Optimizing new build...

[amk320]

Howdy,

I just recently put together a new system for the first time in about five years, so I'm pretty rusty. I want to make sure everything's running optimally, and would like some advice to that end. Perhaps what current benchmarking programs (free ones) are best? Also any tweaks I could make to any of my hardware, which I'm mostly unfamiliar with, so everything's more or less running on default settings. So far the only game I've tried is an older one, Two Worlds, and I'm not so pleased with performance thus far.

Specs -

Windows 7 Home Premium 64
i7 860 2.8 (w/ h50)
EVGA P55 SLI
8gb A-Data DDR3 1600
GTX 260 SLI
OCZ Vertex 60gb SSD (OS drive)
2x 1tb Samsung F3 Spinpoints (raid 0) (storage)
Lian-Li x900
NEC 26" 1900x1200

I'd like to try some mild overclocking. Currently my CPU seems to run around 40c under load, and my cards at 80/40c under load. I'm concerned about the top one that's got no airflow to the fan running so hot, but I can't move it anywhere else. Most I could do is try swapping them. I should note, the top one (the hotter one) is the only piece of hardware I'm bringing over from my old PC, so it's 2-3 years old. The other one is new. This is also my first time doing SLI, so I'm new to that as well.

 

[DeathPrincess]

What are you using to test the GPUs under load? There usually a difference in tempreture but not 40 degrees. Are you sure that their both running and have switched on sli? A side fan would help the airflow if you're concerned.
But if you get 40c at 100% with an h50 then you have a good chip to overclock with. The only other h50/860 setup I saw went over 56c, but they probably did something screwy

 

[amk320]

Using EVGA Precision to monitor the temps. I don't know how I could get a side fan, the case doesn't really allow for it. I'd think that the airflow from the front fans should be sufficient...

 

[DeathPrincess]

I mean, how are you getting the GPUs to 100%. Maybe benchmarks and such will only stress out a single GPU, and as 40c is normal for an idle SLIed card and 80c is about average for load. Make sure the SLI option is turned on, and you use something that has multi gpu options.
The side fan is much closer up to the slit where the air blows in, whereas the airflow from the front fans has to travel a distance before reaching it. You probably don't need to do this as 80c isn't bad, but youd just need to cut a 12cm hold in the side of the case with a dremel with 4 screw holes.

 

[amk320]

Those are GPU temps after playin' games for a few hours.

 

[tpfaff]

honestly, try something other than Two Worlds...that game is garbage

 

[amk320]

Meaning that it sucks? Or that it runs poorly?

I ran some 3dmark 06, and got about 18,000ish. I don't know if that's decent for the specs or not? Is there a better benchmarking program available?

 

[amk320]

I'm going to try swapping the position of the cards. Even when running in the 16x/4x setup, allowing the top card room to breathe, it still runs over 80c when gaming, 60 when not. This is versus like, 40c/50c for the bottom card.

 

[sugosugita]

what is your fan speed setup for both cards? What speeds do you have them set up at?

 

[amk320]

The hotter card's fan is maxed out. The cooler one runs at about 40%.

I'm more concerned about the bad 3dmark06 scores. I feel like performance should be better than it is.

EDIT -


I switched the cards back to the appropriate slots, but this time put the warmer EVGA card on the bottom slot where it has more room to breathe. After less than an hour playing Two Worlds, which is not the most graphically demanding application, EVGA Precision has my temps on the cards at 84c for the top PNY card, and 96c for the EVGA card. This seems absolutely absurd. (fan speeds maxed out on both)

Presently both seem to idle just around 70c.


I was hoping this machine would be able to handle games for a few years to come, with the possible exception of maybe needing a graphics card upgrade at some point. But two GTX 260's should be performing better, and certainly not running so damn hot. So it's discouraging that an older game I happened to have laying around is taxing my cards so much.



EDIT 2 -

Also displeased with SSD performance. If my HD Tune is right, these Raid 0 spinpoints have a faster read/write speed than the OSD. And the two of 'em were a lot cheaper, and.. infinitely larger.

 

[Dangman]

I'm more concerned about the bad 3dmark06 scores. I feel like performance should be better than it is.

Well if 3DMark06 is all that you care about, then you should hit up the Video card subforum then. The people here in General Hardware care or both with 3DMark06 as performance measurement. We use actual games.

But two GTX 260's should be performing better, and certainly not running so damn hot. So it's discouraging that an older game I happened to have laying around is taxing my cards so much.

Unfortunately, your sole example of Two Worlds is not a sufficient enough metric to determine whether or not there's actually an issue with your SLI setup. It's an older and not so popular game which means that after-release development for that game didn't progress that far. Not to mention that there's a very good possibility that the drivers and game engine did not scale at all or well with SLI. The game was released in 2007 which means that it started development around 2005. SLI wasn't exactly that big of thing as it is now back then

So in other words, try a newer game circa 2009 and newer. Like MW2, BF:BC2, ME2 etc.

I switched the cards back to the appropriate slots, but this time put the warmer EVGA card on the bottom slot where it has more room to breathe. After less than an hour playing Two Worlds, which is not the most graphically demanding application, EVGA Precision has my temps on the cards at 84c for the top PNY card, and 96c for the EVGA card. This seems absolutely absurd. (fan speeds maxed out on both)

Absurd compared to what though? What were the temps you had with the GTX 260 with your old setup? Also which eVGA p55 mobo did you buy? There's seven different eVGA P55 motherboards out there that supports SLI.

Also displeased with SSD performance. If my HD Tune is right, these Raid 0 spinpoints have a faster read/write speed than the OSD. And the two of 'em were a lot cheaper, and.. infinitely larger.

If you're using the free version of HDTune, then yeah, it's not right. In addition, it's the random read/write speeds of SSDs that's more important, not the straight read/write speeds. That random read/write speed isn't measured by the free version of HDTune. It's those random read/write speeds that provides that instant or near instant OS response and improved load times that you see with SSDs.

Also, is this a fresh install of Windows 7?

 

[amk320]

Yep, fresh install of Windows 7.

Noted about the oldness of Two Worlds, but isn't 90c+ an unsafe and high temperature for a card to be at, period?

And yes, it's the free version of HD Tune. I just had heard there are a lot of tricks and tips to optimizing SSD performance, and wanted to know what some of those are.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...055&cm_re=EVGA_p55_SLI-_-13-188-055-_-Product

That's my board.

While not exclusively concerned with 3dmark 06, I was simply trying to find some kind of benchmarking program to determine if this machine was running up to snuff. I spent a lot of money on everything here, and intended to use this for at least 2 years hence. So far, I'm displeased with game performance.

 

[Dangman]

Noted about the oldness of Two Worlds, but isn't 90c+ an unsafe and high temperature for a card to be at, period?

It's not unsafe but it is a high temperature considering that the max temp of the GTX 260 card is 105C.

As for the temp differences, it could be a simple matter of the PNY having a slightly better HSF or the fact that it's newer and hasn't been used that much. If you can, just reapply the thermal paste on the eVGA card. See if that makes a difference. Shouldn't void the warranty but don't quote me on that. Also clean out the HSF on both cards.

But the key problem is still the PCI-E video cards are too close together. Too bad you didn't ask on this forum ahead of time since we could have told you that for the same exact price as the eVGA mobo you chose, there was a better quality Asus mobo with a layout more suitable for SLI for the same price:
$180 - Asus P7P55D-E Pro Intel P55 ATX Motherboard

Note that there are two slots in between the two PCI-E x16 slots which allows the top card to get some decent cooling. Compared to the eVGA mobo with only one slot between the two PCI-E x16 slots.

I just had heard there are a lot of tricks and tips to optimizing SSD performance, and wanted to know what some of those are.

For OCZ SSDs, all you need to know about optimization can be found on the OCZ forums:
http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/f...d-V2-Colossus-and-Z-Drive-with-Microsoft-OS.&

So far, I'm displeased with game performance.

What exactly are you displeased about? Is Two worlds running faster or not? If not, it could be due to the issues mentioned earlier in which case yes you did waste money on a GTX 260 SLI setup if that's the only game you're playing.

EDIT: Out of curiosity, what was your old setup?

 

[amk320]

I'm concerned because if an older game heats the card up to 90+, what's a newer game likely to do?

 

[Dangman]

I'm concerned because if an older game heats the card up to 90+, what's a newer game likely to do?

Get it even hotter.

I've already mentioned a few solutions/workarounds/things for you to do to lower those temps.

 

[amk320]

True. I've no experience taking apart GPU's however. I tried to remove the shroud or cover on the EVGA card thinking that would cool it down a bit, but was unable to get it detached. May try taking advantage of the lifetime warranty on the evga card..

 

[amk320]

Since I don't know where to post a problem with.. general hardware.. I'll ask in this thread.

Seems this new build is having explorer crash a lot, after I'll notice that my sound isn't working. When I try to adjust the volume, explorer and such will crash. What could be causing this? I did not list the Soundblaster X-fi in the original hardware list, but all drivers for it are up to date.

 

[Dangman]

Seems this new build is having explorer crash a lot, after I'll notice that my sound isn't working. When I try to adjust the volume, explorer and such will crash. What could be causing this? I did not list the Soundblaster X-fi in the original hardware list, but all drivers for it are up to date.

Remove the sound card and see if the issues still persists