Did Windows Update slow down my gaming performance?

[Cyber_Akuma]

I am building a new gaming system, considering that the screen is only 1920x1080 resolution, from most benchmarks I have seen, the i7 and GTX670 I put in it shoul be enough to handle any current game at highest settings at a playable framerate.

So I put in a temporary junk HDD and installed Windows 7 (64bit professional) just to test it out and try different configurations on it before I install it for real on the actual system drive.

After downloading the demos to known hardware-straining games like Crysis and Metro 2033 I was pretty satisfied with the performance.

Evetually, I ran windows update and installed all recommended and optional (except for Bing Desktop) updates. After several reboots and re-updates to make sure everything was installed I shut it down.

The next day I start it up again and notice that it was taking two to three times as long to boot up..... fair enough, I did just install many updates. But now I noticed that performance had taken a total nosedive as well. For some reason it took several minutes after the desktop had loaded for any program to actually start up. The Crysis demo (even with vsync turned on from the console) had massive tearing where there wasn't any before, and the Metro 2033 demo had slowdowns, especially when turning!

I suspect its MSE thats causing it (I am going to install NOD32 as my real antivirus anyway) but is there any way I can test what could be causing this lag in case it isn't MSE? I can't just not run Windows Update after all, that would be beyond stupid, especially on a fresh install. Pretty much the only thing that changed between the last time I ran those demos and now was installing updates.

Any good way to see what might be bottlenecking it's gaming performance?

 

[soundguruman]

"The next day I start it up again and notice that it was taking two to three times as long to boot up
..."
You are correct.
Updating slows the computer down, good job observing.
Many of us do not run updates, or we load "critical updates" only.
You can turn off the updates.
If you turn off the antivirus, and firewall, etccc...
set the bios to boot the DVD first...
put the win 7 disk in the drive, and start the computer.
Select Upgrade.
This reloads the OS and erases the updates, without erasing your personal files, or programs. It sets the OS back to default.
Then set automatic updates to off.
Recommend you use professional all in one security (not free security from internet.) Not multiple security programs. All in one professional system such as, Panda, Norton, Kalpersky...
Avoid free security, (or any free "fix it" software) downloaded from internet.
The security will replace Microsoft updates. I do it this way, and so do many other systems. It actually works quite well, and many of us find it more reliable and faster, for sure.

 

[Brett928S2]

Hi

Sounds like the hard drive is crashing and the windows updates loaded onto bad sectors...and updates are fine...

Runs Hirens cd in DOS...the FULL HD TEST...

All the best Brett

 

[soundguruman]

sounds like the hard drive is crashing
Hahahahahahahahahahah!!!

 

[hytecgowthaman]

Windows updates don't slow down system.
if update failed or slow network connection, hardware problems only cause these problems.
first time slow down is not problem.after 1 or 2 hours of normal use can fix this problem.
update Gpu ,hdd ,bios firmware .
Iam have dual core 1.73ghz Compaq laptop "c772tu" win7 fully upto date no speed loss only first time slow down .

 

[arson94]

Did you notice if one of your optional updates was a video driver? I install all available updates as they become available and I only use MSE. I don't have the problems you're experiencing and I don't see a need to be as paranoid as disabling automatic updates and not use MSE.

Also, how old and how large is this temp junk hdd you're using for this test? I would try reinstalling video drivers and reinstalling those game demos first before you let Windows updates or MSE take the blame. One thing I always do is fully update a new install of Windows before I install anything else. It can help avoid some issues when massive updates are to be installed.