Upgrade computer

[bradburn]

Is there a program that u can use to test your computer to see what u actually need to upgrade to make it better?

i bought a new graphics card, and it seems the ram and cpu cant keep up.

[Sariina]

Not really, no. Benchmarking software can help you determine, but you kind of have to make guesses based on different results . . . there is no software that I know of that runs tests and then pops up something like "Your memory sucks".

Do you know what hardware you have? If not, you can go start/pearl->run and type in dxdiag and then enter. When the window comes up click the "save all Information" button at the bottom and save the text file it makes to your desktop. Open it in notepad and paste the whole file in a message here so people could see what hardware you have.

[Salamol]

Post what you have, folks will be able to tell you what to upgrade and where your problem is... most of us work in IT or are at least used to looking at PC upgrades

[bradburn]

System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 7/10/2012, 23:29:40
Machine name: GAYLORD
Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.120305-1505)
Language: Norwegian (Bokmål) (Regional Setting: Norwegian (Bokmål))
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
System Model: System Product Name
BIOS: BIOS Date: 05/10/11 10:28:31 Ver: 08.00.15
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 930 @ 2.80GHz (8 CPUs), ~2.8GHz
Memory: 8192MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 8184MB RAM
Page File: 5729MB used, 10634MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
Sound Tab 3: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D: 0/4 (retail)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (retail)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (retail)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce GTX 560 Ti
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_1200&SUBSYS_040110B0&REV_A1
Display Memory: 4062 MB
Dedicated Memory: 2014 MB
Shared Memory: 2047 MB
Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: BenQ G2420HDBL (Digital)
Monitor Model: G2420HDBL
Monitor Id: BNQ785F
Native Mode: 1920 x 1080(p) (60.000Hz)
Output Type: DVI
Driver Name: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,n vwgf2um,nvwgf2um
Driver File Version: 8.17.0012.9610 (English)
Driver Version: 8.17.12.9610
DDI Version: 11
Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 3/1/2012 02:02:00, 17642816 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp:
Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-5140-11CF-8A56-0D241FC2C535}
Vendor ID: 0x10DE
Device ID: 0x1200
SubSys ID: 0x040110B0
Revision ID: 0x00A1
Driver Strong Name: oem36.inf:NVIDIA_SetA_Devices.NTamd64.6.1:Section0 15:8.17.12.9610ci\ven_10de&dev_1200
Rank Of Driver: 00E62001
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_C ModeVC1_C ModeWMV9_C
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D3D9 Overlay: Supported
DXVA-HD: Supported
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled

[bradburn]

it wouldn't let me paste all, is this enough?

[Salamol]

One of the techier guys could help me out... but your CPU is only a couple of years old, and still should pack a punch for most things... depending on what you're trying to do of course. Maybe whatever you're trying to do does not fully utlilise your multicore processor?

If it's set to using only a single core, you're obviously going to be struggling with some things.

[Tolmos]

Your CPU is fine. It's not the best there is, so it depends on your definition of "keeping up", but I see no problems with it

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html (use ctrl + f and search 930 to find yours. Remember that the top, TOP, CPUs on that list cost $1200+, so consider them outliers. Your more true above average mark should be around the 9s and 10s range. Yours is ~ a 5. Doesn't sound like much, but also understand that there are 4 other chart types on that website for weaker processors. The chart yours is in is a comparison of the best of the best processors. Compared to anything in the previous 4 charts, it would sit at the top easily).

What type of RAM do you have? I'm assuming somewhere along the lines of DDR3-1333 or 1600, so it should be fine. You COULD get more (can never have too much!) but honestly I don't see that being your bottleneck.

So really, your CPU is the only thing you could upgrade to see a difference, and atm that CPU is more than fine for just about anything you want to mess with. All together I'd say your machine is in good shape and shouldn't need an upgrade any time soon.

That being the case, you have stated things aren't running properly. Have you overclocked? CPUs can become unstable if OCed properly. Newer Mobos will alert you, so I'd pop into your BIOS and see if it complains at you. I'd also watch your temps. If neither of those are giving issue, then I'd start pointing fingers at the software you are running. Keep task manager->Performance Monitor up and see if your CPU spikes (and if so- only one of them?) or your RAM is being eaten up. If so, find out by what.

Also, don't forget to keep your drivers updated. I know it gets annoying hearing that, but one day you'll get a driver that isn't using your GPU efficiently, and when you update the driver again and get a better one you will see just how big of a difference it can make. A bad driver can turn a GTX 560 into a 8800GTS :-P

[Sariina]

I agree with the others. Rift is 32-Bit so can't use more than 4GB of RAM in a 64-bit system anyway, your processor is fairly descent, and your video card is pretty powerful. If you turn shadows off, turn particles down, and leave anti-aliasing off you're probably sitting at pretty playable frame rates.

If you look in the tech support area of the forums you'll see lists and lists of people complaining about performance with some pretty top end machines. It's just the price you pay for playing Rift on populated servers.

[the_real_seebs]

I agree with the others. Rift is 32-Bit so can't use more than 4GB of RAM in a 64-bit system anyway,

True, but not the whole story -- Windows can still use more memory. Not that I'd expect a huge impact, but there is potential for improvement from having more.

[bradburn]

Ty for the replies. I turned off shadows and the fps went up alot, much more enjoyable now.
I also ordered an ssd disk to play on and have windows on. Donno if that helps, but always wanted to try them out.

[Sariina]

True, but not the whole story -- Windows can still use more memory. Not that I'd expect a huge impact, but there is potential for improvement from having more.

When you already have 8GB and you can only use 4 it's very unlikely that you will get any perceivable performance getting more RAM.

I also ordered an ssd disk to play on and have windows on. Donno if that helps, but always wanted to try them out.

It doesn't really all that much. The zone load times go down, but nothing during actual game play. Boot times are nice, and program launch times are nice though.

[Nestran]

Could you post your frames per second? I would like to get an idea of what is "poor" to you. I ask because my system is nowhere near what you have and I can run the game fine at the highest preset settings 90% of the time.

Also, what motherboard are you running? I notice a lot of people don't pay attention to that and it does matter.

[the_real_seebs]

When you already have 8GB and you can only use 4 it's very unlikely that you will get any perceivable performance getting more RAM.

But it's not the case that "you" can only use 4.

There is more happening than just Rift.

Most obviously, memory is faster than disks, and most modern OSs will take all the unused memory available and use it for disk cache.

So going from 8 to 16 gigs is likely to give you an effective ~8GB of additional disk cache unless Windows is a heck of a lot dumber than I think it is.

It doesn't really all that much. The zone load times go down, but nothing during actual game play. Boot times are nice, and program launch times are nice though.

It makes a very noticeable difference in how long it takes people to render when you enter a crowded place.

[Sariina]

But it's not the case that "you" can only use 4.

There is more happening than just Rift.

Most obviously, memory is faster than disks, and most modern OSs will take all the unused memory available and use it for disk cache.

So going from 8 to 16 gigs is likely to give you an effective ~8GB of additional disk cache unless Windows is a heck of a lot dumber than I think it is.



It makes a very noticeable difference in how long it takes people to render when you enter a crowded place.

Going from 4-8GB of RAM had no noticeable effect on game play on my kids machine. Going from 8GB to 16GB I assume would be even less than not noticeable, probably less than measurable. It may arguably load zones that you just came from faster, but it's the load times are still faster on my own machine that uses SRT on it's main drive.

As for the SSD, you port in to sanctum in 6 seconds instead of 9, only to see a pile of green condoms everywhere, just like you do on a spinning disk. The green condom problem is server side telling your client which assets to load, it makes no difference if you run the game off a spinning disk, SRT disk, straight up SSD, or RAM drive (and yes, I've tested them all).

[the_real_seebs]

If everyone got the same results from doing the same experiments, computers would be boring.