Bad performance with P5P800, faulty hardware?

[junfan77]

I bought a P5P800 in January to replace my P4P800, and the performance I expected is lacking!

My current system:
Asus P5P800 BIOS 1007
Intel 3.4 Ghz (775)
Geil 2 X 1GB (3.0-8-4-4) Value Dual Channel PC3200 400MHz DDR
BFG Nvidia 6800GT AGP 256mb
2 Western Digital SATA 200 GB HD
Antec Neo Power 480 Watt
Soundblaster Audigy
Windows XP SP2

Basically it's not running much faster than my Intel 2.53 with 2100 DDR on my old P4P800.

All bios settings look right, and I've done 2 fresh installs, but can't see to find what's holding back the performance. Nothing is overclocked, all RAM settings are default. CPU is running a little hot, but it's a prescott.

I first noticed performance problems when loading Battlefield 1942, I'm loading in slower than my old system and people with HALF the computer I have are in before me (my old computer loaded faster and had a slower CPU, Ram and HD's). Same goes for HL2, I'm getting HORRIBLE FPS, where people with similar and sometimes inferior PC's are getting much better FPS.

I've attached the Sandra scores, the CPU score is horrendous, Memory is off quite a bit also, and the memory tests are VERY inconsistent. Bandwidth efficiency has dipped below 45% especially the in "float buff'd" test.

Any help is much appreciated.

CPU Z info http://img288.echo.cx/img288/5148/cpu12tw.jpg

Sandra CPU Bench - http://img288.echo.cx/img288/5578/resultscpu12fj.jpg

Sandra Memory Bench -
http://img288.echo.cx/img288/2641/memtest14pt.jpg
http://img288.echo.cx/img288/1431/memtest1cont7hz.jpg

 

[stevty2889]

Exactly how hot is a little hot? I would download and run throttlewatch, it's quite possible your proccessor is throttling, which could explain the bad performance. Loading times for games is usualy hard drive dependant. Did you put your memory in the correct slots for dual channel? Looking at your sandra score, I would actualy say there is a really good chance you are throttling, so you definatly want to download throttlewatch. Are you using the stock heatsink and fan, and did you double check to make sure it's properly installed?

 

[stevty2889]

Also, I would go in to bios and double check your voltage, if what CPUz is reporting is accurate, your core voltage is set way above default(1.539v compared to 1.38v). I have noticed that the higher the core voltage is set to, the earlier thermal throttling kicks in, so again, evidence points to throttling.

 

[junfan77]

Originally posted by: stevty2889
Exactly how hot is a little hot? I would download and run throttlewatch, it's quite possible your proccessor is throttling, which could explain the bad performance. Loading times for games is usualy hard drive dependant. Did you put your memory in the correct slots for dual channel? Looking at your sandra score, I would actualy say there is a really good chance you are throttling, so you definatly want to download throttlewatch. Are you using the stock heatsink and fan, and did you double check to make sure it's properly installed?

Tried throttlewatch a few weeks ago, "Average load 25%/Average throttling 10%", clock stayed constant at 3398.

I'll look into hard drive performance soon, but BF1942 for me was always ram dependant, i remember when I only had 256mb it would take a min and a half to load levels after i got a gig it dropped down to 20 secs.

Memory slots are color coded and everything reports that it's running in Dual channel mode, CPU is seated properly, but my next step is to reseat everything regardless.

Originally posted by: stevty2889
Also, I would go in to bios and double check your voltage, if what CPUz is reporting is accurate, your core voltage is set way above default(1.539v compared to 1.38v). I have noticed that the higher the core voltage is set to, the earlier thermal throttling kicks in, so again, evidence points to throttling.

Vcore was set on auto, i manually put it on 1.38, but CPUZ is reporting it as 1.59ish still. Asus pc probe is reporting 1.38ish though.

Temps are 69-71C idle for cpu, 83-86C full load, 38C for MB.

 

[stevty2889]

Yeah, thats your problem, your temps are way too high. Throttling kicks in at around 70c, so your reaching throttling temps at idle! Average throttling of anything will drasticly reduce your performance, you need to get your temps down. Basicly when it's throttling, it pauses the CPU every other cycle, so it's basicly cutting your speed in half. I have the same stepping 3.4ghz prescott as you. My idle temps were in the 50's, and I was getting to 72c under load and throttling. I am using water cooling now, so it's not a problem anymore, but your temps are way too high.

 

[junfan77]

I've been meaning to get a watercooling setup, but haven't gotten around to it yet, for now i'm going to take my old Zalman CNPS7000B-Cu with some artic silver and see if i can get the temps lower than the stock HSF with aircooling till I can decide on a WC setup.

Thanks for the help.

 

[The Pentium Guy]

I thought the 6XX series run cool?

 

[Appledrop]

aaaa yes its too hot, but you did also remember to install the chipset drivers right?

 

[Duvie]

Originally posted by: The Pentium Guy
I thought the 6XX series run cool?

Versus te 5xx series it does....



If you dro pthat vcore down .15v you could reduce that by a bit but I think you need to do a few other things...

1) LOOK AT YOUR CASE cooling...it may not be enough or ineffective (amount of intakes versus exhaust and vice versa, how they are placed, etc...)

2) remove HSF and reapply some AS5 or even look at getting a better air cooler...

water cooling is going to cost you and unless you plan on ocing should not be needed....If it still overheats with all the above go to INTEL corporate office and shove it up their arse...

 

[junfan77]

Thanks guys for the excellent replies.

I pulled everything apart and it turned out to be the stock HSF, apparently they just put WAY to much thermal grease on it, I had to SCRAPE it off with a razor blade it was caked on so thick, I think there was so much on there that it was actually counterproductive to the temps and the cause of my problems.

I ran into another problem though, after I cleaned off all the intel grease I applied a layer of AS5, and my temps got worse 90-100 degrees!!!, it turns out HSF wasn't sitting well after I reseated it, I literally had to ram it down, because the stock fasteners are so horrible.

Good News though, CPU is running excellent now and with stock HSF and AS5 i'm running idle at around 40 degrees, load at 55ish. This is however an Asus and i'm aware they tend to report weird, but either way it's a 40+ temp drop buy replacing the thermal grease and reseating the HSF 😀

Either way my Zalman CNPS7000B-Cu is going on tomorrow, as soon as I can get a 3-4 pin fan adaptor, it's a superior HS and the fan is a pinch bigger and runs the same speed as the stock HSF, i'm hoping to drop another 3-5 using that instead of stock, until I can decide on a water cooling kit.

Thanks again everyone for the help! I even tried a quick OC for shits and it OC to 3.7 without a hiccup.