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well Hello
I like to stumble on into this forum every couple years, AFTER I have just built a new system and have problems
heaven forbid I might actually thoroughly research stuff before doing it. Not really the Design-then-Build type I guess
more the Build-Build-Build-then-Redesign. Keeps life interesting anyway, even if a bit less satisfactory
So post-hurricane(s) last season, I found myself with some nice salvaged/free parts, mainly outta the garbage a P4 3.2 (didnt know what or who a Prescott was at the time whereas now I pass idle time burning Mr.Prescott in effigy), a total of 1.5GB of DDR2, a couple nice SATA drives, and a gaggle of various optical drives. So with the only real out-of-pocket costs being a new MB (PCI-E MSI 915P http://www.msicomputer.com/product/p_spec.asp?model=915P_Combo-F&class=mb ) and a new video card, this is one hell of a system for the price. And believe me, I was constantly reminding myself of that as I tore the thing apart over and over in order to beat the Prescott-Inferno.
I ended up using a massive heatsink out of a Dell 6 copper (heat?)pipes crossing over the CPU plate, and then turning straight up for 6.25 as they pass through 70+ thin, 2.5 x 3, radiator-like plates forming a massive, heavy hunk of metal that almost hit the lid of a large ATX case. Truly, the only reason I had kept that thing around is because its so absurdly big that even my friends that usually run away when I start talking about computers were intrigued enough to at least pretend to listen anyway.
But of course ol Dell has been hard at work inventing new ways to underhandedly give hobbyists the finger without the public ever noticing. Why couldnt they just use the same industry standard for HS-mounting-hole spacing on the LGA 775 boards as everyone else? Because they are evil I am certain they monitored me and laughed as I spent countless hours engineering a way to mount that beast of a HS securely to the MSI board. After testing out MSIs ETS (emergency thermal shutdown) feature too many times, I did succeed though and I also learned that Dell cant monitor me if I wrap my head in foil. So if I ever post a pic, you wont have to ask whats up with my shiny hat
And so with my CPU temps firmly under the control (avg. 65C @ 50% load, down from 80C (!) b4 mods), Im finally trying to do a little OCing and not getting past 1% (3216mhz). MSI included a desktop interface for both Ocing and volt-modding, and this CPU will freeze the system so fast that no way temp is an issue its always resting at around 52C when I try. Do others also have as poor luck with this CPU? Sure seems like it should go higher, thus maybe Im missing something? Have even tried minimal volt-mods to CPU, DDR2, and PCIe, which work fine. Oh, and why do most sysinfo utils show 2 CPUs?
Oh, and one final question: I just got an ATI x800GT w/128mb DDR2 for $20 and was all excited to replace my GeForce 6600GT 256mb DDR2, which OCs very nice, but has real hard time with Oblivion w/HDR. Well, am I the only one surprised to find the 6600 totally dusts the x800 with FRAPS benches in game? The x800 doesnt even have HDR, and w/out that on, the 6600 beats it even worse Yet 3Dmark2001 gives ATI over 2000 pts lead. Hmm. Is there a way to OC the x800GT at all?
Thanks for reading this far! -Q!
So post-hurricane(s) last season, I found myself with some nice salvaged/free parts, mainly outta the garbage a P4 3.2 (didnt know what or who a Prescott was at the time whereas now I pass idle time burning Mr.Prescott in effigy), a total of 1.5GB of DDR2, a couple nice SATA drives, and a gaggle of various optical drives. So with the only real out-of-pocket costs being a new MB (PCI-E MSI 915P http://www.msicomputer.com/product/p_spec.asp?model=915P_Combo-F&class=mb ) and a new video card, this is one hell of a system for the price. And believe me, I was constantly reminding myself of that as I tore the thing apart over and over in order to beat the Prescott-Inferno.
I ended up using a massive heatsink out of a Dell 6 copper (heat?)pipes crossing over the CPU plate, and then turning straight up for 6.25 as they pass through 70+ thin, 2.5 x 3, radiator-like plates forming a massive, heavy hunk of metal that almost hit the lid of a large ATX case. Truly, the only reason I had kept that thing around is because its so absurdly big that even my friends that usually run away when I start talking about computers were intrigued enough to at least pretend to listen anyway.
But of course ol Dell has been hard at work inventing new ways to underhandedly give hobbyists the finger without the public ever noticing. Why couldnt they just use the same industry standard for HS-mounting-hole spacing on the LGA 775 boards as everyone else? Because they are evil I am certain they monitored me and laughed as I spent countless hours engineering a way to mount that beast of a HS securely to the MSI board. After testing out MSIs ETS (emergency thermal shutdown) feature too many times, I did succeed though and I also learned that Dell cant monitor me if I wrap my head in foil. So if I ever post a pic, you wont have to ask whats up with my shiny hat
And so with my CPU temps firmly under the control (avg. 65C @ 50% load, down from 80C (!) b4 mods), Im finally trying to do a little OCing and not getting past 1% (3216mhz). MSI included a desktop interface for both Ocing and volt-modding, and this CPU will freeze the system so fast that no way temp is an issue its always resting at around 52C when I try. Do others also have as poor luck with this CPU? Sure seems like it should go higher, thus maybe Im missing something? Have even tried minimal volt-mods to CPU, DDR2, and PCIe, which work fine. Oh, and why do most sysinfo utils show 2 CPUs?
Oh, and one final question: I just got an ATI x800GT w/128mb DDR2 for $20 and was all excited to replace my GeForce 6600GT 256mb DDR2, which OCs very nice, but has real hard time with Oblivion w/HDR. Well, am I the only one surprised to find the 6600 totally dusts the x800 with FRAPS benches in game? The x800 doesnt even have HDR, and w/out that on, the 6600 beats it even worse Yet 3Dmark2001 gives ATI over 2000 pts lead. Hmm. Is there a way to OC the x800GT at all?
Thanks for reading this far! -Q!