[FreeNX-kNX] NX Client with Windows 7

Thu Nov 12 02:36:45 UTC 2009

There isn't a terribly noticeable difference in performance in my opinion. 
Especially not in Aero mode.  The directdraw interface was designed for
direct to hardware video, but Windows 7 doesn't allow legacy direct with
Aero on anyhow.  Usually Win7 either turns off Aero for these apps or
redirects them through a screen buffer instead (Depending on whether it is a
full screen app or not).  This is similar to how KDE4 currently handles 3D
Desktop effects.  Much of the ideas of Windows 7 are borrowed from KDE4 I
think, or maybe a little bit in both directions.

So to answer your question:  I don't think it will matter terribly since
these new computers use memory buffering and 3D rendering and are
sufficiently powerful enough to soft-render the 2D aspects on the cpu in
memory without much impact on performance.  It will likely become important
in the future when 3D hardware rendering is made fully available to remote
clients for the programs that will utilize it, but by then we will have a
new nxclient which will support the new Windows versions fully too.

Florian Schmidt-4 wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> do you know if using DirectDraw and not using it makes any diffences in
> performance? We use NX also to open big EDA Layouts and for this the
> maximum
> in performance is very important. For "normal" work I can't see any
> differnce (this means, browser, mail, terminals, eclipse, ...).
> 
> Cheers,
> Florian
> 
> 2009/11/10 Jeremy Wilkins <wjeremy at shaw.ca>
> 
>>
>> This is a problem with the way the NX client utilizes DirectDraw and
>> cannot
>> be resolved except by disabling DirectDraw in the client as you have done
>> already, or for the windows cygwin X sources to be updated to support the
>> new DirectDraw/Direct3D layer.  Vista and Windows 7 both use a new
>> DirextDraw layer which has limited compatibility with the old DirectDraw
>> methods via a 3D buffer redirect in Aero mode (direct indirect if you
>> will).
>> The problem comes up when the screen is locked because Aero shuts down
>> temporarily (resuming legacy DirectDraw/Direct3D mode to save resouces I
>> think) and NX should relinquish its hold on the DirectDraw buffer at this
>> time.  It doesn't because the cygwin X server would fail if it did,
>> leading
>> to a disconnect.  Windows 7 detecting that DirectDraw is active in legacy
>> mode doesn't enable Aero again until the DirectDraw buffer is closed.
>> Rightly so, as some legacy programs (Mostly 3D ones) might crash or
>> corrupt
>> the framebuffer possibly leading to a system halt otherwise.  This also
>> might be resolved if cygwin X could release its DirectDraw buffer when
>> the
>> screen is locked or unlocked without losing the X server entirely.  Kind
>> of
>> running the X server into a memory buffer temporarily instead of the
>> screen
>> until after.  Windows 7 could also be smarter about what kind of
>> DirectDraw
>> buffer is being used since there is no 3D used in the buffer it would
>> likely
>> be safe for Windows to resume Aero.  I'm pretty sure you would get the
>> same
>> results if you shut down Aero while NX is running, but that is worth a
>> try
>> to see.  If it starts again successfully it is a Windows 7 bug with
>> regards
>> to legacy DirectDraw treatment during screen lock, otherwise what I said
>> stands true.
>>
>>
>> Florian Schmidt-4 wrote:
>> >
>> > Hi,
>> >
>> > currently I have some minor problems with NX Client for Windows 3.4.0-5
>> > and
>> > Windows 7 and I haven't found any webpages addressing the problem.
>> >
>> > First: everything works (basically) no crashes, no display problems,
>> ...
>> >
>> > The problem I found with Win 7 and NX Client 3.4.0-5 (latest) was that
>> > after
>> > locking the screen and unlocking again Windows Aero doesn't work
>> anymore.
>> > After closing the NX Client Windows switches back from Windows Basic
>> View
>> > to
>> > Windows Aero View. At least for my Notebook this workaround fixed the
>> > problem.
>> >
>> > I replaced in the bin directory the cygwin .dll files with the files
>> from
>> > the newest version 1.7 (currently an beta release) but this was only
>> half
>> > of
>> > the way. As a second step I choosed in the nx session file the
>> following
>> > option in the Advanced Tab:
>> > Disable DirectDraw for screen rendering
>> >
>> > After theese changes/settings Windows 7 Aero also stays after locking
>> and
>> > unlocking.
>> >
>> > If anybody knows this problem or even knows a better workaround or even
>> > fix
>> > it would be great when you could reply to this mail on the list.
>> >
>> > Cheers,
>> > Florian
>> >
>> > ________________________________________________________________
>> >      Were you helped on this list with your FreeNX problem?
>> >     Then please write up the solution in the FreeNX Wiki/FAQ:
>> >
>> >
>> http://openfacts2.berlios.de/wikien/index.php/BerliosProject:FreeNX_-_FAQ
>> >
>> >          Don't forget to check the NX Knowledge Base:
>> >                  http://www.nomachine.com/kb/
>> >
>> > ________________________________________________________________
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>> >       https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/freenx-knx
>> > ________________________________________________________________
>> >
>>
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>> ________________________________________________________________
>>     Were you helped on this list with your FreeNX problem?
>>    Then please write up the solution in the FreeNX Wiki/FAQ:
>>
>> http://openfacts2.berlios.de/wikien/index.php/BerliosProject:FreeNX_-_FAQ
>>
>>         Don't forget to check the NX Knowledge Base:
>>                 http://www.nomachine.com/kb/
>>
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> 
> ________________________________________________________________
>      Were you helped on this list with your FreeNX problem?
>     Then please write up the solution in the FreeNX Wiki/FAQ:
> 
> http://openfacts2.berlios.de/wikien/index.php/BerliosProject:FreeNX_-_FAQ
>   
>          Don't forget to check the NX Knowledge Base:
>                  http://www.nomachine.com/kb/ 
> 
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>       https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/freenx-knx
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