Nvidia 9600GT issues

[Mace2004]

Thanks TB but I checked and I have a 4-pin P2 while the 650W has an 8-pin so I don't think it would work without some sort of rewiring.  I'm actually very curious about the possibility of upgrading my MoBoard but I hear Dell uses lots or proprietary connectors.  I don't think much will really help unless I can find a way to stick in a Duo Core.  A plan could be to go with the 650W PS and find a Gen 5 Moboard and processesor.

[Krusty]

I believe all 9600GTs are 2.0 x16 architecture. Unless you have a motherboard that came out in the past couple of months, you're just using a basic x16.

What motherboard do you have?

Chances are it may not even support this video card (some 8800s also use 2.0 x16, as do the new 3870s I covet)

[Boozebag]

Originally posted by TwinBoom
More detail please
i have 4 slots dimm1. 1gig dimm3. 1gig  dimm2. 512  dim4. 512
in dual symetric mode is this wrong? should i move other 1 gig too dimm2

From what I understand to run Dual Channel all memory sticks have to match, whether you want to use 2 or 4 sticks; ie. same speed and same size. If sticks don't match, or if you run an odd number of sticks your running Single Channel. On my MB for Dual Channel to work with 2 sticks they need to be in ether slots 1&3 or 2&4. I've been told that 4 of the same 1G sticks in XP works in Dual Channel even though it will not use all the memory, but I don't know this to be fact. Hope this helps.

[1701E]

Which is better? 

--Leave in all four 1G DIMMs knowing XP only sees 3G? 
--Remove 1G leaving 3 1G DIMMs in slots 1,2 and 3?
--Leave 2 1G DIMMs in slots 1/3 and 512MG DIMMs in slots 2/4? 
OR
--just settle with 2 1G SIMMS in slots 1/3?

As with most if not all Dells you can't use option 2
--Remove 1G leaving 3 1G DIMMs in slots 1,2 and 3?
Dells have 2 banks of 2 for RAM, and so you must have 1 in each bank to use that bank. example 1gig in slot 1 and 3, and 2 and 4.  With 1 and 3, and 2 the 2 slot would not recognize it.  Also what model of XPS is it? (maybe i missed it).

[Mace2004]

As with most if not all Dells you can't use option 2
--Remove 1G leaving 3 1G DIMMs in slots 1,2 and 3?
Dells have 2 banks of 2 for RAM, and so you must have 1 in each bank to use that bank. example 1gig in slot 1 and 3, and 2 and 4.  With 1 and 3, and 2 the 2 slot would not recognize it.  Also what model of XPS is it? (maybe i missed it).

It's an XPX Gen 4.  Just so I'm clear, if I have 1G in slots 1, 2 and 3, it won't see the 1G in slot 2?  If that's the case, and there really is a problem being caused by have 4G then I'm ultimately limited to 2G.  Do I have that correct?

[BaldEagl]

Leave all 4 1 gig sticks in.  It will run in dual channel, even though it only recognizes 3 gigs.  Pulling 1 you go to single channel.

32 bit O/S's only recognize 3-3.5 gigs of RAM.  64 bit O/S's recognize more than any consumer motherboard currently offers although 64 bit systems are not compatible with a lot of older legacy HW and SW.

[EDIT]  I've heard that Dell uses a lot of proprietary connectors, particularily in connection with the PSU.  To update your PSU you may also have to update the Mobo. 

Also, as someone already mentioned, unless that Dell has PCIe x16 2.0 slots (probably not) you're only realizing half the output that your card is capable of.

[1701E]

Okay i didn't know it was XPS "Gen 4" those don't use Banks for RAM so it reads RAM in individual slots not banks.  As for Dual channel: you need the exact same types of RAM ex: Kingston pc-3200ddr, but if you put 1 of those and a YNY pc-2700ddr in Dual channel is not active.  Also you must have the identical sticks of RAM in the same color slots (ex: i have 2.5GBs ram the 2 1GB sticks go in the purple and the 512 in green)

[Hamltnblue]

A couple of things.
1. Uninstall the drivers and re-install the latest ones (found at www.guru3d.com)
2. Do the same with audio drivers.
3. If you have a USB hub, get the trackIR off of it. (will cause the stutter)
4. If you have USB headsets, try regular headsets. USB headsets caused my stutter in a higher rated system than yours.
5. Turn off system restore, Indexing, auto updates, and automatic virus scans.
6. If you have Norton Anti-virus or anything else Norton, uninstall it. (It sucks and taxes the system)(WWW.avast.com free antivirus that works great)
7. Good Luck and See ya around
Ham

[AKDogg]

Guys, before removing your Ram cards, u should first find out if your system runs Dual channel.  Usually u can tell just by the ram card slots on the MB.  Since u guys have 4 ram slots, they usually color code the ram slots.  2 slots will be 1 color while the other be a different color.  More then likely, u guys have a system that can run Dual chn mode if this is the case.  It will only run Dual chn mode though if u have eith 1 pair fille or both pairs filled.  If u take out only 1 card, your system will run single chn which will make your system run slower.

As for the Video card problem with the 9600GT, I believe u need a PCIe 2.0 (New PCIe) slot and by looking at your system, u only have a PCIe 1.0 (original PCIe).  If this the case, u are possibly choking the card as it may require that PCIe 2.0 in order to work properly.  Choking meaning it needs the bandwidth that PCIe 2.0 has which is 16 GBps. PCIe 1.0 is at 8 GBps I believe.  So basically u are only using half the card if this is the case.  Surprised it even works if u have a old PCIe slot.

[BaldEagl]

PCIe x16 1.0 and 2.0 are forward and back compatible but nonetheless, if it's not in a 2.0 slot it's only using half it's output (the device and the slot will work together but at the lowest common denominator... in this case 1.0).

[Krusty]

1.0 isn't forwards compatible from some comments I've read. Lot of folks with 1.0 slots trying to run 2.0 cards and complaining "it doesn't work" or "it's worse than <insert really old card here>" on newegg reviews. I've been reading them all week. Funny thing is, folks with new 2.0 mobos are praising these new 2.0 cards without fail. You might be able to power it up and run, but it's not running full speed in 1.0, if running at all (some review/reports of 2.0 cards seemed like operator ignorance).

Plus, throw in Dell? Bah, they can't do anything right (and by that I mean "standard"), so I would seriously doubt the 9600GT will ever perform well on the Dell.


My $0.02

[BaldEagl]

OK... I lied.  There are some compatibility issues with certain video cards and the 1.0a slots IIRC.  Although that sounded like a rare match-up, I'm guessing with all the new NVidea 2.0 cards it's suddenly becoming more common.

[EDIT]  I've been reading those reviews all week too.  A lot of those sounded like PSU issues to me.  IIRC you need at least 28 amps on the 12V rails.  The documentation with the 9700 GT cards calls for a 400 W PSU but not many 400 W PSU's carry 28 amps, thus a lot of system black-outs as the card starts to demand power.  To make matters worse, multi-rail PSU's with a total of 28 amps don't nessesarily deliver 28 amps.  I'm still waiting to order my new system (probably this weekend) and am looking at a 610 W single rail PSU (49 amps) just to make sure there's no issues like this.