Advice on new processor:).

[Guest]

Hello,

I am currently upgrading an old computer for gaming. Recently I found myself with awfull FPS, thinking it was the graphics card I've now replaced them with the Nvidia Geforce GTX 460 SE and a new 700 Watt power supply and my FPS has improved a little but still cant move off the Low grpahics setting on a RTS called Dawn of War 2. Reading around numerous forums people have claimed that replaceing there Processor helped there FPS and am wandering if anyone could be kind enough to perhaps advise me on what to go for, Im currently running the AMD Hammer Family processor which acctualy came with the Desktop. Im not looking to spend over £200 and dont intend to overclock it as I dont no what on earth to do. Any inofrmation would be great and would I also have to replace my motherboard?

 

[saaiello]

You gonna need a new board and memory to upgrade. You might want to try and save up a little more so you can get a motherboard, CPU and RAM. The Hammer family is the old K8 opterons from what I remember so its pretty old. The 460 is being held back no doubt.

 

[simon12]

955BE £104 http://www.ebuyer.com/product/190673
AM3 board £47 http://www.ebuyer.com/product/174597
4Gb DDR3 RAM £25 http://www.ebuyer.com/product/192049
Leaves change for a cooler to overclock.

 

[Guest]

Processor,

Processor 1 ID = 0
Number of cores 1 (max 2)
Number of threads 1 (max 1)
Name AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+
Codename Toledo
Specification AMD Hammer Family processor - Model Unknown
Package Socket 939
CPUID F.3.2
Extended CPUID F.23
Brand ID 5
Core Stepping JH-E6
Technology 90 nm
Core Speed 2412.5 MHz
Multiplier x FSB 12.0 x 201.0 MHz
HT Link speed 1005.2 MHz
Stock frequency 2400 MHz
Instructions sets MMX (+), 3DNow! (+), SSE, SSE2, SSE3, x86-64
L1 Data cache 64 KBytes, 2-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L1 Instruction cache 64 KBytes, 2-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L2 cache 512 KBytes, 16-way set associative, 64-byte line size
FID/VID Control yes
Max FID 12.0x
VID range 1.100 V - 1.400 V

Memory and Motherboard I assume,

Northbridge NVIDIA nForce4 rev. A3
Southbridge NVIDIA nForce4 MCP rev. A3
Graphic Interface PCI-Express
PCI-E Link Width x8
PCI-E Max Link Width x16
Memory Type DDR
Memory Size 2048 MBytes
Channels Single
Memory Frequency 160.8 MHz (CPU/15)
CAS# latency (CL) 2.5
RAS# to CAS# delay (tRCD) 3
RAS# Precharge (tRP) 3
Cycle Time (tRAS) 7
Bank Cycle Time (tRC) 10
DRAM Idle Timer 16
Command Rate (CR) 2T

Guys thanks alot for this, realy helping me out here, will I be able to get the Motherboard, CPU and Memory done myself as a complete novice? I Sorted the power supply and graphics card out myself but I imagine this being far more complicated.

 

[kajabla]

You should get 4gb RAM too. Yes, you'll be fine if you follow the instructions. I did my first build fairly recently and it worked from the start. Just go step by step. Oveclocking is easy, and I can walk you through it if you want once you get your hardware.

 

[mosox]

Make sure your case takes ATX motherboards.

 

[Guest]

Ah ok thanks alot guys. One thing I'm concerned about is will I have to reinstall windows xp as I never had the disks, it came factory with the computer and all I have is the disks which restore the computer to default. How do I find out if my case will take the atx?

 

[palladin9479]

Honestly I'd wait till after June before purchasing any upgrade parts. Bulldozer is supposed to be released during that time and regardless if you purchase it or not the current prices for other components should be reduced. You might be able to scope up a sweet deal on a better CPU / Board.

 

[Guest]

Ohhh I managed to find my current motherboard which can be found here http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1742, i cant find anywhere if my case will take the ATX motherboard or if the GA-K8N Ultra SLI is a AM2 or AM2+ so if anyone could shed some light on it that would be awesome.

So far I think im going to go with the following, which is acctualy underbudget for me.

955BE £104 http://www.ebuyer.com/product/190673
AM3 board £47 http://www.ebuyer.com/product/174597
4Gb DDR3 RAM £25 http://www.ebuyer.com/product/192049

I would just like to make sure the MB will fit in my current tower.

 

[mosox]

Yep, it's OK, yours is also ATX.

Here's a mobo with the new AM3+ socket (Bulldozer ready), USB3.0 and SATA3:
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/262269

If it's too much
http://skinflint.co.uk/a485791.html

 

[Guest]

Well in all honesty I may buy that one mosox, I won't be in no rush to get bulldozer because of me and my girlfriend are expecting a baby late June so I'm sorting it before then but I would definetly get bulldozer in the near future, if I was to fit a 995BE would that work for the mean time? Would I just be required to fit the new parts and install the new drivers for the mobo? Meaning would I have to reinstall windows etc or would I just turn the computer on and windows would detect the new mobo and install away?

 

[mosox]

AM3+ socket is backwards compatible, any AM3 CPU will work on it.

When you will change the CPU (not the mobo) you don't have to mess with the software.

For your game and many more games, an Athlon II X3 is more than enough, it's way stronger than your current CPU. Especially since you will upgrade to Bulldozer eventually.

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/238326

Or you can get a cheaper quad:
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/257236

 

[Guest]

So when changing the mobo I will have to play around with the saftware and so on?

 

[Wisecracker]

So when changing the mobo I will have to play around with the saftware and so on?

Fresh 're-installs' all around would be advisable.

and

socket 939 seems like so long ago --- I hope it has held up well for you.

 

[Guest]

Ah the thing is I have no windows disks, will the full system restore disks do ok do you think?