New to the computer thing

O

Oompous

New Member
Looking to upgrade my computer to actually be able to handle some games.

I tried playing Rift on my computer and was getting some terrible FPS so i upgraded my graphics card to a ATI Radeon HD 5750 and looking for some other stuff to upgrade that would help gaming performance.

System Model
Gateway DX4200-UB001A 7B3P081G
Enclosure Type: Desktop

Processor
2.20 gigahertz AMD Phenom 9550 Quad-Core
512 kilobyte primary memory cache
2048 kilobyte secondary memory cache
2048 kilobyte tertiary memory cache
64-bit ready
Multi-core (4 total)
Not hyper-threaded

Main Circuit Board
Board: Gateway RS780 Rev 1.0
Bus Clock: 200 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 7B3P081G 05/05/2008

Drives
640.13 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
251.09 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

OHM ARK1AVGL2B SCSI CdRom Device [Optical drive]
Optiarc DVD RW AD-7203S ATA Device [Optical drive]

IOI CF/MicroDrive USB Device [Hard drive] -- drive 1
IOI MS/MsPro USB Device [Hard drive] -- drive 4
IOI SD/MMC USB Device [Hard drive] -- drive 3
IOI SM/xD-Picture USB Device [Hard drive] -- drive 2
WDC WD6400AAKS-00A7B0 [Hard drive] (640.13 GB) -- drive 0, s/n WD-WCASY0866609, rev 01.03B01, SMART Status: Healthy

Memory Modules
5888 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory

Slot 'DIMM0' has 2048 MB
Slot 'DIMM1' has 2048 MB
Slot 'DIMM2' has 1024 MB
Slot 'DIMM3' has 1024 MB

Local Drive Volumes
c: (NTFS on drive 0) 623.49 GB 242.48 GB free
d: (NTFS on drive 0) 16.64 GB 8.61 GB free

Display
ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics [Display adapter]
ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series [Display adapter]
Samsung SyncMaster [Monitor] (17.1"vis, s/n HMEY506865, May 2005)


I have no idea if that was too much or too little...just looking for some advice to build this computer up without burning a hole in my pocket!

all input is appreciated!

TIA
 
Did you also upgrade your power supply when you got the new video card? What make and model of power suppply is in it now?
 
^ That too, but I'd suspect the main cause of low FPS the CPU.

Cheap CPU+MB+PSU+RAM might not cost much, but it'd basically be a brand new computer, and it would be better cost wise to build a new one at that point.
 
johnb35 said:
Did you also upgrade your power supply when you got the new video card? What make and model of power suppply is in it now?
Click to expand...

no i did not was unaware of the need to do so. it is plugged in with both molexs
should i get a new power supply?
 
linkin said:
^ That too, but I'd suspect the main cause of low FPS the CPU.

Cheap CPU+MB+PSU+RAM might not cost much, but it'd basically be a brand new computer, and it would be better cost wise to build a new one at that point.
Click to expand...

so what should i be looking to buy?

i have 6 gigs of RAM

and are you saying its not worth it to upgrade this computer? its more cost effective to build up a whole new one from ground up?
 
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you probably would be better off building another one... in the link, this computer is probably what most gamers would prefer.... ssd size not very big... nice videocard... its a little expensive but it is worth it. :)

Computer
 
techexpert1 said:
you probably would be better off building another one... in the link, this computer is probably what most gamers would prefer.... ssd size not very big... nice videocard... its a little expensive but it is worth it. :)

Computer
Click to expand...

is there any way to make the one i have now sufficient...? i dont feel like spending 900 bucks
 
Replace the power supply and you should be good to go. However, if you find out that the current processor can't handle newer games, then you may be forced to build an up to date system.

The build that techexpert did isn't good, so don't even think about that. You bought a decent video card so you should be doing good now.
 
johnb35 said:
Replace the power supply and you should be good to go. However, if you find out that the current processor can't handle newer games, then you may be forced to build an up to date system.

The build that techexpert did isn't good, so don't even think about that. You bought a decent video card so you should be doing good now.
Click to expand...

just went and bought a Corsair GS600 and installed it. have yet to log onto any game and check my FPS with the Wattage that the graphics card is actually calling for

the one that came with my Computer was a 300 watt...lol
 
Contrary to popular belief, frame rate issues are not always caused by a lack of hardware and not all problems can be solved by throwing money at them.

ATI recommends the use of a 600 Watt power supply with one 75W 6-pin PCI Express power connector for your new video card (information available here).

Rest assured that over-drawing your power supply won't cause a low frame rate. If you do happen to install more components than your power supply is supposed to handle, one of two things will happen:

1.) The power supply will detect the egregious draw and your computer won't start.
2.) Your computer will work fine, but the extra draw will tax the power supply, resulting in a reduced lifespan.

Gateway hasn't always had the greatest reputation in the industry for component quality or service. I did however check out your system's hardware specifications (here), and it should be able to handle today's mainstream titles with relative ease.

The recommended hardware requirements for RIFT are as follows:

Processor: Core 2 Duo 2.2 GHz or better (Check!)
Memory: 4 GB (Check!)
Video Card: Nvidia GTS 250 or better (Check!*)

*This is based on a side-by-side benchmark comparison between the GTS 250 and the Radeon 5750 found at Tom's Hardware here.

Meeting (and in most cases far exceeding) the recommended specs for hardware reveals that there is most likely a software issue at play here.

The first thing to always make sure of when having issues with real-time 3D rendering (as in today's games) is that your video drivers are up to date. You can download the latest drivers from the ATI Graphics Drivers & Software site (make sure to download the Catalyst Software Suite).

Trion Worlds (the developers of RIFT) have put up a tech support forum with a section that's dedicated to graphics troubleshooting (available here), I highly recommend checking it out.

Also make sure that you defragment your hard drive using the Disk Defragmenter tool in Windows (generally located in Start > All Programs > System Tools). This generally won't improve frame rate, but it will improve load times.

When dealing with Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) such as RIFT, there is always the potential that your low frame rate is cause in part or in full by high latency (a measure of the time it takes for a packet of data to get from your computer to the games server and back). High latency can be caused by a multitude of things including:

-High latency internet connections (EVDO, Wi-Fi, etc..)
-Ports being blocked by your firewall, router, or service provider
-Ports access conflicting with other applications (such as BitTorrent clients)
-Old or buggy network adapter drivers (rare on today's systems)

Trion also has a support site set up with information on networking / connection issues as well as a guide to help in configuring your firewall and router for the game (available here).

Another thing to consider when troubleshooting poor gaming performance is the possible presence of malware on your system (viruses, spyware, adware, rootkits etc...), so make sure you have an up-to-date anti-malware solution to keep your computer clean.

I don't recommend using any of the big name security suites such as Norton or McAfee, as they tend to hog system resources (leading to poor performance). A nice solution is an up-to-date copy of either AVG Free 2011, or Microsoft Security Essentials 2011 (which I use myself).*

*Make sure you only have only ONE anti-virus program installed at a time, as they will conflict with each other and cause issues!

Last but not least I'd like to touch on your operating system. I take it that you are still running the copy of Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit) that came with your machine. Vista is an acceptable operating system, but there are many advantages to installing Windows 7 (64-bit). It performs much faster, and is much more stable that Windows Vista ever will be. It is really worth the money, but if you decide it's not affordable, make sure that you download all available patches from Windows Update (including service packs).

If you do decide to make the jump to Windows 7, I recommend not performing the in-place upgrade installation. Actually formatting your hard drive and installing it from the ground up is a much better alternative (A fresh install can do wonders for your frame rate).

Hopefully this information helps you fix your problems and enjoy your computer (and more importantly, the games :P).

Good luck and regards,

-Chris

P.S. If you (or anyone for that matter) have any questions, feel free to PM me.
 
Last edited:
Pants said:
ATI recommends the use of a 600 Watt power supply with one 75W 6-pin PCI Express power connector for your new video card (information available here).

Rest assured that over-drawing your power supply won't cause a low frame rate. If you do happen to install more components than your power supply is supposed to handle, one of two things will happen:

1.) The power supply will detect the egregious draw and your computer won't start.
2.) Your computer will work fine, but the extra draw will tax the power supply, resulting in a reduced lifespan.

Gateway hasn't always had the greatest reputation in the industry for component quality or service. I did however check out your system's hardware specifications (here), and it should be able to handle today's mainstream titles with relative ease.

The recommended hardware requirements for RIFT are as follows:

Processor: Core 2 Duo 2.2 GHz or better (Check!)
Memory: 4 GB (Check!)
Video Card: Nvidia GTS 250 or better (Check!*)
* Based on side-by-side benchmark comparison between the GTS 250 and the Radeon 5750 found at Tom's Hardware here.

Meeting (and in most cases far exceeding) the recommended specs for hardware reveals that there is most likely a software issue at play here.

The first thing to always make sure of when having issues with real-time 3D rendering (as in today's games) is that your video drivers are up to date. You can download the latest drivers from the ATI Graphics Drivers & Software site (make sure to download the Catalyst Software Suite).

Trion Worlds (the developers of RIFT) have put up a tech support forum with a section that's dedicated to graphics troubleshooting (available here), I highly recommend checking it out.

Also make sure that you defragment your hard drive using the Disk Defragmenter tool in Windows (generally located in Start > All Programs > System Tools). This generally won't improve frame rate, but it will improve load times.

When dealing with Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) such as RIFT, there is always the potential that your low frame rate is cause in part or in full by high latency (a measure of the time it takes for a packet of data to get from your computer to the games server and back). High latency can be caused by a multitude of things including:

-High latency internet connections (EVDO, Wi-Fi, etc..)
-Ports being blocked by your firewall, router, or service provider
-Ports access conflicting with other applications (such as BitTorrent clients)
-Old or buggy network adapter drivers (rare on today's systems)

Trion also has a support site set up with information on networking / connection issues as well as a guide to help in configuring your firewall and router for the game (available here).

Another thing to consider when troubleshooting poor gaming performance is the possible presence of malware on your system (viruses, spyware, adware, rootkits etc...), so make sure you have an up-to-date anti-malware solution to keep your computer clean.

I don't recommend using any of the big name security suites such as Norton or McAfee, as they tend to hog system resources (leading to poor performance). A nice solution is an up-to-date copy of either AVG Free 2011, or Microsoft Security Essentials 2011 (which I use myself).

*Make sure you only have ONE anti-virus program installed at a time, as they will conflict with each other and cause issues!

Last but not least I'd like to touch on your operating system. I take it that you are still running the copy of Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit) that came with your machine. Vista is an acceptable operating system, but there are many advantages to installing Windows 7 (64-bit). It performs much faster, and is much more stable that Windows Vista ever will be.

If you do decide to make the jump to Windows 7, I recommend not performing the in-place upgrade installation. Actually formatting your hard drive and installing it from the ground up is a much better alternative (A fresh install can do wonders for your frame rate).

Hopefully this information helps you fix your problems and enjoy your computer (and more importantly, the games :P).

Good luck and regards,

-Chris

P.S. If you (or anyone for that matter) have any questions, feel free to PM me.
Click to expand...

oh man. thanks a bunch for that. ill definitely pm you if i have further questions
 
No problem, I've had a lot of experience trying to get the most out of my hardware (which was always on the lower end of things).
 
Also I forgot to mention CanYouRunIt? in my above post.

A company called Husdawg, LLC operates a website based on a technology called System Requirements Lab that allows you to check your computer's hardware against a database of game software requirements. I highly suggest running it for RIFT and posting your result here to confirm my suspicions about your hardware.

Just for kicks I ran it on my machine, here are my results:

mp_rf_3.gif


I fail to meet the hardware recommendation for RAM (4GB) as I only have 2GB, but I meet all the other requirements and I am still able to run most games on High :P.
 
also. for some reason since ive put the PSU in my computer cannot multitask for s**t. it will freeze for short periods of time and give me the Vista Spinning Blue circle light thingy majig. is that something cause because of the new power output?
 
Pants said:
Also I forgot to mention CanYouRunIt? in my above post.

A company called Husdawg, LLC operates a website based on a technology called System Requirements Lab that allows you to check your computer's hardware against a database of game software requirements. I highly suggest running it for RIFT and posting your result here to confirm my suspicions about your hardware.

Just for kicks I ran it on my machine, here are my results:

mp_rf_3.gif


I fail to meet the hardware recommendation for RAM (4GB) as I only have 2GB, but I meet all the other requirements and I am still able to run most games on High :P.
Click to expand...

just ran it aaaaaaaaaaand
mp_rp_7.gif



hahahaha

also ran it for Crysis 2....lmao
mp_7.gif
 
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