Posts by Coconut Monkey

As far as I can tell, that fan will not plug into most computer systems due to the 2 pin connector it uses. If you'll scroll down that page, you'll find a solution to the problem.

Alternatively, you could buy a 3 pin fan which will plug into your motherboard (make sure you have a spare 3 pin connector - check your motherboard manual for the locations).

Some fans come with a molex adaptor so you can just use one of the molex connectors from your power supply.

Plus, chances are Dell has not seen fit to include any kind of overclocking option in the motherboard BIOS, so you can probably rule out the CPU and RAM. ;)

Even so, I run a stable P4 2.4C at 3Ghz. :D

If they are are standard PATA drives (IDE), then I would recommend that you do not put an optical drive and a hard drive on the same channel. They use different transfer protocols and so performance would be lower as a result. Make the hard drive master on channel #1 and the DVD burner master on channel #2 with the DVD-ROM as a slave.

SATA optical drives aren't very common at the moment. ;)

Before you install any new video card drivers, make sure you uninstall the previous ones, usually from add/remove programs under Control Panel.

There are adaptors available, but if you can exchange the drive for an ordinary PATA with no penalty then just do that.

If your hard drive is plugged in, it's working and you're running Windows, then leave everything as it is.

Onboard laptop video cards usually require the laptop manufacturer drivers to work properly. If you did download these, did you completely uninstall the previous set of drivers?

I would just leave all of your BIOS options at their default settings!

1. Overclocking should not be dabbled with if you have no idea what it entails. Essentially, in this case, you are making the CPU run at a speed it was not rated to run at. Heat output will increase, and the lifetime of the component will decrease. I wouldn't worry about it, since your CPU is still pretty quick.

Leave the AGP speed at 66Mhz - any higher and you may experience instability.

2. Your components may not be able to handle "top performance" mode. This could entail more agressive memory timings among other things, which may result in system instability if your memory is unable to handle the new settings. Leave it as it is for the moment - I don't think it will make much of a difference.

3. Default settings.

4. USB Keyboard and mouse support can be enabled if you have a USB keyboard and mouse and wish to use them outside of Windows. Enabling them regardless will have no effect on your system. Leave everything else at default.

ah ok thanks heaps, um one last thing.. how is the amd athlon 64 FX-55? and what is it equivalent to..?

Thanks again

Rob

The FX range is on par with Intel's Extreme Edition CPUs, and usually faster in gaming. They're not worth the ridiculous price tag though.

Those temps aren't out of the ordinary for Prescotts, and I'd expect them to go down a little bit with a fresh application of thermal paste.

Is overclocking necessary for your current setup? You undertake it at your own risk! Make sure you're sufficiently clued up on what exactly overclocking entails by visiting a site like Overclockers Australia.

You should be able to run the RAM async from the front side bus (i.e. at a different speed) should it not like 250Mhz (those high timings should increase the overclock potential though. Lower them if you want higher performance). If the option is available, then an FSB:RAM ratio of 5:4 will result in a RAM speed of 200Mhz when the fsb is at 250Mhz.

Overclocked CPUs don't last nearly as long as do ones running at the listed speed.

Not as such. All CPUs are different, and so overclocking will have different effects depending on the CPU. Granted, overclocking increases heat output and also reduces the lifetime, but in many cases the end result is only 2 or 3 years instead of 5 or 6, and then you need to ask yourself this: will you really hold on to the CPU for that long?

Even so, you undertake any overclocking at your own risk. ;)

Also keep in mind that many AMDs leave the factory overclocked already! They're sold as suitable for a higher clockspeed than what Intel does, and as a result run hotter than do Intel CPUs of the same listed frequency.

Bleh? The days of toasty AMD processors are long dead (for now at least!). You might find Intel has taken over in that regard. ;)

You should definitely remove any old thermal paste or pads, otherwise heat transfer will be adversely affected. Methylated spirits, isopropyl alcohol or even acetone (use with caution!) applied with a lint-free cotton cloth should make short work of any leftover gunk. Make sure you apply the new paste properly. Here's a guide.

The temps you report are perfectly fine at first glance (I'm assuming you have an LGA-775 Prescott, which are rather warm anyway), but what do they go up to under load?

To really stress your system, a test like Prime95 will do the job.

Why do you want a 64 bit processor?

Why not? The Athlon 64s are better performers than equivalent P4s in 32-bit gaming applications. Put simply, a 3000+ will beat a 3Ghz P4 and a 3200+ will beat a 3.2Ghz P4 (and in some cases, the 3000+ will even beat the 3.2Ghz P4). If you do buy one of the 3000/3200+ 939 models, ensure that the motherboard you choose supports them out of the box.

SATA is much quicker than IDE

It's actually not much quicker at all (yet!), and the performance difference is hardly noticeable. You might be thinking of the 10,000RPM drives. ;)

I'd only choose SATA for the smaller cables, easier physical installation (no jumpers) and some degree of future-proofing. Considering SATA models don't cost much more than their IDE counterparts, why not? Unless of course your motherboard doesn't actually support them. :)

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10 GOTO 20
20 GOTO 40
30 PRINT "Hello World!"
40 GOTO 30

AHHHHHHHHHHH!

I was a bit hasty in jumping on the anti-goto bandwagon to start with, especially without offering a decent explanation of why you shouldn't use it.

And I'll also admit I'm a big fan of Java. ;)

Have you looked in your system's BIOS (commonly accessed by pressing the del key when prompted)?

>Never use goto statements - it's very bad programming practice!
Moo, tell me, how does it feel to be cattle? I mean, you have to be a part of the herd if you mindlessly believe what you just stated.

*sigh* This argument is tiresome, so I'll leave you with this pearl of wisdom: goto isn't the problem, stupid programmers using goto is the problem.

Narue, in all of my programming work, I've never had the need to use a goto statement. To be honest, I was directed by the "farmer" (lecturer) in a large "herd" (lecture theatre) early on in my education to never touch a goto statement, so you could say I am mindlessly heeding the words of a single opinion. But the fact is that I agree with the lecturer - goto statements break up the structure and flow of a program and can make it very difficult for others to read it.

I have no use for it, and so I encourage others to find a better way of structuring their programs before resorting to a goto.

Windows XP does not like having a motherboard swapped out - as you've just discovered! You can just reinstall Windows as sennetor suggested, or try a repair through booting off the Windows XP CD and selecting the relevant option instead of a fresh install.

Make sure the PC is set to check for a boot disc in the CD drive first. The option is located in your motherboard's BIOS setup (ususally accessed by pressing the del key when prompted).

hey Coconut Monkey what do u think of the new P4 600-series intel is releasing

comes in 3.2Ghz,3.4Ghz, and 3.6Ghz speeds
all have a 2MB L2 cache
and they are all 64-bit

i think those are gonna really give AMD a run for their money

We will have to wait and see, but they look promising from the specs. It's a pity I can't plug any into my current Intel setup. :(

I would also recommend you download the latest drivers from ATI's website. Make sure you uninstall the previous drivers (if you do use the CD version) from add/remove programs in control panel.

For gaming, an Athlon 64 would be the best choice. However, since you plan on performing a wide range of tasks (notably video editing!) a P4 will still be very good.

For the range of clockspeeds specified, you will probably find the Northwood P4s (512Kb L2 cache) faster in most applications. However, the Prescotts would not be much slower in performance, plus they also have some extra optimisations not yet commonly utilised by software developers. Note that Prescotts run a fair bit warmer.

Can I mix RAM speeds and brands?

If space is not a problem, stick with your current drive. SATA, at the moment, only offers very small performance increases and smaller cables.

What do you plan to use your PC for?

there is a nforce 4 motherboard that in the specs says supports dual channel and its socke 754,nots not out yet tho. maybe end of january early feb

A64 motherboards do not host the memory controller - it is located on the CPU itself. Thus, any dual channel support is mostly dependant on the CPU model itself.

Question! What kind of recording are we talking about?

thats a bummer, as RAM needs to be in Dual Sync (or something liek that term). I mean like if you have 2x512mb and then a single 256mb for 1.5gig the .5 of a gig will be wasted! i really want a nforce mobo, they are soo cool!

Socket 754 CPUs do not support dual channel mode.

And hey, 754 isn't very future-proof either. ;)

Video cards make the biggest difference in gaming framerates, but then some people don't really care about gaming and only want an office PC. Either way, a socket A system is still a viable option for those on a budget.

I got away with installing just over 2GB and still running at PC3200.

2048Mb = 2Gb. 1024 bytes to the kilobyte, 1024 kilobytes to the megabyte, etc.

To be honest, I'd just stick with what you've got and wait until you can get a job. The FX5200 isn't that much of a jump and the rest of the system is still a bit of a bottleneck. And 256Mb of onboard memory on a video chipset like that? What a waste!

Never use goto statements - it's very bad programming practice! Why not just place your "certain piece of code" in a separate function and call it when the user makes a choice?

For example (using pseudocode - I haven't done C/C++ for a while):

If userChoice equals "Yes" then
      callYesFunction()
else
      callNoFunction()

Or you could have it all in one function and just pass the user choice in as a parameter:

callFunction(userChoice)

Let's just agree on this. There is so much fluctuation in the benchmarks, from reviewer to reviewer, and from game to game, that it is impossible to call a clear cut winner and it really comes down to personal preference.

Agreed! :cheesy:

You wouldn't be trying to copy dual layer discs on a single layer burner would you? If you are, then it won't fit! You'll need something like DVD Shrink.

Image quality can be more personal preference though - you or I may see no difference in comparisons, but others can be incredibly picky.

Following that line of thinking, the same people can insist on always running with some level of AA or AF and a minimum resolution, which is why the X800 Pro would be a more tempting prospect (even though I wouldn't recommend it - I agree with you that the 6800GT is a far better buy).

I still don't think you shouldn't be comparing the 6800GT and X800XT, but that's just my opinion. ;D

Have you tried uninstalling Service Pack 2 to see if it is the cause of your problem? This can be done via Add/Remove programs in Control Panel.

Try and order all of your parts from one store - you'll save on postage.

Scorptech are known for having the best customer service in Australia (but higher prices). There's also AusPC Market (prices include postage), SecretNet and PC Case Gear (for case modding, etc). MSY have a reputation for some of the lowest prices around.

Fine fine, have your blasted benchmarks :P
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2277&p=6
That one shows a 6600GT vs X800pro (AGP).

I don't see the 6600GT surpassing the X800 Pro very much. :-/

Rcrevolution, I think that it all comes down to preference.

Exactly! Consumers should base their purchases on what games they plan to play and whether they're concerned about image quality or pure frame rates. One card completely grinding another into the dirt in one single benchmark means nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Plus you should look at a variety of benchmarks. Basing your decisions on one set isn't the best idea.

its true, the 6800GT does compete with the X800XT, and the X800XT PE competes with the Ultra but the ultra still beats the X800XT PE, all these benchmarks where the X800XT out performs the 6800GT and Ultra are coming from the HL2 benchmarks, where ATI used optimized drivers, Nvidia takes the win in almost everything else.

Proof please? I've looked at one set of benchmarks (which I shouldn't completely rely on - hence my request for more!) and there are games where Nvidia takes the lead and others where ATI takes the lead. I could say that the benchmarks where the 6800GT wins out are all in Doom 3 which is optimised for Nvidia cards!

I suppose I wasn't very clear when I said that the 6600GT "beats of the pants off of an X800pro" Performance wise, the 6600GT generally outperforms the X800pro until resolutions are turned up to 1600X1200 and AA/AF are turned up. The fact that a $200 card is even COMPETING says it all. The 6600GT is faster at lower resolutions (for the most part) and still manages to mostly keep up at higher ones.

Would you mind linking to some benchmarks to prove this?

The 6800GT is certainly competing with the X800XT, and all the benchmarks show that it really depends on the application. While the price is similar to that of a X800pro, the 6800GT is competing with an X800XT.

Benchmarks again please!

The 6600GT does not have 16 pipelines - only 8.

The 6600GT does not beat the pants off an X800 Pro - considering that the X800 has a 256-bit memory interface and 12 pipelines.

The 6800GT is designed to compete with the X800 Pro in terms of price, and soundly beats it with superior performance (but it does not beat a X800XT across all games).

The 6800 Ultra is designed to compete with the X800XT in terms of price.

i.e. 31% of 1023Mb =~ 316Mb.

I'm thinking it's the video card as well. The 9200 is very much at the bottom of the ladder in terms of 3D performance - it's based on technology which originally competed with the Geforce 3. 128Mb of onboard memory won't make much of a difference - it pains me to see 256Mb versions of this chipset!

Update to the latest drivers (uninstalling the previous ones beforehand) and lower the graphical detail.

dont drivers always leave some sort of files behind even if u remove them and the best way to remove them completly is too reformat your pc, or maybe thats just if your switching companies, o well :o

There are numerous driver cleaners available for download. A format is only necessary if you can't get the card working no matter what, or you're a performance/benchmarking nut.

Well currently my computer is running on Win98se, has somewhere around 30gb of storage, with my old Voodoo2 card. I believe its a 400Mhz CPU with an AMD mobo and 96mb of ram.

Before I'm getting my video card I'm planning to upgrade my motherboard to a Soyo with around a 2.0Ghz processor. I'm planning to also up my ram to probably aorund 512mb and get new faster larger harddrives.

I'm really just wanting to play anything, not things really highend, maybe CS, EQ and other games liek that. Really right now even low end games are slow.

You're looking at a much more comprehensive upgrade to support what you want. You need a new motherboard, CPU, and replacement RAM (you might be able to use the old stuff, but it's not recommended!). Chances are you will also need a new power supply and possibly a case.

To couple with a 400Mhz CPU, I would just look for a second hand Geforce of some description. There's no point going higher than a Geforce 4 MX for a PC of those specifications.

Usually under Add/Remove programs in Control Panel.

the most decent card I have seen for the cheapest price is the 5700LE (256MB) for $119

Which is hardly decent anyway!

Steer clear from budget cards with 256Mb of memory - they typcially perform slower than their 128Mb brethren due to reduced clockspeeds, and the extra memory is useless for such a low-end card.

What games do you plan on playing and what are the rest of your system specs? If you're just after some extra frame-rates in old classics that your Voodoo 2 was starting to struggle in, then an FX5200 of some description would be an enormous performance boost (but we need to know what kind of system you currently have).

If you plan on putting some money on recently released games, then I suggest you start saving for a more comprehensive upgrade!

Yes! Make sure you uninstall any previous drivers before installing new ones. That goes for the old card drivers and the (old) drivers supplied with your new card.

My brother (an MSCE technitian) still insits Socket A is on the way out so its irrelivant really. the new semp is the one to as like you said it is on the Socket 754 NOT the Socket A which the XP is on. btw I DID mean the newer semps on skt 754 so i was right surely?

Socket A is still a very tempting ultra-budget platform. :cheesy:

Not quite true...The other Socket A semprons I've looked at do have 256KB of L2 cache, but the Sempron 3000+ has a barton Core, and has 512KB of L2 Cache. I think that puts it a hair faster than the 2600+ with either the Barton or the Tbred. Depending on what price you can get them at, the difference may not be worth the extra $$$ though. I had some store credit at Fry's so was forced into getting the 3000+ because it was the best socket A chip they had.

Ahhh, you got me there.

There's too many core revisions for my liking. :confused: