Is 4GB of RAM Enough

[Vraciu]

Skuzzy: Copy that.   Thanks. 

Drano: I switched to Windows 10 because I intend to upgrade to a newer board and cpu.  The problem is that all the new stuff won’t run Win7.  So...I went ahead and did the free upgrade to 10 to expand my hardware options knowing I can roll back at any time (or do a fresh Win7 install with my disc).

I also just felt like trying to out so I can make an informed decision on which way to go.

This PC originally had 2GB RAM and Windows 8.  I “upgraded” to XP and later 7.   It has been running great until fairly recently when the stuttering started.   I don’t know if something in one of the recent updates made my machine mad......(?)  I’m wanting to go to at least 8GB but this board is maxed out.   So....the search continues.   

[Drano]

What I was trying to get at is that given your hardware, your "upgrade" to Win10 probably wasn't an upgrade at all. It's a much more power hungry OS on its face and you just don't have any excess of horsepower to run it on your present rig.

As to the stutters, all of us have noticed them crop up--and at about the same time too. I'd guess it was from some windows update to Win7 that we just haven't deciphered yet. MS has cleverly (could probably use other words) hidden crap in some disguised as other things that are really trying to get things to function more like Win10. I've tried to keep track of the ones identified and hidden them but the bastids come out with others hidden in other updates! Friggin whack a mole! MS cares not about your performance! They don't care about what YOU think you're doing with YOUR PC! They're all about what telemetry they can gather it seems. And that, sadly, is kinda the way of all things tech these days. I might not mind it SO much if they maybe generated a report and zapped it off at boot up. No! They're taking control of your PC and internet in real time to do it. This is a problem for us as we need every spare clock cycle and bit in that same time.


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[Vraciu]

What I was trying to get at is that given your hardware, your "upgrade" to Win10 probably wasn't an upgrade at all. It's a much more power hungry OS on its face and you just don't have any excess of horsepower to run it on your present rig.

I understood that part.   But it gives me a chance to try it out and see if I like it and allows me the option of going to the newest chips that are out there, i.e. those that have no Win7 support.  If I stick with Win7 (which I can always decide to do) it limits my hardware choices somewhat.

Basically I have the option to do anything I want in pretty much any combination.   I can also simply go back to Win7 with the current machine.

I'm glad I at least gave Win10 a try.  I was dreading it but it hasn't really been all bad.  Yes, I prefer 7.  Heck I prefer Win2K if I had my druthers, but it's been okay.   Still, time marches on.   

As to the stutters, all of us have noticed them crop up--and at about the same time too. I'd guess it was from some windows update to Win7 that we just haven't deciphered yet. MS has cleverly (could probably use other words) hidden crap in some disguised as other things that are really trying to get things to function more like Win10. I've tried to keep track of the ones identified and hidden them but the bastids come out with others hidden in other updates! Friggin whack a mole! MS cares not about your performance! They don't care about what YOU think you're doing with YOUR PC! They're all about what telemetry they can gather it seems. And that, sadly, is kinda the way of all things tech these days. I might not mind it SO much if they maybe generated a report and zapped it off at boot up. No! They're taking control of your PC and internet in real time to do it. This is a problem for us as we need every spare clock cycle and bit in that same time.

Yeah, I am with you.  I *REALLY* hate the big brother mindset of Microsloth.   And they're the opposite of Burger King: "You get it our way or you don't get the #&*$# thing!"   Well to heck with that!   If AH ever goes away I'm switching to Linux for good.   I wish AH would run on MINT.  I'd already have dumped Windoze.

[Vraciu]

Well, for now, I've ordered one of these:


https://www.ebay.com/p/AMD-Phenom-II-X4-945-3GHz-Quad-Core-HDX945WFK4DGM-Processor/96871331?iid=152106203790&opts=opick

That will hopefully pump things up a tiny bit while I settle on a long-term solution.  Basically it's a quad-core at 3.0 GHz instead of my pseudo-dual core at 3.0 GHz.  It's pretty much the fastest 95W AM3 AMD chip I can get.   I think any way.   Now I am wondering about a BIOS flash. Hopefully that's not necessary.

I'm hoping this will help AH3 run on its own core and everything else can run on the rest of them.

[Vraciu]

Update:

Managed to run a direct Cat5 through the attic down to my gaming rig.  A brief test showed that the microstutters have all but disappeared.  I guess my USB WiFi was blipping the game somehow. 

Next step: Quad-core processor. 

Thanks all for your help and advice.  Still debating a permanent solution, but if I can squeeze a bit more life out of this rig so prices come down, well....

[TequilaChaser]

Update:

Managed to run a direct Cat5 through the attic down to my gaming rig.  A brief test showed that the microstutters have all but disappeared.  I guess my USB WiFi was blipping the game somehow. 

Next step: Quad-core processor. 

Thanks all for your help and advice.  Still debating a permanent solution, but if I can squeeze a bit more life out of this rig so prices come down, well....

Well that explains alot right there Wi-Fi via USB is a double whammy issue!

I didn't know that you did not have a dedicated hardline net connection.....

Hey Drano, brother, I have not experienced any stutters or micro-stutters (just ribbing ya bro)

Vraciu, you recently posted that you may have let an update get installed, which could be causing the stuttering...

I recommend that you look at/read the Processes thread in this forum as well as read the tips stickied at the top of the Tech support forum by Skuzzy

These will tell you what updates you need to check and remove/uninstall them / hide them

I've been a very frugal person regarding processes and windows updates! I never install updates until I have fully understand read and researched how each update might affect the way I set up my computer OSes....

Hopefully that quad-core 955 will allow you to use 2 cores, since it is a phenom ll model.... You should definitely read up on all the bios updates for your MB! You might need to update/flash your bios depending on what the different  bios versions fix/offer

And if you find that you are not using 2 cores you at least have the ability to lock 1 of the 4 cores to infinity tied to AcesHigh only 100% , then let Windows use the other 3 cores which will be fine

Edit: I am assuming that you will be dumping Windows 10 and reinstalling Windows 7 Pro 64bit OS

Hope this helps, sorry been absent for past few days

TC

[Vraciu]

Good stuff.

The quad-core is compatible with my Bios.  I checked with Leonovo before I bought it.   So that's no problem.

Can you lock a core in Win10 or is that Win7-only thing?  Pretty awesome capability.

I will probably overclock the quad-core 3.0 to a 3.1 or 3.2 if it can be done.   

I don't have any processes running really.   I'm concerned about all this background mining stuff you guys have been talking about though.  I'm assuming that won't show up in Task Manager anywhere.

[TequilaChaser]

That was a typo error when I typed 955, I meant 945 3.0 GHz quad-core, sorry...

Yes, you need to check and see if you might have allowed an undesirable update(s) get installed....

Skuzzy has posted all the  bad/harmful updates in both of the threads I just posted above

Yes, you will be or should be able to easily overclock that 945 to 3.2 GHz with no problem

I have not checked on my Windows 10 Entprise LTSB 64bit OS,  but I am assuming that MS has not removed that option for setting up your cores... Pudgie would know this for sure,.... Think I remember him posting about it on his AMD Ryzen CPU build...

TC

[Bizman]

I guess my USB WiFi was blipping the game somehow. 

That's a good guess! As TC said, that's a double whammy. WiFi alone is worse than wired since it's Half Duplex only. What does that mean? Imagine that data comes in pallets like the goods in your local store. Now if there's a broken package inside a pallet, a Half Duplex shopkeeper would wait until the whole pallet has been unpacked before sending back a request for missing/defect goods. A Full Duplex system will send the request immediately when a single issue has been encountered.

For overclocking, there's many things to adjust. Start by looking at the bus speed. Increasing bus speed doesn't cause heating as much as raising the multiplier. You may even get better results by raising the bus and lowering the multiplier so that the clock rate remains the same (Clock rate=Bus speed x Multiplier). So since your Phenom has a bus speed of 667 (2 x 333) the multiplier must be 3000/667=4.5 you could try to raise the bus closer to 800 (2 x 400) while lowering the multiplier down to 3.75. -What's the bus? It's like a water hose. A 1/4" hose requires much more pressure than a 1/2" one to transfer the same amount of water in a given time. More pressure means increased risk of bursting.

[Vraciu]

Good stuff.  Unlike my custom built (outdated) rig, Lenovo has the BIOS locked for clocking.   Any suggestions on software?

How high would you go?  Is 3.3 a safe bet?   

[TequilaChaser]

Good stuff.  Unlike my custom built (outdated) rig, Lenovo has the BIOS locked for clocking.   Any suggestions on software?

How high would you go?  Is 3.3 a safe bet?   

Sorry to hear that your Bios is locked to where you're not able to overclock....

I myself much prefer to be able to to do any overclocking to where it is coming from the hardware before anything from any windows OSes start loading at boot up...

You should be able to use AMD's Overdrive software in Windows 7 64bit OS to overclock your CPU...
It is really simple and easily recoverable and has an Auto Tuning for Overclocking feature to let you know how much / how far you are able to overclock your CPU... It also has an On/Off switch you can click to use it when you want to. Just becareful, for with using the Auto Tuning to not set it at the highest overclock that is stable for you might not be setup for the excessive heat or have good cooling/airflow capability....

Hope this helps

TC

[Drano]

And V, make sure you have adequate cooling for the cpu if you're gonna try to overclock. Heat is a killer. I've found the hyper 212 cooler is a really good one for not a whole lot of money. Like 30 bucks. Just make sure you have clearance in your case for whatever you use.

Oh and some sort of monitoring software is a good idea. You can't just set it and forget it--until you find what the settings are. Gotta take small steps and pay attention to what's happening. Takes time.

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[Vraciu]

Excellent info, gang. Thanks. 

I will look into it. 

[Spikes]

The stock cooler should be able to support a .2ghz increase. Needing an aftermarket one comes into play when you are bumping much past that. With the new processor, tossing some AS5 would probably help with temps also rather than the stock paste.

[Vraciu]

The stock cooler should be able to support a .2ghz increase. Needing an aftermarket one comes into play when you are bumping much past that. With the new processor, tossing some AS5 would probably help with temps also rather than the stock paste.

I’ve got ARCTIC ORACO-MX40001-BL MX-4 Thermal Compound Paste.   Carbon Based because I’m sure to be messy.  Lol