Win 7

[Fabregas 10]

I've seen people saying the game runs much better on Windows 7 and I'm interested in trying it out anyway so I thought I might give it a go. My question is this - If I install Win 7 on a seperate partition can I run programs from my main Vista partition through Win 7 or would I have to install all the programs onto the new partition?

[FraG_AU 10]

You have to install, unless the program is self contained.. (Few are these days besides perhaps tiny apps!)

But as soon as you install Win 7 and arma2 you will either want to keep it, or ditch it :)

[Fabregas 10]

Ok, if I install again will that count as another activation for ArmA? Would the different OS count as a different system?

[FraG_AU 10]

It did on my version being the Metaboli German Digi download. It may differ as BIS implied this is handled by the publishers?

I actually used up all my activations trying various OS's to get game to perform, and the place I purchased from re-enabled my activations after explaining my issue.

Someone did say in a previous post to run arma2.exe with "\Revoke" or was it "/revoke"? But I can't confirm as I have not tried yet!

[Rhodite 3]

I've seen people saying the game runs much better on Windows 7 and I'm interested in trying it out anyway so I thought I might give it a go. My question is this - If I install Win 7 on a seperate partition can I run programs from my main Vista partition through Win 7 or would I have to install all the programs onto the new partition?

There are a lot more factors than the OS to consider, sure Windows 7 is proving to be very good but I would urge you (unless you are really keen) to stay with WindowsXP as I have not seen very many people gain anything spectacular in terms of performance for ArmA2.

[Fabregas 10]

Am using Vista as the primary OS. Installed Win7 on a seperate partition, so I'll be trying it out soon anyway.

Cheers

[Brew Crew 10]

Am using Vista as the primary OS. Installed Win7 on a seperate partition, so I'll be trying it out soon anyway.

Cheers

Let us know how it works. It would be great if you could post fps from the 3rd mission in the capital city, as this seems to be the most intesive section of the game. I'm sure you're already aware, but be sure your settings are identical so the results are comparable.

I'm in the process of doing the same and will hopefully have some results in the next day or so.

[kanotson 2]

I had Vista 64 (SP2) and updated to Win7. I did not notice any improvement. But other people did. From what i've read, the best OS for Arma2 is XP.

[nuggetz 0]

Windows 7 is so much better than Vista. Plus, I'm a big XP fan but it's becoming dated. I run more than Arma on my machine and was due for an upgrade of the OS. Windows 7 hasn't crashed since I installed it. It's been that good. Sure, maybe some games run a little better in XP but Win7 appears to be a lot zippier for everything else. You should at least dual boot and try it.

[Mcpl-Ripcord 0]

My experience with Win 7 was less then spectacular

my current OS is Vista 64bit, I heard Win 7 was running arma2 much better so I decided to give it a shot.

After updating everything on Win 7 I installed Arma2,

it ran worse then on Vista, stutters,lag and even a few CTD's which had never happened on vista. amazing i know :eek:

On Win 7 I had to play with everything set to low or disabled in order to get a playable game..on Vista I have everything on high.

It's odd to say but I was happy to re-install Vista.

the problems with win 7 could be for a multitude of reasons.

I did a full wipe of my HD to install win 7, I only play 2 video games Arma1 and now 2 so wipeing my HD is no big loss. It was a fresh, clean and completely up to date version of Win 7 RC

so whatever the reason for it being poorer performance in Arma2 as opposed to other peoples I do not know.

That's just my experience..yours of course may be completely different.

[papoose244 10]

It runs better for me on 7 then vista make sure you have the last build 7264.

[Fabregas 10]

Ok, first update. I installed Win7 64-bit and installed Catalyst 9.4 because the later releases were causing a BSOD during installation. Anyway, the initial results were very promising.

I haven't tested on the SP campaign yet, as the bugs do my head in tbh, but playing MP on the same map on the same server as the night before on Vista with the same graphics settings, my fps had increased from around 30 to a steady 40-50.

As pleasing as this might be, I can't put this down solely to Win7 as a lot of the performance boost may well be from the fact it's a clean OS install with only ArmA and Fraps installed along with a few other bits and pieces such as messenger and team speak. Seems like a very nice OS though so I'm glad I tried it out anyway.

I'll update again if I get round to trying out the SP before they bring out a hopefully performance enhancing patch.

[Kenjineering 10]

Fabregas may I please know your system specs? :)

I just wiped Vista64 from my SSD drive and replaced it with Win7 last night.

My arma2 marks stayed the same at around 3800 marks (Binkster Standard), which is rather pathetic given others with single gtx280 (or similar) have penetrated the 4000 and 5000marks (they are XP people though).

If you have forgotten, binkster's standard is, everything on normal settings but post processing on low, 100%Fill and at 1600x1050.

BUT I will say that I no longer experience spikes of 0-10FPS in Harvest Red and Razor Two. I also get less mouse lag (wasn't really a problem anyway). In Havest Red, when I run from the start location to the location where the sniper is (war hero run) and look around whilst running my average FPS is a steady 19-23FPS (Binksters Standard).. If I play with everything on Very high but no AA @ 1900x1200.. I get a steady 17-19FPS (as opposed to my old 0-22FPS). (this is with 186.18)

Also I installed the older version of my Nvidia drivers. Version 181.71. When I did the same "war hero run" in Harvest Red, I got a steady 20-25 FPS using binksters standard. So that didn't really give me a boost either.

I had the Sli Indicators on the whole time and one interesting thing I noted was that they are always barely at half usage?!@ So I might re-overclock my CPU to 3.5Ghz again and see if that makes any difference. Disabling Sli gave me worse performance at the loading screens BUT it pretty much gave me the same performance in the areas I have talked about already, which is a bit of a dissappoint ment knowing my sli isn't being utilised properly. BUT OH WELL stay positive!

All in all, now that I don't have the sudden drops to low FPS, I can play the campaign. I will turn terrain detail to normal though and probably lower object detail aswell.

One last thing... my sound has now become "tinny"/Metallic. Any Ideas on how to fix it (I haven't yet googled it so don't feel obliged to answer).

And another LAST thing... Change your power plans from "Balanced" to "high Performance" via winows control panel.

Edited July 7, 2009 by Kenjineering

[Fabregas 10]

My specs are

Intel E8300 @ 2.83GHz

4GB DDR2 RAM

Radeon HD3870 with Catalyst 9.4 (hopefully getting an upgrade to this soon)

With Blinksters standard I'm getting 20-23 fps running around the forest at the mass grave in Harvest Red.

With everything set to very high and no AA at 1920x1200 I'm getting 16-20.

Strange that I'm almost matching you for performance with considerably weaker specs. Just adds weight to the argument that there is some serious issue with the engine itself.

[Kenjineering 10]

I am happy for you mate. MASS GRAVES? WHERE? I havn't finished that level yet. (Been too busy losing online:cool:).

What I called the "war hero run", is the killer for me.. aside from that everything is probably 28-40fps in that mission. View distance 2km, all settings on very high, No AA. Terrain on Normal, Objects on High. 1920*1200.

Windows 7 made the difference for me.