Question about clock/bus speeds

[Theo]

First, I ask that you forgive my ignorance on this topic. I'm sure I'm misusing or confusing some of the terminology. I'm learning about this one for the first time.

 

My Athlon 64 3000+ has a FSB of 1Ghz while my PC3200 memory is at 400Mhz. Is this anything that needs to be reconciled? I mean, does this create a bottleneck in which the processor is working faster than the memory?

 

I ask because I'm still getting stuttering in games even after installing a new video card through an RMA with BFG. I'm wondering if my problem is memory related? Maybe something I've overlooked in regard to some special need of an Athlon64 system? I know the memory should be unbuffered, and I can't say for certain that mine is. If it wasn't, would my computer simply not boot up, or is it possible for it to simply cause performance issues like this?

[Dynomutt]

ok then let me try to explain, the 1Ghz bus is your Hypertransport bus, it is really 200x5 and is the interface between the CPU and northbridge, your memory may be DDR400 but it is really 200Mhz hence double data rate (DDR) so all in all the FSB is 200Mhz real Mhz but multiplied to achieve the data rate for each bus (at least this is my understanding) hope this helps

 

Hypertransport = 200x5= 1Ghz x2 =2Ghz Data rate

PC3200 (DDR400)200x2= 400Mhz Data Rate

CPU 1.8Ghz, 200x9 =1800mhz

[Theo]

That does help very much, thanks Dynomutt. I think that safely eliminates bus speed as a potential issue.

[Dynomutt]

nope bus speed will not be the issue, i take it it is visual stuttering your getting. if so the reinstall Gfx and chipset drivers.

 

i do not think your computer would boot with Buffered DIMMS you can run Memtest from the Genie Bios just set it to enabled and let it do a few passes this will also tell if your mem is buffered/unbuffered EECnon EEC

[Theo]

I've reinstalled the drivers a number of times. Tried a number of other things suggested by people having similar problems as well. So far no luck. I'm kinda grasping at straws, and it may just be that there is no fix other than a new driver that has yet to be created or released.

 

I let memtest run a couple of passes and got no errors, though at the time I didn't know to pay attention to whether or not it was unbuffered. I might just go buy another gig of RAM to see if that alleviates the stuttering. Seems some people have had luck with that, it just seems to me that it's sidestepping the issue rather than solving it. A solution's a solution I suppose, I just worry that it will crop up again later somehow if it isn't truly fixed.

[Worm]

Go to Start --> Run, type msinfo32 and click OK. In the left hand menu, click "Hardware Resources" and then click "IRQs". Is the 6800GT sharing an IRQ with any other device?

 

EDIT: Your CPU, running at only 1.8Ghz is a bit on the slow side for graphic intensive games I regret to say.

[Dynomutt]

good thinking wormy

[Theo]

I'm not at my computer now, but I'll be sure to check that when I get home. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

If it is sharing, how do I change that?

[Sharp]

Hello,

 

Do you have an Audigy 2 or SBlive sound card installed?

[Theo]

No, I'm using the onboard Karajan sound.

[Theo]

I checked for any shared IRQ, but it's got one all to itself. I bought another gig of RAM, hoping that stops the stutters.

 

I disagree that my processor is too slow for graphics-intensive games. IN fact, for most of the games I play my old Athlon XP 1700+ was getting the job done.

[Theo]

I think my problem may be "solved".

 

Nothing else worked, so I RMA'ed my card with BFG. Got the new card in and it has seemed to alleviate some of my issues, but the stuttering still persisted. With no other options left, I bought another gig of RAM, putting me up to 2 gigs. All last night I was no longer swapping during games, and didn't experience one stutter, though my processor was still under a heavy load (which may be normal, I don't know).

 

I don't know that the stuttering has anything to do with the video card at all. I do know it's not that 1 gig is not insufficient memory, because I was using the same memory on my old system with no stuttering at all. This could be a problem with drivers for either the video card or motherboard, or it could be something with the Athlon64 architecture or the N4 chipset. I mean, it could be anything.

 

If this works then I'm content, but I'm not satisfied. Something still isn't working right on my machine, and though I may have found a reliable workaround I might still not be getting the performance I should, and who knows what other issues could be at play? I'll still continue to look for a definitive answer.