FAO Skii

[Skii]

Originally posted by Zak33
Can you get a spare HDD and do a fresh install of XP just to see?

Yeah might be able to nab one from work

[Trickle]

Originally posted by Skii
Cheers Agent m8

I'll give that proggy a whirl - Yeah the motherboard isn't exactly he nippiest so that might have to be my next upgrade tbh

Going from an AMD760 -> NForce2 made a bigger difference to benchmarks like 3Dmark than I was expecting although clearly not as much as going from 1.4ghz -> 1.75 -> 2.2 did for me.

However those benchmark scores dont tell the whole truth. Having given away one of my NF2 machines, I'm back to using just 1 and using a KT333 system as a 2nd machine. I've also used a KT233a board and the above mentioned AMD760 (similar performance, but with greater stability than your current Sis chipset).

All I can say is I'm regretting giving up the 2nd NForce 2 board that much I'm currently in the process of swapping the remaining one's role back round to being my main terminal as I'm that fed up with the system pauses and waits and little inexplicable lags that I've always gotten but nearly forgotten about when using the NForce2's.

I know I've heard Intel lovers oft claim their rambus/dual DDR etc machines feel much better than AMD machines (usually KT chipset machines) even though proven inferior in a benchmark. I'ed not put much stock in this until forced back onto an older board again.

Sure, I've used a couple of mates P4's briefly and not been that impressed - so this isnt an AMD bashing post etc - just a note that the mobo is probably the first thing I'ed be upgrading in your system. Unfortunately that sort of thing coincides putting your hand further in your pocket for extra ram

This post is too long :/

[Trickle]

I'ed posted on the other thread that I wasnt 100% convinced that there was deffinately anything wrong with your machine with your 8400 posted score. A slow set of drivers with emphasis on image quality could explain it easily.

Here are the scores I remember getting from last year / start of this year:

1.4 T-Bird, AMD760 (similar to your Sis in speed), DDR @ 140 fsb, GF4Ti @ 300/550 (slow 128 meg mem)
<8900

As above but /w 1.75 AMDXP (2100+)
about 10000 - a huge dissapointment {still stuck <140fsb doesnt help}

2.2 T-BredB NForce2 @210fsb (both asus and NF7s) /w same clock speed GF4
14350+ = cowabunga.

[Skii]

Originally posted by Trickle
I'ed posted on the other thread that I wasnt 100% convinced that there was deffinately anything wrong with your machine with your 8400 posted score. A slow set of drivers with emphasis on image quality could explain it easily.

Here are the scores I remember getting from last year / start of this year:

1.4 T-Bird, AMD760 (similar to your Sis in speed), DDR @ 140 fsb, GF4Ti @ 300/550 (slow 128 meg mem)
<8900

As above but /w 1.75 AMDXP (2100+)
about 10000 - a huge dissapointment {still stuck <140fsb doesnt help}

2.2 T-BredB NForce2 @210fsb (both asus and NF7s) /w same clock speed GF4
14350+ = cowabunga.

So what your basically saying is that by getting a better mobo + memory I should get a MUCH improved 3D Mark score ?

[Trickle]

Ya - as you can see the card is far more capable than the 8400 score you posted in the other thread. You were talking about buying a new gfx card... however your complaint was over "little laggs" than may not all be down to the gfx imho even on a fully working system.

But remember those are overclocked scores above. Your 64 meg card should actually go faster if overclocked [or get better 3DMark scores at least - as it doesnt need >64meg]

[Skii]

Well I tried to push my card last night - being a Creative card it doesn't overclock too well, however as I work for a Computer company I can exchange my 2 sticks of 256 DDR2100 for something more juicy - can you reccommend a decent Mobo that won't break the bank ?

[Trickle]

Is your 2200+ a palomino, TbredA or TbredB? Do you also have an idea of the max speed your 2100 mem will do (and at what sort of timings?)

A locked palomino and mem that wont do 166 (although if cpu is locked it wont help anyway) would be a dampener on things... and a rad 9800 purchase could still possibly be a better way to go if you dont fancy trying to sell some of it 2nd hand to recoup costs :/

[Skii]

Originally posted by Trickle
Is your 2200+ a palomino, TbredA or TbredB? Do you also have an idea of the max speed your 2100 mem will do (and at what sort of timings?)

A locked palomino and mem that wont do 166 (although if cpu is locked it wont help anyway) would be a dampener on things... and a rad 9800 purchase could still possibly be a better way to go if you dont fancy trying to sell some of it 2nd hand to recoup costs :/

I'm pretty sure its a Tbred Cpu, its the last thing I bought. The memory I can swap for DDR333 here at work - no problem, max speed of my current memory - no idea..

[Trickle]

Hmm, probably one of the cheaper NF2 manufacturers such as soltek and buy a board without SATA... that would be the cheapest option. However you arnt going to save more than £20 over a board that does give SATA and the excelent (and fast) Nvidia sound (rather than sluggish realtech onboard jobbie)

I'm not just going to reccomend the Abit NF7s automatically as there are other fast featured NF2 boards out there. I wouldnt suggest going with either KT600 (see here = bad) or the cut down NForce2-X chipset as you have 2 Dimms. I dont think the -X chipsets have the onchip Nividia sound? making them a non starter for gaming.


Edit: Ah, if its Tbred B and you can get 333 mem then this does give the green light for go ahead. This would possibly mean you dont need new mem and only a £80 swap of the mobo.

However I want someone else to post the call here. Whilst they say that Half life2 works ok on a GF4 using the DX8 path, you may still finding you want another GFX card anyway to play it (and Q3/Deus2 next year etc) .

[Skii]

Thanks Trickle

I'll have a look at the chip tonight, I know its a Thoroughbred, but wether its A or B I really don't know... Thanks for the help