Need an expirenced eMachines person

[jrock3144]

I am a custom system builder but I dont have alot of exp. with store bought / brand name computers. only brand name exp. is with Dell.

anyways,

My lil sister has an eMachine that was running extremely slow. Come to find out that she wasn't running any virus software for like two years so needless to say it was just easier just to reinstall Windows XP Home on a fresh formatted drive because I have an OEM disk with an unlimited License Key for my buisness.

The reinstall went just fine after all the updated drivers were done and I installed McAfee because the Cable company offers it free with their ISP service but it was sitll slow

It came with a socket LGA775 3.2 Ghz Pentium D Processor w/ 1MB L2 Cahe (pretty darn fast right?)
But it only came with 512MB DDR2 PC2-5300 memory from the store. So of course I figured thats where my bottle neck is so I decided to upgrade her RAM.
after I.D.ing the motherboard I found that it was capable of 2GB of RAM via
2x 240 pin DIMMs 1GB per slot.

so I went to geeks.com and ordered 2 Cedyne 1GB PC2-5300 (non-ECC) memory sticks.
Got it and installed it.
The system detected the memory change to 2048KB and it started like normal.
Except, it is running just as slow as it was before.

with a 3.2 GB Pentium D and 2GB of RAM this PC should be anything but slow but it is.

She Only uses it to surf the WEB and she has about 5Gb of pictures and about 8GB of music on a 160GB hard drive. she is using about 16GB total with the O.S. and not that many programs running constantly. (Like 3)
No reason to be running as slow as it is.

Question? Could the memory not be compatable for some reason but still register on the board as good? I've never had that problem before. Usualy in my exp. if the memory is not compatable the system won't start and give some beepes or something like that but who knows with eMachines right?

some Help Please?

Specs on the system
eMachines W3507

Specifications
CPU : Intel® Celeron® D Processor 352
(3.20GHz, 512KB L2 cache, 533MHz FSB)
Operating System : Genuine Microsoft® Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005
Monitor : Includes eMachines® 15.4" Widescreen LCD Flat Panel Monitor
Chipset : ATI Radeon™ Xpress 200
Memory : 512MB DDR2 (1 × 512MB), 533MHz (PC4200)
Expandable to 2GB
Hard Drive : 120GB HDD (7200rpm, 2MB cache)
Optical Drive : 16x Multi-format Dual-layer DVD±RW
Media Reader : 9-in-1 Digital Media Manager™ (Memory Stick®, Memory Stick Pro®, MultiMediaCard™, Secure Digital™, CompactFlash®, MicroDrive, SmartMedia, xD-Picture Card™, USB 2.0)
Video : ATI Radeon™ X200-based integrated graphics
Up to 128MB of shared video memory
PCI Express (PCIe x16) slot available
Sound : 6-channel (5.1) high-definition audio
Network : 10/100Mbps integrated Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 port)
Modem : 56K ITU v.92-ready Fax/Modem (RJ-11 port)
Peripherals : Standard multifunction keyboard, 2-button wheel mouse, amplified stereo speakers (USB powered)
Ports/Other : 5 USB 2.0 (1 in front, 4 in back), VGA External Connector, serial port, parallel port, 2 PS/2 ports, 5 audio ports (2 in front, 3 in back)
Dimensions : 14.25"H x 7.25"W x 16"D
Weight : 22.5 lbs


Specs on the motherboard...
http://www.e4allupgraders.info/dir1/motherboards/socket775/D102GGC2.shtml

 

[diec4st]

My father has a very similar system. The only difference that I see is that his pc is running Vista. Even with the more hungry OS his system runs flawlessly. I have no idea what your problem could be since you did a fresh install of Windows XP; this is what I would have told you to try. I know my comment isn't very helpful but at least now you know the system really has a problem and should be running faster. Good luck mate!

 

[T_T]

Speed is relative term. 3.2GHz w/ 2GB RAM isn't very modest, but still the CPU is just a single core. The bottleneck could really be normal for the hardware limitations. Still, check the BIOS, make sure that you manually configure the RAM voltage, speed, and latency to the RAM manufacturer's recommendations.

I offer a word of caution, Intel holds that operating RAM above 1.65 v can cause harm to the CPU. After you've adjusted the RAM specs, give it another shot. If this doesn't help, download memtest from memtest.org (clever name isn't it?) and run the test overnight.

 

[daship]

Speed is relative term. 3.2GHz w/ 2GB RAM isn't very modest, but still the CPU is just a single core. The bottleneck could really be normal for the hardware limitations. Still, check the BIOS, make sure that you manually configure the RAM voltage, speed, and latency to the RAM manufacturer's recommendations.

I offer a word of caution, Intel holds that operating RAM above 1.65 v can cause harm to the CPU. After you've adjusted the RAM specs, give it another shot. If this doesn't help, download memtest from memtest.org (clever name isn't it?) and run the test overnight.

The 1.65v on ram is for core i series CPU only.

Did you load the motherboard drivers? Especially the chipset drivers? It should be decently snappy with xp even with a crappy CPU and ram. My guess is the hard drive is the biggest bottleneck? Use HD tune to test the HD read speeds. Normal hard drives by todays standard run 90+ MB/s I bet hers is under 30, which is sloooooooooooow!

 

[jrock3144]

OK one word, EMACHINES ..... Bios is locked! cant adjust anything but the time and date. Certenly not the RAM voltage. I know, eMachines=POS and I also know that 3.2GHz is a relitive term but it sitll should not be slow at all for what she uses it for.

Daship- It now has an updated BIOS wich I got from INTEL for that board (not eMaachines) oh, and it is still a locked BIOS by the way.

Updated the chipset driver, Video Drivers, and onboard LAN drivers. Everything else was up to date...

No such luck! still Slow!!!

After opening the case again, I found that it is an IDE Hard Drive wich I thought was kind of stupid. I assumed it was SATA cause it was only a 2008 system.
ASS U ME Right?
So I decided to do what you sugested and test the read speeds and you were right, UNDER 30!
I realy don't know why I didn't think of that before posting my thread.
Thanks for catching that!

The good news is that it does have 4 SATA/300 controllers on the board so what I'll do is, I have a WD 320GB 16MB 7200RPM SATA/300 hard drive I recently got out of a custom build I just did for somebody that I'll put in her system and do a fresh install on that drive. That outta clear up the read speed Issue.

Secondly, I got in a forum about memory and ran across a guy who is a RAM specialist with Crucial.com and he ran the specs from the RAM I installed through crucial's database for me and he said it came back as not all the right parameters for that board (according to Intel and eMachines)

so I went to crucial an bought the right memory as I allways use them and have an account with them for my custome builds. I Should have done that to start with
anyways, it'll be here in a few days so, I'll let you know if I get any results or not.

anything else you can think of?

P.S. I have an old emachine T3104 that I put in my 4 year old's room so he can play on his kiddie sites wich comes with a
Pentium 4 1.8GHz 256MB L2 and I put 2 Gigs of RAM in it. It runs circles around lil sis's computer. like waaaaaayyyyyy faster! in fact it's not slow at all.. not as fast as my $3,000.00 Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit PC with 8 gigs of RAM but it is not slow by any standards.

 

[tcsenter]

You're all over the map here.....

....it was just easier just to reinstall Windows XP Home on a fresh formatted drive because I have an OEM disk with an unlimited License Key for my buisness.

I've been a Registered Microsoft OEM Partner, Reseller, and OEM System Builder for nearly 10 years. There is no such thing as an "unlimited License Key" for purposes of system building. When people say "unlimited License Key", they usually mean "I am illegally using/reselling my MSDN, TechNET, or Corporate VLK license" keys (i.e. I'm a software pirate). Be that as it may, moving on...

It came with a socket LGA775 3.2 Ghz Pentium D Processor w/ 1MB L2 Cahe (pretty darn fast right?)

According to eMachines, it came with a Celeron D, not a Pentium D. Big difference. Still, the Celeron D 3.2GHz isn't too shabby for Windows XP on a basic PC for general mainstream use. The slow performance is more likely due to an older slow HDD and the integrated Radeon Xpress 200 graphics (which shares system memory).

so I went to geeks.com and ordered 2 Cedyne 1GB PC2-5300 (non-ECC) memory sticks...a RAM specialist with Crucial.com said it came back as not all the right parameters for that board (according to Intel and eMachines)

He was wrong. Is this the Cendyne memory you purchased? If so, that memory is compatible with the motherboard and chipset. 1GB modules that use 128Mx8 components (single rank) are expressly supported according to this Intel list of tested memory configurations:

http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/d102ggc2/sb/CS-026579.htm

If it weren't compatible, you would not have all the memory accounted for by the BIOS or Windows under Task Manager or System Information.

 

[jrock3144]

don't know anything about being a software pirate! I am not one unless I am unaware. Here is where I bought my Operating Systems.

http://software4less4you.mybisi.com/products/windows-operating-systems

Moving On...

ok, sorry I didn't catch that when I went to eMachines and copied the specs into my post..

Just so we are clear. This is right out of the Device Manager on the computer we are in discussion about:

Under Processors Tab
Intel® Pentium® D processor 3.2GHz

eMachines evidently sells that model most commonly with the celeron D but this system came with a Pentium D. Thanks for catching that.

The system memory I ordered:
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=CDN667D2D8C5-1G

According to Intel your right, it is compatible. It does show up in BIOS as 2048Kb,
and System Information as 2048Kb.

I ran memtest this morning before I left for work and when I got home I saw it only ran for 3 hours. memtest said that the stick in slot two was defective according to the error code it displayed.

since I ordered the crucial memory already, I will just use that and return the cendyne memory for a refund. it'll be here tomorrow

 

[jrock3144]

Still going to change it over to the SATA drive I posted above and do a fresh install. might even change it to windows 7 32-bit cause Gateway/eMachines has full driver support for Vista on that system but I D K. XP will probly run faster.

I guess I could put a low end graphics card in her system also, so I can do away with the onboard graphics stealing systen memory.

Maybe something like this:
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=CL-ATI9200-256M-PCI&cat=VCD

 

[tcsenter]

Here is where I bought my Operating Systems.

That]http://software4less4you.mybisi.com/products/windows-operating-systems

That is definitely a reseller of pirated/illegitimate software. And there's no way you could have been 'unaware' unless you're just confessing to a stunning amount of ignorance. When you go into business, its your responsibility to know better.

Should have just used Ebay. You can get Windows XP Home OEM for $65 and XP Professional OEM for about $100 - 100% legit.

I guess I could put a low end graphics card in her system also, so I can do away with the onboard graphics stealing systen memory.

Maybe something like this:
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?i [...] CI&cat=VCD

That would be a step-down from the Radeon Xpress 200 in feature set (DX9 to DX8) and would only be a small improvement in performance.

 

[diec4st]

A 4650 for ~45 $ would be a good choice.

 

[tcsenter]

If its really that slow, could just be your hard drive running in PIO mode instead of DMA.

 

[maltenp]

100% legit..? saints do not exist.

Anyway.. I believe its a HDD problem. old and slow.

 

[jrock3144]

Yeh, it's realy that slow, like I said, my old eMachine T3104 smokes it im refrence to speed... seriously!

I thought about a 4550 but I found this: http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=N8400GS-D512H-DT&cat=VCD

it's a decent card, 512MMB DDR2 mem, Direct X 10, open GL 2.0, VGA/RGB and HDMI outputs. I don't realy care for NVIDIA but it's not bad for the price.
I'm just trying to give her something she can use to get through college. then i'll probly build her a custom tower when she's got a real job...lol

so, no more on board graphics

2 GB of DDR2 PC2-5300 RAM

and 320GB 7200 16MB cache SATA HDD w/ AHCI enabled instead of legacy/IDE

That outta get the most out of it right?

just waiting on the graphics card to get here....

 

[jrock3144]

If its really that slow, could just be your hard drive running in PIO mode instead of DMA.

Na, I just cheched the BIOS, it's running in Direct Memory Access Mode

 

[tcsenter]

The BIOS only exposes the drive as DMA capable. You still need to verify what the storage controller driver is using in Windows, through Device Manager.

And that's too much for an 8400GS. You can find them for $30 ~ $35 with shipping included (though the Radeon HD 4350/4550 is significantly faster for the same price). Check Newegg.com

 

[jrock3144]

I did just get the 4550 from newegg for 40 bucks, installed it it and the SATA HDD last night and I enabled AHCI RAID driver, put Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit and everything is working very fast. I know Win 7 is a more hungry OS than XP but now she has a lot more useability with win 7. didn't even need the drivers for the video card. Win 7 detected it and installed the drivers right from the install. the only thing I downloaded was ATI's Catalyst software to control some features of the card.

Thanks everyone,

tcsenter, it is very obvious you know your stuff man, thanks especialy. it's always nice to learn from the realy good ones now and then. I think I sometimes come off as a know it all but when a person proves to me that they are worthy of respect I will listen to whatever information they offer...

 

[tcsenter]

don't know anything about being a software pirate! I am not one unless I am unaware. Here is where I bought my Operating Systems.

http://software4less4you.mybisi.com/products/windows-operating-systems

FWIW, this reseller of pirated/illegitimate software is known for stealing the names of legitimate resellers, then changing it slightly.

e.g. one of their other sites goes by the name of "Royal Discounter". There is a legitimate software reseller named Royal Discount (not Discounter).

Here, they are using the name Software4Less4You. There is a legitimate software reseller named Software4Less (minus the "4 You" at the end).

I'm sure there are other cases. I contacted Royal Discount (which I've purchased from several times) and informed them. They were already aware of it and are trying to get these pirates shut down.

Here are several other domains used by this group of software pirates:

http://files-finder.com/
http://oemportal.com/
http://software-users.com/
http://oemsoftwaredownloads.us/
http://www.greatest-software.net
http://oem-boutique.net

 

[jrock3144]

but how can Microsoft allow them to activate a legitimate license key? I thought I was just buying like a corporate license key or something like that. I have a freind who is a system builder for the local schoolboard and they have Windows XP and Vista disks that they can install on an unlimeted amount of PCs at their leasure without contacting Microsoft every time... I figured it was something that.

 

[tcsenter]

They're slipping through because Microsoft hasn't caught onto the product keys being used illegitimately yet. Corporate, academic, and institutional licenses all require a license contract with Microsoft (some types can be purchased through an authorized reseller, others must go through Microsoft). When MS does catch on, those keys will be blacklisted through activation or WGA check.

The different 'volume' or institutional licensing plans or options available are too complicated to get into here, but in any event, they are licensed to the institution or corporation. The institution or corporation can use them for their own computers, but they cannot be resold. There are other ways to get keys, such as through a TechNet or MSDN subscription, but again, its beyond the scope of this discussion.

Glad to hear the eMachines is reborn into a decent PC.