Benchmark Comparison: Windows Vista vs Server 2008

[halladayrules]

Tip: If you want to skip reading a lot of this crap, just skip to “Summary of Results” below.

Over the past few days I have decided to conduct a benchmark comparison test pitting Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit vs Windows Server 2008 Enterprise 32-bit.

Purpose: The purpose of this benchmark comparison test is to compare the performance difference between the two operating systems as well as try to uncover and any anomalies.

Results: The results are located in a side-by-side spreadsheet comparison using Google Docs.

View results here: https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=0ArZxH6xDczILdDAtVmNjSzFqMnAxVlJiQ2Nmb3MtbWc&hl=en&single=true&gid=0&output=html

Summary of results:

Windows Server 2008 achieved 13.1 FPS on Graphics 3D testing on Medium settings. (+10%)
Windows Server 2008 was able to read at 9.5MB/sec faster on sequential disk read access. (+14%)
Windows Server 2008 achieved 353.1 more Operations/sec on Large RAM test. (+30%)
Windows Server was 13.1 Operations/sec slower on Graphics 2D Fonts and Text test. (-15%)

Overall graphics testing were very similar with numbers with exception of 3D graphics medium testing which for some reason Server 2008 prevailed. The important thing to note is that the actual numbers were not far off from Vistas. As a matter of fact it was quite the opposite Server 2008 was able to perform as good, if not better in 3D benchmarking which contradicts the notion that Server 2008 does not make a good gaming machine. Not true! It’s more a matter of compatibility, not performance.

What impressed me the most was Server 2008’s ability to handle large RAM operations and more efficient disk I/O. This might have something to do with the increased score in gaming as Server 2008 rig was able to fetch data to and from hard drive at a better rate.

Personally, I believe this test has shown that Windows Server 2008 has a tendency to behave more friendlier and react faster using the same identical setup than on a Windows Vista Ultimate counterpart. It runs lighter, it behaves better, it acts faster. When configuring Windows Server 2008 as a workstation, this test has proven that Windows Server 2008 is the clear choice.

Installation Procedure

Important Info:

BOLD means the particular operating system has a slight advantage in that particular category.
RED means the particular operating system has a noticeable advantage in that particular category.

The benchmark was performed three consecutive times on each operating system. The results from the highest overall score was taken and recorded in the spreadsheet results above.

The installation process was mirrored as identical as possible (with exception of adding server roles, features) to make the benchmark as accurately comparable as possible. I have detailed the FULL step by step installation process below.

An identical number of services were running on both ends. For example I turned of IIS Admin service (cause vista doesn’t have it) as well as disabled Media Center services,etc on Vista end so the services running were identical. MSCONFIG had nothing running on startup.

Startup and Memory Usage

Startup time of Windows Vista Ultimate was 27 seconds.
Startup time of Windows Server 2008 Enterprise was 27 seconds.

Fully configured memory footprint of Windows Vista Ultimate was 858MB.
Fully configured memory footprint of Window Server 2008 was 531MB.

System Specs

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz
Memory: 4GB DDR2 800 MHz
GPU: Sparkle Nvidia GeForce 9400GT (yeah its crappy)
HDDs: (2) 500GB Western Digital Caviar 7200 RPM

Installation Process

As you can see below, other than the personalized server configuration once I had all the roles, features installed the installation process is identical.

Installation procedure: Server 2008 Enterprise 32-bit
Steps 16-70 are the same on Vista installation.

1. Insert DVD to begin installation phase.
2. Click Install Now to begin installation process.

(OS is now installed)

3. Use temporary password “p@ssw0rd” to log in.
4. Disabled Shutdown Event Tracker in Group Policy
5. Disabled Password Policy Enforcement in Local Security Policy
6. Disabled CTRL+ALT+DELETE in Local Security Policy
7. Disabled IE Enhanced Security in Server Manager
8. Created halladayrules account in User Accounts
9. Disabled User Account Control
10. Installed Desktop Experience, Windows Server Backup, Wireless LAN, .NET framework, IIS Admin Console, FTP Service, changed Process Scheduling to Programs
11. Restart computer.
12. Install graphics driver.
13. Install audio driver
14. Install wireless LAN driver.
15. Restart computer.
16. Connect to wireless network.
17. Open Internet Explorer and set http://www.google.com as homepage
18. Install flash player Active X control for Internet Explorer 7.
19. Install Java Update 22
20. Install C++ 2008
21. Install Google Chrome
22. Install flash player for Chrome
23. Install Shark007 Vista Codecs
24. Install Total Video Converter
25. Install Microsoft Office 2003
26. Install Office 2007 Cmpatibility Pack for 2003
27. Install ESET NOD32 Business Edition Antivirus
28. Install Roxio Creator 9
29. Reboot computer
30. Update antivirus definitions
31. Install Malwarebytes
32. Update Malwarebytes
33. Install DivX Plus Player
34. Install Easy MPEG/AVI/DIVX/WMV/RM to DVD program
35. Install FrostWire
36. Install PowerISO
37. Install uTorrent
38. Install Toontown Launcher
39. Install LogMeIn
40. Install WinRAR
41. Install eBoostr
42. Restart computer.
43. Enable eboostr: I cached 512MB of RAM and 8192MB of space on 2nd HDD.
44. Install Service Pack 2.
45. (post SP2) Turn on and enable Windows Update.
46. Install Windows Updates..
47. Restart
48. Check for more Windows updates.
49. Restart again.
50. Check for Windows Updates (no updates found)
51. Install Yahoo Messenger 10
52. Used ADBannerRemoverPlus tool to block Yahoo Messenger Chat ADs
53. Install Adobe Reader 9
54. Install Games Explorer for Server 2008
55. Install Build-a-lot 5
56. Install Pogo Way To Go! Bowling
57. Install Pogo Lottso! Deluxe
58. Install Pogo Tri-Peaks 2 Quest for the Ruby Ring
59. Install Microsoft Flight Simulator X
60. Install Microsoft Flight Simulator X SP1
61. Install Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Acceleration theme pack (w/ SP2)
62. Install Auslogics Disk Defrag
63. Install Winmend Registry Defrag 1.3.4
64. Install AML Registry Cleaner 4.21
65. Install Auslogics BoostSpeed
66. Install Passmark PerformanceTest 7.0
67. Defrag registry using WinMend
68. Defrag HDDs using Auslogics
68. Restart computer.
69. Create System Image
70. Launch benchmark.

Installation procedure: Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit

1. Insert DVD to begin installation phase.
2. Click Install Now to begin installation process.

(OS is now installed)

3. Created halladayrules account prior to first logon
4. Disabled User Account Control
5. Install graphics driver.
6. Install audio driver
7. Install wireless LAN driver.
8. Restart computer.
9. Connect to wireless network.
10. Open Internet Explorer and set http://www.google.com as homepage
11. Install flash player Active X control for Internet Explorer 7.
12. Install Java Update 22
13. Install C++ 2008
14. Install Google Chrome
15. Install flash player for Chrome
16. Install Shark007 Vista Codecs
17. Install Total Video Converter
18. Install Microsoft Office 2003
19. Install Office 2007 Cmpatibility Pack for 2003
20. Install ESET NOD32 Business Edition Antivirus
21. Install Roxio Creator 9
22. Reboot computer
23. Update antivirus definitions
24. Install Malwarebytes
25. Update Malwarebytes
26. Install DivX Plus Player
27. Install Easy MPEG/AVI/DIVX/WMV/RM to DVD program
28. Install FrostWire
29. Install PowerISO
30. Install uTorrent
31. Install Toontown Launcher
32. Install LogMeIn
33. Install WinRAR
34. Install eBoostr
35. Restart computer.
36. Enable eboostr: I cached 512MB of RAM and 8192MB of space on 2nd HDD.
37. Install Service Pack 2.
38. (post SP2) Turn on and enable Windows Update.
39. Install Windows Updates..
40. Restart
41. Check for more Windows updates.
42. Restart again.
43. Check for Windows Updates (no updates found)
44. Install Yahoo Messenger 10
45. Used ADBannerRemoverPlus tool to block Yahoo Messenger Chat ADs
46. Install Adobe Reader 9
47. Install Games Explorer for Server 2008
48. Install Build-a-lot 5
49. Install Pogo Way To Go! Bowling
50. Install Pogo Lottso! Deluxe
51. Install Pogo Tri-Peaks 2 Quest for the Ruby Ring
52. Install Microsoft Flight Simulator X
53. Install Microsoft Flight Simulator X SP1
54. Install Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Acceleration theme pack (w/ SP2)
55. Install Auslogics Disk Defrag
56. Install Winmend Registry Defrag 1.3.4
57. Install AML Registry Cleaner 4.21
58. Install Auslogics BoostSpeed
59. Install Passmark PerformanceTest 7.0
60. Defrag registry using WinMend
61. Defrag HDDs using Auslogics
62. Restart computer.
63. Create System Image
64. Launch benchmark.

[Arris]

Impressive benchmark with an extended description of the strict procedures you followed! 🙂

I added your benchmark to the list of benchmarks of Windows Server 2008 in the manual. 😉

[Author]

Posts