What should I upgrade ?

Mitch_A wrote:

> Hold onto that $64 and save it till ya have enough for either a better card.
> http://search.ebay.com/6800-gt_W0QQftsZ0 or an XP3200+ cpu.
>
> I'd throw an Athlon XP 3200+ at that MSI KT4AV for $120 (w/bios upg)
> (www.pricewatch.com) and OC as much as possible (maybe just get a good fan
> h/s as well to help oc'ing). Or better yet a dual core 64 mobo/cpu combo but
> thats far beyond a $64 budget
>
> Nothing beats cpu cycles and that sempron is a budget cpu so really the best
> investment/performance ratio so in your case is the XP3200+ is your best
> bet. 9800/128 isnt that much slower than an x800/256 at lower res's and you
> should also OC it amap.
>
> You won't see hardly any difference going to 2gigs of ram. You could make
> up the performance difference by tweaking XP following black vipers
> excellent guide.
>
> Mitch
>

I was just doing a little looking at my board. IT says it supports 3000+
"and higher"........hmmmmmm, what might "and higher" actually pertain
to?? Before I source out an XP3200+, I want to be damned certain it
will work on the board. The closest I can get to a 3G CPU without
redoing mobo and chip, the better. I tried searching the Mobo/3200+
combo on google to no avail.......or I am just not entering my search
wording properly. By chance, does a 64bit board run the same memory I
presently have on a NON 64bit board?? Initial cost has to be minimal,
and I am thinking a new board and chip will be rather costly if I jump
to 64bit right now. Thanks for your help.......and patience.

Verne

Go to this page
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/produc...il.php?UID=456
and then look at the BIOS upgrades. The latest fix is for the XP3200+. You
may need to flash your mobo. Be sure to check which version of the mobo you
have also.

Double check yourself though, no warranty expressed or written

Mitch


"V "fnugen"" > wrote in message
...
> Mitch_A wrote:
>
>> Hold onto that $64 and save it till ya have enough for either a better
>> card. http://search.ebay.com/6800-gt_W0QQftsZ0 or an XP3200+ cpu.
>>
>> I'd throw an Athlon XP 3200+ at that MSI KT4AV for $120 (w/bios upg)
>> (www.pricewatch.com) and OC as much as possible (maybe just get a good
>> fan h/s as well to help oc'ing). Or better yet a dual core 64 mobo/cpu
>> combo but thats far beyond a $64 budget
>>
>> Nothing beats cpu cycles and that sempron is a budget cpu so really the
>> best investment/performance ratio so in your case is the XP3200+ is your
>> best bet. 9800/128 isnt that much slower than an x800/256 at lower res's
>> and you should also OC it amap.
>>
>> You won't see hardly any difference going to 2gigs of ram. You could
>> make up the performance difference by tweaking XP following black vipers
>> excellent guide.
>>
>> Mitch
>>
>
> I was just doing a little looking at my board. IT says it supports 3000+
> "and higher"........hmmmmmm, what might "and higher" actually pertain to??
> Before I source out an XP3200+, I want to be damned certain it will work
> on the board. The closest I can get to a 3G CPU without redoing mobo and
> chip, the better. I tried searching the Mobo/3200+ combo on google to no
> avail.......or I am just not entering my search wording properly. By
> chance, does a 64bit board run the same memory I presently have on a NON
> 64bit board?? Initial cost has to be minimal, and I am thinking a new
> board and chip will be rather costly if I jump to 64bit right now.
> Thanks for your help.......and patience.
>
> Verne
>

Mitch_A wrote:

> Go to this page
> http://www.msi.com.tw/program/produc...il.php?UID=456
> and then look at the BIOS upgrades. The latest fix is for the XP3200+. You
> may need to flash your mobo. Be sure to check which version of the mobo you
> have also.
>
> Double check yourself though, no warranty expressed or written
>
> Mitch
>

Sadly Mitch, my chipset falls into the "CANNOT" field. This kind of
sucks now. Makes me wonder if maybe I should just grab a 64bit board and
chip now.......as long as my current ram will run on a 64bit board, I
may go that route. JUst going to see about "putting one together" at
my local haunt. Online price list. Thanks though, appreciated

I'll just live with what I have until GTL comes out. The OCing seems to
help pick up a bit of slack though. SO it's "bearable" hehehe

V "fnugen" wrote:

> 9800pro barely OC for some reason, just keeps hitting artifacts.
> (384.75/357.75)

Try underclocking the vidcard memory (20~40 MHz or so) and then try for
more core speed.

-Greg

Greg Campbell wrote:
> V "fnugen" wrote:
>
>> 9800pro barely OC for some reason, just keeps hitting artifacts.
>> (384.75/357.75)
>
>
> Try underclocking the vidcard memory (20~40 MHz or so) and then try for
> more core speed.
>
> -Greg
>


Just tried it Greg, I get artifacts right away if I move above 384.75
core. I'd have thought this card would have been more able than that.
Maybe my system overall just can't handle a vid card OCed. Is there
maybe another program than ATItool that does the same thing, maybe I
have a bad tweaking tool. I know nothing other than the obvious at
this, thanks again. Would having my BIOS set to aperture of 256 be a
problem? Fastwrite off in BIOS as well.

Verne

V \"fnugen\" wrote:
>
> Greg Campbell wrote:
> > V "fnugen" wrote:
> >
> >> 9800pro barely OC for some reason, just keeps hitting artifacts.
> >> (384.75/357.75)
> >
> >
> > Try underclocking the vidcard memory (20~40 MHz or so) and then try for
> > more core speed.
> >
> > -Greg
> >
>
> Just tried it Greg, I get artifacts right away if I move above 384.75
> core. I'd have thought this card would have been more able than that.
> Maybe my system overall just can't handle a vid card OCed. Is there
> maybe another program than ATItool that does the same thing, maybe I
> have a bad tweaking tool. I know nothing other than the obvious at
> this, thanks again. Would having my BIOS set to aperture of 256 be a
> problem? Fastwrite off in BIOS as well.

As long as the tool allows you to increase core speed and memory speed
independently, then there's little else any other tool can do, sometimes
GPUs and CPUs just don't OC much

There's one thing you haven't played around with yet as far as I can
tell, and that's the memory timing, while memory speed is important for
the overall bandwidth available, once the you surpass the demands of
your system, more bandwidth is "wasted", if setting the memory speed
down to 266 doesn't affect the performance of your system running
certain comparable tests, then you'd prolly have some leeway to play
around with the timing settings CL, CAS and all that

Your average DDR memory are rated at 2.5, high end at 2.0 and cheap
stuff at 3.0, by lowering the speed from 333 to 266 you might be able to
reduce the memory timing to 2.0, and the other timings might be reduced
from 3-3-7 to 2-2-5, memory timing is more important than memory speed
once you have "enough" bandwidth


Beers and cheers
(uncle) Goy

"When two or more people are gathered together in my name,
they shall perform the Parrot Sketch..."

--Our Lord John Cleese--

V \"fnugen\" wrote:
>
>
> Sadly Mitch, my chipset falls into the "CANNOT" field. This kind of
> sucks now. Makes me wonder if maybe I should just grab a 64bit board and
> chip now.......as long as my current ram will run on a 64bit board, I
> may go that route. JUst going to see about "putting one together" at
> my local haunt. Online price list. Thanks though, appreciated

Problem with that is that you'd either have to get an AGP equipped A64
board, which will seriously limit your future upgrade path or get a
PCI-E vid card at the same time...

> I'll just live with what I have until GTL comes out. The OCing seems to
> help pick up a bit of slack though. SO it's "bearable" hehehe

http://www.msicomputer.com/product/p...p?model=KT4A-V

Says it supports 3200+ here....?

What's the MS number on your card ?


Beers and cheers
(uncle) Goy

"When two or more people are gathered together in my name,
they shall perform the Parrot Sketch..."

--Our Lord John Cleese--

Goy Larsen wrote:
> V \"fnugen\" wrote:
>
>>
>>Sadly Mitch, my chipset falls into the "CANNOT" field. This kind of
>>sucks now. Makes me wonder if maybe I should just grab a 64bit board and
>>chip now.......as long as my current ram will run on a 64bit board, I
>>may go that route. JUst going to see about "putting one together" at
>>my local haunt. Online price list. Thanks though, appreciated
>
>
> Problem with that is that you'd either have to get an AGP equipped A64
> board, which will seriously limit your future upgrade path or get a
> PCI-E vid card at the same time...
>
>
>>I'll just live with what I have until GTL comes out. The OCing seems to
>>help pick up a bit of slack though. SO it's "bearable" hehehe
>
>
> http://www.msicomputer.com/product/p...p?model=KT4A-V
>
> Says it supports 3200+ here....?
>
> What's the MS number on your card ?
>
>
> Beers and cheers
> (uncle) Goy
>
> "When two or more people are gathered together in my name,
> they shall perform the Parrot Sketch..."
>
> --Our Lord John Cleese--

My board is MS6712. It is the KT4AV-L. Has the KT400A chipset. Says up
to 3000+ and higher.............hate the "and higher" generic
terminology. Just HOW high!?!? I decided to go price an AMD64 board and
chip. Upgrading in the future is a concern, but if it gives me the
performance I am after now........then a board upgrade later next year
is not an issue. I got a good quote for an AMD64 3500+ s939 and an MSI
(I like MSI) K8T Neo2-F board. Has dual core capability for down the
road, but it has AGP8x, which I can use my good old 9800pro in the
meantime. Buying a new vid card as well as processor and board is way
beyond my spending right now. I Have plans on buidling another system
for my kids as well, so "hand me downs" are the goal with any upgrades.
So I will still need a few extra $$ to replace what I still need for my
own, hence the waiting for a BIG upgrade overall. Certain things come
first........but a board and chip, not unreasonable. My system runs
pretty good now, but I know GTL will tax it, and any new games that
happen to come out as well. PCI-E will be in my future, but not until
next year sometime. $400 for a vid card, not right now. Thanks for
the help and insight though, definitely learned some things along this
venture.

Verne