Testing Valve Games on Vista Beta
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Note:The beta2 keys will work for RC1. For those who don't have a key can either wait till they become publicly available or can install Vista without a key by clicking "Next" at the setup screen when it asks for a key.
Note:The Customer Preview Program is now closed. Windows Vista has been released, and as of today, it is no longer supported by Microsoft.
Note:Various links are most likely dead.
This space is for people (the user community) testing the compatibility and/or the performance of current Valve games as well as the Steam platform, on the then next generation version Windows, called Windows Vista.
The content of this page is no longer updated.
Purpose
The idea is to help Valve optimize their games for the next consumer platform by giving them performance samples similar to what they gathered with their stress tests.
Current Vista
Note:The beta2 keys will work for RC1. For those who don't have a key can either wait till they become publicly available or can install Vista without a key by clicking "Next" at the setup screen when it asks for a key.Note:The Customer Preview Program is now closed. Windows Vista has been released, and as of today, it is no longer supported by Microsoft.Steam Forums Vista discussion
Drivers downloads
These are the latest drivers, but might be compatible for an older Vista build. For each of the following set of drivers, please read the ReadMe file for the list of supported devices.
Note:Various links are most likely dead.ATI Catalyst video drivers
Nvidia nForce system drivers
Nvidia Forceware video drivers
Creative sound cards
Results
Windows Vista Build 5308Suede
Video Settings
Average FPS
nba1341
Video Settings
Average FPS
DogGunn
Video Settings
Average FPS
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Windows Vista Build 5342Ry Jones
Video Settings
Performance
LOKI415
Video Settings
Average FPS
bugs
Priyajeet
Video Settings
Average FPS
Comments
TecShdw
Video Settings
Average FPS
Comments
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Windows Vista Build 5384 (Beta 2)
Zips
- Game:
Counter-Strike: Source & 
Half-Life 2 - OS: Windows Vista Ultimate (Beta 2, Build 5384, x86)
- DX: Version 10
- CPU: AMD AthlonXP 2500+ 1.83GHz
- Video: NVIDIA Geforce 6800GT (Driver Version: 87.98)
- Memory: 1GB PC2700
Video Settings
- Shader Detail: High
- Model Detail: High
- Shadow Detail: High
- Texture Detail: High
- Filtering: Antistropic 8X
- Water: Reflect All
- AA: 2x
- VSync: Off
- HDR: Full (Where available)
Average FPS
- 45.33 FPS (1280x1024) On CS: Source Stress Test
- Couldn't measure accurately in Half-Life 2 due to random glitches.
Comments
- CS: Source - Stress test ran without issue. In-game it ran ok with minor hitching here and there (only 15 mins of gameplay though).
- HL2 issues - After a period of about 20 minutes of playing, the game completely froze for over 30 seconds and when control returned to me all sounds have disappeared. The only way to fix this was to restart the game.
- Textures and world geometry completely disappared. Antlions would only appear as shadows on the ground as well.
- The game ultimately hardlocked my computer multiple times prompting me to use the reset button on my machine each time. Vista is using an early version of DirectX 10, and there seems to be a number of issues for games using DirectX 9 (and possibly earlier).
TomEdwards
- Game: Counter-Strike: Source & Half-Life 2: Episode One
- OS: Windows Vista Ultimate (Beta 2, Build 5384, x86)
- DX: Version 9
- CPU: P4 3.2GHz hyperthreaded
- Video: Radeon X800 Pro
- Memory: 1GB PC3200
Video Settings
- Shader Detail: High
- Model Detail: High
- Shadow Detail: High
- Texture Detail: High
- Filtering: Antistropic 8X
- Water: Reflect All
- AA: 2x
- VSync: Off
- HDR: Full (Where available)
Average FPS
- 60.72 FPS (1280x1024) On CS: Source Stress Test
- 67.69 under XP
Comments
- Massive shader corruption in the stress test. About half the time there was no problem, but the other half of the time can be seen in the link. The two states were flickered rapidly between. The first, second, and forth shaders in the corridor performed normally, but the third (orange ripples) had the same problem as the water.
- The corruption is only present in expensive water.
- Try turning Catalyst AI to 'Standard.' I noticed this issue in pretty much any game on Vista (including the included 3D Vista Games) while Catalyst AI was set to 'Advanced.' I run a Mobility X700, but have since uninstalled the Beta. This indicates a driver issue. SuperCoolAl 00:22, 22 Jun 2006 (PDT)
- I also experienced corruption of facial textures in Episode One. So far, I have found Alyx and Breen to be affected, but other characters are normal. I've seen this sort of thing before in another game, so it could be an issue for ATI rather than Valve. Then again, why only the faces (the back of her head was fine)?
- Episode One suffered from dreadful stutter, far worse than anything in XP. This might be down to the increased use of resources by Vista, or it might be a proper problem.
- HL2 has a slight hitch when certain sounds start to play which isn't present in XP, but is otherwise smooth.
- Games do not save their screen state. They reset back to the default fullscreen @ 1024x768 every load.
ATimson
- Game: Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Half-Life 2: Episode One, and Counter-Strike: Source (stress test only)
- OS: Windows Vista, Ultimate Edition (x86 build 5384)
- DX: Hardware v8.1, software reported by game 9.0, software reported by OS 10
- CPU: Pentium 4, 2.8 GHz, hyperthreading enabled
- Video: Radeon 9000 Pro All-in-Wonder, driver version 6.14.10.6575 (equivalent to Catalyst 5.10, this is the version that ships with Vista; ATI's beta drivers don't support the 9000)
- Memory: 1.5GB
Video Settings
- Shader Detail: High
- Model Detail: High
- Shadow Detail: High
- Texture Detail: High
- Filtering: Trilinear
- Water: Simple Reflections
- AA: None
- VSync: On
- HDR: Off
Average FPS
- 21.64 FPS(1280x1024) in CS:S stress test
- No hard numbers handy for the XP stress test, but they've been in the similar range; however, the test seemed significantly smoother.
Comments
- Hitting ESC to skip the intro video results in the video freezing, but the sound continuing to play. The -novid switch functions correctly.
- Prior to the 14 June 2006 HL2DM update, the configuration files did not retain the changes to the video setting, instead resetting to their defaults on each run. While video setting changes are now retained, other configuration changes (like Nickname or key bindings) are not.
- No signs of video corruption so far. I also haven't encountered any of the freezing others referred to, though I haven't played for more than a half-hour at a time. Perhaps the beta nVidia/ATI drivers need more work as compared to the "shipping" versions that come with the OS?
Doc OC
- Game: Counter-Strike: Source & Half-Life 2: Episode One
- OS: Windows Vista Ultimate (Beta 2, Build 5384, x86)
- DX: Hardware 9.0 , Software 10
- CPU: Intel Pentium 4 3.0 Ghz HyperThreading Enabled
- Video: ATI Radeon X1600XT (ATI Vista Beta Driver)
- Memory: 1GB DDR2 PC4200
Video Settings
- Shader Detail: High
- Model Detail: High
- Shadow Detail: High
- Texture Detail: High
- Filtering: Antistropic 8X
- Water: Reflect World
- AA: 4x
- VSync: Off
- HDR: Full (Where available)
- Colour Correction: Enabled
Average FPS
- 51.99 (1152x864) CS:Source Stess Test
Comments
- All Source games have some stuttering, noticeably in CS:Source and HL2: Episode 1.
- Textures on models (including map textures) completely disappear at a short to medium distance.
- There has been no sound loop crashing in Episode 1, although there is some slight stuttering.
- Cannot stop playback of Valve logo upon startup, the screen sometimes turns grey when pressing Escape.
huntercook
- Game: Counter-Strike: Source
- OS: Windows Vista Ultimate (Beta 2, Build 5384, x64)
- DX: See notes
- CPU: Intel Pentium D 930 (3.0 Ghz dual core, 2M cache per core)
- Video: Nvidia Geforce 6600 (256M)
- Memory: 1GB DDR2 667
Video Settings
- Shader Detail: High
- Model Detail: High
- Shadow Detail: High
- Texture Detail: High
- Filtering: Antistropic 8X
- Water: Reflect World
- AA: 4x
- VSync: Off
- HDR: Full (Where available)
- Colour Correction: Enabled
- Stress Test FPS: ~80
Comments
- Game is unplayable; textures flicker on/off constantly and clipping problems; basically I can't really see what I'm doing.
- The desktop composition thing is strange...when I press ctrl-shift-F9 nothing happens. However, I've set the program properties to turn of composition at runtime, and that does turn off the transparency and such...but the game still has the same problems.
- Originally I thought the trouble might be DX; I installed Civilization IV prior to steam, and it required me to do a DX9 install to work right, and I thought maybe that old DX was messing up CS. But I went to Microsoft's website and got the brand-new DX9/10 bundle for vista and installed it, and I still get the same results. :-(
Tscheel
- Game: Counter-Strike: Source
- OS: Windows Vista Ultimate (Beta 2, Build 5384, x86)
- DX: Version 9, Installed Updated DLL's through June DX SDK
- CPU: AMD X2 3800+
- Video: NVidia 6800GT
- Memory: 2GB PC3200
Video Settings
- Shader Detail: High
- Model Detail: High
- Shadow Detail: High
- Texture Detail: High
- Filtering: Antistropic 16X
- Water: Reflect All
- AA: 4x
- VSync: On
Average FPS
- 57.80 FPS (1280x1024) On CS: Source Stress Test
- ~140 under XP
Comments
- Massive amounts of clipping and tearing textures. Game is unplayable. I have no other issues with any other game that I have tested. Oblivion, Sims 2, Galactic Civilizations 2, Empire Earth 2 all run perfectly.
Windows Vista Build 5536 (Pre-RC1)
AiusEpsi
- Game: Steam
- OS: Windows Vista Ultimate (Pre-RC1, Build 5536, x86)
Comments
- Unless you explicitly run Steam as an administrator and get a UAC pop-up, it virtualises Steam's attempted to write to C:\Program Files to C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files instead. This has the effect of meaning every Windows user on the machine will have a different set of GCFs, causing unnecessary duplication, and I suspect it causes performance degredation when downloading.
- The hardware survey also crashes.
Windows Vista Build 5600 (RC1)
Artem
- Game: Counter-Strike: Source
- OS: Windows Vista Ultimate (Rc1, Build 5600, x86)
- DX: Version 10
- CPU: AMD64 3700+ (@ 2.6GHz)
- Video: ATI x850 XT
- Memory: 2GB PC3200
Video Settings
- Shader Detail: High
- Model Detail: High
- Shadow Detail: High
- Texture Detail: High
- Filtering: Antistropic 16X
- Water: Reflect All
- AA: Off
- VSync: On
- Resolution: 1280x1024
Average FPS
Comments
- Steam needed to be started up with Admin priveleges (right click > Start as Administrator), or a file access error would show up on startup.
- The game is finally playable at a decent speed. Earlier attemps were terrible and lagged horribly.
- The game glitched at hardware DirectX level detection and forced a level of 0.0. I had to manually force -dxlevel 90 for it to work properly, but that fixed all graphical glitches/low quality graphics that I was experiencing.
- Hardware survey works, detects my OS as "(Build 5600) (32 bit)"
- For me, changing the shader quality crashes the game at load time.
Doc OC
- Game: Counter-Strike: Source
- OS: Windows Vista Ultimate (RC1, Build 5728, x86)
- DX: Hardware 9.0 , Software 10
- CPU: Intel Pentium 4 3.0 Ghz HyperThreading Enabled
- Video: ATI Radeon X1600XT (ATI Vista Beta Driver)
- Memory: 1GB DDR2 PC4200
Video Settings
- Shader Detail: High
- Model Detail: High
- Shadow Detail: High
- Texture Detail: High
- Filtering: Antistropic 8X
- Water: Reflect World
- AA: 4x
- VSync: Off
- HDR: Full (Where available)
- Colour Correction: Enabled
Average FPS
- 85.62 (1152x864) CS:Source Stess Test
Comments
- Although the frame rate has increased, it will only draw half of the screen, the bottom half will only draw the skybox but not the map geometry. Example shown here.
Windows Vista Build 5728 (Post-RC1)
AndrewNeo
- Game: Half-Life 2
- OS: Windows Vista Ultimate (Post-RC1, Build 5728, x64)
- DX: Version 10
- CPU: AMD64 3200+ (@ 2.0GHz)
- Video: ATI Radeon 9600SE
- Memory: 1GB PC3200
Video Settings
- Shader Detail: High
- Model Detail: High
- Shadow Detail: High
- Texture Detail: High
- Filtering: Trilinear
- Water: Reflect All
- AA: Off
- VSync: Off
- Resolution: 1280x800
Average FPS
- (Not available)
Comments
- UAC for installation only, none for running Steam standalone
- Game ran great, same if not better than on x86 Windows XP
- Ran HL2 in 64-bit mode with no problem
Windows Vista Build 5744 (RC2)
Windows Vista Build 6000 (RTM)
Created by: X
- Game: Counter-Strike: Source and Half-Life 2: Lost Coast
- OS: Windows Vista Ultimate (Post-RC2, Build 6000, x86 32bit)
- DX: Version 10
- CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3500+ (@ 2.2GHz)
- Video: Sapphire Radeon X800 (Catalyst 7.2 Drivers)
- Memory: 2GB PC3500
- Sound Card: Audigy 2 (Creative Sound Blaster Audigy Series Vista Beta Driver 2.12.0001)
- Speakers: 5.1
- Sound Quality: High
Video Settings
- Model Detail: High
- Texture Detail: High
- Shader Detail: High
- Water: Reflect All
- Shadow Detail: High
- Color Correction Enabled
- AA: On 2x
- Filtering: Anisotropic 4x
- VSync: On
- Resolution: 1024x768
- HDR: Full (Where available)
Average FPS
- 74.13 Counter-Strike: Source
- 48.3 Half-Life 2: Lost Coast
Comments
- UAC for installation only, none for running Steam standalone
- Game ran great, same if not better than on x86 Windows XP
Required
- Adding publisher details to steam client/game executables. Will help in publisher verification at Vista security checks.
- Using CTRL-SHIFT-F9 to turn off Desktop Composition will be extremely helpful.
Links
Screenshots
Hardware survey result.
Steam client survey result.
Updating Half-Life 2 on Steam.
Screenshot of Steam Store in 2006.
Screenshot of Day of Defeat: Source in Vista Beta 2
