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Need a little help - maybe a whole lot

SandyM

SandyM

Member
I have a Gateway desktop that I am trying to use for FSX. It is totally inadequate:

Intel Pentium E5300
Windows 7 Home Premium Edition (Build 7600)
CPU Arch : 1 CPU - 2 Cores - 2 Threads
CPU PSN : Pentium Dual-Core CPU E5300 @ 2.60GHz
CPU EXT : MMX, SSE (1, 2, 3, 3S), EM64T, VT-x
CPUID : 6.7.A / Extended : 6.17
CPU Cache : L1 : 2 x 32 / 2 x 32 KB - L2 : 2048 KB
Core : Wolfdale (45 nm) / Stepping : R0
Freq : 1199.93 MHz (199.99 * 6)

MB Brand : Gateway
MB Model : EG43M
NB : Intel P45/P43/G45/G43 rev A3
SB : Intel 82801JR (ICH10R) rev 00

GPU Type : NVIDIA GeForce GT 240
GPU Clocks : Core 550 MHz / RAM 790 MHz
DirectX Version : 11.0

RAM : 6144 MB DDR2 Dual Channel
RAM Speed : 400 MHz (1:2) @ 6-6-6-18
Slot 1 : 2048MB (6400)
Slot 1 Manufacturer : Transcend Information
Slot 2 : 1024MB (6400)
Slot 2 Manufacturer : Transcend Information
Slot 3 : 2048MB (6400)
Slot 3 Manufacturer : Transcend Information
Slot 4 : 1024MB (6400)
Slot 4 Manufacturer : Transcend Information



As you can see I have upgraded the gpu and I will have a Corsair 600W CX600 power supply this afternoon if UPS comes through.

Is there anything I can do, within $ reason that will make this computer adequate - or do I need to plan on replacing both the motherboard and cpu. I'm retired and on a fixed income so I don't have a whole lot of excess cash - but I would like to be able to at least run FSX at an acceptable level - it won't even run FS9 well at this time. Thanks in advance for any help you might offer. I'm not really much more than a novice when it comes to playing with the insides of a computer - even though I have built a few that worked - back in the day. If You feel that A new mobo is required I would prefer to go the AMD route - money and performance both. Thanks
 
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Two people are telling me to change the multiplier to 13 - that must be the answer to one of my problems - However, it creates an even bigger problem... How do I do that? Please guys - I'm old, and a bit stupid about some things - I can put tab a in slot b and all that - but...Ya' lost me! Can you tell me how to do it? Please!!!!
 
OK! I got into the thing and it appears that nothing can be changed - Does Gateway lock everything to where nothing is changeable?
 
I highly doubt that Gateway has locked that CPU down to a 6x multiplier if it's the CPU that came with the PC.

Try this: Grab yourself a copy of CPU-Z from www.cpuid.com and a copy of prime95. Run CPU-Z and watch the "Multiplier" field as you run and start prime95. It should show the multiplier changing from 6 to 13 as the CPU starts running at load.

If the multiplier doesn't change, there may be something wrong with the board, or you may need to update the BIOS.

One quick thing to check: During the bootup, what's called the "POST" (Power On System Test), where it shows your hard drives being detected and your RAM amount installed, it should have a line that says something like
"Installed CPU: Intel Pentium E5300 2.60ghz (13x200)"
Verify that line says the correct multiplier and bus speed.

And yes, typically the OEM bioses are very locked down and you can rarely change any settings related to CPU, RAM or bus speeds.

Edit: Link to download prim95: http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=103
 
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Raduque said:
I highly doubt that Gateway has locked that CPU down to a 6x multiplier if it's the CPU that came with the PC.

Try this: Grab yourself a copy of CPU-Z from www.cpuid.com and a copy of prime95. Run CPU-Z and watch the "Multiplier" field as you run and start prime95. It should show the multiplier changing from 6 to 13 as the CPU starts running at load.

If the multiplier doesn't change, there may be something wrong with the board, or you may need to update the BIOS.

One quick thing to check: During the bootup, what's called the "POST" (Power On System Test), where it shows your hard drives being detected and your RAM amount installed, it should have a line that says something like
"Installed CPU: Intel Pentium E5300 2.60ghz (13x200)"
Verify that line says the correct multiplier and bus speed.

And yes, typically the OEM bioses are very locked down and you can rarely change any settings related to CPU, RAM or bus speeds.

Edit: Link to download prim95: http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=103
Click to expand...

I tried that and it now shows:

Intel Pentium E5300
Windows 7 Home Premium Edition (Build 7600)
CPU Arch : 1 CPU - 2 Cores - 2 Threads
CPU PSN : Pentium Dual-Core CPU E5300 @ 2.60GHz
CPU EXT : MMX, SSE (1, 2, 3, 3S), EM64T, VT-x
CPUID : 6.7.A / Extended : 6.17
CPU Cache : L1 : 2 x 32 / 2 x 32 KB - L2 : 2048 KB
Core : Wolfdale (45 nm) / Stepping : R0
Freq : 2599.88 MHz (199.99 * 13)

MB Brand : Gateway
MB Model : EG43M
NB : Intel P45/P43/G45/G43 rev A3
SB : Intel 82801JR (ICH10R) rev 00

GPU Type : NVIDIA GeForce GT 240
GPU Clocks : Core 550 MHz / RAM 790 MHz
DirectX Version : 11.0

RAM : 6144 MB DDR2 Dual Channel
RAM Speed : 400 MHz (1:2) @ 6-6-6-18
Slot 1 : 2048MB (6400)
Slot 1 Manufacturer : Transcend Information
Slot 2 : 1024MB (6400)
Slot 2 Manufacturer : Transcend Information
Slot 3 : 2048MB (6400)
Slot 3 Manufacturer : Transcend Information
Slot 4 : 1024MB (6400)
Slot 4 Manufacturer : Transcend Information


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Maybe that cured my problem. Thanks guys.
 
I don't think it cured whatever problem you were having.

I think the problem is that your GPU is woefully inadequate for MS Flight Sim games, especially if it's a DDR3 card.

You should spend ~$120 and get a GTX460 or Radeon 5770 if your PSU can handle them.

For the record, on my old system (Conroe E6300 overclocked to 2.8ghz, 4gb ddr2, radeon HD 3870) Flight Sim X ran quite acceptably at 1680x1050.
 
To SandyM,

I could be wrong, but discovering that your E5300 cpu has always smoothly throttled up from a no load 6X multiplier to a 13 X load multiplier has done nothing for you.

As someone who owns a similar E5200 system, my throttle up multiplier is only 12.5 instead of your 13. But because I do have a just gigabyte mobo bios, rather than you maybe more delimited gateway bios, I can go into my bios and change the 200 MHZ base frequency. As many over clockers can get 13x load times 280 MHZ stable to approach almost 4 GHZ with that same chip. But if your Gateway bios will not let you get that free 40% increase in speed, there is zero you can do.

But still there is a big risk in over clocking, because you risk over heating your PC.

But if you have a overclocking capable mobo, and an e5200 family chip, you can very safely over clock to get about the 3200-3400 MHZ through put range by slightly reducing CU voltage voltage and cranking up the 200mhz settings. After than you you crank up the cpu voltage to stay stable, and chip temps get really hot
 
Lemon Law, he can't overclock unless he buys an entirely new motherboard. OEM motherboards typically have locked-out FSB, multiplier, voltage and memory timing control. As well it's highly unlikely that he would be able to flash a Gigabyte BIOS to the board without killing it.

In his place, I would upgrade my GPU to the highest-end part my PSU supports.
 
I will point to the video card now as well. That will probably do HD Video just fine but will choke on higher demands like you are seeing. Get the new card, the GTX460 or Radeon 5770 like Raduque suggested are good cards, and then you can get some money back by selling your old one on Craigslist or Ebay.
 
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