Trick to Increase Windows Vista Performance / Experience Index upto 9.9

We all know about new feature "Windows Experience or Performance Index" in Windows Vista. Its a new feature which automatically calculates your system performance index based on the hardware you have. It can be between 0.1 to 9.9

Better system hardware, better Performance Index and better system performance.

"Windows Performance Index" is shown in "System Properties" which can be accessed by right-clicking on "My Computer" icon on Desktop and select "Properties" or from "Control Panel".

Using this trick, you can increase that Index upto 9.9

Before:

After:

The benefit of this hack is, there are a few features in Windows Vista which can only be used if your "Windows Experience Index" reaches the minimum requirements. So by increasing the Index manually, you can use those features.

Like You'll get toolbar in "Photo Gallery's Slide Show" while opening a wallpaper in Explorer.

How to:

1. Type following in Startmenu Searchbox / Run / Explorer Addressbar:

%windir%\Performance\WinSAT\DataStore

And Press <Enter>.

2. You'll one or more .xml files in the folder. Sort them by Date Created or look at their name. The file name will be in following format:

2007-11-08 22.23.17.858 Assessment (Initial).WinSAT.xml

Where "2007-11-08 22.23.17.858" might differ from machine to machine and Windows Installation date/time.

3. Open the latest file in "Wordpad" and goto line having <WinSPR>. It'll be approx. 12th line and will look like following:

<WinSPR>
<SystemScore>1</SystemScore>
<MemoryScore>4</MemoryScore>
<CpuScore>3.4</CpuScore>
<CPUSubAggScore>2.9</CPUSubAggScore>
<VideoEncodeScore>3.9</VideoEncodeScore>
<GraphicsScore>1</GraphicsScore>
<GamingScore>1</GamingScore>
<DiskScore>4.2</DiskScore>

4. Now you can edit the numbers between > & < and can increase them upto 9.9 as following:

<WinSPR>
<SystemScore>9.9</SystemScore>
<MemoryScore>9.9</MemoryScore>
<CpuScore>9.9</CpuScore>
<CPUSubAggScore>9.9</CPUSubAggScore>
<VideoEncodeScore>9.9</VideoEncodeScore>
<GraphicsScore>9.9</GraphicsScore>
<GamingScore>9.9</GamingScore>
<DiskScore>9.9</DiskScore>

5. Thats it. Save the file and check the Index again in System Properties. It'll 9.9 now.

NOTE: If you can't save the file, then take ownership of the file. For taking ownership, follow this tutorial:

Add Take Ownership Option in File / Folder Context Menu in Windows Vista

Also if you don't see the updated Index in System properties, then make sure there is no file having "(Formal)" in its name in the above mentioned folder. If its there, then delete it and you'll have updated Index.

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This article was posted in Windows Vista.

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25 Comments

Matthew Smith

There is no way you can get a 9.9 rating from a 2.0 processor. All he/she did was change the Rating(WinSAT.xml file) and that does nothing to improve your computer.

Matthew Smith
Computer Specialist
Kyle

Hey there and thanks for this little tidbit. However I have a question: How can I change it back to the original? After I got it up to 9.9, I click on update my score and nothing happens. It does the whole assessment thing but the score is not updated. Any ideas?
VG

^^ Set the numbers to lower like 1 or 2 in the XML file and then re-run the tool.
MAGNUMHEART

can this be applied on windows 7. ^^ hehe.
VG

^^ I think yes.
Omi

hi vg!!!!!!!!!
i hv done this bt when i rating it then it gives result only 3.0 lowest score... why it is not still 9.9
&

what is rated or UNRATED

giv me reply on my mail also
fork

u know i was able to increase my WEI by .1 without buying any hardware and by upgrading ram i was able to increase it by .3 so thats .4 more..damn truth
Rishbh

Works, Thanks
My Original Rating Was 3.3
Can u tell me where can i find games that will run under this rating?
delano

tried everything,keeps on saying access denied,even after taking ownership.pls help
jake

This is not a good trick .. sorry .. but if windows features are not open to you because your computer doesn't meet min requirements, there is a reason .. HELLO????

Why would you want to use features your computer is not capable of running properly??