Best Core 2 Series Desktops-Results and Specs

[meklemm]

We're just havin a little fun.

Either card looks good! The 128MB card should get you around 3.5 GB of RAM available in Windows

Can you post a link to the card you have right now? I would like to see it.

4GB is four gigs whether its on 1 stick of RAM or 8.

[/QUOTE]

thanks! here 'tis:

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16814121027

[sunburst79]

We're just havin a little fun.

Either card looks good! The 128MB card should get you around 3.5 GB of RAM available in Windows

Can you post a link to the card you have right now? I would like to see it.

4GB is four gigs whether its on 1 stick of RAM or 8.

thanks! here 'tis:

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16814121027

[/QUOTE]

If you want to make the most of your 4GB of Memory I would return it for a smaller card while you can.
Having a card with a fixed amount of memory may also save you some greif down the road.

[Cro]

Hi,

I am just running some Dverb tests on my new system and a have a question. The instructions say:

"Go to your buffer setting and select 64 and then 1024(CPU usage must be 90%)."

Which parameter does the select 64 refer to? I have looked across all menus, especially on the Setup > Playback Engine dialog but have not found it (I have set everything else as described).

Have I overlooked something?

Thank you,
Cro

[Teolin]

Finally got a quad built. Runs great, thanks to Sunburst and everyone else on this thread.

Dverb 2 score of 268 running 7.3 cs2 after doing basic tweaks in Troubleshooting thread. After loading 7.4, the score went down to about 240.

I used all tried and true parts from page 1 of this thread.

Q6600 Go Stepping
ASUS P5K
2X Seagate 320 SATA
4GB Corsair DDR2 800
ASUS EN7200GS Video Card
Samsung DVD CD Burner
XP Home


If anyone is using the P5K and having trouble with the network card, it may be due to where the USB ports are plugged into. I couldn't get the MB to recognize it's own newtwork card so I took it to a local computer guy and he had seen the problem before. The USB cable (from the case) should be plugged into the lower USB plug rather than the plug near the CPU. He thinks it's a design flaw in that MB.

Thanks again.

[sunburst79]

Finally got a quad built. Runs great, thanks to Sunburst and everyone else on this thread.

Dverb 2 score of 268 running 7.2 cs2 after doing basic tweaks in Troubleshooting thread. After loading 7.4, the score went down to about 240.

I used all tried and true parts from page 1 of this thread.

Q6600 Go Stepping
ASUS P5K
2X Seagate 320 SATA
4GB Corsair DDR2 800
ASUS EN7200GS Video Card
Samsung DVD CD Burner
XP Home


If anyone is using the P5K and having trouble with the network card, it may be due to where the USB ports are plugged into. I couldn't get the MB to recognize it's own newtwork card so I took it to a local computer guy and he had seen the problem before. The USB cable (from the case) should be plugged into the lower USB plug rather than the plug near the CPU. He thinks it's a design flaw in that MB.

Thanks again.

Now thats a interesting factoid about the USB cable/header. I always bundle the Front panel USB cable and attach it over by the last PCI slots and the front panel connections. If I need more USB connections than the front panel USB or the rear ports usually I drop in a PCI Combo USB/FW card.

[Pro Tools LE]

My Quad Build
Processor- Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor Model HH80562PH0568M – OEM $255.00

Motherboard- ASUS P5K LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard – Retail $126.99

Memory- CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400 – Retail $49.00

Video Card-ASUS EN7300GT SILENT/HTD/256M GeForce 7300GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Video Card – Retail $56.99

Hard Drives- Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3160815A 160GB 7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA100 Hard Drive - OEM (System Drive) $52.99
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250310AS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0 GB/s Hard Drive – OEM (Audio Drive) $65.99

CD/DVD Burners SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S203N – OEM $33.99 I own a second CD/DVD Burner by Lite-On

Computer Cases- Antec NSK6580 Black/ Silver 0.8mm cold-rolled steel construction ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 430W Power Supply – Retail $109.95

OS Software- Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2B 1 Pack – OEM $89.99

Let me know if this will be a solid PC? Should I upgrade something or add anything? Sunburst chime in please. Also I will be using this with a MBox 2 Pro.

[Teolin]

Well with no experience in computer building, I was just looking at the P5K manaul. The USB header near the CPU was presented first on the page so I went for that one. Turns out it can make a difference. The computer tech unplugged it and on restart, the Hardware wizard was looking for a network driver!

[sunburst79]

Well with no experience in computer building, I was just looking at the P5K manaul. The USB header near the CPU was presented first on the page so I went for that one. Turns out it can make a difference. The computer tech unplugged it and on restart, the Hardware wizard was looking for a network driver!

Thats good to know as I was unaware of it

I wasn't trying to critisize your computer skills or anything BTW (Hey at least you took the time to read the manual ).

The P5K Deluxe WiFi models like mine use a USB based Wireless network adapter that has a single row of 4 or 5 Prongs but its over by the output panel plate and the 1st PCI expansion slot. It wasn't that connector was it? It looks like 1/2 of a USB header.

I'll have to download the P5K manual and have a look.

[mykhal c]

My Quad Build
Processor- Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor Model HH80562PH0568M – OEM $255.00

Motherboard- ASUS P5K LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard – Retail $126.99

Memory- CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400 – Retail $49.00

Video Card-ASUS EN7300GT SILENT/HTD/256M GeForce 7300GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Video Card – Retail $56.99

Hard Drives- Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3160815A 160GB 7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA100 Hard Drive - OEM (System Drive) $52.99
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250310AS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0 GB/s Hard Drive – OEM (Audio Drive) $65.99

CD/DVD Burners SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model SH-S203N – OEM $33.99 I own a second CD/DVD Burner by Lite-On

Computer Cases- Antec NSK6580 Black/ Silver 0.8mm cold-rolled steel construction ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 430W Power Supply – Retail $109.95

OS Software- Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2B 1 Pack – OEM $89.99

Let me know if this will be a solid PC? Should I upgrade something or add anything? Sunburst chime in please. Also I will be using this with a MBox 2 Pro.

looks good!! my only suggestion would be go for the faster ram, DDR2 1066, if your budget allows. there are definite performance gains with the faster ram. you could also check to see if the next generation of seagates, 7200.11, are available. again if your budget allows. i just read a review on them in CPU mag and they definitely gave them a thumbs up. i can't remember what the technical changes from 7200.10 were but you might want check those out too. but the build specs look good!!! happy building!!

EDIT: also you might want to look back at page one in this thread to see who else might be using your mobo with a firewire device. we know the AGERE FW on some of the ASUS P5K works with the DIGI FW devices but i'm toally sure of the VIA FW chipset on your mobo. at worst you'd have to get a compatible/approved DIGI FW card.

sunburst, what's the verdict on the VIA chipset????

[Cro]

Thanks to all, especially sunburst79, for documenting the best ProTools specs out there. Below are my test results for my new system. They highlight the performance hit of 7.4 over 7.3.

Cro 235 Dverbs On a Q6600 - ASUS P5K, 2GB Corsair DDR2 800MHz, GeForce 7200GS 256MB DDR2, 2 x 320GB SATA2, LG Lightscribe SCSI DVD burner, Mbox2 PTLE 7.3

Cro 236 Dverbs On a Q6600 - ASUS P5K, 2GB Corsair DDR2 800MHz, GeForce 7200GS 256MB DDR2, 2 x 320GB SATA2, LG Lightscribe SCSI DVD burner, Mbox2 PTLE 7.3.1

Cro 220 Dverbs On a Q6600 - ASUS P5K, 2GB Corsair DDR2 800MHz, GeForce 7200GS 256MB DDR2, 2 x 320GB SATA2, LG Lightscribe SCSI DVD burner, Mbox2 PTLE 7.4

Cro