fast user switching resulted in the 90%+ CPU usage.

 

[bladesyz]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

Vista? What the hell are you using that for? :crazyeyes:

With enough RAM (I've got 3 gb), Vista works pretty nicely. I actually experience less problems than I do with the XP on my laptop.

 

[jmervyn]

Re: Question about Vista and fast user switching.

With enough RAM (I've got 3 gb), Vista works pretty nicely. I actually experience less problems than I do with the XP on my laptop.

I'll respond with an *old* YouTube clip...



Your problems with XP are quite likely due to your laptop. And considering that I can get performance like that in the video with 512Mb, I'd rather use my RAM on apps than Aero.

Or DRM.