SN95G5, AMD 3500+, 1gb RAM, MSI 6800nu.. Advice/tips on how to get best performance?

[Bernie Steakouse]

Hello folks, first post here so please be gentle with me!

:D

I've recently bought this system:

Shuttle SN95G5
AMD Athlon 64 3500+ 64 bit 512k L2 Cache (Newcastle)
1gb Crucial Ballistix RAM (1 stick, hoping to get another early next year)
74 GB Western Digital Raptor 10K rpm SATA HDD
MSI GeForce 6800 128MB

O/S: Microsoft Windows XP Pro

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If anyone can offer any tips on how to get the best from this machine (without blowing it up) and optimize settings in the BIOS, RivaTuner, whatever I'd be very grateful.

This is the first PC I've put together myself and as such I'm new to the world of self-build and setting up/tuning my own PC.

I've done a lot of reaserch and taken a lot of advice, my RAM is nice and is working well (I think) at 2-2-2-6 (2.8v) and I've been messing with the GFX card (but not with much luck, "tearing" seems to occur at most speeds in 35Mark05 (pro).

I'm not too fussed about overclocking the CPU, but I'm happy to play with the GFX card, and would like to just get the rest of the system running as best I can.

Any pointers much appreciated (again), thanks...

:D

[IceWind]

BEFORE you do anything, use the system as is. Load and play games, browse internet, download stuff ect..ect.. Make sure all the equipment and settings are working properly for awhile before you start tweaking and changing stuff.

Otherwise, you won' t have a clue if the issue your having is a result of changes or as a result of something faulty from the get go.

That being said, with that RAM's timings and the BIOS'f for most computers setting stuff automatically for best performance for the most part. I would leave the BIOS alone as you can easily crash your system if you start screwing around with stuff that your not aware of what does what.

Pushing your system via overclocking with no real purpse or reason is a REAL good way to fry something and bring a tear to your eye as is why your already experience tearing in your games.

In other words, I would sit and enjoy your system, get familiar with and then come back and discuss fully tweaking it.

I

[Bernie Steakouse]

I've had it nearly a week now already..

;)

Seriously though, I just wondered if anyone had any experience on that kind of setup or the SN95G5 in particular wherer they could offer any sure fire tuning tips (like turning off/on anything in particular to "free up", not "boost" the system somehow).

After a lot of reading, and using the system for work and play this last week, I don't really want to bother messing with the CPU clocking, for me it doesn't seem worth it.

:D

[IceWind]

If your ready then, go speak with these guys as I don't own that system.

SFF Forums (http://forums.sudhian.com/categories.aspx?catid=43&forumid=1)

[G'ßöö]

BEFORE you do anything, use the system as is. Load and play games, browse internet, download stuff ect..ect.. Make sure all the equipment and settings are working properly for awhile before you start tweaking and changing stuff.

Otherwise, you won' t have a clue if the issue your having is a result of changes or as a result of something faulty from the get go.

That being said, with that RAM's timings and the BIOS'f for most computers setting stuff automatically for best performance for the most part. I would leave the BIOS alone as you can easily crash your system if you start screwing around with stuff that your not aware of what does what.

Pushing your system via overclocking with no real purpse or reason is a REAL good way to fry something and bring a tear to your eye as is why your already experience tearing in your games.

In other words, I would sit and enjoy your system, get familiar with and then come back and discuss fully tweaking it.

I
you need a tech support job BTW ice? :D nicely said. BIOS options are fine, you should be good to go! as said test and see....if your jaw isn't dropping and you're not going goo goo over the frame rates something is off. those specs should do just fine!

g'luk

[IceWind]

you need a tech support job BTW ice? :D nicely said. BIOS options are fine, you should be good to go! as said test and see....if your jaw isn't dropping and you're not going goo goo over the frame rates something is off. those specs should do just fine!

g'luk

I already am doing tech support. :o

[Bernie Steakouse]

Cheers for the link, that site's a good resource, but seems to fail to work most of the time for me, which is a shame.

[r4d]

might want to get something similar to this (http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/win-112.html?id=HJujWJK8) to be sure things stay cool inside the box.

http://us.shuttle.com/specs_access.asp?pro_id=375

[Soldier Prime]

how do you have a 1gig stick of crucial ballistix if they only make 512 and 256? the 1gig's aren't out yet, not even on crucial's site??

[[BB] Rick James]

I have the SN95G5 with very similar parts. My system is in my sig. I'd say your weakest links are your ram (the extra 512 would help) and your video card.

But I'd say your rig looks very nice. The thing I'd be concerned about is heat. This system isn't the best thought out from Shuttle in terms of cooling; especially when it comes to the video card. The GPU heat sink and fan sit right up against the side panel. My X800 XT's fan will speed way up during games and down; it fluctuates a lot during game play. With the side panels off it doesn't fluctuate much at all. I recently purchased the PF16 (http://www.us.shuttle.com/product_AccessGuide2.asp). This gives my case really good ventilation. Good ventilation will ensure less wear and tare on your components. Better cooling = better performance. The next thing I’d get (if I were you) would be the side panels with the vents on them.

**Edit** Put your ram timings to 2-2-2-5. I think you said you were running them at 2-2-2-6. Your ram should easily do 2-2-2-5. That won't really do much but it will look cooler. :cool:

**2nd Edit** What monitor are you running? When you say "tearing" you should turn your Hz up; which will reduce that. Or you can enable Vsync.

[G'ßöö]

I already am doing tech support. :o
the "phone company" by chance? I do...