2016-03-06

Windows xp computer performance index

The Windows Experience Index is the first stop for anyone who wants to improve the performance of their computer. This is a rating system that measures the performance of its various parts: processor, memory, graphic capabilities and hard drive. The Windows XP Experience Index is designed to help you determine what steps you need to take to speed up your PC.

To open this rating system window, open the Start menu, go to Control Panel and select System and Security. In the System category, click Check Windows Experience Index. Your computer will likely take a minute or two to evaluate the system and present the results.

The Windows Experience Index produces two sets of numbers: an overall score and five components (processor, memory (RAM), graphics, game graphics, main hard drive). The overall score, contrary to what you might think, is not an average of the components' performance. This is the minimum performance potential of your computer, i.e. The lowest score out of five is taken. If your overall score is up to 2.0, then your computer barely has enough resources to Windows startup 7. 3.0 is enough to do basic work and run the Windows Aero desktop, but not enough to play high-end games, edit videos, and do other intensive work. The score range of 4.0 - 5.0 is good enough for multitasking and complex jobs. All accounts 6.0 or higher allow you to perform any work using a computer.

The Overall Performance Index is a good indicator of how the computer will perform overall, but it is somewhat misleading. For example, your PC's base rating is 4.8, but that's because it doesn't have a high-end gaming graphics card. This is quite enough for those who do not play modern, graphics-intensive games. On the contrary, other parameters can be significantly higher.

Here short description these categories and possible improvements for each:

Processor: The faster it can perform calculations, the better. You can upgrade your computer's processor, but this is not recommended. Firstly, this is not so easy to do on your own and is not cheap, and secondly, it can have unforeseen consequences. A true professional will not change the processor.

Random access memory (RAM): for operating system Windows 7 minimum 2GB recommended random access memory. This is the simplest and cheapest upgrade. If 1-2 GB is installed, you can upgrade to 4 GB or higher to significantly speed up the system. RAM costs little and is easy to install yourself.

Graphics: Windows has two categories here: Windows Aero performance and gaming graphics. Games and 3D graphics are much more extreme than necessary for regular user, so if you do high-end (ie professional-level) video editing, work with CAD systems, or play serious games like EverQuest, evaluating Aero's performance is more important to you. This is the second simple update. There are a huge number of video cards available in a variety of price ranges and productivity; they are easy to install, although of course they take a little longer than installing RAM.

Primary hard drive: index hard performance A disk drive is a measure of how fast it moves data (not a measure of how large its capacity is). Again, the faster the better, especially since hard disks, as a rule, this is a slow component. They can be replaced, but it is not as easy to do as, for example, replacing RAM or a video card. Includes working with jumpers, changing the drive letter, etc., in general, the process is not for the faint of heart. Setting up a new hard drive as your primary one also means reinstalling the operating system, applications and data, so this takes quite a lot of time.

If your Windows 7 Experience Score is low in three or four areas, you should probably consider buying a new computer. In the end, it won't cost much more and you'll get a PC with all the latest technology.

Windows Experience Index measures the capabilities of a computer's hardware and software configurations and reports the measurement as a number called the Basic Performance Index. A higher Base Performance Index score means that your computer will perform better and faster, especially when performing more complex and resource-intensive tasks, than a computer with a lower Base Performance Index score.

The overall score reflects the minimum performance of the overall system based on the capabilities of various computer components, including RAM, central processing unit (CPU), hard drive, graphics performance based on desktop and 3D graphics needs.

To open the tool " Tools and performance information", go to Start - Control Panel - System.

After Windows installations 7, it is recommended to install new versions of drivers for your equipment, and then evaluate the Performance Index. If yours is low, in your opinion, then you can optimize the system. Disable visual effects, unused services, and a number of other activities that will help improve productivity. You can use ready-made utilities to optimize and configure the system.

Note: Don't forget to give a restore point to return to the initial state system if something goes wrong.

A computer with an overall score of 1.0 or 2.0 usually has enough performance to perform most general computing tasks, such as running office suites and searching the Internet. However, these computers are usually not powerful enough to take advantage of the Aero style or modern multimedia features available in Windows 7.

On a computer with an overall score of 3.0, you can use the Aero style and many new Windows features 7 at the basic level. However, not all functions of the new additional features Windows 7 OS. For example, a computer with an overall score of 3.0 can display Windows themes 7 at 1280 x 1024 resolution, but may experience significant performance degradation when running on multiple monitors. Or: such a PC supports playback digital television, however, may have difficulty reproducing HDTV content.

A computer with an overall score of 4.0 or 5.0 can take advantage of the new features in Windows 7 and can still run multiple programs.

A computer with an overall score of 6.0 or 7.0 has a faster hard drive and is capable of high-resolution, graphics-intensive environments (examples of such conditions: multi-user 3D games, recording and playback of high-definition television content).

If a specific Windows 7 program or feature requires a higher overall score than your current score, you can upgrade your hardware to bring your computer to the required overall score. To check if the performance index has changed (after installing new hardware), click Re-evaluate. When prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, enter the password or provide confirmation. To view the properties of your computer's hardware, click

Base index- this is a good indicator of the computer's performance as a whole. Ratings can help you understand the level of computer performance for specific types of work.

Office productivity. If the computer is used exclusively for working with office packages(word processing, spreadsheet work, by email and web browsing), then high scores for CPU and memory are important. For graphics performance for desktop and 3D graphics needs, a score of 2.0 or higher is usually sufficient.

Gaming and graphics-intensive programs. If the computer is used for games or graphics-intensive programs, such as digital video editing programs or realistic first-person games, then high scores for CPU, RAM, and graphics performance are important, taking into account the needs of 3D game graphics. Ratings of 3.0 or higher are usually sufficient for a hard drive.

Use as a Media Center. If the computer is used as a media center for modern multimedia work, such as HDTV recording programming, then high ratings for the CPU, hard drive, and graphics system are important, taking into account desktop needs. For the memory and 3D graphics categories, a score of 3.0 or higher is usually sufficient.

For the first time, the performance index was introduced in the operating system, after which it was introduced in Windows 7, but in Windows 8.1 they decided to abandon its graphical shell, but the program itself was still in the system.

Fortunately, we can still find out the performance index from Windows Vista to Windows 10.

If anyone doesn’t understand what kind of index this is, I’ll explain. This function in the system calculates the performance of the hardware and software of a computer or laptop, and then displays a numerical value (score). IN different version OS range of these values ​​is different:

Windows Vista (1-5.9);

Windows 7 (1-7.9);

Windows 8.1 (1-9.9).

There is also a program called WinSAT, which shows the numerical value of important hardware parts of the computer, for example, processor, RAM, graphics core, and more. After calculating all the component values, the overall score is calculated, which is determined by the smallest number, in the end, the higher the overall performance value, the better.

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How to find out the performance index in different versions of Windows?

As I already said, in Windows 8.1 the performance index utility does not have a graphical part, so you can find out its value using the command line or graphical interface.

If you don't want to enter any commands, but want everything to look like it did in Windows 7, then there is a program called WSAT, which replicates the same interface as in the Windows 7 index. Download from here.

You can find out the performance value without using utilities. For example, in Windows 8.1 you don’t even need to do anything, since the system itself has already calculated the performance index and recorded it in special file, located in the folder: C:\Windows\Performance\WinSAT\DataStore.

In this folder there will be a file called “Formal.Assessment (Initial).WinSAT.xml”, which can be opened with a text editor, but it is better to open it with Notepad. Open this document and find the tag in which information about the performance index is stored.

If you cannot open this file or it does not start, then it comes to the rescue command line. Launch it and enter the command Winsat formal. Press Enter and wait for the process to complete.

Like this in a simple way we were able to find out the system performance index, there is nothing complicated.

The Windows 10 Experience Index is missing from the window with basic system information, so many users don’t know where to look for this information in the new operating system. The function, of course, remains, but the system performance assessment is called manually. Let's look at how you can display the computer performance index in Windows 10.

The performance index is a way of measuring the interaction between system components and software, which gives an idea of ​​​​the speed of the PC. The score will range from one to 9.9 points. The OS evaluates the operating speed of each computer component and then displays an overall score, which is not an average score but a measure of the performance of the slowest component.

The simplest method for performing most operations in Windows environment- command line. With its help, forced testing of the system is launched with a subsequent report on the results obtained. This is done by executing a single command.

1. Launch the command line with administrator privileges.

2. Execute the command “winsat formal –restart clean”.

3. We wait for the result of its execution to be displayed.

The process will take a few minutes and is accompanied by information about the execution of the current test.

For a more objective assessment, it is necessary to terminate all resource-intensive applications.

4. Upon completion of the performance assessment, close the program and go to the path “Performance\WinSAT\DataStore”, opening the “Windows” folder.

5. Find a file called “Formal.Assessment (Recent).WinSAT.xml”, where at the beginning there is the date and time of testing and open it, for example, through an Internet browser, although any reading program is suitable for this text documents(same notebook).

6. Go to the “WinSPR” section using the search bar. All the necessary data is here.

• SystemScore is the overall system performance score, calculated from the lowest score (essentially, the overall index will be equal to the performance score of the slowest component of the system).
• MemoryScore - evaluation of RAM.
• CpuScore - CPU speed.
• GraphicsScore - speed of the video card in Windows interface(2D graphics processing, video decoding).
• GamingScore - processing of game scenes.
• DiskScore is a general assessment of the speed of data access on a hard drive.

That's all. You can check the speed of your computer, for example, when purchasing a device using the operating system itself, without resorting to third-party utilities (they will be discussed in the last section).

Windows PowerShell

1. Launch the PowerShell shell with system administrator privileges, using the functional Windows search 10.

2. In the system tool window that opens, enter the command “winsat formal” and execute it via input.

3. While testing each of the key components of the computer, you need to wait a little. The process will take up to five minutes.

4. Open the file Formal.Assessment (Recent).WinSAT.xml, located at the path Windows\Performance\WinSAT\DataStore\…. on the system volume.

5. Find the “WinSPR” section, as in the previous method, and get acquainted with the results.

A simpler and more readable option for displaying test information is to run the “Get-CimInstance Win32_WinSAT” command in a PowerShell window. An explanation of the values ​​can be found at the end of the previous section.

WinSPRLevel - the overall performance index that was displayed in the System window in previous Windows versions. It is also the lowest rating among all.

WinAero WEI Tool

The free, portable utility performs the same functions as the command line, but everything is wrapped in a beautiful graphical shell to make it easier for newbies to use and understand the information. You can download the utility from the official resource at http://winaero.com/download.php?view.79. After unpacking the distribution, the program can be launched.

If the index has been evaluated previously, the application window will display the test results exported from the latest xml file (the most recent). If it is necessary to conduct a fresh test, click “Re-run the assessment” and wait for the testing to complete (resource-intensive applications should be completed first). At the end of the process, the results in the utility window will be updated. Administrator privileges are required to perform the action.

The result can be exported to text file, send by mail or through a messenger used on your computer, or also take a snapshot of the program window using its own means.

Personal computers are complex computing devices. The efficient performance of such a machine is achieved through the use of modern components, but, as is known, over time they become outdated. The productivity index will determine Windows users 7, ignorant of computer hardware and what exactly should be upgraded.

What is a performance index?

The performance index, as the name suggests, is a tool that automatically evaluates the performance of a computing machine, that is, a personal computer, and its key elements. It should be understood that the system does not show the average value, but the smallest. For example, if the “Processor” parameter is equal to 4 points, and all the others are 5, then as a result you will see exactly 4 in the “Overall Score”.

Performance is determined based on all key parameters systems: “Processor”, “Memory (RAM)”, “Graphics”, “Game Graphics” and “Main” HDD».

By looking at the table, any computer owner can independently find out which components need to be upgraded.

How do I get a performance rating?

Finding out your performance rating is not difficult. This can be done in two ways: through “Computer” and “Control Panel”.

View in computer and operating system settings

View the "Counters and Productivity Tools" option

In both the first and second cases, you will be taken to a section where you can look at the performance rating of your system. The window will display all the ratings separately, each of which relates to a specific element of the system, as well as the overall rating.

If you have recently improved some element of your personal computer, it is advisable to re-evaluate it manually. To do this, click on the “Repeat assessment” button.

This can only be done with administrator rights. If you are using a guest account, you will need to provide a password for account administrator, otherwise you will not be able to change your computer's performance rating.

What do the points mean? Normal index performance, what can be the maximum rating?

It’s easy to guess that the points you see in the table are an assessment of the performance of a particular system component. The Windows 7 operating system thus evaluates what tasks the computer can handle. If these scores are high, then there is nothing to worry about, since your PC can successfully handle even time-consuming tasks, but if you see values ​​​​close to 1, then you should think about upgrading.

Let's consider all the elements: the “Processor” component is responsible for the number of operations that it can perform installed processor in one second of time. The “Memory (RAM)” component indicates the speed at which read-write operations are performed per second. “Graphics” is an assessment of desktop performance for the Aero interface enabled, that is, for the desktop itself. The next component, “Graphics for Games,” is already responsible for performance in various applications that require system resources, for three-dimensional graphics. The “main hard drive,” oddly enough, is rated by the speed of data exchange, and not by the capacity of the hard drive.

Optimal performance of the processor and other components

Normal performance index scores should be considered based on the priority tasks you will perform using your computer. If the computer will be used primarily simple applications, like text editors, tables, email browsing and web surfing, then you should pay attention to the amount of RAM and processor. The rating of these indicators can be equal to 5, but you can not pay attention to the “Graphics” component at all - 2 will be quite enough.

Computer games and system resource-intensive applications naturally require the best components. If you are going to perform these types of tasks on your PC, then make sure that the “Processor”, “Memory” and “Game Graphics” components have the highest ratings. The hard drive in this case does not play the most important role, so a score of 3 points will be quite enough.

If your desktop computer will be used most of the time as a media console (you will watch movies or listen to music), then take care of the best “Memory” and “Processor” indicators. For all other components of the system, a score of 3 points will be sufficient.

Maximum Index Score

The maximum performance index score varies depending on the bit size of the system. Modern personal computers have 64-bit operating systems; 32-bit ones are less common. The bit capacity is determined depending on the amount of RAM. Thus, 64-bit OSes are suitable for devices with 4 gigabytes of RAM or more, and 32-bit ones, vice versa. This is due to the fact that 32-bit operating systems are not capable of reading more than 4 gigabytes of RAM. 32-bit devices are rated on a scale of 1.0 to 7.9. 64-bit architectures have a maximum score of 5.9 points.

Boost your score: How to increase PC performance in multiple ways?

Before you run to a specialty store that sells components for personal computers, you can optimize your operating system and PC. This procedure will slightly increase the estimate.

Changing the desktop display - increasing the rating

First, change the operating system interface display. For example, if you have Aero installed, then change it to traditional. Appearance windows and menus affect the performance of the computer, so this procedure can greatly help you in solving the immediate problem.

How to improve your index using diagnostics

Secondly, diagnose logical drives, optimize them, remove unnecessary files and programs. Remember that a cluttered hard drive significantly impairs the performance of the computer as a whole, so make sure that only what you really need is installed on your PC. After removing all programs and files, defragment it, which will allow you to reassemble all remaining files and folders and improve performance.

Thirdly, diagnose the drivers you are using. It's not uncommon that certain drivers may impair the operation of the computer and reduce its performance. If you receive a corresponding notification, then it is better to take care of updating and replacing them.

The last thing that will increase the productivity index is, of course, replacing old components with new ones. You can install an additional memory module if you have motherboard there is a corresponding connector or replace the old one with a more powerful one. On desktop PCs, every element is subject to modernization, everything depends only on your financial capabilities, but with laptops it’s more complicated. For such devices, only the volume can be improved hard drive or RAM, and, unfortunately, all other elements cannot be upgraded.

Video: determining the performance index in Windows 7

Why performance ratings may disappear and what to do in this case

Typically, the computer performance assessment works offline, without any significant problems. However, sometimes there are errors in determining the rating, which may be due to: various software supposedly responsible for security when working on the network or codecs. Codecs are software designed to decode and encode media files. The thing is that the system performance assessment itself is based on the VC-1 codec, and when it is changed or upgraded, conflicts may occur.

Disabling antivirus

First try disabling your antivirus software (depending on your software, the sequence may be different).

Removing and installing codecs

So, if disabling the antivirus did not help you, then you will have to remove and install all codecs manually:

1. Open the Start menu and Control Panel;
2. In the window that appears, find the “Programs and Features” option;
3. Find installed codecs in the list and remove them (for example, K-Lite Codec Pack);
4. Reinstall the K-Lite Codec Pack;
5. Enter the program directory through the Start menu and run ffdshow video decoder;
6. A window will open with a list of video codecs, find VC-1;
7. Most likely, the Decoder parameter for this codec will be set to Disable, change it to Libavcodec and save the changes.

BIOS update

If these methods do not help you, then you may have to resort to updating the integrated BIOS environment, drivers, in particular DirectX, or roll back to previous versions. Log in as an administrator and navigate to C:\Windows\Performance\WinSAT\DataStore.

Here you should delete absolutely all files and reboot Personal Computer. After starting the OS, run the performance assessment again.

Scan system files

Sometimes this is not enough, which means you should check the availability system files. You can do it like this:

The process of searching for problems in system files and then eliminating them will begin.

Reinstalling Visual Studio 2010

If you get an error when running a performance assessment that indicates MSVCR100.dll is missing, then you will have to reinstall Visual Studio 2010. This is a free library available for download by all users on the official Microsoft website. You need to choose a package based on the bit capacity of your system, and you can find it out like this:

1. Open “Start” and on “Computer” right-click;
2. Select "Properties";
3. In the “System” section, pay attention to the “System type” parameter; the bit depth will be indicated there;
4. Go to the Microsoft website and download the Visual Studio 2010 package you need (https://www.microsoft.com/ru-ru/download/details.aspx?id=5555 - for 32 and 86; https://www.microsoft. com/ru-ru/download/details.aspx?id=14632 - for 64);
5. After downloading and installing, restart your computer.

The Computer Performance Index is a useful tool that allows the user to promptly determine the need to upgrade a particular part of the device.