Got some new hardware

[Big Booger]

Well I went to the PC shop and decided it was time to upgrade. I have been having lagging problems in a few games, I've noticed when I run a few apps at the same time my PC performance goes down the sh1tter.. so here's what I got:

Asus P4P800 Motherboard (not the deluxe)
Pentium 4 2.8ghz, 800FSB
1GB PC3200 DDR 400 (dual channel)
120 GB Sata HDD Maxtor 8MB cache...
Asus ATI Radeon 9600XT 128MB (was wanting to the 9800pro but just didn't see paying more.. maybe I'll get a better GPU later...)
A Coolermaster Centrion Case
and a 400Watt ultra quiet PSU.

It's not the best hardware but it will do for me for 1-2 years.. I think. My P4 1.6 has lasted me just over 2 years now and it will be retired to the wife. That or I might make it a file server of some sort.

Next up is a DVD drive (I am waiting for the 16X DVD+RW drives).
:D

[zipp51]

With a rig like that,you will probably notice the performance increase right off the bat.Maybe your old vid card was dying for your system to lag like that.Anyway sounds like a nice upgrade BB. :D

[Conan]

Finally! I think you'll be pretty happy with that set-up for quite a while! :cool: What model Centurion case did you get (there are 4 types)? What brand of RAM did you get? Did you have any difficulty setting it up? Set your memory at 2.65 volts and memory timings by SPD. I would run memtest86+ just to be sure, and I've also noticed setting AGP voltage at 1.6 gives slightly better benchmark scores. As FastGame says, why didn't you go with AMD? :p

http://www.techzonez.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9263

[rik]

I think you will be very pleased BB...

[FastGame]

As FastGame says, why didn't you go with AMD? :p
HaHaHa, you trying ta start trouble ? Hmmm he could of got a 9800pro if he went AMD :p

Nice rig BB :cool:

[Big Booger]

The ram is Buffalo or Samsung I believe, and the model case I'll have to get back to you on. It is silver, has front panel audio, USB and Firewire (but the motherboard doesn't have the front panel Firewire port.. so I am SOL with front panel firewire).

I installed all the components last night. And started to install XP, but my disk was scratched so I am waiting on another copy. If I didn't read the manual I would have never known how to access the BIOS.. press and hold DEL key??

The boot screen looks 100X better than the old intel boot screen. Will finish installing the OS and setting it up later on today. The case is nice as it has a 1 screw design and is no tool. The GPU will be fine I think for a while. It will blow the TI4200 out of the water.

And I almost bought an AMD FX-51 instead of the P4. BUt they had two choices of motherboards a gigabyte and an asus and each one was like $250. The motherboard price was what turned me toward Intel.


UPDATE:

Found the case:
http://www.coolermaster.co.jp/web/product/case/cac-t01/cac-t01-uwc.htm

Here's the video card:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2796306581&category=40158

Though I am going to contact the store cause my Half-life 2 coupon is missing... :(

[Conan]

If I didn't read the manual I would have never known how to access the BIOS.. press and hold DEL key??



Just hit the Delete button when you see the BIOS screen. No need to keep it depressed. I wonder what BIOS version you have, the latest ones normally have better stability and performance but you should wait until everything is installed before you toast your motherboard. :p I'm using the latest BIOS 1016 at home but I never did update the one at the office. Latest downloads for our motherboard here:

http://www.asus.com/support/download/item.aspx?ModelName=P4P800%20Deluxe

[SupaStar]

Sounds really good BB. My upgrade nerve is beginning to twitch :p

I like the idea of a brand spanking new DVD-RW...I hear the prices wont be too far off the current 4X ones.

[egghead]

time for a benchmark for the benchmark thread...

hint hint


http://www.techzonez.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8900

[lynchknot]

luck dawg - now you're faster than fast.

[FastGame]

time for a benchmark for the benchmark thread...

hint hint


http://www.techzonez.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8900
My eye's are bad and I can't decipher all those benchies, who's winning so far ?

[cash_site]

Great News BB, I see you are getting ready a huge Frag fest on Battlefield Vietnam :p

Im in the same boat as Supa, dying to Upgrade computer. But will need something to at least catch FG :p

Goodluck, and dont fry your boards!

[efc]

No speeding with this new system. Remember what happened when you got the new car. Tickets are expensive. :D

[SupaStar]

My eye's are bad and I can't decipher all those benchies, who's winning so far ?

Not me... :msnsarc:

[Big Booger]

I can actually feel a huge difference in the performance of my new PC. I mean it's like the PC is waiting for the applications to load instead of the other way around...

The 1GB DDR with the dual channel support is really a work of art.. I am impressed. The graphics card is also very nice but the 9800 pro or XT would have been by far better. We'll see this summer if a newer model comes out I might throw down for it. :D Always gotta think ahead. But for now the new DVD+RW 16X burner is what I am eyeballing.

[FastGame]

Hey its nice you like your new PC :D After you get your new DVD burner get a WD Raptor HD and you'll only have to wait for the electricity from the power company :eek:

[Big Booger]

I need a solar installation :D Some solar roof panels and a wind mill would be nice.. or a small closet-sized nuclear reactor. Maybe I can buy one from libia or Iran, or maybe North Korea.

[Conan]

I can actually feel a huge difference in the performance of my new PC. I mean it's like the PC is waiting for the applications to load instead of the other way around...

The 1GB DDR with the dual channel support is really a work of art.. I am impressed. The graphics card is also very nice but the 9800 pro or XT would have been by far better. We'll see this summer if a newer model comes out I might throw down for it. :D Always gotta think ahead. But for now the new DVD+RW 16X burner is what I am eyeballing.

Did you install the memory sticks in the 1 and 3 slots (or 2 and 4) for proper dual channel operation? And I remember you were giving me a hard time before when I said that dual channel DDR blew RDRAM out of the water. :D

[Big Booger]

You were right about the DDR dual channel setup. I stuck them in banks A1 and B1 (the blue slots)..

Haven't adjusted anything in the BIOS yet.. still kind of doing a burn in. Plan to do some testing on the system tomorrow for egg's benchmark thread. I might adjust some settings at that time.
:D