Screwed by Intel

[Ranymir]

as the topic says yeah i got screwed see i have a:

Ecs 915p
Nvidia 6600gt pci-e 128mb ddr3

I just started to play games (doom 3 hl2 far cry etc) I notice that was getting very sub par performance for my rig (2.8ghz 1gb 3200 ram) compared to other peoples benchmarks with on par or under with my rig performance. So i think to my self something has got to be wrong. I open the motherboard manual and start to read and i Notice that it says

"915p chipset can only support 256-mb, 512-mb and 1-gb DDR technologies for x8 and x16 device, Not support 128-mb DDR technology. That is, 256 double side memory modulle & 128mb single side memory module are not support."

(yeah thats not grammertically right but thats word for word from manual)

So is this for all motherboards with that chipset or is it my ****ty ECS motherboard


EDIT: Explanation: So my the 915p chipset doesnt support 128mb for x16 devices (video card pci-e?) like my 6600gt pcie 128mb?

 

[mechBgon]

I think there might be some confusion between megabit and megabyte here, but if your stuff were not compatible, then it ought not to run, rather than running slowly. How about list out your complete specs in detail for us.

Explanation: So my the 915p chipset doesnt support 128mb for x16 devices (video card pci-e?) like my 6600gt pcie 128mb?

No, they're talking about the individual memory IC's on the memory modules, system memory.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

"915p chipset can only support 256-mb, 512-mb and 1-gb DDR technologies for x8 and x16 device, Not support 128-mb DDR technology. That is, 256 double side memory modulle & 128mb single side memory module are not support."

"memory module" is usually referring to your system memory

So my the 915p chipset doesnt support 128mb for x16 devices (video card pci-e?) like my 6600gt pcie 128mb?

possibly so and Welcome to AnandTech forums

 

[Ranymir]

U want benchmarks/cpuid?

 

[Ranymir]

Originally posted by: ScrapSilicon
"915p chipset can only support 256-mb, 512-mb and 1-gb DDR technologies for x8 and x16 device, Not support 128-mb DDR technology. That is, 256 double side memory modulle & 128mb single side memory module are not support."

"memory module" is usually referring to your system memory

mabey i should have been clearer

"915p chipset can only support 256-mb, 512-mb and 1-gb DDR technologies for x8 and x16 device, Not support 128-mb DDR technology. That is, 256 double side memory modulle & 128mb single side memory module are not support."

the x8 is the so called agp-express on this motherboard the x16 is the pci-e

 

[linkgoron]

My 6600gt works fine, on an intel 540 (I think).

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: Ranymir
U want benchmarks/cpuid?

No, I want this filled in with your info. Hit Quote and off ya go

• CORE HARDWARE
  • Power supply Antec TruePower 430
  • Motherboard Asus K8N-E Deluxe
    • Revision 1.03
    • BIOS 1005
  • CPU Athlon64 3000+
    • Core 130nm Clawhammer
  • Memory (2) 512MB Corsair XMS 3200C2 modules
    • Voltage Manually set to 2.7 volts
    • Timings AUTO, results in 2-3-2-6 @ 200MHz
• CARDS
  • Primary video card ATI Radeon 9800Pro AGP 8x
  • PCI slot #1 (top) empty
  • PCI slot #2 empty
  • PCI slot #3 LeadTek Winfast TV/FM tuner card
  • PCI slot #4 Creative Audigy 2 ZS
  • PCI slot #5 LSI Logic Ultra160 SCSI
  • PCI slot #6 (board only has five PCI slots)
• DRIVES
  • Boot drive 160GB Seagate 7200.7
    • Interface Serial ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 SATA controller
    • Jumper setting not applicable (SATA)
  • Additional hard drive 40GB Seagate 7200.7
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 standard ATA controller, primary channel
    • Jumper setting Master
  • Additional hard drive 18GB Seagate Cheetah 15k.3
    • Interface SCSI
    • Controller hosting this drive LSI Logic U160 card
    • Jumper setting SCSI ID 01
  • Optical drive #1 NEC 3500A DVD burner
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 standard ATA controller, secondary channel
    • Jumper setting Master
  • Optical drive #2 Lite-On combo DVD-ROM/CD-RW
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 standard ATA controller, secondary channel
    • Jumper setting Slave
• OS AND SECURITY
  • Operating System WindowsXP Professional
  • Service Pack SP2
  • Internet connection Cable
  • Hardware firewall Netgear RP614 router
  • Software firewall WindowsXP firewall
  • Antivirus Norton Antivirus 2004

 

[ScrapSilicon]

Originally posted by: Ranymir

Originally posted by: ScrapSilicon
"915p chipset can only support 256-mb, 512-mb and 1-gb DDR technologies for x8 and x16 device, Not support 128-mb DDR technology. That is, 256 double side memory modulle & 128mb single side memory module are not support."

"memory module" is usually referring to your system memory

mabey i should have been clearer

"915p chipset can only support 256-mb, 512-mb and 1-gb DDR technologies for x8 and x16 device, Not support 128-mb DDR technology. That is, 256 double side memory modulle & 128mb single side memory module are not support."

rough to try to edit a post, check mail and get dressed for work ..acquire the proper rammed video device/card and if you see the scores go up then you've seen your sign ..gl

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: Ranymir

Originally posted by: ScrapSilicon
"915p chipset can only support 256-mb, 512-mb and 1-gb DDR technologies for x8 and x16 device, Not support 128-mb DDR technology. That is, 256 double side memory modulle & 128mb single side memory module are not support."

"memory module" is usually referring to your system memory

mabey i should have been clearer

"915p chipset can only support 256-mb, 512-mb and 1-gb DDR technologies for x8 and x16 device, Not support 128-mb DDR technology. That is, 256 double side memory modulle & 128mb single side memory module are not support."

the x8 is the so called agp-express on this motherboard the x16 is the pci-e

Wrong. This is referring to the logical organization of the memory modules, not the PCIe stuffs.

 

[Ranymir]

what program did u use to do that mechBgon?

 

[ScrapSilicon]

I notice that was getting very sub par performance for my rig (2.8ghz 1gb 3200 ram) compared to other peoples benchmarks with on par or under with my rig performance.

not everyone has the same setup/settings,etc. so comparisons aren't always the same ..

 

[Rock Hydra]

Ugh...you have one of those AGP and PCI Express boards? :roll:
I dunno, but surely does suck. Hmm...Dunno what to tell you other than...sell it, buy a new one, maybe?

 

[Ranymir]

Operating System System Model
Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (build 2600) ECS 915X-A V1.0
Asset Tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
Enclosure Type: Desktop
Processor a Main Circuit Board b
2.80 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4
16 kilobyte primary memory cache
1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache Board: ECS 915X-A V1.0
Bus Clock: 800 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 080011 07/30/2004
Drives Memory Modules c,d
82.34 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
49.98 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

AXV CD/DVD-ROM SCSI CdRom Device [CD-ROM drive]
NU DVDRW DDW-082 [CD-ROM drive]
3.5" format removeable media [Floppy drive]

HDS722580VLSA80 [Hard drive] (82.34 GB) -- drive 0 1024 Megabytes Installed Memory

Slot 'DIMM0' has 256 MB (serial number SerNum0)
Slot 'DIMM1' is Empty
Slot 'DIMM2' has 256 MB
Slot 'DIMM3' is Empty
Local Drive Volumes


c: (NTFS on drive 0) 82.34 GB 49.98 GB free

 

[Ranymir]

Controllers Display
Standard floppy disk controller
Intel(R) 82801FB Ultra ATA Storage Controllers - 2651
Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM Ultra ATA Storage Controllers - 266F
Primary IDE Channel [Controller] (2x)
Secondary IDE Channel [Controller] (2x) NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT [Display adapter]
Sceptre X5S-KOMODO II [Monitor] (14.9"vis, January 2003)
Bus Adapters Multimedia
A347SCSI SCSI Controller
D347PRT SCSI Controller
Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 2658
Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 2659
Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 265A
Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 265B
Intel(R) 82801FB/FBM USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 265C C-Media High Definition Audio Device
Standard Game Port
XBox Live Headset
XBox Live Microphone

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: Ranymir
as the topic says yeah i got screwed see i have a:

Ecs 915p
Nvidia 6600gt pci-e 128mb ddr3

I just started to play games (doom 3 hl2 far cry etc) I notice that was getting very sub par performance for my rig (2.8ghz 1gb 3200 ram) compared to other peoples benchmarks with on par or under with my rig performance. So i think to my self something has got to be wrong. I open the motherboard manual and start to read and i Notice that it says

"915p chipset can only support 256-mb, 512-mb and 1-gb DDR technologies for x8 and x16 device, Not support 128-mb DDR technology. That is, 256 double side memory modulle & 128mb single side memory module are not support."

(yeah thats not grammertically right but thats word for word from manual)

So is this for all motherboards with that chipset or is it my ****ty ECS motherboard


EDIT: Explanation: So my the 915p chipset doesnt support 128mb for x16 devices (video card pci-e?) like my 6600gt pcie 128mb?

return the board and cpu and get a nforce 4 (skt939) board with a a64 3200 (skt939) and you will get to keep your video card and have a better gaming rig as amds are better at gaming than intel

 

[Ranymir]

nahh i spent to much money to change now and i cant return to late

So can anyone clarify does the 915p chipset support 128mb graphic cards if so can i just get a new 915p board (not made by ecs) cause all the newer 478 boards only support DDR2 which i dont have i use ddr 3200

 

[ScrapSilicon]

Originally posted by: Ranymir
as the topic says yeah i got screwed see i have a:

Ecs 915p
Nvidia 6600gt pci-e 128mb ddr3

I just started to play games (doom 3 hl2 far cry etc) I notice that was getting very sub par performance for my rig (2.8ghz 1gb 3200 ram) compared to other peoples benchmarks with on par or under with my rig performance. So i think to my self something has got to be wrong. I open the motherboard manual and start to read and i Notice that it says

"915p chipset can only support 256-mb, 512-mb and 1-gb DDR technologies for x8 and x16 device, Not support 128-mb DDR technology. That is, 256 double side memory modulle & 128mb single side memory module are not support."

(yeah thats not grammertically right but thats word for word from manual)

So is this for all motherboards with that chipset or is it my ****ty ECS motherboard


EDIT: Explanation: So my the 915p chipset doesnt support 128mb for x16 devices (video card pci-e?) like my 6600gt pcie 128mb?

Slot 'DIMM0' has 256 MB (serial number SerNum0)
Slot 'DIMM1' is Empty
Slot 'DIMM2' has 256 MB
Slot 'DIMM3' is Empty

reread the above highlighted and adjust your system memory accordingly ...

 

[Ranymir]

ughh but i have 2 sticks of 512 memory whats going on....

 

[Ranymir]

brb im going to check the bios and see what i can find about memory

 

[mechBgon]

what program did u use to do that mechBgon?

None, I just decided one day to type up a spec template, so people don't have to guess what kind of info I'm after.

The board should support the video card fine insofar as that goes. It could be a driver issue (DirectX, mobo drivers, video drivers) if it isn't performing well (other than it being a Prescott-core Pentium4).

Bigger picture: 512MB of RAM is not really enough for HL2 to run its smoothest. You could benefit from adding another matched pair of 256's.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

Originally posted by: mechBgon

what program did u use to do that mechBgon?

None, I just decided one day to type up a spec template, so people don't have to guess what kind of info I'm after.

The board should support the video card fine insofar as that goes. It could be a driver issue (DirectX, mobo drivers, video drivers) if it isn't performing well (other than it being a Prescott-core Pentium4).

Bigger picture: 512MB of RAM is not really enough for HL2 to run its smoothest. You could benefit from adding another matched pair of 256's.

lol..up above shows the trouble ..the mobo *edit* uses his pr of 512 dimms as a pr of 256mb take it easy mech

 

[Macro2]

RE:"Screwed by Intel"

Nothing new there.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

Originally posted by: Macro2
RE:"Screwed by Intel"

Nothing new there.

anyone needing a Prescott space heater ..its summer here in FL now

 

[Ranymir]

anyone know how to fix this? cause when i start up the AmericanTrend bios says 1024 OK im guess thats the 1gb ram then why is it saying i have 2 pairs of 256

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: Ranymir
anyone know how to fix this? cause when i start up the AmericanTrend bios says 1024 OK im guess thats the 1gb ram then why is it saying i have 2 pairs of 256

2 pairs of 256 would be 1024, do you have 4x256 or 2x512?

usually if a m/b doesn't support something, it will not work at all, that has been my experince, but i do not kno much about he 915 chipset...