New to Dual Core and some questions

[Aratae]

I recently modified my eMachines T5010 desktop with the Asus M2NPV-VM motherboard, AMD Athlon 64x2 4400+ dual core processors at 2.3 GHZ. I just have 1GB of RAM DDR2-SDRAM running at 333Mhz I think it is, tho I have ordered 3GB of DDR2-800 (PC2-6400) which should arrive via FexEx on Tuesday.

Right now playing SecondLife, it seems to be running slower than my old Pentium4 with the Intel Graphic Accelerator. And in-game items like floors, etc, are flashing different colors which they didn't before.

Maybe some of this is due to the measly 1GB of RAM I have at present. Also when I hit the key to log off the game, it takes a long time to get me actually out of the game and back to Windows. Under my old set up it was practically instantaneous, so I don't know what gives.

The other game I play alot is Anarchy Online, but everything seems fine there. No problems at all, other than occasional lag.

The lag in SecondLife is horrendous, sometimes can't even move my Ava at all.

Any ideas? I was hoping the switch of motherboards and going to dual core processors would help things, so I'm sorta confused.

[dicecca112]

Sounds like a graphics driver issue. Download Drive Cleaner Pro, boot into safe mode, remove the drivers and reboot. Then reinstall the drivers.

[hercules71185]

video is done via video card. Yes the processor does help. And fast ram too. But, no matter what the video card is still onboard. As before you might have had a weaker processor with better onboard. My suggestion is before spending money on 3gb of ram ask a few questions first. 1gb more of ram and a video card is more of what it sounds like you would like to have. Just cause a computer has specs of
14gb ram and a intel quad doesn't really mean what it does in games.
You can have a single core p4 with a radeon 3850 (in agp) and it will game better. It all depends on personal use.
Ram is good for video and picture manipulation. Basically having more open at once.
For gaming its good to have at least 2gb depending on your video card. If your video card is weak. Say radeon 9550 or ati x300 or nvidia 7300gs. You really don't need 2gb to push your card to the limit. Yet if you are running a nvidia 8800 ultra in sli. 4gb is recommended.

[Methious]

It does sound like a on board video issue, short of a new video card I'd download the latest AMD processor driver and the dual core optimizer both help in gaming. Then I'd do as suggested run driver cleaner on the video driver and reinstall it. Then update to the latest motherboard drivers. If it still has gaming issues on my M2N series board I was running an Asus 7300 pcie 16x video card (not a state of the art card or any thing) cost me $50, had an over clock utility (2 clicks) and it ran all my games great at 1024 X 768.

In the longer run though a better video card is a great gaming investment, nvidea 8800 series are gaming monsters, 8600 cheaper still do a great job for most people.

[martini161]

as for the ram, when you get the new ram, take the old ram out. all your ram only runs at the speed of the slowest stick. as for the video issue, its probably a driver issue. although fixing this may help in the short run, you are undoubtly going to have problems in the long run with onboard video. if you have the cash, i would recomend an 8800 gt 256 mb card. they are preaty cheap, and you will have no problems running games at low to medium settings for a very long time (read as "about 2 years tops")

[hercules71185]

even a budget of a 8600gt that you can get for 100 dollars. I got mine for 95 a year ago. So there has to be something cheaper. Its a decent card for most.

[Aratae]

Thanks for the help everyone. I did find one thing that helped...I read somewhere (I forget where) to set the monitors' vertical refresh rate to at least 85Mhz, which I did. That seemed to stabilize alot of the flicker problems I had and also made logging off alot fast, just hit the log out key and zap I'm back to windows again.

I do think ya'll are right about the video cards tho, the GeForce 6150 that came with the motherboard isn't a giantkiller, maybe I can afford a 8600 series, the 8800s look expensive. Any thoughts?

[Methious]

Well the 8800s are a little expensive, I got one and I really love it, but the cpu you have would bottle neck it a little, dual core X2 2.8 ghz is prolly the lowest to go with out bottle necking it. Then to run your current system with an 8800 you'd probably have to upgrade your power supply, that would add to the cost. The 8600 is still a good card and much cheaper. Here are the specs on a Evga (good brand) at 109.99 (with that specific card you might need a dvi to d-sub adapter depending on your monitor). The 8600 looks like it would run with out further upgrades. Biostar makes one for 99.99, XFX 114.99. Found here: http://directron.com/geforce8600s.html Newegg might be cheaper but directron loads fast.

Specifications: Performance: NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT. 540 MHz GPU. 32 Pixel Pipelines. 400 MHz RAMDAC. Memory: 256 MB, 128 bit DDR3. 1400 MHz (effective). 22.4 GB/s Memory Bandwidth. Interface: PCI-E 16x. DVI-I, DVI-I, HDTV-7. SLI Capable. Resolution & Refresh: 240Hz Max Refresh Rate. 2560x1600 Max Analog. 2560x1600 Max Digital.

System Requirements: Minimum of a 300 Watt power supply. (Minimum recommended power supply with +12 Volt current rating of 18 Amp Amps.) Minimum 400 Watt for SLI mode system. (Minimum recommended power supply with +12 Volt current rating of 24 Amp Amps.)

[vicaphit]

I had an emachine a couple years ago and didn't find it very upgrade friendly, though with a lot of maintinence it lasted me all through college. Good luck sir with your upgrades.

[Methious]

The newer E-machines aren't as bad as the older ones. The funky drive covers are nasty to deal with replacing, used to have a non-standard front panel connector you had to mess with, I keep the leads off of scrappers and re-seat the connectors into standard connectors. To my surprise the newest one I dealt with had standard connectors and a slightly modded Asus mobo. By modded I mean locked bios. Was one of the "HP" E-Machines, Gateway had them but sold to HP, now I hear HP sold E-Machines to some one else.

[hercules71185]

I have the 8600gt by leadtek. It runs most games maxed at 1400 x 900 resolution. Not crysis but, nothing does that game good. I play it with a mix and match of high and medium with shadows low at 1400 x 900. Its strong enough it plays most games flawlessly. But, I am upgrading since I like to max out all games

[vicaphit]

Gateway had them but sold to HP, now I hear HP sold E-Machines to some one else.

Sounds like nobody wants E-machines!

I'm sure an 8600 would do well, but think about the games you play too. If they aren't brand new games, and have been around for a while, you could get by on a 7600 or less even. I have an XFX 7600GT and it is awesome. Plays the orange box at max everything, though I don't think the 8600 is too much more expensive than the 7600GT I have.

[Methious]

I shoulda kept my 2 cents in my pocket, I just had to repair an E-machines athlon XP 1.1 GHZ, eww I got E-Machines on my hands

[vicaphit]

When I was finished with mine, I ripped out every part, kept the HDD, and scrapped the rest. I unplugged everything so it would never come back and haunt me again.

[Methious]

Life is just to weird, I got an E-Machine trade in today, Athlon XP 3200 2.2ghz, 160G HD, dvd burner, cd burner, Xp home, reinstall DVD, COA, manual and all. Should teach me to open my mouth, now I'll have E-Machines on my hands again. They just don't make enough soap. With me I think it's the big "E" on the screen every boot, it like burns into your brain.

Good news though it must be from the Gateway Era of E-Machines it has an unlocked bios and is decently equipped. Might have to get old school on it and clock it until I smell plastic dripping. Hope it's a mobile processor.

[hercules71185]

haha that would be nice. Lets see how far it clocks!!

[Methious]

Might be a while before I dust it off, a bunch of water cooling parts came in the door today Building an external cooling box so I can keep potentially leaky parts out of the casing. (My first water cooling)