My new rig.......many thanks!!!

iLLWiLL · 01-24-2005, 11:09 AM

Hey everyone! Since i've been asking a boatload of questions like a lil kid about hardware around here lately (actually, dating back to summer 2003!), i thought i'd share the specs on my newly-built system:

- P4 3.0GHz, 1MB, 800MHz, LGA775
- ASUS P5GDC-V Deluxe mobo
- 1GB dual-channel Corsair pc3200 RAM
- Cooler Master Cavalier 1 case
- Antec TruePower 550W power supply
- 160GB Western Digital SATA hard drive
- ASUS GeForce N6600 GT 128MB PCI-e video card
- NEC 3500A DVD+/-writer (silver)
- Logitech mx510 blue mouse
==============================
Total Cost = $1100

LOL, i didnt calculate that total until afterwards! Had no idea i had spent that much

Shout-outs to all those from G|A who helped share their knowledge:
Bires, LK, Davesringer, DF, AlpineJay, bbrian, bachviet, GraingerGuy, nate el bueno, Jeffbx, and everyone else for your input

iLLWiLL · 01-24-2005, 11:19 AM

A couple questions:

- After seeing how amazing FarCry and the new Counter-Strike look, I'm wondering if I should exchange my 6600 GT for a 6800 GT. Worth the hassle??? Would there be a great improvement in performance?

- Jesus christ, my Antec power supply is LOUD!! And this is just in Windows! How come it says "Turn Power Up, Turn Noise Down" on the box???

gear02 · 01-24-2005, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iLLWiLL

A couple questions:

- After seeing how amazing FarCry and the new Counter-Strike look, I'm wondering if I should exchange my 6600 GT for a 6800 GT. Worth the hassle??? Would there be a great improvement in performance?

- Jesus christ, my Antec power supply is LOUD!! And this is just in Windows! How come it says "Turn Power Up, Turn Noise Down" on the box???

I think the performance difference between the 66 and 68 will not be worth the $100-200 jump. From what I've read, the 66 is great because it's performance with a low price tag. The 6800GT at this point is for those who want the top of the line and don't mind spending $500.

iLLWiLL · 01-24-2005, 12:31 PM

I see...that's what i kinda figured. Thanks!!!

Daversinger · 01-24-2005, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gear02

I think the performance difference between the 66 and 68 will not be worth the $100-200 jump. From what I've read, the 66 is great because it's performance with a low price tag. The 6800GT at this point is for those who want the top of the line and don't mind spending $500.

but you can get a 6800GT for 350$ once in a while. My friend bought one for that price when they first came out, in oct. i think.

nate el bueno · 01-24-2005, 04:34 PM

or, you could get a 6800 ultra for 350 brand new if you have connections like me!
too bad i dont have 350 though.

iLLWiLL · 01-24-2005, 04:55 PM

so, who's your connection, nate?

hmmm.........i think i'll have to stick with my 6600GT anywayz...cuz i want to go to Jacksonville and watch my EAGLES in the Super Bowl! Long-time fan, been waiting 25 years for this!!!

AlpineJay · 01-24-2005, 06:04 PM

6600 is gonna be fine, I think. It should give you sufficient performance for gaming, especially with the rest of your setup. What is your RAM latency? If it's 2-2-2 then consider overclocking.

nate el bueno · 01-24-2005, 06:07 PM

well congrats on a nice system. sure, the 6600 is fine

Daversinger · 01-24-2005, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nate el bueno

or, you could get a 6800 ultra for 350 brand new if you have connections like me!
too bad i dont have 350 though.

i got that hook up too!

iLLWiLL · 01-30-2005, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlpineJay

6600 is gonna be fine, I think. It should give you sufficient performance for gaming, especially with the rest of your setup. What is your RAM latency? If it's 2-2-2 then consider overclocking.

my RAM latency? My video RAM or my motherboard RAM?

and where can i find this info?

shocky123 · 01-30-2005, 05:53 PM

I believe he was referring to the system ram. You should be able to find the latency information two ways:
1. Download a program like Everest Home Edition (free.. should be everest_dot_com)
It will do a scan of your computer and give you all the nifty info you could ever ask for about your computer. As well as sometimes advise you on overclock-abillity.. It will be under Motherboard->Chipset.. then Memory Timings.

2. In you bios, there should be a menu that describes the speed settings of your DDR RAM. It shouldnt be in the Frequency/Voltage settings menu though, it'll likely be in another menu by itself.
2-2-2-x would be badass.... it's tough to get ram to run like that though, it'll have to be high end ram

which you have

Here's the breakdown on your timings:
first number: CAS Latency (CL) ---should be labeled as one of the two in bios (2, 2.5)
2nd number: RAS to CAS Latency(tRCD) ----- (2,3, 4?)
3rd number: RAS precharge (tRP) ---- (2,3,4?)
4th number: RAS Active Time(tRAS) --- i think this ranges between (5-8)

anywho, google it up if you want to know more about it.. the numbers he was talking about were CL, tRCD, tRP respectively

enjoy,

Kyle

Markel · 01-30-2005, 06:34 PM

Everest can be found here:
http://www.lavalys.com/products.php?lang=en

iLLWiLL · 01-31-2005, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shocky123

I believe he was referring to the system ram. You should be able to find the latency information two ways:
1. Download a program like Everest Home Edition (free.. should be everest_dot_com)
It will do a scan of your computer and give you all the nifty info you could ever ask for about your computer. As well as sometimes advise you on overclock-abillity.. It will be under Motherboard->Chipset.. then Memory Timings.

2. In you bios, there should be a menu that describes the speed settings of your DDR RAM. It shouldnt be in the Frequency/Voltage settings menu though, it'll likely be in another menu by itself.
2-2-2-x would be badass.... it's tough to get ram to run like that though, it'll have to be high end ram

which you have

Here's the breakdown on your timings:
first number: CAS Latency (CL) ---should be labeled as one of the two in bios (2, 2.5)
2nd number: RAS to CAS Latency(tRCD) ----- (2,3, 4?)
3rd number: RAS precharge (tRP) ---- (2,3,4?)
4th number: RAS Active Time(tRAS) --- i think this ranges between (5-8)

anywho, google it up if you want to know more about it.. the numbers he was talking about were CL, tRCD, tRP respectively

enjoy,

Kyle

thanx for the detailed info.

I downloaded Everest, and my numbers are 2.5, 3, 3, 8 (respectively).

But NO WHERE could i find how to modify these values in my ASUS BIOS. Is it because my ASUS BIOS has "AI N.O.S. (Non-delay Overclocking System)", which automatically overclocks the mobo chipset????

shocky123 · 01-31-2005, 08:44 AM

If your mobo cost more than $20 (..not a free one, that doesnt count) then it should have it somewhere, check the manual for 'DRAM timings'
I've never heard of the NOS, but that seems to me like it controls the chipset and not necessarily the RAM timings, though I could be wrong.

2.5,3,3,8 is a fairly slow setup, I feel you would actually find it to give you a bit faster response and such from your RAM if you were able to push it to 2.5,3,3,5 or so.
My $hit RAM runs at 2.5,2,2,5 and runs like $hit, but still much better than it did at the original settings.
You might try looking for anything that says: SPD
these are the settings that are 'preloaded' onto your ram chips.. likely they are 2.5,3,3,8.. but I know that I had to change my dram timings from "controlled by SPD" to Manual and that let me into the timings options.

If I get a chance later this evening, I will try to look up your mobo and see if I can find anything, but for now I have to hit up work.

good luck

~Kyle

iLLWiLL · 01-31-2005, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shocky123

You might try looking for anything that says: SPD
these are the settings that are 'preloaded' onto your ram chips.. likely they are 2.5,3,3,8.. but I know that I had to change my dram timings from "controlled by SPD" to Manual and that let me into the timings options.

If I get a chance later this evening, I will try to look up your mobo and see if I can find anything, but for now I have to hit up work.

good luck

~Kyle

thanks alot for your help bro!! I'm pretty sure i looked through my BIOS pretty thoroughly and did not find it...but i'll check again once i get home from work today. If you are able to find anything on my mobo, let me know, thanks!!

DarkFury · 01-31-2005, 10:42 AM

Hey IllWill...

Congrats on the new system...

BTW.. you aren't overclocking are ya? Looks like you got a pretty stable setup up there... and you even got me somewhat in the mood to upgrade my system a lil bit.

Personally, I'm going to keep my current mobo (an Asus P4C800-E Deluxe) so that means that I'm limited to having a 478 Prescott chip rather than getting the newer LGA775 chips... however, from what I have read, with good cooling the 3.2 overclocks into the 3.8 range...

Also, while I am a firm advocate of Corsair RAM (which is very good stable RAM), I decided to go with Crucial Ballistix RAM this time around... which is Ultra Low Latency 2-2-2 @ 400MHz...

http://www.anandtech.com/memory/showdoc.aspx?i=2145&p=3

http://www.anandtech.com/memory/show...px?i=2235&p=21

Quote:

Overall, on both Intel and AMD Athlon 64, the PQI and G. Skill performed very well. Performance was on par with the best TCCD memories that we have tested. This gives two new options to those searching for DDR400 2-2-2. You can now choose between Corsair, Crucial, Geil, Kingston, Mushkin, OCZ, G. Skill and PQI if you're in the market for memory based on Samsung TCCD chips. Certainly, not all of these memories are created equal or perform exactly the same. As we saw in our reviews, a few reach to DDR600, and some are capable of better timings at higher speeds. However, all of the TCCD DIMMs performed at stock DDR400, at 2-2-2 timings. All eight memories also reached at least DDR 500 when overclocked. If these specifications meet your needs, then you can select any of these memories based on which offers the best price and warranty.

Crucial Ballistix is another memory to consider in this group. It is based on Micron memory chips, but certainly performed well at DDR400 2-2-2 timings. Ballistix also reached DDR500 with the fastest timings that we have ever seen at that speed.

Now the question is... which Corsair did you buy? Did you buy the LL... or did you go and buy the C2 memory?

iLLWiLL · 01-31-2005, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkFury

BTW.. you aren't overclocking are ya? Looks like you got a pretty stable setup up there...

Hey DF...

ummm, no, i'm not really overclocking

I don't have any special cooling. I have the stock Intel HSF, and my chassis has one 80mm fan, and one 120mm fan. But I was gonna see if i could get any increase in performance by making any small, incremental changes.

Too much risk / small reward to be doing this???

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkFury

Now the question is... which Corsair did you buy? Did you buy the LL... or did you go and buy the C2 memory?

hmmm, i'm not sure. I bought by memory from Fry's, but i know it's the same as these: http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduc...C-pr1c3grabb3r

DarkFury · 01-31-2005, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iLLWiLL

hmmm, i'm not sure. I bought by memory from Fry's, but i know it's the same as these: http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduc...C-pr1c3grabb3r

Ok.. you bought Value Select..

That's cool if you don't plan on overclocking... The C2 and the LL are parts of the XMS series of Corsair.... more or less they cost about double what the value select cost but they are built for OCing.

shocky123 · 01-31-2005, 09:39 PM

Word... I found it lol

I hope this works for you, though I'm not sure on bios versions, but usually there arent too many drastic changes. You may have to disable that 'OC' auto thingy.
I'm also not sure if you'll be able to change that 8 (RAS) time in your bios, the site i mention in the future ___here--| ___ only discusses modifying the CAS, RAS-to-CAS, and the Precharge settings. V So you'll have to view them for yourself.
Here's a link to a site that discusses overclocking, well to tellyou the truth I didnt read it, but it said your mobo name, and had a section on manually changing the dram timings, so check it out:

http://www.hothardware.com/viewartic...leid=604&cid=3

good luck, dont fry your new computer!

~Kyle

iLLWiLL · 01-31-2005, 11:16 PM

Wow, thanks alot for researching that shocky!! I just went into my BIOS and now I see the settings

iLLWiLL · 02-02-2005, 12:21 AM

Ok...with my Value Select Corsair RAM, i was only able to get it to 2.5-3-3-5 without shutting down...pretty crappy, i know.

DarkFury · 02-02-2005, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iLLWiLL

Ok...with my Value Select Corsair RAM, i was only able to get it to 2.5-3-3-5 without shutting down...pretty crappy, i know.

In a non overclocked situation... it will still work fine.

BTW... I just got my 2 512MB Crucial "Ballistix" DDR400s in my machine... and they are currently hummin' at 400 2-2-2-6.

This is some SWEET memory. And yes... my windows just "feel" faster (i.e. they seem to open up quicker and such

)

shocky123 · 02-02-2005, 05:20 PM

I have mine at 2-2-2-4
it's sooo fast, unfortunately I only have 256MB of that one.. the rest is $hit that limits both to 2.5-2-2-6 :\
but I tell ya, the pRon loads so damned fast, you cant even.. nevermind, useless post. My brain is fried from microcontrollers lab.
stupid powerpc bull**** cant interface w/ their lame ass windows machine worth a crap

~Kyle

iLLWiLL · 02-03-2005, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkFury

In a non overclocked situation... it will still work fine.

so................does that mean, if i overclock, would i be able to do better than 2.5-3-3-5?

Actually, i'm oc'ing right now @ 3.3GHz...

DarkFury · 02-03-2005, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iLLWiLL

so................does that mean, if i overclock, would i be able to do better than 2.5-3-3-5?

Actually, i'm oc'ing right now @ 3.3GHz...

Memory overclocking is a little different than CPU overclocking.... but they are somewhat related to each other.

Generally, when you overclock, the memory timings usually have to go UP in order to keep the system stable. These newer memory sticks are able to allow you to overclock higher without having to raise the memory settings which end result into a faster reacting system.

BTW... I doubt that the value select would be able to go below 2.5 reliably... you could try it, however you system might become unstable at some point.

JLemonjello · 02-03-2005, 09:19 AM

awesome box man, i remember when i was excited when i got my rig after high school with my graduation money... oh the days

iLLWiLL · 02-10-2005, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkFury

BTW... I just got my 2 512MB Crucial "Ballistix" DDR400s in my machine... and they are currently hummin' at 400 2-2-2-6.

Quick question: I noticed in my Everest program that my dual-channel Value Select (Corsair) memory is only running at 200MHz. I can't find a way in BIOS to attempt to run it at 400MHz. Is this a limitation of the Value Select memory, or am i just not finding the right option(s) in BIOS?? Thanx

bachviet · 02-10-2005, 11:18 AM

Your RAM speed is 200Mhz with DDR, which makes it 400Mhz. There is no RAM out there running at 400Mhz.

iLLWiLL · 02-10-2005, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bachviet

Your RAM speed is 200Mhz with DDR, which makes it 400Mhz. There is no RAM out there running at 400Mhz.

oh...

thanx!

01-24-2005, 11:09 AM	#1
iLLWiLL Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: northern Cali Posts: 191	My new rig.......many thanks!!! Hey everyone! Since i've been asking a boatload of questions like a lil kid about hardware around here lately (actually, dating back to summer 2003!), i thought i'd share the specs on my newly-built system: - P4 3.0GHz, 1MB, 800MHz, LGA775 - ASUS P5GDC-V Deluxe mobo - 1GB dual-channel Corsair pc3200 RAM - Cooler Master Cavalier 1 case - Antec TruePower 550W power supply - 160GB Western Digital SATA hard drive - ASUS GeForce N6600 GT 128MB PCI-e video card - NEC 3500A DVD+/-writer (silver) - Logitech mx510 blue mouse ============================== Total Cost = $1100 LOL, i didnt calculate that total until afterwards! Had no idea i had spent that much Shout-outs to all those from G\|A who helped share their knowledge: Bires, LK, Davesringer, DF, AlpineJay, bbrian, bachviet, GraingerGuy, nate el bueno, Jeffbx, and everyone else for your input Last edited by iLLWiLL : 01-31-2005 at 03:46 PM.

01-24-2005, 11:19 AM	#2
iLLWiLL Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: northern Cali Posts: 191	A couple questions: - After seeing how amazing FarCry and the new Counter-Strike look, I'm wondering if I should exchange my 6600 GT for a 6800 GT. Worth the hassle??? Would there be a great improvement in performance? - Jesus christ, my Antec power supply is LOUD!! And this is just in Windows! How come it says "Turn Power Up, Turn Noise Down" on the box??? Last edited by iLLWiLL : 01-24-2005 at 12:44 PM.

01-24-2005, 06:04 PM	#8
AlpineJay Commander Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Medford, MA Posts: 1,011	6600 is gonna be fine, I think. It should give you sufficient performance for gaming, especially with the rest of your setup. What is your RAM latency? If it's 2-2-2 then consider overclocking. __________________ If con is the opposite of pro, then what's the opposite of progress?

01-30-2005, 05:53 PM	#12
shocky123 Lieutenant Commander Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ames, Iowa Posts: 828	I believe he was referring to the system ram. You should be able to find the latency information two ways: 1. Download a program like Everest Home Edition (free.. should be everest_dot_com) It will do a scan of your computer and give you all the nifty info you could ever ask for about your computer. As well as sometimes advise you on overclock-abillity.. It will be under Motherboard->Chipset.. then Memory Timings. 2. In you bios, there should be a menu that describes the speed settings of your DDR RAM. It shouldnt be in the Frequency/Voltage settings menu though, it'll likely be in another menu by itself. 2-2-2-x would be badass.... it's tough to get ram to run like that though, it'll have to be high end ram which you have Here's the breakdown on your timings: first number: CAS Latency (CL) ---should be labeled as one of the two in bios (2, 2.5) 2nd number: RAS to CAS Latency(tRCD) ----- (2,3, 4?) 3rd number: RAS precharge (tRP) ---- (2,3,4?) 4th number: RAS Active Time(tRAS) --- i think this ranges between (5-8) anywho, google it up if you want to know more about it.. the numbers he was talking about were CL, tRCD, tRP respectively enjoy, Kyle __________________ "me awaits onslaught of estrogen fury." -CornMonkey "5. When your friend dates a woman that is absolutely terrible for him, and she's wrecking his life, it's your duty to openly hate her, and point out how evil she is." -ialsohaveadream

01-30-2005, 06:34 PM	#13
Markel Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 11,733	Everest can be found here: http://www.lavalys.com/products.php?lang=en __________________ stay low... keep moving...

01-24-2005, 12:31 PM	#4
iLLWiLL Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: northern Cali Posts: 191	I see...that's what i kinda figured. Thanks!!!

01-24-2005, 04:34 PM	#6
nate el bueno Spawn of Markel Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: IL Posts: 1,246	or, you could get a 6800 ultra for 350 brand new if you have connections like me! too bad i dont have 350 though.

01-24-2005, 04:55 PM	#7
iLLWiLL Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: northern Cali Posts: 191	so, who's your connection, nate? hmmm.........i think i'll have to stick with my 6600GT anywayz...cuz i want to go to Jacksonville and watch my EAGLES in the Super Bowl! Long-time fan, been waiting 25 years for this!!!

01-24-2005, 06:07 PM	#9
nate el bueno Spawn of Markel Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: IL Posts: 1,246	well congrats on a nice system. sure, the 6600 is fine

01-31-2005, 08:44 AM	#15
shocky123 Lieutenant Commander Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ames, Iowa Posts: 828	If your mobo cost more than $20 (..not a free one, that doesnt count) then it should have it somewhere, check the manual for 'DRAM timings' I've never heard of the NOS, but that seems to me like it controls the chipset and not necessarily the RAM timings, though I could be wrong. 2.5,3,3,8 is a fairly slow setup, I feel you would actually find it to give you a bit faster response and such from your RAM if you were able to push it to 2.5,3,3,5 or so. My $hit RAM runs at 2.5,2,2,5 and runs like $hit, but still much better than it did at the original settings. You might try looking for anything that says: SPD these are the settings that are 'preloaded' onto your ram chips.. likely they are 2.5,3,3,8.. but I know that I had to change my dram timings from "controlled by SPD" to Manual and that let me into the timings options. If I get a chance later this evening, I will try to look up your mobo and see if I can find anything, but for now I have to hit up work. good luck ~Kyle

01-31-2005, 09:39 PM	#20
shocky123 Lieutenant Commander Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ames, Iowa Posts: 828	Word... I found it lol I hope this works for you, though I'm not sure on bios versions, but usually there arent too many drastic changes. You may have to disable that 'OC' auto thingy. I'm also not sure if you'll be able to change that 8 (RAS) time in your bios, the site i mention in the future ___here--\| ___ only discusses modifying the CAS, RAS-to-CAS, and the Precharge settings. V So you'll have to view them for yourself. Here's a link to a site that discusses overclocking, well to tellyou the truth I didnt read it, but it said your mobo name, and had a section on manually changing the dram timings, so check it out: http://www.hothardware.com/viewartic...leid=604&cid=3 good luck, dont fry your new computer! ~Kyle

01-31-2005, 11:16 PM	#21
iLLWiLL Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: northern Cali Posts: 191	Wow, thanks alot for researching that shocky!! I just went into my BIOS and now I see the settings Last edited by iLLWiLL : 01-31-2005 at 11:23 PM.

02-02-2005, 12:21 AM	#22
iLLWiLL Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: northern Cali Posts: 191	Ok...with my Value Select Corsair RAM, i was only able to get it to 2.5-3-3-5 without shutting down...pretty crappy, i know. Last edited by iLLWiLL : 02-02-2005 at 02:55 AM.

02-02-2005, 05:20 PM	#24
shocky123 Lieutenant Commander Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ames, Iowa Posts: 828	I have mine at 2-2-2-4 it's sooo fast, unfortunately I only have 256MB of that one.. the rest is $hit that limits both to 2.5-2-2-6 :\ but I tell ya, the pRon loads so damned fast, you cant even.. nevermind, useless post. My brain is fried from microcontrollers lab. stupid powerpc bull**** cant interface w/ their lame ass windows machine worth a crap ~Kyle

02-03-2005, 09:19 AM	#27
JLemonjello Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 157	awesome box man, i remember when i was excited when i got my rig after high school with my graduation money... oh the days __________________ =========== Jason Lemonjello "Insert witty signature quote here."

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02-10-2005, 11:18 AM	#29
bachviet What's Da Pho*? Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: SoCal (714) Posts: 13,296	Your RAM speed is 200Mhz with DDR, which makes it 400Mhz. There is no RAM out there running at 400Mhz. __________________ Dell Dimension 9200 \| Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 (2.4GHz) \| 4x1GB DDR2 \| 256MB nVidia GeForce 8800GT Dell Studio 17 \| Intel Core i7-720QM (1.6GHz) \| 2x2GB DDR3 1066MHz \| 1GHz ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 Intel P4-C 3.0GHz \| ECS 865PE-A \| 3x512MB PC3200 \| 128MB PNY GeForce 6600GT

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