Windows Experience Index dropped

Hi,

I experienced something I consider quite weird...

My initial Windows Experience Index (WEI) score was 4.9:

Processor: 4.9
Memory: 4.9
Graphics: 5.9
Gaming Graphics: 5.1
Primary hard disk: 5.4

My Hardware:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+
2.0 GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT - 256 MB DDR3
SATA 3GB/s HDDs

Just the other day I noticed that (when looking at my detailed WEI score) it
said I had installed new hardware & I should re-index. I'd only added a hard
drive to the system, so I updated the score.

The result was my score *dropped* from 4.9 to 3.5!

Processor: 4.9
Memory: 4.9
Graphics: 5.9
***Gaming Graphics: 3.5
Primary hard disk: 5.4

I have NO idea why all of a sudden my "Gaming Graphics" would drop from 4.9
to 3.5? I thought the *idea* was to introduce higher scores when more
capable hardware was introduced, not 'downgrade' the rating on current
systems?


Arie

Actually your drop was from 5.1 to 3.5.

Do you notice any difference in performance? If not, who cares. Are you
trying to quality for the Olympics or something? :-)

JT

"Arie Slob" <arie@infinisource.com> wrote in message
news:ehZi7mLLHHA.4848@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
>
> I experienced something I consider quite weird...
>
> My initial Windows Experience Index (WEI) score was 4.9:
>
> Processor: 4.9
> Memory: 4.9
> Graphics: 5.9
> Gaming Graphics: 5.1
> Primary hard disk: 5.4
>
> My Hardware:
>
> AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+
> 2.0 GB RAM
> NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT - 256 MB DDR3
> SATA 3GB/s HDDs
>
> Just the other day I noticed that (when looking at my detailed WEI score)
> it said I had installed new hardware & I should re-index. I'd only added a
> hard drive to the system, so I updated the score.
>
> The result was my score *dropped* from 4.9 to 3.5!
>
> Processor: 4.9
> Memory: 4.9
> Graphics: 5.9
> ***Gaming Graphics: 3.5
> Primary hard disk: 5.4
>
> I have NO idea why all of a sudden my "Gaming Graphics" would drop from
> 4.9 to 3.5? I thought the *idea* was to introduce higher scores when more
> capable hardware was introduced, not 'downgrade' the rating on current
> systems?
>
>
> Arie
>

Yes, correct, overall score dropped from 4.9 > 3.5 but graphic score from
5.1 to 3.5

No, I don't care. But I'm sure I'll get people asking me questions about it
when they see a similar drop, so I just wanted to see if anyone has any
comments about it.

Happy New Year!

Arie

"Roscoe" <me@home.net> wrote in message
news:E2628B72-DB5C-4711-8A76-E5F7A5D82BF0@microsoft.com...
> Actually your drop was from 5.1 to 3.5.
>
> Do you notice any difference in performance? If not, who cares. Are you
> trying to quality for the Olympics or something? :-)
>
> JT
>
> "Arie Slob" <arie@infinisource.com> wrote in message
> news:ehZi7mLLHHA.4848@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> Hi,
>>
>> I experienced something I consider quite weird...
>>
>> My initial Windows Experience Index (WEI) score was 4.9:
>>
>> Processor: 4.9
>> Memory: 4.9
>> Graphics: 5.9
>> Gaming Graphics: 5.1
>> Primary hard disk: 5.4
>>
>> My Hardware:
>>
>> AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+
>> 2.0 GB RAM
>> NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT - 256 MB DDR3
>> SATA 3GB/s HDDs
>>
>> Just the other day I noticed that (when looking at my detailed WEI score)
>> it said I had installed new hardware & I should re-index. I'd only added
>> a hard drive to the system, so I updated the score.
>>
>> The result was my score *dropped* from 4.9 to 3.5!
>>
>> Processor: 4.9
>> Memory: 4.9
>> Graphics: 5.9
>> ***Gaming Graphics: 3.5
>> Primary hard disk: 5.4
>>
>> I have NO idea why all of a sudden my "Gaming Graphics" would drop from
>> 4.9 to 3.5? I thought the *idea* was to introduce higher scores when more
>> capable hardware was introduced, not 'downgrade' the rating on current
>> systems?
>>
>>
>> Arie
>>
>

"Roscoe" <me@home.net> wrote in message
news:E2628B72-DB5C-4711-8A76-E5F7A5D82BF0@microsoft.com...
> Actually your drop was from 5.1 to 3.5.

No, the EI is the LOWEST score of the group. The lowest score in the first group
is 4.9. The lowest score in the second group is 3.5 so the drop was from 4.9 to 3.5.

>> Processor: 4.9
>> Memory: 4.9
>> Graphics: 5.9
>> Gaming Graphics: 5.1
>> Primary hard disk: 5.4

>> Processor: 4.9
>> Memory: 4.9
>> Graphics: 5.9
>> ***Gaming Graphics: 3.5
>> Primary hard disk: 5.4

My EI went from 4.9 to 3.8 after a reboot with no changes made to any
hardware the performance drop is in the RAM everything else seems the same
and the change in performance is very obvious. I think I might need to get
a new RAM module


Adrian


"Arie Slob" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I experienced something I consider quite weird...
>
> My initial Windows Experience Index (WEI) score was 4.9:
>
> Processor: 4.9
> Memory: 4.9
> Graphics: 5.9
> Gaming Graphics: 5.1
> Primary hard disk: 5.4
>
> My Hardware:
>
> AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+
> 2.0 GB RAM
> NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT - 256 MB DDR3
> SATA 3GB/s HDDs
>
> Just the other day I noticed that (when looking at my detailed WEI score) it
> said I had installed new hardware & I should re-index. I'd only added a hard
> drive to the system, so I updated the score.
>
> The result was my score *dropped* from 4.9 to 3.5!
>
> Processor: 4.9
> Memory: 4.9
> Graphics: 5.9
> ***Gaming Graphics: 3.5
> Primary hard disk: 5.4
>
> I have NO idea why all of a sudden my "Gaming Graphics" would drop from 4.9
> to 3.5? I thought the *idea* was to introduce higher scores when more
> capable hardware was introduced, not 'downgrade' the rating on current
> systems?
>
>
> Arie
>
>

Keep in mind that the EI is the lowest score of the group - it is not an
average or cumulative result. If you increased the score on all other items
except gaming graphics the EI would still be 3.5.

"Adrian" <Adrian@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:533D6ED2-4085-48F5-97E6-52D724754F6B@microsoft.com...
> My EI went from 4.9 to 3.8 after a reboot with no changes made to any
> hardware the performance drop is in the RAM everything else seems the same
> and the change in performance is very obvious. I think I might need to
> get
> a new RAM module
>
>
> Adrian
>
>
> "Arie Slob" wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I experienced something I consider quite weird...
>>
>> My initial Windows Experience Index (WEI) score was 4.9:
>>
>> Processor: 4.9
>> Memory: 4.9
>> Graphics: 5.9
>> Gaming Graphics: 5.1
>> Primary hard disk: 5.4
>>
>> My Hardware:
>>
>> AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+
>> 2.0 GB RAM
>> NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT - 256 MB DDR3
>> SATA 3GB/s HDDs
>>
>> Just the other day I noticed that (when looking at my detailed WEI score)
>> it
>> said I had installed new hardware & I should re-index. I'd only added a
>> hard
>> drive to the system, so I updated the score.
>>
>> The result was my score *dropped* from 4.9 to 3.5!
>>
>> Processor: 4.9
>> Memory: 4.9
>> Graphics: 5.9
>> ***Gaming Graphics: 3.5
>> Primary hard disk: 5.4
>>
>> I have NO idea why all of a sudden my "Gaming Graphics" would drop from
>> 4.9
>> to 3.5? I thought the *idea* was to introduce higher scores when more
>> capable hardware was introduced, not 'downgrade' the rating on current
>> systems?
>>
>>
>> Arie
>>
>>

I've just had a "similar" experience. I've gone through Beta2, RC1 and now
have the final version of Vista Ultimate installed. All this time, I had an
ATI Radeon 1300 card installed and it got ratings of 4.6 and 4.1. I decided
to move it to my wifes machine for her upcoming Vista upgrade and got a new
HIS Radeon 1650 pro card from mine. Better card I thought, 512Mb of memory
vs. 256 on the 1300.......other specs better. Much to my surprise the EI
dropped to 1.0 due to the rating on the 1650 card. Aero effects of Vista seem
to be fine. Vista upgrade adviser does not see a problem with the card
running Vista. I told HIS about what I found and they tested the card on a
comparable machine and the card rated 4.3. I am using the final ATI Vista
drivers and have re-installed them a couple of times. Still 1.0 rating on
the card. May not seem like a big deal since the card seems to be handling
Vista OK, but I'd like to think I got what I paid for..........so is it the
card or the EI?
Buy the way, the 1300 card on my wifes machine w/slower CPU and less memory
gets the same 4.6/4.1 it did on mine.

"Arie Slob" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I experienced something I consider quite weird...
>
> My initial Windows Experience Index (WEI) score was 4.9:
>
> Processor: 4.9
> Memory: 4.9
> Graphics: 5.9
> Gaming Graphics: 5.1
> Primary hard disk: 5.4
>
> My Hardware:
>
> AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+
> 2.0 GB RAM
> NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT - 256 MB DDR3
> SATA 3GB/s HDDs
>
> Just the other day I noticed that (when looking at my detailed WEI score) it
> said I had installed new hardware & I should re-index. I'd only added a hard
> drive to the system, so I updated the score.
>
> The result was my score *dropped* from 4.9 to 3.5!
>
> Processor: 4.9
> Memory: 4.9
> Graphics: 5.9
> ***Gaming Graphics: 3.5
> Primary hard disk: 5.4
>
> I have NO idea why all of a sudden my "Gaming Graphics" would drop from 4.9
> to 3.5? I thought the *idea* was to introduce higher scores when more
> capable hardware was introduced, not 'downgrade' the rating on current
> systems?
>
>
> Arie
>
>

I to have the same issue as arie. I have a 6800 ultra that gave me a 5.0
gaming graphics WEI and after making several changes to the system by
installing a Ready Boost flash drive, updating my Nvidia forceware to 100.65,
as well as installing a new creative driver, I noticed that my WEI was grayed
out and indicated that it needed to be updated. Ran the Update My Score and
now I have a 3.5 for the Gaming Graphics. Uninstalled the Ready Boost and
reran the update score, same result a 3.5. I am not trying to qualify for the
Olympics as Roscoe so elequently put, but am wondering if this is an
indication of a problem, bug, or what. My Specs are as listed, AMD X2 4800,
2 gig of DDR 400 (dual Chanel 128 bit), RAID 0, Audigy 2 ZS Platinum, BFG
6800 Ultra all on a Abit AV8-3rd eye mobo running Vista 64-bit ultimate whch
has the VIA chipset and AGP. Any ideas would be great!

"Arie Slob" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I experienced something I consider quite weird...
>
> My initial Windows Experience Index (WEI) score was 4.9:
>
> Processor: 4.9
> Memory: 4.9
> Graphics: 5.9
> Gaming Graphics: 5.1
> Primary hard disk: 5.4
>
> My Hardware:
>
> AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+
> 2.0 GB RAM
> NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT - 256 MB DDR3
> SATA 3GB/s HDDs
>
> Just the other day I noticed that (when looking at my detailed WEI score) it
> said I had installed new hardware & I should re-index. I'd only added a hard
> drive to the system, so I updated the score.
>
> The result was my score *dropped* from 4.9 to 3.5!
>
> Processor: 4.9
> Memory: 4.9
> Graphics: 5.9
> ***Gaming Graphics: 3.5
> Primary hard disk: 5.4
>
> I have NO idea why all of a sudden my "Gaming Graphics" would drop from 4.9
> to 3.5? I thought the *idea* was to introduce higher scores when more
> capable hardware was introduced, not 'downgrade' the rating on current
> systems?
>
>
> Arie
>
>

Solved the problem!!! I have dual monitor enabled. Disabled the dual monitor
and reran the WEI and BOOM 5.0 again. Looks like I won the gold Roscoe!
Didn't even have to eat my wheaties.
"Dis" wrote:

> I to have the same issue as arie. I have a 6800 ultra that gave me a 5.0
> gaming graphics WEI and after making several changes to the system by
> installing a Ready Boost flash drive, updating my Nvidia forceware to 100.65,
> as well as installing a new creative driver, I noticed that my WEI was grayed
> out and indicated that it needed to be updated. Ran the Update My Score and
> now I have a 3.5 for the Gaming Graphics. Uninstalled the Ready Boost and
> reran the update score, same result a 3.5. I am not trying to qualify for the
> Olympics as Roscoe so elequently put, but am wondering if this is an
> indication of a problem, bug, or what. My Specs are as listed, AMD X2 4800,
> 2 gig of DDR 400 (dual Chanel 128 bit), RAID 0, Audigy 2 ZS Platinum, BFG
> 6800 Ultra all on a Abit AV8-3rd eye mobo running Vista 64-bit ultimate whch
> has the VIA chipset and AGP. Any ideas would be great!
>
> "Arie Slob" wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > I experienced something I consider quite weird...
> >
> > My initial Windows Experience Index (WEI) score was 4.9:
> >
> > Processor: 4.9
> > Memory: 4.9
> > Graphics: 5.9
> > Gaming Graphics: 5.1
> > Primary hard disk: 5.4
> >
> > My Hardware:
> >
> > AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+
> > 2.0 GB RAM
> > NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT - 256 MB DDR3
> > SATA 3GB/s HDDs
> >
> > Just the other day I noticed that (when looking at my detailed WEI score) it
> > said I had installed new hardware & I should re-index. I'd only added a hard
> > drive to the system, so I updated the score.
> >
> > The result was my score *dropped* from 4.9 to 3.5!
> >
> > Processor: 4.9
> > Memory: 4.9
> > Graphics: 5.9
> > ***Gaming Graphics: 3.5
> > Primary hard disk: 5.4
> >
> > I have NO idea why all of a sudden my "Gaming Graphics" would drop from 4.9
> > to 3.5? I thought the *idea* was to introduce higher scores when more
> > capable hardware was introduced, not 'downgrade' the rating on current
> > systems?
> >
> >
> > Arie
> >
> >

Exact thing happened to me as well. i'm running a 6800 ultra. I was
getting like a 5.1 on the gaming score (i think, i just know it was far
from my lowest score, which is my cpu at 4.2). I installed more ram and
ran the update, and now my gaming score is at 3.5, everything else
staying the same (even installing more ram, from 1gb to 2 the score
stayed at 4.4). Ran memtest and everything is fine. updated to new
drivers, and even tried the new beta's, but my gaming score now sits at
3.5. the computer doesn't feel any slower, but i currently don't have
any games on the computer, and never ran any before installing more ram
so have no clue if actual performance is hindered at all.


--
vladthedog