What gamers really need is a gaming OS.

It would be great to be able to do a dual-boot, and either choose your standard OS, or an extremely stripped down gaming OS.

My PC uses 430mb of RAM at idle, it would be nice to have an OS that only uses around 100mb :)

My computer is already tweaked to the max, but I will check this out anyway ;)

Don't expect to run this tool on your Core 2 Quad rig, though—you need an AMD processor for the utility to load at all.

Ohhh, DAAMIT.

It's beta so I wonder if someone can add explorer.exe to the always disabled list.... sort of like how MS XP SP2 or 2003 SP1's DEP sometimes kill explorer.exe.

I can see this as being better for laptops. Hit a button and have everything turn off to save power.

I do agree that MS needs to get smarter. I don't have a printer connected to my PC so why is the Print Spooler service started wasting ram/swap/cpu. Same goes for a lot of things Windows Image Acquisition when no camera is connected, all the network stuff when I'm not connected, etc.

Help and Support center? Has anyone needed that ever?

I have Windows Vista Ultimate 64 running in all its glory, not a single service turned off, only personalization has been done. I have yet to experience this so called "interference" people appear to be conjuring up.

Indeed. I don't see the point in killing services for what Cyril rightly calls a placebo effect--even under earlier versions of Windows I thought this was a pointless exercise.

I think there is some security risk in turning off some of those many services, and that might get nasty if someone becomes a victim and blames AMD.
On the plus side, some of those services when disabled actually make you more secure, but of course that's not interesting for the news and lawyers.

AMD had better update the tool to run with Nehalem (and AMD/ATi graphics cards, of course). It's gonna be at least January 2010 before AMD comes up with anything matching Nehalem's performance. Seems like yet another AMD clutching-at-straws effort to keep their CPU business afloat, with help from the ATi graphics family.

I think it would be nice to have it simply as a manual switch for Cool'n'Quiet, so you can reduce clock speed thrashing during times when you want peak performance. From what I've read in reviews, CnQ can cost you a few percentage points of performance with throttling up and down during the pulse and flow of loads.

I wonder if they'll translate this Fusion button over to Linux? ;)

AMD dont need to catch up. Since latest AMD processors partnered with AMD graphics can run all programs and games so whats the purpose anymore.

very nice, all wee need now is a great processor from AMD.

Can't wait for that Deneb + SB750 now. And GT212

http://news.yahoo.com/s/zd/20080918/tc_zd/232155;_ylt=Ah_LRAKtC.FVX...

The company warned, however, that the utility could turn off antivirus or other security software without notifying the user.

Sounds like a decent idea.

Except when AMD screws something up and it kills a box.

For example the cryptographic service I've seen listed as optional on some guides, but you can brick a system with this disabled in some circumstances.

A far better option is to disable AV or anything using CPU/Disk I/O, or to invest in better hardware, then go the software route.

Seems to me that in a world of multi-core CPUs and $80 4GB RAM kits, background services mean zilch. Except perhaps certain antivirus suites. AV slows more than just games down though so I'd say it's best to learn how to live without it instead.

The placebo effect is a powerful thing in the computer world though, to say the least. Maybe they should include a registry cleaner too! I think memory doublers are also due for a comeback.

Im glad they have the time to create tools like this. When i just went to install the new catalyst drivers and they blew up in my face now to spend an hour trying to fix it (again)

I thought hardcore gamers use Intel. lol

anyway this looks pretty neat. I always wondered why there wasnt a simple way of going into "gaming mode".

Isn't fusion the name of their GPU+CPU project?

How long until someone maps an AT-case's turbo button to this?

This seems like a total gimmick to me.

I have already disabled all the worthless garbage that runs by default. Nice idea, but I think it might be difficult for this program to know what exactly should or should not be turned off.

Also, I don't think it's going to boost performance much. Though it's nice not to run things you don't need/want/use.

Madman will love this.

Heh, viva la Cassady & Green's Conflict Catcher.

heh, nice strike out.