Re: Best System for PTLE for under $1000.00
 

I just swapped the A7V8X-X out for the A7V333-X which is still our best performer with PTLE. I found a good supply here.

http://www.bzboyz.com/store/product1921.html

Haven't had any issues on these boards and they have outperformed the A7N8X and A7V8X series boards with PTLE.

Got to stick with what is working best here folks.

On the dual processor machine, I got it below 1000.00 now by using the MP2400 processors, which probably isn't going to be much different than the MP2800 combo, both running at 2Ghz.

I'd like to see more people setting up those duals, especially for those CPU hungry 002 and 002r.

Allen [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Best System for PTLE for under $1000.00
 

How do you guys monitor your cpu temp?

I dug around SiSoft Sandra for a little while and found it there. Is there an easier way?

Meanwhile (thanks to Allen's advice) i upgraded to an Enermax case and an XP1700. I think i was having temp problems with my Tbird 1gz in my old case since the system would freeze fairly often (maybe once or twice a day), but only in the summer. With my old case the power supply covered, with maybe an inch to spare, the cpu fan and it had no ventilation.

So far with the new setup (using stock the AMD fan that came with the 1gz tbird) it's been running at around 43C and no freezes. I seem to be faster and more stable, can't beat that.

I still have a via kt133a mboard with generic pc133 ram. can i run faster ram with this mboard? With this cpu?

Thanks, Steve

Re: Best System for PTLE for under $1000.00
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">No that board only takes PC133 SDRAM. Way to get things figured out here and congrats on the new setup. You may be able to run that processor faster than you have it set for. If you have the A7V133 motherboard I think you can change the multiplier in bios to increase the speed of the CPU. Make sure it runs stable and cool for a couple days before performing any overclocking.

Allen [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Best System for PTLE for under $1000.00
 

Just updated most of the systems today.
P4
Dual AMD
Original Under 600.00 System

All of the systems are now Digi Approved systems.

I also swapped out the Zalman heatsink/fan unit for one of the best combos being used in the overclocking community. Thermalright SK-7 with a Panaflo 80mm fan on top. That Zalman was great for noise, but we needed more cooling as the processors were running in the 50s and 60s and a few were heading into the 70s.

This Thermalright combo has kept most systems in the 30s and 40s while overclocking to XP3600+ speeds and the Panaflos are great efficient low noise fans. The Thermalright SKU800 and 900 are also good heatsinks to use here. Just 20.00 more for the same end results.

Finally upgraded the P4 system to the newest P4 800FSB processor setup. Looking forward to seeing more results here with that Asus P4P800 Deluxe motherboard and Corsair twin channel memory listed.

And my favorite setup is back, the A7V333-X with the XP2500+ processor. What a great combo this has been and still one of the best performers here in PTLE land. This is also one of the best overclocking processors AMD has come out with and I had one guy here on the DUC get his up to 2.5Ghz on air cooling and this same motherboard, ram combo.

Finally the addition of a full dual AMD system based on the MPX 760 dual chipset. I've been waiting a long time for this one. Will it outperform the new Mac G5? I predict it will for a lot less money. Dual 2Ghz MP processors will be hard to beat. Listed dual AMD system is now under 900.00.

Allen [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Best System for PTLE for under $1000.00
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I'm a little confused on this. So your system runs more stable without these virtual memory settings changes?

Thanks,
Allen [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]


Hey I think this thread just hit 2000 posts.

Yaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] <hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Sorry for the confusion - I think it was just a coincidence that things went south after I made the virtual memory changes--it was a problem with the video card driver all along. I decided to go ahead and do a clean install of windows, and this time I used the Sapphire video driver from the start, and everything is running smoothly at last! Funny that it all started because of the broken CD that came with my video card. If not for that, I would have had the right driver from the start, and I would have missed out on this great "learning experience"!

Re: Best System for PTLE for under $1000.00
 

Scott,
That is great news. I guess I can remove the big scare now about the A7V8X-X and the ATI 9000 issue. LOL

Glad you got it figured out. Let me know how it goes and how you like your new system.

Allen [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Best System for PTLE for under $1000.00
 

Allen:

The changes you've made to the Intel system add signicantly to the cost. I was basing a coming upgrade next month on the old systems which perform very well too. Is there any chance you could put them back in?

Information on Intel systems is scarce, and correlations between Intel and Asus boards are difficult to ascertain. I've been searching alot at Intel, Asus and here only to find that Asus makes several boards of Intel designs with only one person admitting to using some of them with no DaveC results.

Everyone appreciates all your hard work, but I'm getting no where. There must be one Asus board each that works best with PC2700, PC3200 and PC800 RAM?

You have always mentioned getting a Northwood processor with two sticks of 256 RAM in the first two slots. Are the 2.6 and 2.8 (and higher) P4s Northwood processors (the Intel site was really no help in this regard) or was the Northwood process fazed out after 2.4?

My system is coming together nicely except for the motherboard and chip. Any help is appreciated witht thanks.

Re: Best System for PTLE for under $1000.00
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I'd be glad to help you out. Those other motherboards are outdated now and don't allow the use of the newer FSB800 P4s. This new motherboard cost just a little more, but it allows the use of all the Northwood processors as well as the new FSB800 processors, and all DDR ram PC2100 up to PC 3500. Much easier to setup and far more options here.
Asus P4C800E Deluxe uses the same 875P chipset and comes with all the bells and whistles if that is what you want. The Intel board is cleaner, without all the onboard stuff, but the Asus board allows for overclocking. The Intel board has an integrated LAN Gigabit built into the northbridge which is supposedly super fast for networking.
Personally if I wasn't interested in overclocking and wanted a good solid high quality motherboard, I'd go with the Intel board. I think quality wise they are hard to beat.

For Ram, you can go with Kingston, Micron, or Corsair in the PC2100, 2700, 3200, or 3500. If you are going to run the FSB800 processors you are going to want PC3200. If you are going to run the earlier Northwoods, they seem to run best on PC2700. There is alot of debate whether the dual channel ram feature really is helping out. You can always plug in two sticks in the first two slots to play it safe (2X256MB) or (2X512MB). www.newegg.com has great prices right now on Corsair XMS PC3200 DDR 512MB right now. You can always start out with one stick and add another later.
For processors, you can stay with the older Northwood processors 2.4Ghz or higher or go with the 800FSB processors now.

Just a lot more choices with this motherboard.

I added a link on the first post to the title "Building a Pentium 4 Powerhouse Under 1000.00" that will take you to a thread that will have more information on building a P4 than you want to know.

Personally, I'd be building that XP2500+ system listed as "Original AMD System for Under $600.00" and you will be guaranteed incredible performance. We finally have the noise and cooling down on these AMDs too. The P4s are too inconsistent for me. I'd be surprised if the same motherboard and processor give the same results.

Hope that helps you here.

Allen [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Best System for PTLE for under $1000.00
 

Allen:

Something is really wrong with what I am doing. Installed XP and am having a nightmare with promise controller. Had to install with C drive on MOBO IDE primary slot. Formatted C drive NTFS and windows XP comes up fine. No sign of Audio (d drive). SO I have primary & secondary IDE on mobo and primary and secondary IDE on Promise controller card. Please refesh my memory. How should I be connecting my system drive and audio drive to the promise controller and mother board IDE? How do I connect my CD burners?

Do I need to reinstall Promise controller software first? I'm totally confused. And why did you go back to the Asus 33 mobo after I went and bought the a7v8x-x? Arrrgh!

Thanks

I have one CDR and one DVD R and one system drive and one audio drive. THen I have primary IDE slot on mobo and primary and secondary slots on the promise card.

Thanks

Re: Best System for PTLE for under $1000.00
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Hey markus,
Put your system drive on IDE one of the motherboard for starters. Put your audio drive on the same cable as slave for starters. Make sure both drives are recognized and are formatted the way you want them. After formatting and installing XP on your system drive you can move one or both drives to the Promise controller. Be sure to download the latest Promise drivers specific for your card from the Promise website and install them before moving the hard drives over.
Keep the DVD/CD etc. on IDE2 of the motherboard.

Allen [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]