Am I getting the right performance?

[Whamsandwich]

Hello, I recently acquired a rig built by a family member. I'd rather not mention how, but I have no prior knowledge on the machine. It seems to me that other individuals with the nearly the same, if not exact setup as mine is getting better FPS in games even at higher resolutions then I am.

I've been low on funds, so I've been using a 1280x1024 monitor. A perfect example is the new Elder Scrolls game, Skyrim. Many people say they're getting nearly a lock on 60fps using nearly my same configuration. But when in heavily populated areas like the townships in some sections it's nearly going at 10fps.

I have noticed that upon start up, I keep getting a "New cpu install" message and I'm curious if this has to do with the computer recognize the CPU and not using it to it's full potential?

Here is my setup.
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4ghz
GPU: ATi Sapphire Toxic HD 6850
RAM: 4GB ( Not Certain what kind )
HDD: 640GB (Not sure of RPM, or Brand)
MOBO: I believe it's Asus. I think E something.

Any help would be appreciated, and I'd really like to get all this sorted out.

 

[king smp]

not sure of your windows version but if it is Win7
and you have a Win7 install disk then I would do a windows repair

or possibly a new install if you know how

do cntrl-alt-delete and check under performance and see how many cpu meter windows are open
should be four cpu activity windows

also download CPU-Z
http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

and make sure everything is reading right
if you can post a screenshot of CPU-Z that would be great

 

[Whamsandwich]

Sorry yes, I forgot to mention. Win 7 64bit.

Here is the screenshot you requested.

 

[king smp]

Cool
it looks good to me but I am not an AMD expert
I am going to ask one of my fellow members to look at it

I hate to tell you to do a reinstall of windows if it is not needed
so hold off on that

 

[rolli59]

Well the CPU could be stuck at 800MHz if not properly supported by the board!

 

[king smp]

I thought 4 multi x 800 core = 3200 or 3.2ghz?
I could be wrong...

or could it be CoolNQuiet?

OP if you can run something CPU intensive like Prime95
and then take screenshot while CPU is under load that would be good

http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=103

that is Prime95 download

 

[rolli59]

It is showing 4 x 200MHz! OP check the motherboard tab for model number and post it!

 

[king smp]

actually looking at this
http://hothardware.com/Reviews/AMD-Phenom-II-965-Black-Edition-CPU-Review/?page=2

it is bus times the multi

so the OP is getting 4 multi x 200 bus for 800

good point rolli59 +!

maybe CoolNQuiet was keeping it down?

def run Prime95 to load up the cores and check CPUz

if it is still showing 800mhz core than rolli59 like USUAL is right LOL

 

[king smp]

Hey rolli59 I will back off and let you get this one
AMD CPUs are not my specialty LOL

 

[Whamsandwich]

I'm out and about, when I get home ill make sure to put it up. I know its and asus and it runs some kind of ami BIOS.American merger something? It's a red logo. It keeps asking me to run a setup or load default value because of my "new CPU"

 

[RussK1]

I'm out and about, when I get home ill make sure to put it up. I know its and asus and it runs some kind of ami BIOS.American merger something? It's a red logo. It keeps asking me to run a setup or load default value because of my "new CPU"

BIOS = American Megatrends?

I don't think the computer would even post if the chip wasn't supported by the board... run setup upon boot and check BIOS for clock speeds and multiplier... whomever you got the board from may have messed with the settings and this is why you're seeing a X4 multi giving you 800mhz clock speeds in CPU-z.

can you take another screenshot of CPU-z but under the "mainboard" tab? Thanks

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/301704-28-showing
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/13226-63-phenom-running
http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=655060

 

[ilysaml]

Well the CPU could be stuck at 800MHz if not properly supported by the board!

It's not stuck, the OP is not doing any load and "AMD Cool n Quite" is enabled that's why the CPU is UnderClocked.

 

[Whamsandwich]

I was going to mention that, when I would run a game then alt tab and that clock speed would say 3412 or whatever. I disabled cool and quiet in the BIOS but I didn't notice any change in performance. Mind you I'm out right now so I can really do much. One thing I thought is maybe the BIOS doesn't save the changes because it keeps telling me there's a new CPU when booting I reset the cmos and nothing..

 

[ilysaml]

@ king smp,
Multiplier * Base Clock = CPU Clock Speed.

@Everyone,
if the CPU is stuck @ 800 MHz the game won't load.

@OP,
Look at this thread, http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/332396-33-6950-issues-skyrim-possible-solution-inside#t2480102
Similar problem as yours, he went over through by optimizing the game through CCC.

 

[king smp]

you know OP is only on 1280x1024 res
on a lower res the GPU isnt fully being utilized
also would help to know what CCC and driver version the OP is using
might be the one that came on disk with the card
updating CCC driver might help

but the CPU error is strange
the OP did the right thing and reset CMOS
but I would also go into the BIOS and do a reset there to default
plus put in a brand new mobo battery
for $4 it cant hurt
and low mobo batts can cause weird problems

 

[king smp]

also would be good to see a GPU-z screenshot under load also
http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/SysInfo/GPU-Z/

use furmark to load gpu
http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/fur/


with Furmark you can also bench the card and compare
to other cards on their website

 

[king smp]

and this might seem odd
but if it is windows 7 then I always go to M$ and do a DX9
update there
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=35

Win7 especially older builds didnt ship with the latest DX9 patches

I am not sure if Skyrim is running under DX11 (probably is)
but still a good idea to update DX9

 

[Whamsandwich]

So I wanted to say, I disabled cool and quiet when I was home and there was no notable difference. I noticed that when alt tabling cpuz would display a higher core speed befor changing c & q in the bios. I know that it keeps telling there's a new CPU in there and asking me to run setup or load a default value. But I can't really reach windows unless I choose the default settings. This is everytime I boot. Also its not only skyrim this is every game.

 

[Whamsandwich]

Drivers are updated to the most recent, also I'd like the mention the rig came with no OS and I installed a legitimate copy of Windows 7 on there not but a few weeks ago.

 

[king smp]

Really
Change your motherboard battery
It is almost always a CR2032
they are @$4 USD
I have seen BIOS keep give time and date errors plus other strange things
when the mobo batt is low

when it comes to fixing anything computer,car,heating system etc
ALWAYS try the "nickel and dime" fixes first

might not be the mobo battery
but for $4 and 2 minutes of time
it doesnt hurt to do it


also do the GPUz and Furmark to see how the card is running
GPUs have their own versions of CoolNQuiet
and you want to make sure when the card is loading up
that ir ramps up to its max clocks

plus do the DX9 update
Win7 doesnt ship with latest DX9


just my opinion
I could be wrong.....

 

[Whamsandwich]

Thank you everyone for the help, its greatly appreciated!

 

[king smp]

Oh it is what we live for

Nobody in my "real" life wants to hear me babble about computers

their eyes glaze over
they eventually mutter an excuse and walk away
or my wife just tells me to shut up


so helping you is fun
I actually get emotionally involved LOL

 

[Whamsandwich]

IIl make sure to do all these things once I get home, I've actually out just finished playing a show with ny band

 

[king smp]

Sweet I will check back tomorrow(?)
it is 2 am here (USA Northeast)


if it works okay please post back to let us know

Goodnight

 

[Whamsandwich]

Well, I went ahead and ran a few benchmarks earlier this morning.

I ran a 3Dmark benchmark and fell right into the majority, the high majority at that. I searched my score on google and that seems to be the average score for the HD 6850. I guess the HD 6850 isn't as powerful as I think it is? Even at 1280x1024 I max out my graphics, and see lag here there but I assume it's normal then?

BTW 3DMark score: 3603 I believe.