Help with upgrading my build

[MinGraphics]

Hi, I built my computer with help from this site and now I am thinking of upgrading it. This is the link to what I built http://forums.mysuperpc.com/showthread.php?1370-Min-s-New-Computer-it-works!

If someone could take a look at it and give me an idea of what upgrades could be made. It still runs great, never had an issue with it, I did add another hard drive, so it now has 2 of the listed hard drives, 1 the C drive the other F.

Thank you!!

[zburns]

Hi Min and welcome back to the forums,

I will do what you ask, but it will have to be in the morning am. I looked at your original 'build list' and several questions pop right up relative to today's components versus what you used in the original build -- do not read anything negative into these comments -- nothing wrong with what you have!

One question is the new drive you added, what size is it and who is the manufacturer? Looks like you did your build about the same time I did mine.

I guess my only other question for tonight is how or what do you use the computer for ? I also have to ask if you do any gaming? A majority of the builds are for gaming and that affects the components to a small degree. And as I am sure you know, quad (four core) cpus have been the dominant cpu for some years now, but that does not mean one has to change just to keep up with the number of 'cores'.

Do you have any complaints about the present build and the way it performs. I will mention that you have two gigabyte of RAM and that is 'sort of' the minimum. I guess it is fair to ask based on the amount of RAM you have, does the computer have some 'slowness' in operation, ie, does it take 'some time' to go from one url to another url (one address to another address, or one topic to another topic)

Have you had any problems of any kind since you did the build?

Are you using any particular 'software' that 'runs slow' as compared to just simple 'google' searches. (Not referring to the 'Win Vista OS')

EDIT 11:20 pm: You are presently using Windows Vista 32 bit. Higher performance will occur with Windows 64 bit OS (Win 7 or Win 8). But the question here is whether or not you are satisfied with the 'relative' operating speed of your present system.

So I will comment further in the morning!

[zburns]

Good Morning Min:

Several initial comments: Newegg has your motherboard at this url: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131188 If you will pull up this url, you will see the Newegg page for the motherboard, but on the upper right, a large red lettered 'DISCONTINUED' notice. This means either Newegg no longer handles the item or Asus has discontinued it. However, the motherboard does show up on the Asus motherboard site. Google 'Asus P5KC motherboard to see the Asus page.

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RAM paragraphs:
There is one thing 'odd' about this motherboard. If you look at the Asus Picture on the Asus website for this mobo, you will see six RAM slots. Their are 6 slots color coded. 2 slots red or orange (cannot tell which), 2 slots yellow and 2 slots black. The specs claim Dual Channel RAM. This means that you 'populate' two sticks in the yellow slots, two sticks in the Red slots and (maybe ?) two sticks in the Black slots.

This is the only dual channel mobo I have ever seen with six slots -- so here is what I think is the reason for the six slots. They are there for the users back in 2007 and coming forward who purchased RAM values less than 1 gigabyte. If, for example, you purchased six sticks of 400 megabyte RAM, then you could populate all six slots. Windows 32 bit software will only use about 2.5 plus a little. So it is possible to populate all six slots using, for example six sticks of 400 Megabyte RAM.

Back in 2007 and 2008, 32 bit software was quite popular. Since 2007, 64 bit has become the primary software purchased for 'builders' (whether gamers or not).

Closing comment on your mobo and RAM: Unless you upgrade to 64 bit Vista, you can only utilize a little less than 3 gig RAM with the 32 bit Win OS. Even if you went to 64 bit Win OS, the mobo specs only allow 8 Gigabyte total RAM. The following are the specs from the Asus site on memory:

2 x DIMM, Max. 4 GB, DDR3 1333(O.C.)/1066/800 Non-ECC,Un-buffered Memory
Dual Channel memory architecture
4 x DIMM, max. 8GB, DDR2 1066*/800 / 667 MHz, non-ECC, un-buffered memory
Dual channel memory architecture

Notice the statement 4 xDIMM, Max 8 gig . . ., etc..
---------------- End of RAM discussion.

Concluding statement on RAM. Your present system will only allow 8 gig RAM. A new system will allow for a huge increase in RAM. A large increase in RAM allows for a much faster CPU such as one of Intel's latest cpus such as Ivy Bridge or Sandy Bridge. But you would need to upgrade motherboard, RAM and CPU AND the operating system, Win 7 or Win 8, 64 bit, at a minimum. (EDIT, 9:15 PM. The ability to get a large increase in RAM will occur if the Windows OS is 64 bit instead of 32 bit, so you would have to install Win 7 or Win 8, 64 bit. )

I would give some consideration to upgrading the power supply from your present one to a Antec 500 or 600 watt psu -- this on the 'theory or rational' that the existing Corsair psu is about five years old. Any power supply has to have circuits that protect from other components from overloads or protect from the 'consequences' of a power supply failure. Time, use, wear and tear on an existing power supply are the 'negatives' that degrade a power supply. So the idea of replacing it, assuming you build a new system has some merit, regardless of the fact that it may be working perfectly right now.

My closing comment. I will look more at this post later today, and, make additional comments if necessary. But I do need to hear from you regards my first post last night.

[MinGraphics]

Sorry, I have the flu and was out of it a few days.
I use the computer for internet, music, pictures and gaming...sims3 and the new simcity. I am having issues with lag.

Some of the info you have about my system is wrong, not sure why, I may have entered it wrong when I put up my post because I was working on my Husband's computer at the same time.
Here is the info taken right from my control panel
windows vista home premium, service pack 2
intel core 2 duo @3.00GHz
4.00 GB RAM
64-bit Operating System
it has (2) Western Digital caviar SE 320GB hard drives

It has always run with out issues, only now am I seeing lag. I'm not looking to rebuild the whole computer, just thinking about maxing out the RAM and a new video card, would it be worth doing those things or would it still be slow because of the duo core?
I don't use it as much as my laptop. I have just started to look for a new laptop as that is what I play most of my games on. My Granddaughter plays on the desktop so I want to keep it going for her.

I think I answered all your questions...if you have more fire away, and thank you VERY much!!

[RickyTick]

The problem may not be your system. The new simcity is having multiple issues.
Read through some of this.
http://techreport.com/news/24460/drm-disaster-plagues-simcity-launch
http://kotaku.com/5988600/simcity-launch-plagued-by-locked-games-download-issues-and-server-queues
http://kotaku.com/5988985/yep-simcity-still-isnt-working

Your system is totally capable of playing this game. If you're convinced an upgrade is in order, then the video card is the first place to start.

[zburns]

Hi Min, I hope you are feeling better!!

Just one discussion point. In your post today you reference a 64 bit OS, yet in your link in your first post, you give this for the OS: Vista 32bit home prem. So double check your Disc that contains the Win Vista for the 32bit or 64 bit.

Today, 64 bit seems to be universal on this forum (Win 7, I guess now Win 8). If you have 64 bit and only 4 gig RAM, that seems like a roadblock. However, you indicate your system performed very well but now it is slow. Did the slowness come on gradually or suddenly? Or is it even possible to tell?

Here is a definite indicator that will probably tell for certain. You now have two HDs, I presume identical (if not please give me the WD cat #s of each HD), although your description of the drives may give me that data but the cat #s would still help if I want to contact WD, particularly if they are different cat #s even tho they are supposedly identical. The WD HDs may be the same but because of the age difference, the cat #s may be different.

Did the slowness become very noticeable only after adding the second HD?
OR
Did you experience a noticeable level of 'slowness' before adding the second HD?

You have 4 gig of RAM, that is the amount recommended when one uses 32 bit -- 4 gig is all that is usable with 32 bit.

[MinGraphics]

This is the info off the packing slip with the hard drive:
Western Digital Caviar SE WD3200AAJS 320GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive-OEM Item#N82E16822136098
I don't have the packing slip for the second one.

Shortly after building the computer I wiped it out and installed Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit and 4 gigs of RAM. At that point I also installed the second hard drive, I use it to keep photos and back up my music.
I did not install windows onto the new hard drive when I put it in, I just drag files onto it when I need to. I also have a USB 1TB WD Passport I plug in and backup files to, I don't leave this one plugged in all the time, only when I need it.

I have always run Norton Security Suite. I have noticed the slowness more in the last few months, I even though some of my RAM may have gone bad but I don't know how to test it. The computer is so slow that I can't even play the sims 3 on it...my laptop plays it better and it has slower duo core's then the desktop. This is why I wanted to know about maxing out the RAM and Video Card to see if it gives this old beast a boost.

I tried to look up the hard drive info on newegg but it's to old to show up...sorry.

[zburns]

Here is 'my educated guess' as to what is happening. I will have to look for some corroboration of the idea or 'theory' on the web. You upgraded to 64 bit but stayed with 4 gig of RAM. 64 bit operation causes a 'heck of lot more data' to move 'per unit time' compared to 32 bit. Therefore, relative to 32 bit speeds using the 4 gig RAM, 64 bit using the same amount of RAM, 4 gig, is going to take more time; because the amount of data (for example) per millisecond using 64 bit is much larger that the amount of data using 32 bit. You are processing more data thru the same RAM (per unit time) that originally processed less data (per unit time).

I think the above is correct but I have to find some website that agrees (or disagrees) with the above. So I will pursue it, maybe make a telephone call, to Microsoft. Hopefully, a firm answer tomorrow.

Assuming the above solution is correct more RAM is the solution. You seem to be running ok otherwise -- sounds like the 'slowness' is the only problem.

[RickyTick]

check www.memtest.org

[RickyTick]

Also, here is the minimum system requirements for playing Sim 3.
http://www.thesims3.com/game/systemreq

Your system is more than adequate for playing this game and almost all others.

[MinGraphics]

RickyTick, thank you for the link, but I have no idea what to download from it to test my system. I know my computer should be able to run the sims 3 with no issues but trust me, it can't, I have so much lag when I go into buy/build mode that it becomes unplayable! As I said before my laptop has a slower CPU, same amount of RAM and a VERY full hard drive, and it still plays the game fine. I'm hoping that upgrading the RAM to the max and upgrading the video card will make a difference in performance.

ZBurns, In all other ways it runs great, yesterday I had music playing and it was moving over 2GB of files to a USB stick and downloading over 2 1/2 GB of a game update all at the same time and my music never had a glitch of any kind. Sometimes when I'm doing a few things at once the music will cut out for a second or two, but not often enough to bug me.

[RickyTick]

Before spending money on upgrades, do a little maintenance first.
Run Disc Cleanup http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/delete-files-using-disk-cleanup
Install and run Malwarebytes. http://www.malwarebytes.org/
This is also helpful http://www.microsoft.com/atwork/maintenance/speed.aspx#fbid=mxpq2FpyqDj

If this doesn't provide noticeable results, you might consider re-installing Windows.

[zburns]

I misread some of your earlier posts. I was working under the impression that 64 bit Operating System was just recently installed. On re-reading all the posts, you indicate you installed the 64 bit OS a relatively short period after doing the build. I will ask one question anyway, and that is did you delete the Win 32 bit drivers and load in new 64 bit drivers at the time you made the switch. I do not know that it would make any difference but it would be better to have a system clear of Win 32 bit.

If the 'build' has been 64 bit since shortly after the 'original build' and things worked 'perfectly' after the build and up until some recent point in time that the problems started to occur, the following are some of the questions that make sense. (Is this entire para correct?)

The system ran with 64 bit for some years with no slowdown problems at all. At some recent point 'slowdowns' started to occur which means 'something' changed with 'the system'. At the time you noticed 'slowdowns', did you do anything at all to the computer in the way of 'alteration of anything'. Said differently, at the time the problems began and then continued up until now, did you do anything at all or alter anything to the 'physical build itself' or to the 'loaded software' on the computer.

My questions above about the drivers is important. Were 64 bit drivers installed when the Win 64 Vista was installed? Were the Win 32 bit drivers removed? Since both these questions relate to 2008 or 2009 time period, at what point apx, month and year, did the slowness begin? You indicate just recently. I am assuming that when the slowness started, it has been 'on and off' from its starting point, but never had happened before.

You indicate music running very well in the last day or so; does the music always run well or has it had periods of slowness? Probably repeating myself, does the music always run well as long as 'nothing else' is running? It really matters to know if the computer with 64 bit Vista installed ran 'perfect' for a number of years before the 'slowness' started. I am trying to get a sense that 'everything has been ok for some years and then the 'slowness' started only recently?

I have reread this post several time and did a little editing. If I am being repetitive, I apologize. I am assuming you have a definite problem with the computer. As Ricky Tick is implying, you may have a virus and not a component problem.

[MinGraphics]

I did a clean install of windows when I bought the 64 bit, so I have to assume that all old drivers were wiped out at that time. I run disk cleanup at least once a month. I have run Malwarebytes but not in a while so I will give that a shot but not until Monday after the Grandchildren leave. I only noticed the slowness back in Dec when I started playing Sims 3, I have not bought SimCity yet because my thinking is if I can't play a 10 year old game how can it handle a new one. Yes I changed to 64bit so I could add more Memory, and I want to add more but have no clue what kind to get, same thing with the video card, no clue how much of an upgrade my motherboard will take. I have not added anything or changed anything for years, all changes were made within the first 2 years. My plan when I built it was to upgrade what I could at some point but as games get bigger and faster it seems slower.

[zburns]

Hi Min, that is good post with a lot of good info.
I only noticed the slowness back in Dec when I started playing Sims 3,

I interpret your quote to mean that 'the slowness only began back in Dec when playing Sims 3' -- please confirm that this is the case!! Ricky Tick has addressed the Sims 3 problem scenario already.

To me, it seems that the Sims 3 game is the cause of the slowness given Ricky Ticks early statement to the effect ' Sims 3 has problems . . . .' . To prove that this is the case, the best solution is to wipe the computer clean of the Sims 3 game and see if the slowness goes away. Then reload the Sims 3 game with whatever 'Sims download solutions' there are to 'remedy' the existing problem with Sims. My point about wiping the computer clean of Sims is to 'know for a fact' that the problem has been cleared.

[zburns]

The following is another topic altogether -- about the Memory.

(When you go to the url in the next paragraph, you get a Asus screen without a mobo picture. At the top there is a 'lineup' of click on choices. The picture is on the 'Gallery' choice. If you do not have a picture, click on an alternate choice and then click on gallery, the pic will pop up.)

If you go to the following url, http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/P5KC/#gallery , you will see pictures of your motherboard Asus P5KC, there is a 'straight on view' of the motherboard. In the lower right corner you will see six slots, 2 slots of orange, 2 slots of black, 2 slots of yellow. This means your plug in RAM memory is 'three dual channel slots' for a total of six sticks of RAM that can be installed, (maybe, probably, etc. ???) .


six sticks of RAM that must be installed, (maybe, probably, etc. ???) This quote has the following, either - or, meaning. If you have only two sticks of RAM, both sticks go into the same color slots. If you have four sticks of RAM, two sticks in yellow slots, for example and the other two sticks in the orange slots. If you have six sticks of RAM, the last remaining two sticks that make up the six stick total, go into the black slots.

It probably does not matter which 'pair of colored slots' you 'populate' (use) first -- it only matters that each time you plug in two sticks that these two sticks go in the same color slots.
----------------
It may matter or 'be of consequence' that when you fill one two slot color and then, several years later, want to fill another two slot color, and then the third two slot color even another year later -- that in each case you must use the same manufacturers RAM and part number.

Regarding the above sentence, I want to call both Asus and Corsair regards the six slots, and the 'time delay of some years' in filling the slots. In five years on this forum, I do not remember ever seeing a six slot motherboard -- not that there is anything wrong with it -- you need to know the (edit) 'performance characteristics caused by the six slots' as compared to the routine four slots normally seen -- so this is not something to be worried about -- it is just clearing up 'how to correctly do it for the best RAM performance".
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So 'the issues' are (1) is the SIMS game the cause of the slowness and (2) exactly what are the 'performance characteristics' of the six RAM slots on the Asus mobo.
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Edit above 1:30 pm EST.
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This is another EDIT(1:48pm), has to do with the 6 RAM slots: Please go to this url: http://www.bit-tech.net/custompc/reviews/125932/asus-p5kc.html Note this sentence in the para of the article:
Apart from its six RAM slots - two DDR3 and four DDR2 - the most obvious difference between this motherboard and other Asus models . . . . . Look at quote, your RAM is DDR2, four of the RAM slots (I do not know which colors) are for your RAM. Please check your Instruction Manual and verify that your two RAM sticks are in a 'pair of color slots for DDR2 RAM'. You can add two more sticks of RAM and 'fill out' the four DDR2 slots.

Anything I said above about the six RAM slots has to be modified to include 'four of the slots are or DDR2 RAM and two slots are for the later (newer) DDR3. Any confusion, let me know!!