Will it run?

Bucketman

So. I don't have a top of the line PC..I will in about 6 months, but thats then. I recall a long time ago being directed to a webpage that could tell me weather or not your PC can run a game. With NWN2 around the cornor, I need to know if I meet the minumum reqs. The only real problem I have is my AMD processor(it runs at 1.6 according to my PC, but I've been told AMDs run differently then Intels and thus this estimate cannot be trusted0 I was just curious if anyone knew of this web site? Thanks in advance.

Serpent

whatever model number you have is the equivalent p4 speed.

like an athlonXP 2200 is a 2.2ghz p4. My athlonXP 2500+ run at 1.83ghz, and is about equivalent to a 2.5ghz p4.

I think an athlonXP 1900 runs at 1.6ghz, so that might be what you have.

However it's possible your processor is even older... if it's not an athlonXP, sempron, or athlon64, and is still an amd processor, your processor is more like a pentium3 (THREE, not 4).

exoplasm

What you are thinking of is a web page thingy that some game publishers use (EA and Ubisoft use it I think) to tell you if you can run a specific game.

You would have to look around on the bioware site to find out if they have something like that.

Bucketman

Serpent wrote:

whatever model number you have is the equivalent p4 speed.

like an athlonXP 2200 is a 2.2ghz p4. My athlonXP 2500+ run at 1.83ghz, and is about equivalent to a 2.5ghz p4.

I think an athlonXP 1900 runs at 1.6ghz, so that might be what you have.

However it's possible your processor is even older... if it's not an athlonXP, sempron, or athlon64, and is still an amd processor, your processor is more like a pentium3 (THREE, not 4).

Well I'm not 100% sure which one it is. I don't really want to take it out(I built the damn thing like 3 yers ago..so I don't remember the serial number)

What I can discern from PC Wizard is that it Supports 3500 MHz (or higher) but is running at 1094 MhZ.

I'm gonna be honest, I can build PCs and I know enough about everything in them, except Processors. I just never found an easy way to understand how to get them running right wothout blowing them. So I guess that it CAN run faster...but how do I get it to go 3500 MHz? Beacause if thats all I need to do, problem sovled on alot of games.

exoplasm

First of all, you should download CPU-Z to find out specifics of your CPU.

Secondly, you probably should not attempt to run your processor at 3.5Ghz unless you have a dedicated air conditioning unit for your computer's case.

If you DO want to overclock it, be careful. You have to change the FSB settings in the BIOS (I don't think AMD-supporting boards let you change it the other way (multiplier)). Increment it 10-30MHz at a time (this is FSB speed not CPU speed). You will probably get to a point where the computer will stop turning on. You will have to reset your BIOS at this point and use the setting that worked before it stopped booting. Then, you will have to see if that setting can run stable in Windows and gaming. Chances are it will probably cause a reboot as soon as you load up a game.

Overclocking requires a lot of cooling which is going to cost $$$ so if you really want to go that route, might as well buy a newer CPU.

robaal

Bucketman wrote:

What I can discern from PC Wizard is that it Supports 3500 MHz (or higher) but is running at 1094 MhZ.

I think you meant 3500+ and 1900+.

Bucketman wrote:

I'm gonna be honest, I can build PCs and I know enough about everything in them, except Processors. I just never found an easy way to understand how to get them running right wothout blowing them. So I guess that it CAN run faster...but how do I get it to go 3500 MHz? Beacause if thats all I need to do, problem sovled on alot of games.

I think whatever program you were using told you what the motherboard supports, so you'd just need to replace the CPU with a faster one. You might find some used ones cheap on eBay...

First thing to check is what FSB and memory the motherboard supports -
the lowest FSB for Athlon XP CPUs is 133MHz (DDR266), and the fastest processor using it is a 2600+ (there are also CPUs rated at 2600+ that use the faster 166MHz FSB so look out).
The next step is 166MHz (DDR333) and the fastest CPU using it is actually a 3200+, which is the highest Athlon XP rating.
If the motherboard supports DDR400 RAM/200MHz FSB then you could upgrade to any Athlon XP, including the 3200+ that uses the faster DDR400 memory.
The higher the FSB the faster memory you need; IIRC running it asynchronously on AMD systems makes the whole system considerably slower.

I think CPU-Z will also tell you the model of your motherboard, go the to manufacturers website to check its specification; if there is no separate webpage for your motherboard you might still be able to download the manual in pdf format.

If you want to try overclocking then the Thermaltake Big Typhoon is compatible with socket A and also the new sockets like AM2 or LGA775 so you'd be able to use it on your future processor. Froogle says you can get it at ~$40 (edit: it seems to require holes around the socket though). There are some better heatsinks at around that price, but they usually aren't compatible with socket A.
I suggest you read up on overclocking before actually doing it.

Bucketman

CPU-Z tells me I have a:

AMD Athlon MP
Socket A (462)
Core Speed: 1096.2
Multiplier X11.0
BUS: 99.6 MHz
Rated FPS: 199.3 MHz

I really don't want to have to buy a new one if I don't have to (cash is short) and like I said, I know pretty much everyting else about PCs except for Processor(and a little bit about Motherbord, but I've got that mostly figured out)

Edit: All I get from CPU-Z and PCWizard is that I have a Gigabyte nVidia-nForce 2. And Gigabyte has no listing for that on their site. Go figure

robaal

...that's a pretty bizarre CPU, in fact wikipedia claims that it doesn't exist

I suggest you get Everest Home Edition and see what it tells you about your RAM (under mainboard->SPD, memory speed), if it says it's at least DDR266 then you should be safe increasing the FSB to 133MHz, which should be the default for that CPU as far as I can tell; this will still be pretty weak - only 1,4GHz/1600+ while the minimum recommended speed is P4 2GHz "or equivalent" - ie. 2000+.


Everest should also identify the motherboard a bit better, if it really has an nforce2 chipset then it supports a maximum FSB of 166MHz/DDR333 memory so if you have DDR333 RAM you could upgrade to even the fastest CPUs, though your best choice would probably be some Sempron ~2600+ which you should be able to get for <$50 on eBay.
The older socket A CPUs with 133MHz FSB seem surprisingly expensive - for about the same price you'd get only a 2100+ at best.

Serpent

if you cpu is REALLY rated at a fsb of 199 mhz, you are currently running it at half speed, which would make it an athlonMP 2800+, and about equivalent to a 2.8ghz pentium. 3 years ago that would've been a decent chip i think so the timeframe fits.

I don't wan't to take responsibility for you trying to overclock, so i'm not going to tell you how to adjust the FSB.

edit: also, no guarantee the label on the chip would say 'athlonMP 2800+'. Model numbers are not serial numbers.

edit2: I forgot that you put the fsb frequency of half the rating, so a rating of 199 means you set it at 99. So it's set right. It's possible your multiplier is off. AthlonXPs and AthlonMPs generally run at 1.6ghz and faster.

Is your computer telling you that your processor is running at 1.6ghz (original post), or that you have an AthlongMP 1600?

robaal

Serpent wrote:

if you cpu is REALLY rated at a fsb of 199 mhz, you are currently running it at half speed, which would make it an athlonMP 2800+, and about equivalent to a 2.8ghz pentium. 3 years ago that would've been a decent chip i think so the timeframe fits.

I don't wan't to take responsibility for you trying to overclock, so i'm not going to tell you how to adjust the FSB.

edit: also, no guarantee the label on the chip would say 'athlonMP 2800+'. Model numbers are not serial numbers.

IIRC CPU-Z shows only the FSB you're running at - the "rated FSB" means the effective frequency - all Athlon XPs double the set frequency and that's why it says 200.

stigweard

The fsb on that should definitely be set to 133/266. Figuring the proper multiplier might be a little harder. It could be 10.5 or 11.5, or another number altogether. Do you know what year you bought the processor?

GiantRobo

http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/referrer/srtest

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/games/gameadvisor/default.mspx

Bucketman

robaal wrote:

...that's a pretty bizarre CPU, in fact wikipedia claims that it doesn't exist

I suggest you get Everest Home Edition and see what it tells you about your RAM (under mainboard->SPD, memory speed), if it says it's at least DDR266 then you should be safe increasing the FSB to 133MHz, which should be the default for that CPU as far as I can tell; this will still be pretty weak - only 1,4GHz/1600+ while the minimum recommended speed is P4 2GHz "or equivalent" - ie. 2000+.


Everest should also identify the motherboard a bit better, if it really has an nforce2 chipset then it supports a maximum FSB of 166MHz/DDR333 memory so if you have DDR333 RAM you could upgrade to even the fastest CPUs, though your best choice would probably be some Sempron ~2600+ which you should be able to get for <$50 on eBay.
The older socket A CPUs with 133MHz FSB seem surprisingly expensive - for about the same price you'd get only a 2100+ at best.

it says I have PC3200(200 MHz) for both slots, and I says DDR SDRAM..which makes no sence to me as those are 2 different types as far as I know.

And it identified my motherbord: GA-7N400 Pro2(Rev 2.x)

I'm going to open this bitch up and see what my processor is damn it. I swear I use to know it. Update with it later. Oh and thanks for all the help.

robaal

No, DDR is still SDRAM:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SDRAM

Bucketman

Well I still have 0 clue what processor I actully have, but Everest DOES tell me this:
Field Value
CPU Properties
CPU Type AMD Athlon XP, 1100 MHz (11 x 100)
CPU Alias Thoroughbred-B
CPU Stepping B0
Instruction Set x86, MMX, 3DNow!, SSE
L1 Code Cache 64 KB
L1 Data Cache 64 KB
L2 Cache 256 KB (On-Die, Full-Speed)

Edit: I tried getting the damned thing out to get a model number, but I can't get the heatsink off of it. I always have troubles with these damn heatsinks.

robaal

:? That's strange, if it really is a throughbred then that's not bad, as that's most likely the slowest model of that family - meaning that there's a good chance it will overclock well.

Here's some guide on the forums of overclockers.com; I haven't read it though...

Generally you just increase the FSB gradually (5-10MHz steps are small enough) and run some stress program to see if it's stable - I use the Prime95 torture test. When you start getting errors, assuming the temperature isn't too high (I'm not sure what would be safe for Thoroughbreds, I'm guessing <60°C if you don't care about the CPU, <50°C should be pretty safe), increase the voltage gradually - by the smallest step possible (up to +10% of default voltage should be fairly safe, I wouldn't exceed +20%).

Bucketman

robaal wrote:

:? That's strange, if it really is a throughbred then that's not bad, as that's most likely the slowest model of that family - meaning that there's a good chance it will overclock well.

Here's some guide on the forums of overclockers.com; I haven't read it though...

Generally you just increase the FSB gradually (5-10MHz steps are small enough) and run some stress program to see if it's stable - I use the Prime95 torture test. When you start getting errors, assuming the temperature isn't too high (I'm not sure what would be safe for Thoroughbreds, I'm guessing <60°C if you don't care about the CPU, <50°C should be pretty safe), increase the voltage gradually - by the smallest step possible (up to +10% of default voltage should be fairly safe, I wouldn't exceed +20%).

I just really need somthing that will tell me WHAT processor model I have. Thats all I need. I have the box somewhere at home...but unless I call my dad and have him sift through the 20 odd boxes of my stuff thats not an option.

robaal

I think there's a product number on the CPU,

Wikipedia has a list of all (?) Athlons and their product numbers.

Bucketman

robaal wrote:

I think there's a product number on the CPU,

Wikipedia has a list of all (?) Athlons and their product numbers.

So do I have to actully remove the whole MoBo to get it out? Or just remove the damn Heatsink? I would have to wrestle with it for a bit, but if I know it can come out then I'll try harder.

robaal

Bucketman wrote:

robaal wrote:

I think there's a product number on the CPU,

Wikipedia has a list of all (?) Athlons and their product numbers.

So do I have to actully remove the whole MoBo to get it out? Or just remove the damn Heatsink? I would have to wrestle with it for a bit, but if I know it can come out then I'll try harder.

It depends on the heatsink, if it just uses the socket to stay in place then you just need a wideish flathead screwdriver, insert it in the hole above where it hooks onto the socket on one side. The screwdriver must be wide enough so that it won't go through the hole and you'll be able to push the clip downwards.

edit: AMD has a guide to CPU and heatsink installation

Bucketman

Thanks for that, I'll give it a shot tomorrow and see how it goes. And once again thanks for all the help on this.

stigweard

Bucketman wrote:

Thanks for that, I'll give it a shot tomorrow and see how it goes. And once again thanks for all the help on this.

IF you do pop the heatsink off, you'll need some fresh thermal paste, and you'll have to clean it all off well, and re-apply. Scraping off just enough to see the product code and then popping the heatsink back on is a bad idea.

robaal

stigweard wrote:

Bucketman wrote:

Thanks for that, I'll give it a shot tomorrow and see how it goes. And once again thanks for all the help on this.

IF you do pop the heatsink off, you'll need some fresh thermal paste, and you'll have to clean it all off well, and re-apply. Scraping off just enough to see the product code and then popping the heatsink back on is a bad idea.

The product code isn't on the core but yeah, most likely the remains of the thermal paste still won't be enough to be usable after removing the heatsink

stigweard

Yes of course, I was picturing a heat spreader and not the bare core.

Bucketman

Ok..so barring me having some type of Thermal Paste on hand ( I don't) is there any OTHER way to figure it out?

Nethel5

If you're using the stock AMD heatsink and fan, sometimes model numbers and serial numbers are on a sticker attached to the fan.

exoplasm

It looks like you have an underclocked Athlon XP Thoroughbred or Athlon MP Thoroughbred. Most likely its an XP since the MP is apparently the server CPU, and also the MP doesn't have an A or B version.

This might be the one you have...

Athlon XP 1700+ 1467 MHz 256 KiB 266 MT/s 11x 1.50 V 49.5 W (A/B) AXDA1700DLT3C

You should be able to set the FSB to 266 in your BIOS and it should be a bit faster, however it's probably not going to run modern games all that great. I'm using a Sempron 2500+ (overclocked to 1.9GHz) and I can barely run newer games, but then I still have a GeForce Ti4600 and I don't know that my CPU is that much of a bottleneck.

robaal

Bucketman wrote:

Ok..so barring me having some type of Thermal Paste on hand ( I don't) is there any OTHER way to figure it out?

Just buy some, it's not expensive. Any type will do, I use Arctic Silver Ceramique, as it's non-conductive and supposedly a bit better than normal silicone grease.

Bucketman

So, Sandra tells me its a "Duron M8 & Athlon MP/XP & Sempron (Thoroughbred) 130nm 1.5-2.5GHz + 1.5-1.65V"

So I'm just gonna try changing the FSB a bit and see how it goes.

Bucketman

Figured it out. Its the XP 1700+. I bumped the FSB to 133MHz. Nothing wrong here. It runs at 1.4 now, thanks for the help...of course now I need to find a good Socket A processor that can get me to over 2.0

God i need a better job that give me more cash.

exoplasm

I use a Socket A sempron 2500+, best CPU i could get for my mobo. Well that I could find anyway. It supports higher but I could not find higher semprons or athlons to use in socket a (462). It cost $70.

Bucketman

So looking at a new MoBo/Processor combo that I can use my current PC3200 Ram and my AGP Vid card with I found these 2. What do you think?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2528194&CatId=14

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2549273&CatId=14[url][/url]

exoplasm

Celeron D (and Pentium D for that matter) are both VERY NO. Also, Tiger Direct is VERY VERY VERY NO.

If you are looking to get a combo cpu/mobo deal, you should definately go with something at Fry's (if they are around you). You can usually get a CPU + mobo for just less than the regular cost of the CPU alone. THe mobo isn't going to be great, but will not be crap either.

You would be better off getting a Core 2 Duo (if you can afford it) or an Athlon64 of some variation if you're getting a new mobo. Even the cheapest Core 2 Duo when overclocked will outdo the best Athlon64 X2 (for now) and an Athlon64 3400+ or better should be fine for probably a year.

Bucketman

So I changed the FSB to 200 MHz beacause the RAM says it on the side....its running at 2.14 now(processor is) but I'm afraid, so far no problems and it booted, but is there anything I should watch out for to make sure its not gonna blow?

blincoln

If you have a 1700+, that is *way* too fast, IMO, to run safely.

I would recommend New Egg over Fry's. Fry's sometimes has good deals on one or two things, but most of their prices suck, their staff don't know anything about the products they sell, and half of the boxes are opened already.