14 DAY TRIAL // Just because Windows Vista is such a resource hog, the operating system features the Windows Experience Index, a rating system designed to measure the capability of the computer's hardware configuration in order to assess the overall performance of the machine through a numeric base score. The algorithm for determining a base score ranging from 1.0 to 5.9 is directly connected with the processor, physical memory (RAM), graphics, gaming graphics and the primary hard disk. However, there are a few contexts in which the Windows Experience Index, the mechanism at the basis of the system rating will present and erroneous score for the hardware configuration.
This is a problem observed following the commercial release of the operating system back in January 2007. Microsoft offered resources set up to enable end users to deal with WEI issues related to a copy of Windows Vista starting for the first time or to running the system rating tool prior to properly updating the machine's drivers. Still, the Redmond company informed that there is a third scenario influencing the Windows Experience Index. According to Microsoft, introducing modifications to the computer's hardware configuration also impacts the Windows Vista base score.
"This problem occurs when the Windows Experience Index evaluates the scores of hardware configurations and updates items that have high scores. Each score in the Windows Experience Index relates to a particular hardware item. For example, the Memory score relates to random access memory (RAM). The Graphics score relates to the video card. The Windows Experience Index may inherit earlier ratings. The index is especially likely to inherit earlier ratings for components that relate to gaming graphics, such as memory," Microsoft revealed.
There are two different ways to resolve erroneous base score. The first one is to update the Windows Experience Index. You will be able to find a complete description via this link. The second workaround involves responding to hardware configuration changes. In such a case, enter the following in the Search Box under the Start Menu: "%SYSTEMROOT%PerformanceWinSatDataStore" (without the inverted comas). Alternatively, you can also navigate to C:WindowsPerformanceWinSatDataStore. Make sure to delete all the .XML files in the folder and then to update the Windows Experience Index.