Benchmarks & Utilities

[pickxx]

I just built my first rig...
A64 2800+
Chaintech VNF3-250
1Dimm 512MB Kingston PC3200 CL3
WD200GB
Rosewill CD-RW/DVD
(reused a 64MB GeForce4 MX, I know its not a 6800Ultra or a X800 XT but it's not bad for my usage level and its perfect for my price range...free)


Everything is working wonderfully and i am impressed with the clearity of the manuals and the ease of everything comming together.
I know from reading here everyday that there are programs that can monitor my system and benchmark it. Aquamark just to name one.
Here is my problem, i have a dialup modem and the 80MB download for Aquamark and the 180MB+ for the others i have found are a bit much for me. I am curious as to what programs that are smaller that can do some benchmarking. If none are as good as AquamMark or 3DMark03 I might consider them if they are my best option. I am merely looking for a CPU benchmark to compare my old 1700+ to my new A642800+. Something with a video card comparison would be alright. i could use the same card for both.


Also i am looking for some utilities for checking my CPU temp, load level, and what not. I have heard of some programs that allow overclocking on the fly.
Also i would love to know of any other programs or utilities that you use and highly recommend.

I know this may not be the spot for this but only 2-3sections get traffic of more then 10people a day and i figure since i am looking for a CPU benchmarking program that this is the best place i can think of. I apologize to mispost but i would much like to reach a large knowledge base of many people rather then a smaller one of the few.

Thank you

 

[PukePile]

Sandrs will do some benchmarking.Doesn't bench mark the video.

40k in aquamark 3
<A HREF="http://arc.aquamark3.com/arc/arc_view.php?run=682299587
" target="_new">http://arc.aquamark3.com/arc/arc_view.php?run=682299587
</A>
P4b2.4@2.8||1024mb DDR@392mhz||9800pro@414/732||Viewsonic UltraBrite 19"||Panisonic DVD-RW

 

[Cybercraig]

That manual, clear! LOL! You can use Digi-Docs on your CD for temps. If you don't want the Beta-BIOS that rectifies the low temp reading, wait a week or ten days because Chaintech is releasing a new one. Till then, add 35C to the reading and you will be somewhere in the ball park.

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds. Now, let's eat!

 

[pickxx]

I never said the manual was perfect. I was just impressed by them. I have heard war stories of manuals written in a dialect of eng. that no person, let alone a newbie to building computers, could ever understand.

I did notice the reading that my CPU is 1C, i thought that might be a bit low....but i have heard about this glitch before i bought this and i am still waiting on the BIOS to fix it.
I did look at Digi-Docs but it doesn't seem like the best program for that. It seems a bit cheesy. It might be the best thats out there, but i some how doubt that.

Thanx for the small laugh about the manuals. i appretiate any help and advice i can get.

 

[endyen]

You may find performance test amusing. Lots of us here played with it about 8 months ago. You can get it at <A HREF="http://www.tucows.com/diag95_default.html" target="_new">http://www.tucows.com/diag95_default.html</A> and while you are thier, see if thier is anything else that looks like fun.

 

[Cybercraig]

A lot of people complained about the lack of documentation setting up a SATA-RAID array on that board. The sound connections are somewhat hazy too. Luckily there were some VNF3 builders on the MSI Forum that had everything figured out. They would have been on the Chaintech site, but Chaintech has no forum. At any rate, the board runs well and is quite fast. The temp issue is the only one I came up with. I put a temp sensor directly on the 250 chipset heatsink and we never could really get it hot. It ran 90-93F no matter what we were running. Not bad!

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds. Now, let's eat!

 

[evulboo]

im also on dial up m8, download yourself a copy off getright

<A HREF="http://www.getright.com/" target="_new">http://www.getright.com/</A>

great little tool that will let u reconnect to your d/l and let u carry on from where u left off

If u do things right.... People won't be sure you've done anything at all......

 

[pickxx]

My board came with a seperate piece of paper that explains how to set up a SATA-RAID. I however dont really need the extra speed there i merely needed a large hard drive so i opted for the 200GB rather then 2smaller ones.
Also what is a good range of temps for the CPU to be running at? For idle and for max load?
thanx

 

[etp777]

For utilities downloadable on dialup that can stress/test a system I'd suggest the following:

Memtest86 for testing ram
Prime95 for CPU
Sisoft Sandra for a general system stress

ANd I was going to say first time I read this thread that there's not a good way to test the Grpahics system on a download that'll work on dialup. But this morning just remembered the Krieger demo(believe that was the name). Was like 100K download that's a full 3d game, stresses your cpu and video card well. Download FRAPS along with Krieger to find out your FPS, and then search through graphics card forum to find other peoples results to compare yours too. All of those together are smaller than any single one of hte normal 3d benchmakrs(3dmark and aquamark are the standards, as you said).

Course, another option is to get someone with broadband(preferably local) and have them downlaod the stuff for you and burn it to cd. Sent off like 13 cds of stuff to someone once who only had dialup(course, was a hot chick, so that probably doesn't help you 😉 ). Anyways, I'd start with the ones I listed, as you should be able to get all those on dialup, and then look into finding someone with broadband to download the bigger ones for you and burn them to cd.

 

[pickxx]

yeah i only have dialup but i live with my dad who has a cable modem. But he is upstairs and like any intravert who works a night job i am in the basement and its at the other end of the house. So i will either get a switch and then run a long arse line to me or just get a cable modem for myself from the coax cable down there. but for now dialup works alright. So i might have him DL some programs to my USB2.0 80GB hardrive. but i never see him because i work nights and he works days.


i have done the hot chick thing before. I once drove from Central PA to Southern NC (about 7-8hours going an average of 70-75) just to hand deliver a birthday card.....guys are so lame. LOL!

I will get those programs and see how much my money just bought me.

also does anyone know this....Sandra says to DL the 64bit version. Wont that only show improvement in win64? or would it still run as a 64bit program in winXP?
thanx

 

[Zeekfu]

Personally I am a bit burned out on looking at benchmarks. Can you tell a difference between the two systems? I'm kinda at the benchmark smenchmark point myself...:>)

<font color=black>yippie ki ya, m..........<font color=black>

 

[baldurga]

For monitoring temps I suggest <A HREF="http://www.webattack.com/get/mbm.shtml" target="_new">Motherboard Monitor</A>. Quite simple, works well, 1965Kb (small enough?)

Another option for getting big benchmark utilities is to look for some PC magazine that inclues CDs with utilities, demos, etc. Look for one that fits your requirements.


Still looking for a <b>good online retailer</b> in Spain :frown: