Best Systems and Components for Win HD/TDM

[markus44uk]

Thanks for the tip. Looks like I have to go with the WS Pro. Its ordered! So is the Q6600 with GO stepping (on Tiger Direct for $280).


I'm keeping the Asus EN 7600GT 256m GeForce vid card and I've just upgraded my PSU to a PC Power & Cooling 750w Quad Silencer. I'm also keeping the two Raptors that I have been using. I have a huge rack case so space not an issue either.


Last issues:
1) 1066 memory vs 800 memory. Will I see a big difference in performance vis-a-vis RTAS Plugin count and speed of the machine. I heard that 1066 memory isn't working with the 975x chipset...can anyone confirm this?

2) If 1066 WILL work and there are no issues, the Corsair 1066 2 gig deal at New Egg is out of stock. Any alternative (keeping the 1066 speed though) - perhaps to 2 gig sticks?

3) If 800 is more than enough with the Q6600 and P5 Pro mobo, can someone please point to the correct memory sticks? I look on the CRUCIAL website, enter my Mobo and get like 20 different alternatives...which one???

Thanks

Thanks to all again!

[markus44uk]

Nick:

Can you comment on which memory we should be going with on the P5 Professional mobo and Q6600 processor? Its my last purchase before the upgrade.

Thanks

[NickH]

I would personally plump for the Corsair XMS DDR2 1066 Memory.

I currently have the Kingston HyperX PC2-8500 but I will probably swap it out at some point for the Corsair, No matter what Kingston say the HyperX doesn’t run well at 1066, I have tried three different revision in 3 different MB's and the Kingston is only really stable at 800...

Cheers



N

[sunburst79]

I would personally plump for the Corsair XMS DDR2 1066 Memory.

I currently have the Kingston HyperX PC2-8500 but I will probably swap it out at some point for the Corsair, No matter what Kingston say the HyperX doesn’t run well at 1066, I have tried three different revision in 3 different MB's and the Kingston is only really stable at 800...

Cheers



N

I'm using 4GB of the Corsair XMS DDR2 1066 here with no issues. I'm running a P35 based board but the memory is stable and has not given me a lick of trouble.

[Paje]

I'm using 4GB of the Corsair XMS DDR2 1066 here with no issues. I'm running a P35 based board but the memory is stable and has not given me a lick of trouble.

I'm glad I checked back in on this thread. For some reason I was thinking WinXP Pro (32-bit) was limited to 2GB of system mem. I'm going to add another 2GB of RAM.

So far this build has gone quite well. Here's the stats thus far:

1 Asus ATI Radeon HD3850 512MB 2DVI/HDCP PCI-Express Video Card
1 Zalman ZM600-HP 600W Dual-Core Quiet Power Supply
1 STT DDR2-800 2GB (2x1GB) CL4 Dual Channel Memory Kit
6 Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB SATA2 7200rpm 16MB Hard Drive
1 Asus P5WDG2-WS PRO Socket775/ Core 2 Duo/ 975X/ FSB1066/ CrossFire/ A&2GbE/ ATX Motherboard
1 Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q6600 2.4GHz 1066MHz 8MB LGA775 EM64T CPU,
1 Zalman ZM-F3 12CM w/Silent Mode Case Fan
1 Asus DRW-2014L1T LightScribe 20X Double Layer SATA DVD+/-RW Drive (Black)
1 Antec P182 case
1 Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme cpu cooler

No issues with my RAM of choice. Uncertain of the performance deficit when running RAM at 800MHz (vs 1066). Certainly is cheap though!
My video card is showing 1024MB even though the box said 512MB. (I'll take it though)
I'm overclocking the CPU 30% to 3.12GHz and with the Ultra-120Ex CPU temps are not above 40°C under test loads.

It was interesting learning of the two separate SATA controllers. I've allocated 3 disks to both and the last available port (the intel controller has 4 vs 3 on the marvell) is being used by the DVD drive. I sort of wish that there were 7 ports of SATAII on one controller so that I could make a more efficient RAID array, but I've things set up fairly well as is.

So, the system seems stable, only change will be an additional 2GB of the same RAM - oh, question ~> is it possible or problematic to mix RAM. I'm curious to gauge the performance of 1066 vs 800 but, ideally, would like to utilize both simultaneously (at least for a bit). Well, that last 2GB of RAM only cost $52.. so I can't complain. I'm now going to move to the next step and migrate my HD|Accel 2 over from the old system.

I'm hoping all goes well.

Cheers,
Paje

[markus44uk]

I got an email from Bob about the system I'm building that was very concerning. He mentioned that he occasionally gets BSOD or reboots while in PT HD.

This is very scary for me as I have become accustomed to running my Quad with NO hassles EVER.

The key for me is to be able to run HD 3 Native but still get all the massive Plugin capacity via RTAS. Can anyone here confirm a ROCK SOLID HD Core 2 configuration?

I don't want to make the jump until we have rock solidness.

Nick can you email me at [email protected] so maybe we can discuss what you are running across the pond?

Thanks

[NickH]

Neither the HD2 or HD3 we are running here have had one blue screen since we installed them, they have been utterly stable...

The HD3 s running & recording & mixing 10 hours a day every single day since it was put in without a problem...

The HD2 get a serious amount of use, again without problems...



N

[NickH]

I just noticed Bob is running his memory at PC2-8500, maybe thats where his problem lies...

As much as these manufactures tout these 1066 speeds, as the woman from Kingston & the man from ASUS both told me, those speeds are officially classed as overclocking and as such are not officially supported by ether of them (yes, yes, I know it mentions the speed in the packaging & model number... tell them not me...)

Personally I would choose stable & standard over overclocked every single day of the week, and until a system I have built has passed a full 36 hour burn in & stress test with those settings I don’t call it stable...

This is why I am not running at 1066, although the system appears to work correctly at 1066, it wasn’t when you really pushed it during a burn in, so I backed it off and ran at the standard 800.

Even if the Corsair ram runs at 1066 when I test it, I will probably still run it at 800. Just for cast iron piece of mind.



N

[markus44uk]

I just noticed Bob is running his memory at PC2-8500, maybe thats where his problem lies...

As much as these manufactures tout these 1066 speeds, as the woman from Kingston & the man from ASUS both told me, those speeds are officially classed as overclocking and as such are not officially supported by ether of them (yes, yes, I know it mentions the speed in the packaging & model number... tell them not me...)

Personally I would choose stable & standard over overclocked every single day of the week, and until a system I have built has passed a full 36 hour burn in & stress test with those settings I don’t call it stable...

This is why I am not running at 1066, although the system appears to work correctly at 1066, it wasn’t when you really pushed it during a burn in, so I backed it off and ran at the standard 800.

Even if the Corsair ram runs at 1066 when I test it, I will probably still run it at 800. Just for cast iron piece of mind.



N

Nick:

Cheers for that mate. I am much more comfortable now that you have told me your experience. Now for one last favor, can you post your EXACT parts list for Memory and Motherboard? I'm not sure if you purchased the 800 memory or the 1066 (and then just run it at 800). Also, did you go with 2 megs or 4 megs? ROCK SOLID is what I need!

I'll be in London next week but don't think I can make it all the way to Henley. (I lived in London for 10 years until I returned in 2006 with my Manc wife)

[NickH]

Hi M8,

My full system spec is on the bottom of this page:-

http://www.nickhemingway.com/Gear.asp

Cheers



N