3dMark is faster with slower CPU!?!

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bipolar

[H]ard|Gawd
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Jan 6, 2003
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I am confounded here. I have an e4300 with a P965-DS3 motherboard, 8800 GTS 320, 2 gb PC6400 ram. When I run the CPU at default clocks of 1.8, I get around 9000 something in 3dMark06. When I clock up to 3.1 ghz (345 fsb with 2.0 multiplier), I get scores about half that. I have all speedstep, c1e, and thermal throttling things off. I'm running a Tuniq Tower and my temps at 100% load never go above 55 C. I am baffled as to the difference in scores ... the only thing that seems slower in my overclocked state is the memory, since it doesn't like to overclock much at all, so it runs at the 690 mhz instead of 800. The CPU is so much faster I can't imagine that would make my system run 50% slower, though!

I'll run some benchmarks in games to see if it holds true for real life applications as well as 3dMark.
 
How stable is your overclock with orthos / small fft's for an hour or so?

memtest?
 
bipolar said:
I am confounded here. I have an e4300 with a P965-DS3 motherboard, 8800 GTS 320, 2 gb PC6400 ram. When I run the CPU at default clocks of 1.8, I get around 9000 something in 3dMark06. When I clock up to 3.1 ghz (345 fsb with 2.0 multiplier), I get scores about half that. I have all speedstep, c1e, and thermal throttling things off. I'm running a Tuniq Tower and my temps at 100% load never go above 55 C. I am baffled as to the difference in scores ... the only thing that seems slower in my overclocked state is the memory, since it doesn't like to overclock much at all, so it runs at the 690 mhz instead of 800. The CPU is so much faster I can't imagine that would make my system run 50% slower, though!

I'll run some benchmarks in games to see if it holds true for real life applications as well as 3dMark.
Click to expand...
345*2.0 = 690? Are you sure you're running at 3.1 Ghz?
 
That's totally weird, have you used CPU-Z to check if CPU speed actually is 3.1 GHz? Even if it isn't, CPU shouldn't have such impact on 3DMark scores. I have same specs like you, expect that I have E6600. My 3DMark06 score is 8977 (how's your score better with slower CPU?). After OC'ing CPU to 3 GHz and memory to 833 MHz, I scored a bit more than 9400. Make sure you have all unnecessarily programs turned off during benchmark as they could have effect on results is all I can say.
 
CoW]8(0);1031202890 said:
345*2.0 = 690? Are you sure you're running at 3.1 Ghz?
Click to expand...

Maybe I'm explaining it badly ... all the settings in the BIOS confuse me. But, that is what the BIOS and TAT report my CPU speed as when I change that setting from 200 to 345. I think it's 9 x 345 = 3.1, and the multiplier is for the ram speed or something.
 
Could you post a CPU-Z screenshots of both the CPU and Memory configuration?
 
I think it's 9 x 345 = 3.1, and the multiplier is for the ram speed or something.
Click to expand...

You are exactly correct.




Weird very very weird. thinking about it.

here is a nice bios guide for your board.
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1030795318

edit, only thing I can think of is to loosen you ram timings a bit and see if you can use the 2.5 memory mulitplier/divider that will put your memory at 862MHz might be a strech but should do it at 5 5 5 15 or 5 5 5 18. Can you give me a link to your memory ?
 
My memory is
MEM 1Gx2|G.SK F2-6400CL5D-2GBNQ
(2 x 1GB G.Skill PC6400)

Even if it's not the best at overclocking, my settings for 3.1 ghz should actually be *underclocked* for the memory, as I understand it.
 
Well, the other issue that I'm experiencing, is that now I seem to be getting a blue screen (flashes too briefly to read) and reboot when I overclock. Only change I've made lately is going from my x1800xt to an 8800GTS 320. I was under the impression that they used about the same voltage and that my Truepower2 430W would be sufficient to handle both. System seems to run fine at default clocks, though.

Only other thing I can think of is that the BIOS needs updating. SiSoft Sandra says my bios is 01/12/2007-P965-ICH8-6A79LG0DC-00. I'm not certain which BIOS version this is, though.

So, thoughts? Power supply or udpate the bios? One caveat -- I don't have a floppy drive and would be flashing the bios from windows.
 
Try setting your PCIe frequency to 101, 102 or 103mhz.

Did you do a fresh format during the GPU change?
 
In looking up your memory the first thing I found is complaints that it is not stable at the default 1.8V your board is giving it. GSkill rates it for 1.8-2.0V. Running it at 1.9V will not hurt and probally could help. And if at 2.0V you could get to the 2.5 memory mulitplier would be even better, but one thing at a time ;)

I have no idea if this has anything to do with the scores, but I would go into the MIT section of the bios and:

DDR2 OverVoltage Control__ [+0.100V] <-- default is 1.8V, 1.8 + 0.1V = 1.9V



drop down to 320FSB and see if BSOD's go away.

you reported good temps, what where you using to measure them ?

PS might be on the weak side but I run the machine in my sig (+ an additional 250GB drive I have not added) with a 420W supply. If you dont have the video card in 3D mode and it BSODs I would not suspect the supply. If it does not BSOD in normal use but BSODS when you fire up 3dmark or a game then I would start suspecting the PS.
 
BillParrish said:
In looking up your memory the first thing I found is complaints that it is not stable at the default 1.8V your board is giving it. GSkill rates it for 1.8-2.0V. Running it at 1.9V will not hurt and probally could help. And if at 2.0V you could get to the 2.5 memory mulitplier would be even better, but one thing at a time ;)

I have no idea if this has anything to do with the scores, but I would go into the MIT section of the bios and:

DDR2 OverVoltage Control__ [+0.100V] <-- default is 1.8V, 1.8 + 0.1V = 1.9V



drop down to 320FSB and see if BSOD's go away.

you reported good temps, what where you using to measure them ?
Click to expand...

I've been using SpeedFan and TAT. TAT gives me temps about 7 degrees above SpeedFan, but the 55 was from TAT. Speedfan says I'm about 50C at full load.

I'll try overvolting the RAM and report back.
 
BTW, Bios splash reports the version as F10.

Set speed to 345 with 2.5 multiplier, overvolted ram and mch by 0.1. So far so good. Testing 3dmark now
 
Try the PCIe speed thing. Some P965 boards revert to a 1x PCIe slot if they're run too weirdly out of spec.
 
3dMark passed. 9106 ... oddly close to my previous score at 1.8 ghz, but iirc 3dMark tests your video card more than your CPU. Super Pi scores seem to be about right -- 18 seconds for 1 million, 47 seconds for 2 million. Amazing that 1 tenth of a volt can make the difference between perfect performance and blue screens.

Thanks for your help everybody, especially Bill Parrish. Think there's anything to be gained by going to +0.2 on the ram?
 
Amazing that 1 tenth of a volt can make the difference between perfect performance and blue screens.
Click to expand...

Get OCing that GPU and be amazed that 660mhz Core speed is game stable for 8 hours, but 661mhz crashes in seconds :p
 
bipolar said:
3dMark passed. 9106 ... oddly close to my previous score at 1.8 ghz, but iirc 3dMark tests your video card more than your CPU. Super Pi scores seem to be about right -- 18 seconds for 1 million, 47 seconds for 2 million. Amazing that 1 tenth of a volt can make the difference between perfect performance and blue screens.

Thanks for your help everybody, especially Bill Parrish. Think there's anything to be gained by going to +0.2 on the ram?
Click to expand...


If you are stable now, no, if any more "weirdness" I would go to 2.0V but be checking constantly with my custom "finger temp probe" and if it got hot, (slow count to 5 and it made me want to take my finger off) I would back down to 1.9 and think about some airflow on the ram. Running memtest86+ for a couple of loops and checking the temp will tell the tale. If it is just warm to barely hot at 2.0V good to go. Test it some at 1.9V then decide.
 
arcygenical is most likely spot on accurate. I've had that issue with p965 boards as well. generally higher vmch / changing pcie will help. when your 3d score is in the pits, check the tab in cpuz that shows your pcie width. it'll probably show x1.
 
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