# Built a fast PC, but its not very fast



## Rich70 (Apr 9, 2008)

I built my first computer. It went very smooth. I thought this thing
was going to be lightning fast, but I am very disappointed. I am 
posting here so maybe someone can view my hardware etc...and tell
me if I went wrong somewhere or if the conditions I am experiencing are normal. 

First off I use my PC for architectural renderings, so I use programs like
3DS Max 9 , Autocad, Photoshop, and Sketchup.

Sketchup is a basic modeling tool but with a basic model of decent size it will take me 10 minutes just to turn off a layer. 

This is the same performance I got out of my 4 year old Pentium 4 laptop.

System Spec:
Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit
Asus P5N-D with Nvidia 650i chipset
750 Watt Power Supply
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0 ghz
Seagate 250 GB hard drive
4 - 2gb Corsair XMS2 6400 RAM (total 8 gb)
2 - MSI Nvidia 8800GT 512mb Graphics (SLI enabled)
2 - Case fans (front (intake) and Rear (outake)
Processor Fan
Chipset fan

I started out with only 4gb of ram and recently added 4 more
since then I have problems with the graphics on Chess Titans flickering
in and out. Doesn't seem like they should be related but it didn't do that before I added the extra ram.

Thanks for anyones input.


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d (Jan 31, 2007)

what are your temps and voltages check with speedfan in my sig


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## Rich70 (Apr 9, 2008)

Thanks, I downloaded speedfan and here are the readings:

Fan 1: 1744 RPM
Fan 2: 1252 RPM
Fan 3: 1223 RPM
Fan 4: 3814 RPM

Temp1: 44C 
Temp2: 38C
Temp3: 22C

Vcore1: 1.12V
Vcore2: 3.23V
+3.3v: 0.00V
+5v : 5.08V
+12V : 11.90V

-12V : -16.97V
-5V : - 5.51V
+5V : +4.92V
Vbat : 3.09V


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d (Jan 31, 2007)

did you install the motherboard drivers?


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## Rich70 (Apr 9, 2008)

Yes I installed all the drivers that were on the CD that came with
the Motherboard. I checked the ASUS site and the only drivers were upgrades to networking and the realtek audio.


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## Rich70 (Apr 9, 2008)

I just updated the graphics driver and it seems
to have corrected the flickering. I will have test it 
more to be sure.


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## blackduck30 (Sep 7, 2004)

I just helped a friend who built a system with a 8400 and it was under clocked without him doing anything so what I suggest may be worth checking is your cpu setting with CPUZ

http://www.cpuid.com/

Also I hope you are using a 64bit operating system with 8G ram as a 32bit OS can not really utilize above 3G and in some cases 4G on a 32bit OS can actually slow a system


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d (Jan 31, 2007)

yeah he is that was my first thought


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## Rich70 (Apr 9, 2008)

Thanks for all the input.
I am using a 64-bit OS

I used CPUZ and here all the results:

Processor 1 (ID = 0)
Number of cores 2 (max 2)
Number of threads	2 (max 2)
Name Intel Core 2 Duo E8400
Codename Wolfdale
Specification Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00GHz
Package Socket 775 LGA (platform ID = 0h)
CPUID 6.7.6
Extended CPUID 6.17
Core Stepping C0
Technology 45 nm
Core Speed 2000.0 MHz (6.0 x 333.3 MHz)
Rated Bus speed 1333.3 MHz
Stock frequency 3000 MHz
Instructions sets	MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1, EM64T
L1 Data cache 2 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L1 Instruction cache	2 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L2 cache 6144 KBytes, 24-way set associative, 64-byte line size
FID/VID Control yes
FID range 6.0x - 9.0x
max VID 1.225 V
Features XD, VT

Chipset
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northbridge NVIDIA nForce 750i SLI SPP rev. A2
Southbridge NVIDIA nForce 750i SLI MCP rev. A3
Graphic Interface	PCI-Express
PCI-E Link Width	x16
PCI-E Max Link Width	x16
Memory Type DDR2
Memory Size 8192 MBytes
Channels Dual
Memory Frequency	400.0 MHz (5:6)
CAS# 5.0
RAS# to CAS# 5
RAS# Precharge 5
Cycle Time (tRAS)	31
Bank Cycle Time (tRC)	22
Command Rate 2T

DIMM #1-#4

General
Memory type DDR2
Module format Regular UDIMM
Manufacturer (ID)	Corsair (7F7F9E0000000000)
Size 2048 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC2-6400 (400 MHz)
Part number CM2X2048-6400C5 
Attributes
Number of banks 2
Data width 64 bits
Correction None
Nominal Voltage 1.80 Volts
EPP no
XMP no

Timings table
Frequency (MHz) 270	400	
CAS# 4.0	5.0	
RAS# to CAS# delay	4	5	
RAS# Precharge 4	5	
TRAS 13	18	
TRC 15	22

Hardware monitor
-----------------------------------------------------

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 hardware monitor

Temperature sensor 0	34°C (93°F) [0x47] (core #0)
Temperature sensor 1	41°C (105°F) [0x40] (core #1)

Hardware monitor
-----------------------------------------------------

ITE IT87 hardware monitor

Voltage sensor 0	1.15 Volts [0x48] (CPU VCORE)
Voltage sensor 1	3.22 Volts [0xC9] (VIN1)
Voltage sensor 3	5.08 Volts [0xBD] (+5V)
Voltage sensor 4	11.90 Volts [0xBA] (+12V)
Voltage sensor 6	-0.13 Volts [0x2] (-5V)
Voltage sensor 7	4.92 Volts [0xB7] (+5V VCCH)
Voltage sensor 8	3.09 Volts [0xC1] (VBAT)
Temperature sensor 0	46°C (114°F) [0x2E] (TMPIN0)
Temperature sensor 1	38°C (100°F) [0x26] (TMPIN1)
Temperature sensor 2	22°C (71°F) [0x16] (TMPIN2)
Fan sensor 0 1744 RPM [0x183] (FANIN0)
Fan sensor 1 1262 RPM [0x217] (FANIN1)
Fan sensor 2 1223 RPM [0x228] (FANIN2)

Sorry for the huge post but I wanted to make sure I have enough information for analysis.
Take into consideration that I am a NOVICE

This seems odd
Core Speed 2000.0 MHz (6.0 x 333.3 MHz)
shouldn't that be 3000.0 MHz?

and my ram is supposed to be 800MHz not 400MHz
but I am not sure about any of this.

Also my bus speed is 333 MHz but rated 1333MHz


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## Rich70 (Apr 9, 2008)

I googled the underclocked E8400 and found that it reads
at 1999.95 MHz as a power saving measure. If you go into 
the BIOS and disable EIST (Speedstep) and C1E the speed
will register as 2999.99 MHz. You can also just open up
a program that uses the processor and it will jump to the
proper speed.

This is unfortunate. I was hoping this was why my pc is under-performing
but apparently not.  lol


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## blackduck30 (Sep 7, 2004)

Thats a shame, It was worth a look as my friends was actually under clocked


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