P4 Processor Upgrade Dilema

[godspeed59]

Hello. This is my first post and the community here seems to have a well rounded knowledge base so I hope someone can give me a clear answer. I am finally upgrading my current Northwood Pentium 4 2.8GHz processor to a Gallatin Pentium 4 EE 3.4GHz L2-512KiB L3-2048KiB 800FSB 1.575V 102.9W Socket 478 Model#RK80532PG0962M.

My current bios is as upgraded as its going to get from conventional means and it has no provisions for L3 memory control. My mobo is a Soyo P4I865PE Plus Dragon 2 that uses the I865PE chipset and supports everything about this processor except L3. The only thing is the L3 is integrated w/ the processor on this version so I don't know if the controller needs to be part of my bios controls or instructions coming from the processor itself. I have looked all over the web for any info on this and came up empty. I don't want to buy something I can't use so any info would be helpfull.

 

[DSF]

Let's start at the beginning. What's driving the upgrade? A CPU swap may not actually help much, depending on what you're using the computer for.

Also, that's not going to be a mind-blowing upgrade. It's a less than 25% speed increase.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Like DSF said, why are you upgrading? (What is too slow, what are you trying to run?)

Is there some reason why you must upgrade this board instead of replacing it with a modern core 2 duo or quad?

If this is for gaming, what is your current video card, and are you planning to replace it?

 

[SonicIce]

I think it will work fine. Those Gallatins were basically rebadged Northwoods. Here are some links
http://www.soyo.com/content/FAQ/47/?n_id=19 says it supports 90nm which was an even newer processor than the one you're buying
http://valid.x86-secret.com/show_oc.php?id=399503 same chipset as yours running a Gallatin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P..._.28Extreme_Edition.29 some Gallatin information
Don't do it if you're spending more than $50 on it. You could just get a new CPU/Mobo combo that is much faster.

 

[godspeed59]

Gaming would my primary use, but I rip and burn the occasional DVD or have several applications running at once. I'd like to get this system to stretch its use for a couple more years before I have to do a complete overhall of my mobo and its components. And yes I am trying to find a new video card. I currently have a BFG Nvidia GeForce 6800. It and my processor have still been able to run most of the current games on near to high settings but its only a matter of time before that won't be the case. The replacements for good AGP video cards are not as available as they used to be so before I can't find anything I wan't I'm going to upgrade.

As far as my question if the answer ends up being no or its too cost prohibitive then I can pick up a 3.4GHz Prescott or Northwood for relatively cheap.

 

[Blazer]

use your money for something else.

 

[godspeed59]

Yep SonicIce, those are the sites I've been looking at. Thx

Where could I pick up a CPU/Mobo combo for $50.00? I haven't been looking at the new stuff much just trying to make what I have work.

 

[mpilchfamily]

Don't bother opgrading anything on that system. It would just be a waste of money. You system is so outdated right now you are in need of a system overhaul. So take what little money you have now and save it for a new system.

 

[0roo0roo]

any money spent on a p4 is waste.
they are all dog slow even compared to a budget duo core these days..,its quite sad. not to mention the power consumption.
frys sometimes has mb cpu bundles. different kind every week in a rotation basically. 80-100 gets a half decent combo.
as said with the posters above. wait and save for something better.
p4 platform is dead obsolete.

 

[godspeed59]

Thanks for the imput. :thumbsup:

 

[Slugbait]

For the most part, I would agree with the others, don't do it...however, if you're serious about a couple of more years (or even just one more year), and you can get that Gallatin for $50, then go right ahead and buy it. Your improved encoding times for ripped A/V will be very impressive compared to what you have now. You'll also get significant improvement from games that are more CPU-dependent.

Assuming you actually do have a vanilla 6800 (i.e. it's not a GT), have you unlocked it? Doing so will increase gaming perf right off the bat...

 

[0roo0roo]

eh... i wouldn't say that. dual/quad core encoding improvement is massive.
and going from unplayable to slightly less unplayable isn't really an improvement.

 

[Slugbait]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
eh... i wouldn't say that. dual/quad core encoding improvement is massive.

My wife's box has an 865 Dragon 2...I don't recall that it supports dual or quad, but I doubt that it does, and OP does specifically indicate he wants to stretch out its life. Compared to a cache-deficient Northwood 2.8 (or the Athlon 64), encoding times on a Gallatin will be very impressive. Yes, I used to have a Northwood. Yes, my secondary machine has a Gallatin.

and going from unplayable to slightly less unplayable isn't really an improvement.

Not sure how to reply to this. My Gallatin absolutely rocked on Q3-based games, Unreal-based games, HL, etc. And it's running with an unlocked 6800 too, so I kinda know where OP is at this very moment.

Today's games? Not as performant as my Duo EE on some games, but most games don't do multi-thread anyway...which is a moot point, since he wants to game with a 6800...

 

[0roo0roo]

well, todays games more and more of them actually do take advantage of multi core cpus. very few games actually used id engines, id sorta lost the plot on that, but even their newest engine is heavily multithreaded. most games run on other engines these days, and do see at least some improvement from more cores. a gallatin p4 is off the charts slow no matter how you look at it. for "stretching" the life, web surfing and such, he might as well just leave it as is and just save his money. he did say gaming was his main use. and well, that pc is obsolete regardless of what cpu is in it, even worse with the agp port which really locks it into obsolescence.

just look at the chart.... its just not in the game. http://www.tomshardware.com/ch...eme-Commander,397.html would be worse in many newer games.

 

[JackMDS]

The word Upgrade is a general word.

Adding few percent power is an Upgrade.

Tripling and quadrupling the power is an Upgrade too.

Your system does not lend itself to an upgrade that would improve it by more than small percentage while current affordable system are 300 to 400 percent better.

So it is your call.

 

[godspeed59]

Assuming you actually do have a vanilla 6800 (i.e. it's not a GT), have you unlocked it? Doing so will increase gaming perf right off the bat...

Its BFG blue and already OC'd out of the box, but I found a Bfg Geforce 7800 GS on ebay for a good price so I should see a definate improvement from that. From my research I thought that one also came OC'd out of the box. If not any suggestions on stable cmos settings to OC it or is there a seperate program I can use to do that?

and going from unplayable to slightly less unplayable isn't really an improvement.

My system has been far from unplayable. Wrath of the Lich King works perfectly fine on my current system w/ near to high settings and so did Orange Box, Fear Perseus Mandate, and Bioshock. I haven't tryed Fallout 3 yet but I think I'm going to wait to install the 7800 first.

I'm still waiting for a quote on the Gallatin so we'll see on that. Otherwise a 3.4 GHz Northwood you can pick up pretty cheap. I know my system is full of "dead end technology" but the kind of improvements that I want to and will make when I am forced to won't be less cost prohibitive compared to what I am spending now for a couple more years of use at levels that are acceptable to me.

 

[Slugbait]

Originally posted by: godspeed59

Assuming you actually do have a vanilla 6800 (i.e. it's not a GT), have you unlocked it? Doing so will increase gaming perf right off the bat...

Its BFG blue and already OC'd out of the box...

I didn't say overclocked...I said unlocked. The PCI-e version of the vanilla 6800 had the NV41, but legend has it that all AGP versions had the NV40...which has four of its pixel pipelines disabled, and one vertex unit turned off.

In other words, the vanilla 6800 AGP cards are based on the 6800GT GPU, and you can unlock those pipes and turn on that extra vertex shader with RivaTuner. Good instructions can be found at FiringSquad. However, note that overclocking while unlocked works great for some, not so great for others...my PNY couldn't handle more than a mild overclock if also unlocked, I would have random system freezes while doing the most mundane tasks (like surfing the web...or even just booting), while other times it would run for days without a hiccup. I finally got fed up and clocked down, but still: unlocked beat overclocked for performance.

 

[jae]

building a budget dualcore right now is the best option for you. with combo deals and rebates you can build a system for ~$200

 

[godspeed59]

The PCI-e version of the vanilla 6800 had the NV41, but legend has it that all AGP versions had the NV40...which has four of its pixel pipelines disabled, and one vertex unit turned off.

Sorry, I hadn't read the post closely enough. I didn't know about unlocking...very cool if it works. By vanilla are you refering to a specific manufacturer of the 6800 that produced it in that color or does it signify something else? Do you know if the 7800 series can also be unlocked? I'm going to try out Rivatuner and see what happens. Thanks for all the info so far.

I finally found a definate answer to my original question. The Gallatin will work w/ the 875P and 865PE chipsets....in case any one wanted to know.

 

[secretanchitman]

Originally posted by: godspeed59

The PCI-e version of the vanilla 6800 had the NV41, but legend has it that all AGP versions had the NV40...which has four of its pixel pipelines disabled, and one vertex unit turned off.

Sorry, I hadn't read the post closely enough. I didn't know about unlocking...very cool if it works. By vanilla are you refering to a specific manufacturer of the 6800 that produced it in that color or does it signify something else? Do you know if the 7800 series can also be unlocked? I'm going to try out Rivatuner and see what happens. Thanks for all the info so far.

I finally found a definate answer to my original question. The Gallatin will work w/ the 875P and 865PE chipsets....in case any one wanted to know.

yep you can unlock the AGP 6800nu/vanilla so its basically a 6800 GT/Ultra if you overclock it too.

did you end up buying the gallatin?

 

[Slugbait]

Originally posted by: godspeed59
By vanilla are you refering to a specific manufacturer of the 6800 that produced it in that color or does it signify something else?

By "vanilla" I meant the base 6800...not GT, not Ultra. And it's every manufacturer who pushed out an AGP version.

Do you know if the 7800 series can also be unlocked?

Yes, I do...no, it can't. The disabled pipes on the 7800GS are hard-locked (laser cut).

 

[JMapleton]

I would have to agree with most others, don't waste your money. Better to spend it on an Allendale.

 

[godspeed59]

did you end up buying the gallatin?

I think I will be. Online bartering w/ the current economy has afforded me a litttle leverage, so wish me luck.

 

[secretanchitman]

Originally posted by: godspeed59

did you end up buying the gallatin?

I think I will be. Online bartering w/ the current economy has afforded me a litttle leverage, so wish me luck.

haha good luck!