Ok, I know that wei doesn't really tell you anything about your system, but it bothers me that my g.skill 4 gb (2x2gb) memory is a 5.7, and all the other reviewers on newegg with the exact same ram have a 5.9? why is this?

here is the exact memory: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820231122

all my other components got a 5.9, so the memory score of 5.7 ruins my base score.

I have vista x 64

What is CPU-Z reporting for your memory frequency and timings?

uhh...well my cpu on the other computer is hitting 75c idle, so im waiting for zalman hsf before i start up the computer

Hmm, I have the G.Skill PC2-8000 (DDR2-500) 4GB kit and I'm at 5.9 on my index running at 1GHz effective. Anyhow, don't take their (M$) ratings to the heart. If others are getting the same index as I am with the PC2-6400 kit, then maybe they have theirs over-clocked.

Lack of a Zalman cooler is NOT the reason you're hitting 75C at idle!

And he would be better off and load/run things faster (and never any issues) with allot less RAM usage if he was using XP.

On the cooler issue....why get a Zelman if you can use a Thermalright which is better?

what kind of hd do you have have? The slowest rating in my setup is hard drive.

umm its a seagate 7200.11 7200 rpm 500 gb. I partitioned it in two 250 gb partitions, one for documents, os, drivers, etc. and one for games music and movies.

with vista disc management you can only partition it in half, and you can use third party software like partition magic. blah

heres the link to the exact hd. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822148288

That's why you partition it before you install Vista on it. I have mine in 4 partition's with Vista on a 25g partition..Anyway Im using A-Data pc-6400 4g 2x2g and im getting 5.9 as well.

Have you adjusted your timings?

Yeah Im using g skill pc2-8400(The same as you ) And I got a 5.9. But my base sorce is 5.6 for HDD its a WD 320gb 7200RPM. All the rest are 5.9s

Really...it is Vista.
It does not matter if it reports 5.7 vs 5.9 after all.

If you really care about how good/fast things run reformat the drive and install XP and see how much faster things run.

Most people with a high end system that "upgraded" to Vista or always had Vista can't tell...but a reformate and install of XP gives most people a -noticeable- boost.
Software after all is written to run on XP and -will- use alot less RAM doing so at the same time.

Please explain how having a "high end rig" makes RAM operate faster?

i don't think he means it operates faster...i think what he meant is that vista is a resource hog compared to xp.

Well that's a totally different argument there. People who actually know about how Vista uses Ram and such know it's not a resource hog.

It is far more intelligent than XP at using system resources to carry out task's. That is why i can play Crysis on ultra high in a window and surf tom'shardware at the same time.

Just becuase it allocates ram and such different doesnt make it bad people are just misunderstood...