Question for those w/ X2s...

T

TSS Modder

2[H]4U
Joined
Jun 29, 2004
Messages
2,316
there was a post over at anandtech forums i was reading about ppl constantly having issues w/ running games and CPU intense programs. im also hearing a few instances of problems w/ ppl here.

my question is those who bought X2s, did you reinstall/clean install windows or did you just update the BIOS and stick it in?

a lot of the time it appears that the ppl simply updated and stuck the CPU in w/o wiping the PC. im currently looking into buying a X2 3800+, as long as these problems are solved. i just want to see if its AMDs fault, or if ppl are just stupid. :p ;)

btw, if anybodys having any issues w/ their X2s, i recommend using the X2 driver: http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/TechnicalResources/0,,30_182_871_13118,00.html and maybe an affinity setting program: http://www.majorgeeks.com/WinLauncherXP_d870.html. both are extremely helpful. the driver should get rid of most of your problems.
 
There is nothing wrong with the X-2 and no “fault” to be placed on AMD. From what I have gleaned from most of the posts here and other sites I’d hazard an educated guess that probably 75% of the people who bought the X-2 bought it for all the wrong reasons.

Can you install an X-2 and use your existing windows installation, probably. Should your reinstall, absolutely.

I have been using dual socket “A” machines for quite a while and the X-2 is a vast improvement, IF you have programs that can take advantage of SMP, or you want to fool around and play with affinity settings.

In my case I run dual instances of Folding @ Home and use my machines for regular use. Programs like Photo Shop, Premier etc are made to use SMP so X-2 is a blessing and I’m able to make good use of it.

If I was a hard core gamer I’d stick with a single core system.
 
well in definately not a hardcore gamer, but i am one. what i mainly do is general multitask, along w/ the occasional photoshop, video editing, audio editing. but majority of the time its nothing spectacular.

theres just a deal going on for Folders of possibly gettin a 3800 for approx 320$. if it works out id figure id jump on it. otherwise, just get a highend single core. but i would really love to jump onto the dual core bandwagon.
 
I will just add.. Providing your board has support for X2, you should have no problems whatsoever.. my 4200 has been a breeze and and clocked to 2.6 with no prob. I just cant push my ram anymore. My Aquamark3 score jumped 7000 pts over my old 754 3400 which isnt all that dramatic except for the fact that aquamark3 should not benefit from dual core.. it's just simply one core performing quite well over my old processor.. I dont do alot to tap the power of dual core, BUT DAMMIT, it just feels GOOD!! :D
PEACE!
 
Whenever you put something major in your PC (Basically anything that isnt an add in card or ram) you should format. It just makes life easier.

The Very First thing I didnt when i turned on my PC was update the BIOS to the latest Bios... Before I even set up anything. Then I installed the latest Version of Windows.

My System (in sig) works Flawless.
 
Go into the OS forum and check the sticky on "installing new motherboard without reinstalling windows"

I just upgraded to an X2 from a 754pin and the walkthrough worked pretty good. No problems with stability or anything. Didnot take long either, a couple of reboots and some new driver installs.
 
well then i guess that means that majority of the problems are caused by ppl not reformating. in that case, im in for dual core! :D
 
create a reinstall with nlite, all the drivers and user info.

makes the whole process a SNAP.
 
Bah, you would have to be on crack to do a format/reinstall of Windows because you swapped out a CPU. I updated to the latest BIOS with dual-core support and did not do any type of re-intall of Windows. It ran perfectly. I did some tweaking and on my shiny new 4200 and settled on 2.4GHz (up from 2.2). It has been running for about a week now with absolutely zero problems.
 
i did not do a reinstall when i popped in my X2 and everythin is fine.

I can Dual Prime for as long as i am willing to let it go and it currently has be running Dual Folding@Home for about 2 days now without a problem.

X2 3800+ @ 2609
 
my bad, I thought he was doing mobo too.
for same mobo, just going from single core to dual core, you dont need to reinstall windows

you *might* have to do some work to get windows to recognize the 2nd core tho.
 
How do you use this affinity program effectively? I'd go to the site.. but it doesn't have one.
 
Reinstall windows... to change the CPU? I don't even know why that would be necessary except in maybe old builds of Windows 2000 or XP. I got a 3000+ and 4200+ at the same time. I installed windows with the 3000+ first in order to do some hardcore benching with it before I put my 4200+ in. I didn't need to reinstall as a result of the dual core, and windows saw both cores perfectly fine.
 
PowerLlama said:
How do you use this affinity program effectively? I'd go to the site.. but it doesn't have one.
Click to expand...
put a copy of the affinity program into the directory with the executable that you are interested setting the affinity of.

Change the shortcut going to the program to point to the affinity program instead and for it to launch the program. I am not at home right now so If I remember correctly it should look like this:

Change Target:

"c:\directory\yourprogram.exe"

to

"c:\directory\affinityprogram.exe" yourprogram.exe
 
DocFaustus said:
put a copy of the affinity program into the directory with the executable that you are interested setting the affinity of.

Change the shortcut going to the program to point to the affinity program instead and for it to launch the program. I am not at home right now so If I remember correctly it should look like this:

Change Target:

"c:\directory\yourprogram.exe"

to

"c:\directory\affinityprogram.exe" yourprogram.exe
Click to expand...

You can put the affinity program in your path (c:\windows\) and then not need copies of it everywhere.
 
Strange that I haven't heard of any issues with games on the Pentium D, but there are issues with games on the X2.

Has anyone had to set processor affinity on the Pentium D? I, for one, have never had to set affinity on either hyperthreading P4s or SMP Athlon MPs.

I was planning to buy an X2 in December, but it sounds like AMD's solutions may still be a little immature. I may stick with hyperthreading P4s since they multitask decently and they have good single-core performance. The Pentium D 820 doesn't sound like much of an upgrade since my box currently uses a Northwood P4 2.8 800mhz.
 
jkrafcik said:
Strange that I haven't heard of any issues with games on the Pentium D, but there are issues with games on the X2.

Has anyone had to set processor affinity on the Pentium D? I, for one, have never had to set affinity on either hyperthreading P4s or SMP Athlon MPs.

I was planning to buy an X2 in December, but it sounds like AMD's solutions may still be a little immature. I may stick with hyperthreading P4s since they multitask decently and they have good single-core performance. The Pentium D 820 doesn't sound like much of an upgrade since my box currently uses a Northwood P4 2.8 800mhz.
Click to expand...

Ive never set an affinity setting on any machine, and ive had duals from Celeron 300A's on up.
 
I just built a brand-new small form factor SN25P-based machine with an X2 3800+ and am having no such issues. I haven't had to set affinity for anything for normal use in games and Windows (I did set affinities of course to stress test my initial overclock to 2.4ghz/core, which I am working upwards now). I haven't had any issues whatsoever with it. I flashed to the latest BIOS version Y after installing Windows (the initial one DID support dual cores already, but the newer BIOS resolves a USB2.0/X2 issue) and am having a blast!
 
I didn't reinstall windows when i got my X2. It took windows a few minutes to detect and install my new processor, but after a reboot everything works great (as 'great' as windows can possible be ;)). I haven't any issues whatsoever so far, other than not knowing what to do with all this processing power :p

Also, i just let windows take care of the cpu management, it manages dual processors surprisingly well
 
travbrad said:
I didn't reinstall windows when i got my X2. It took windows a few minutes to detect and install my new processor, but after a reboot everything works great (as 'great' as windows can possible be ;)). I haven't any issues whatsoever so far, other than not knowing what to do with all this processing power :p

Also, i just let windows take care of the cpu management, it manages dual processors surprisingly well
Click to expand...


See, I don't even at all remember windows doing that when I went from a 3000+ to a 4200+. What OS did you use?
 
jkrafcik said:
Strange that I haven't heard of any issues with games on the Pentium D, but there are issues with games on the X2.

Has anyone had to set processor affinity on the Pentium D? I, for one, have never had to set affinity on either hyperthreading P4s or SMP Athlon MPs.

I was planning to buy an X2 in December, but it sounds like AMD's solutions may still be a little immature. I may stick with hyperthreading P4s since they multitask decently and they have good single-core performance. The Pentium D 820 doesn't sound like much of an upgrade since my box currently uses a Northwood P4 2.8 800mhz.
Click to expand...
The only thing I have come across that needs the affinity set is Everquest2. The game uses the internal hertz frequency of the CPU to regulate the speed of the game and sync. with the server and other players. If you fluxuate that speed you affect the speed the game runs at, therefore giving you an unfair advantage.

There is a well known cheat that allows you to violate the game speed by slowing down your cpu, launching the game, then overclocking the cpu.

In a sence, the X2 is unententionally messing with the games' speed when it balances the workload across both cores.

Sony needs to solve this problem, until then, setting the afinity is a work around.
 
Well I haven't been having any problems in games, I just figured if I could get a higher fps I might as well try every little trick I could, right?
 
PowerLlama said:
Well I haven't been having any problems in games, I just figured if I could get a higher fps I might as well try every little trick I could, right?
Click to expand...
If you are referring to setting the affinity, I would refrain from doing that unless you have to. It seems to me, things run faster (or smoother) when they are able to run on both cores.

bring up the task manager and watch the cpu utilization a bit while running games and whatnot. it seems to go back and forth between cores.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top