New build underperforming - any help appreciated

[liquidhand]

I recently decided to get a more up-to-date computer. My old one wasn't good enough to be able to upgrade without replacing everything, soo I decided to build a new one.

My old computer was a Dell:
- P4 2.8 GHz processor
- 1.5 GB DDR RAM (400 MHz I think)
- 80 GB IDE HDD
- Sapphire AMD Radeon x1650 512 MB AGP x8 graphics card
- 300 watt PSU
- Windows xp Home Edition x86

My new build specs:
- Biostar A880gu3 motherboard
- Phenom II x4 955 3.2 GHz CPU
- 4 GB Patriot DDR3 1333 MHz RAM
- 80 GB SATA2 HDD + 80 GB IDE HDD
- Sapphire AMD Radeon HD 6850 1 GB pci-e x16 graphics card
- 500 watt PSU
- Windows xp Home x86

I was expecting a pretty big jump in performance with my new build, but I've been disappointed with the meager increase that I've noticed.

I've run tests on RAM and HDD's with no problems showing. All four CPU cores are enabled and working. I've installed all of the most up-to-date drivers and windows updates. I've been monitoring both system, GPU, and CPU heat and there are no heat problems.

I've especially noticed problems while playing the game "The Witcher - Enhanced Edition". I played this game on my old computer with no problems, but for some reason the graphics get choppy on my new system. It doesn't matter what graphics setting I choose for the game either. On Low or Hi settings it gets choppy.

As far as I can tell the graphics card is working fine.
I was thinking that the 32 bit version of windows could be contributing to the problem, but am unsure.

Any help and ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[RickyTick]

The system demands from The Witcher are not very high. Your old pc was strong enough to play the game at high settings, so there may not be any thing else that you weren't previously getting. Win XP is holding you back , but probably not in this game. If you can upgrade to Win 7 64-bit you'll be better off overall.

I would suggest uninstalling you video driver, and then doing a re-install.

[liquidhand]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

I'm thinking that there might be something wrong with my video card too.

I decided to run some benchmark tests on my system and for some reason it's underperforming in some of the 2D and the complex 3D tests. For the simple and medium 3D tests I'm getting around 4000 and 1000 fps which is alot better than the marks for the system I'm comparing it too, but for the complex 3D test it drops to 33 fps compared to the 100+ fps that the other system is getting.

I've tried going through various graphics settings and uninstalled then reinstalled the graphics drivers and I still get the same thing.

I talked with Sapphire support and they said that it might be a malfunction with the card. I also talked to a support guy from the place I bought it from and he tells me that he thinks it's my PSU. I have a 500 watt PSU which meets the minimum requirements soo I would think that it should work fine as long as I don't overclock.

What do you think?

[RickyTick]

I doubt it's the power supply, but you can't rule that out. If you can return the video card, start with that.

[zburns]

If you can get Task Manager (Control, Alternate, Delete all at same time) turned on, then you can see the % use on all four cores as well as % use of memory. I would expect that to be revealing!

[liquidhand]

I can do ctrl, alt, del just fine zburns. What is it that you think that I should be seeing?
As I said in my first post, all cores for the cpu are working and the memory is fine other than xp 32-bit only recognizing 3.? of the RAM.

[zburns]

When running a game that you feel is underperforming, look to see what % each core is running at during the game at the same time. Is memory running in the 80 % plus range at the same time? Hard to believe all fours cores are running at a high % .

32 bit only allows about 3.5 gig to be used.

[zburns]

During the 'underperforming game' look at all four cores for approx the same % level of performance, and at the same time look at the % usage of memory. If all four cores or some are in the low % usage during the game that would match up to what you are observing. If the cores are running at a high %, all four of them, the memory will be running at a good clip also. If one core is outperforming all the rest by a wide margin, that would indicate your software is essentially only working one core.

[liquidhand]

Thanks for the tip. I'll give that a try.

The game is a few years old though and I'm not sure it was designed to utilize multiple cores. I would think though that even just using one core for the game it should still run better than my old computer, seeing how it's faster, more cache, more and faster ram, and a way better graphics card.

[zburns]

My old computer was a Dell:- P4 2.8 GHz processor- 1.5 GB DDR RAM (400 MHz I think)

Perhaps, not so that you would notice. Your new cpu is apx 14% faster than the old pentium 2.8. A single core of the new cpu not that much faster than the pentium. Assuming the memory in the old unit was enough to 'handle' the single core and a medium or low performing game 'relative to todays' game, then the memory level for the older cpu would not have been a negative factor in the older Dell (meaning the game or games ran ok). If the present quad core does no better than the older cpu, that does imply single core operation; maybe Task Manager does or can show you that, ie. essentially one core operating at a much higher % than the other three cores.

The 'jerkyness' you complain about could have something to do with the 32 bit XP OS and the present four core cpu -- it sounds like old software written for single core being 'somewhat' compatible or 'partially running' on the newer and later software. You could contact the manufacturer of the OS (microsoft) and of the game, ask if the older OS and the older game would run 'fine with no problem' on a new AMD cpu (your model) -- I would bet the answer would be the following: "I do not know!" or they would 'qualify' their positive answer.

I know nothing about writing software or designing games, but from new engineering and new design leading to new production, it is true that 'new' stuff can be designed to allow 'older' stuff to run or work with the new -- but the designer cannot cover all the possibilities or problems that can arise. There is no guarantee that 'new stuff' can be designed to 'also' allow 'older stuff' to work perfectly !!


As Ricky Tick suggested, give some thought to going to Windows 7 64 bit -- that software framework is what your AMD Phenom II X4 995 is probably designed around. Of course, the 'stuff' you run on the Win7 64 bit must be compatible with Win 7 64 bit.

[liquidhand]

Ya, I've been thinking about getting Win 7 64 bit. That was the idea from the start, but it got put on hold. Maybe I'll stop putting it off and just go and get it.

Thank you soo much for your help and tips, both zburns and RickyTick.