E8400 performs bad (3DMark06)

[Chaze]

Hi there! Hope I picked the right board.

I just finished assembling a brand new system. Full of expectation, I ran 3DMark06 only to be seriously disappointed:

My specs are these:
ASRock P43DE motherboard
Core 2 Duo E8400 (FSB 1333Mhz)
2x 2GB DDR2 ram (1066 Mhz CL-6-6-6-18)
GeForce GTX 260

And my best results are:
12509 3DMarks
SM 2.0 Score 5761
SM 3.0 Score 6342
CPU Score 2520

Similar systems reach 17000 with ease. In fact, a system that I built half a year ago (had all inferior components) scored higher than that.

There must be something wrong with this. Especially the CPU score, which should be at least 50% higher. What could be the causes of this, and where should I investigate?

Unfortunately I have no replacement hardware to experiment with. The newest system I have here is 7 years old.. and I also haven't been too involved with hardware either, since then.
I'm kinda worried that some component might have been damaged..


Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[rand_79]

did you use the default 3dmark settings?

also download and run cpu-z and list what the memory speed,
cpu speed (might change do to speedstep while idling)

any anything else that looks odd.

just google cpu-z to find it.. first link

also what drivers have you installed that didnt come with windows.

please reply in detail.

 

[Chaze]

did you use the default 3dmark settings?

Yes, my "trial" version of 3DMark doesn't allow any settings to be changed. But with exactly this version, I scored much more with an older system.

cpu speed (might change do to speedstep while idling)

Speedstepping is disabled. There is an option in bios, but it's greyed out. I can't even enable it.

also what drivers have you installed that didnt come with windows.

I installed all drivers that came with my motherboard: Realtek Ethernet, VIA Audio, Intel Chipset Device Software (those were the ones that still had problems after a clean XP installation)
Also, of course, nVidia Display Drivers. All of those are sufficiently up to date as well.

Here a screenshot, that might be easier to read:

And here's the report:
CPU-Z TXT Report
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

CPU-Z version 1.52.2

Processors
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of processors 1
Number of threads 2


Processors Information
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Processor 1 ID = 0
Number of cores 2 (max 2)
Number of threads 2 (max 2)
Name Intel Core 2 Duo E8400
Codename Wolfdale
Specification Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00GHz
Package (platform ID) Socket 775 LGA (0x0)
CPUID 6.7.A
Extended CPUID 6.17
Core Stepping E0
Technology 45 nm
Core Speed 2625.2 MHz
Multiplier x FSB 8.0 x 328.1 MHz
Rated Bus speed 1312.6 MHz
Stock frequency 3000 MHz
Instructions sets MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1, EM64T
L1 Data cache 2 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L1 Instruction cache 2 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L2 cache 6144 KBytes, 24-way set associative, 64-byte line size
FID/VID Control yes
FID range 6.0x - 9.0x
Max VID 1.225 V



Chipset
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northbridge Intel P45/P43 rev. A3
Southbridge Intel 82801JR (ICH10R) rev. 00
Graphic Interface PCI-Express
PCI-E Link Width x16
PCI-E Max Link Width x16
Memory Type DDR2
Memory Size 4096 MBytes
Channels Dual, (Symmetric)
Memory Frequency 393.8 MHz (5:6)
CAS# latency (CL) 5.0
RAS# to CAS# delay (tRCD) 5
RAS# Precharge (tRP) 5
Cycle Time (tRAS) 15
Row Refresh Cycle Time (tRFC) 52
Command Rate (CR) 2T
MCHBAR I/O Base address 0x0FED14000
MCHBAR I/O Size 4096



Memory SPD
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIMM # 1
SMBus address 0x50
Memory type DDR2
Module format Regular UDIMM
Manufacturer (ID) GEIL (7F7F7F1300000000)
Size 2048 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC2-6400 (400 MHz)
Part number CL6-6-6DDR21066 6
Serial number 00000056
Manufacturing date Week 08/Year 09
Number of banks 2
Data width 64 bits
Correction None
Nominal Voltage 1.80 Volts
EPP no
XMP no
JEDEC timings table CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-tRC @ frequency
JEDEC #1 3.0-4-4-10-16 @ 266 MHz
JEDEC #2 4.0-5-5-13-20 @ 333 MHz
JEDEC #3 5.0-5-5-15-23 @ 400 MHz

DIMM # 2
SMBus address 0x52
Memory type DDR2
Module format Regular UDIMM
Manufacturer (ID) GEIL (7F7F7F1300000000)
Size 2048 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC2-6400 (400 MHz)
Part number CL6-6-6DDR21066 6
Serial number 00000056
Manufacturing date Week 08/Year 09
Number of banks 2
Data width 64 bits
Correction None
Nominal Voltage 1.80 Volts
EPP no
XMP no
JEDEC timings table CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-tRC @ frequency
JEDEC #1 3.0-4-4-10-16 @ 266 MHz
JEDEC #2 4.0-5-5-13-20 @ 333 MHz
JEDEC #3 5.0-5-5-15-23 @ 400 MHz


Monitoring
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mainboard Model P43DE (0x00000140 - 0x00029C50)

LPCIO
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

LPCIO Vendor Winbond
LPCIO Model W83667HG
LPCIO Vendor ID 0x5CA3
LPCIO Chip ID 0xA5
LPCIO Revision ID 0x13
Config Mode I/O address 0x2E
Config Mode LDN 0xB
Register space LPC, base address = 0x0290


Hardware Monitors
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hardware monitor Winbond W83627DHG
Voltage 0 1.22 Volts [0x99] (CPU VCORE)
Voltage 1 12.66 Volts [0xE3] (+12V)
Voltage 2 3.39 Volts [0xD4] (AVCC)
Voltage 3 3.36 Volts [0xD2] (+3.3V)
Voltage 4 1.55 Volts [0xC2] (VIN1)
Voltage 5 5.02 Volts [0xD1] (+5V)
Voltage 6 1.70 Volts [0xD4] (VIN3)
Temperature 0 46°C (114°F) [0x2E] (SYSTIN)
Temperature 1 37°C (98°F) [0x4A] (CPUTIN)
Fan 1 2557 RPM [0x42] (CPUFANIN0)
Hardware registers
Register space LPC, base address = 0x0290
bank 0 [hex]
bank 1 [hex]
bank 2 [hex]
bank 3 [hex]
bank 4 [hex]

Hardware monitor Intel ICH

Hardware monitor Intel Core 2 Duo E8400
Temperature 0 42°C (107°F) [0x3A] (Core #0)
Temperature 1 42°C (107°F) [0x3A] (Core #1)

Hardware monitor NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260
Temperature 0 62°C (143°F) (GPU Core)


PCI Device
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Description Host Bridge
Description USB Controller (UHCI)
Description USB Controller (UHCI)
Description USB Controller (UHCI)
Description Multimedia device
Description PCI to PCI Bridge
Description PCI to PCI Bridge
Description PCI to PCI Bridge
Description USB Controller (UHCI)
Description USB Controller (UHCI)
Description USB Controller (UHCI)
Description USB 2.0 Controller (EHCI)
Description PCI to PCI Bridge
Description PCI to ISA Bridg
Description SMBus Controller
Description IDE Controller
Description Ethernet Controller
Description IDE Controller
Description VGA Controller


DMI
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

DMI BIOS
vendor American Megatrends Inc.
version P1.40
date 03/30/2009


DMI Baseboard
vendor ASRock
model P43DE

DMI Processor
manufacturer Intel
model Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00GHz
clock speed 2666.0 MHz
FSB speed 333.0 MHz
multiplier 8.0x

DMI Extension Slot
designation PCI1
type PCI
width 32 bits
populated no

DMI Extension Slot
designation PCI2
type PCI
width 32 bits
populated no

DMI Extension Slot
designation PCIE1
type A5
populated no

DMI Extension Slot
designation PCIE2
type A5
populated yes

DMI Extension Slot
designation PCIE3
type A5
populated no

DMI Extension Slot
designation PCIE4
type A5
populated no

DMI Physical Memory Array
location Motherboard
usage System Memory
correction None
max capacity 4096 MBytes
max# of devices 4

DMI Memory Device
designation DIMM0
format DIMM
type SDRAM
total width 64 bits
data width 64 bits
size 2048 MBytes

DMI Memory Device
designation DIMM1
format DIMM
type unknown
data width 64 bits

DMI Memory Device
designation DIMM2
format DIMM
type SDRAM
total width 64 bits
data width 64 bits
size 2048 MBytes

DMI Memory Device
designation DIMM3
format DIMM
type unknown
data width 64 bits


Graphic APIs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of adapters 1

API NVIDIA NVAPI
API NVIDIA I/O

Display Adapters
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Display adapter 0
Manuf. API index 0
Display name \\.\DISPLAY1
Name NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260
Revision A2
Codename GT200
Technology 65 nm
Memory size 896 MB
Memory type GDDR3
Memory bus width 448 bits
PCI device bus 5 (0x5), device 0 (0x0), function 0 (0x0)
Vendor ID 0x10DE (0x19DA)
Model ID 0x5E2 (0x1109)
Performance Level 2D Desktop
Core clock 400.0 MHz
Shader clock 800.0 MHz
Memory clock 300.0 MHz
Performance Level 3D Applications
Core clock 576.0 MHz
Shader clock 1242.0 MHz
Memory clock 999.0 MHz


Software
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Windows Version Microsoft Windows XP x64 Professional Service Pack 2 (Build 3790)
DirectX Version 9.0c

 

[Mousemonkey]

Change your multiplier to 9.

 

[Chaze]

Thanks, that already worked well!
13499 Marks
SM 2.0 Score: 6278
SM 3.0 Score: 6655
CPU Score: 2791

But still, I should be getting much more out of this system (without any overclocking), right?

 

[Mousemonkey]

No, that's about right IIRC as I don't have my 8400 rig fired up at the moment I can't give you a direct comparison now but I'll try and post one later.

 

[Chaze]

I just tried gaming for about an hour, and I think insufficient cooling might be one factor of the bad performance.
The GTX260 is at 94°C and cooled down to 71° after a minute. (Too hot?)
The CPU never even went above 62°, cools down very slow, and is about 54° in idle. Its heatsink isn't really hot at all, which is kinda odd, right?

 

[coozie7]

Those CPU temperatures seem high. My stock clocked and cooled E6600 idles about 32c and only gets over 45c under Prime 95 or TAT full load tests.
Check that the pushpins have gone fully home, they are well known for being difficult to 'click' and lock correctly, resulting in poor CPU/heatsink contact.
The card could be cooler as well, download and use Rivatuner to change the fan speed and those temperatures should drop nicely.

 

[Mousemonkey]

@Chaze, My E8400 score is 2745 in 3D'06.

 

[Chaze]

Check that the pushpins have gone fully home, they are well known for being difficult to 'click' and lock correctly, resulting in poor CPU/heatsink contact.

I wasn't really sure if I attached the cooler correctly, and have removed and reattached it a few times. Could that have resulted in the heat paste getting too thick?

(I'm really worried about damaging the CPU when messing around with the cooler too much. Is it true that applying any directional pressure will break the CPU to pieces?)

 

[Chaze]

@Chaze, My E8400 score is 2745 in 3D'06.

Alright, it performs normally then. Thanks for running that!

 

[Mousemonkey]

You're welcome mate.

 

[Chaze]

As far as I can tell, all four pushpins locked in. However, it takes more than 10 minutes for the core temperature to drop from ~60 to ~50.

Would it be worth the effort to get some new heat paste and try with that?

I'm also thinking about replacing the stock cooler with something different. But this one is already loud as hell. Do those third party coolers perform better while being more silent?

 

[JofaMang]

http://www.frostytech.com/

A site dedicated purely to cooling. They have rankings and ratings for cooling power as well as noise levels.

 

[dna708]

I still think it might be too low. Although my E8400 is at 3.4ghz, with my 9600gt, i score about 13k....

 

[Chaze]

http://www.frostytech.com/

A site dedicated purely to cooling. They have rankings and ratings for cooling power as well as noise levels.

Alright, thanks.

I still think it might be too low. Although my E8400 is at 3.4ghz, with my 9600gt, i score about 13k....

Hhm, what's your CPU score there?
Also, is there any software to test the graphics card specifically?