Benchmark Results Are In On My Crappy SLI-makes-no-sense Setup!!!!

3dMark06

Single card (stock) - 9315

Single card (overclock) - 9543

SLI (stock) - 10130

SLI (overclock) - 10201

So yeah, i'm throwing the WTF flag right about now as i have been reading around, finding an average of about 15k in 3dMark06 with my setup or similar (actually found one w/ my exact setup and he scored a 15245). I'm down about 5k frames that i should be at and I have no idea what is going on. Bottlenecking? Drivers? Poop on my motherboard? You tell me cause i'm about to pull my hair out.

I've tried everything from reinstalling the drivers to reformatting my harddrive w/ a fresh install of Windows.

Does the single card score even look right?

whats the manufactor of your card and what drivers do u have for the cards? CAuse manufactors can either make of break a video card.LibertySaint

All information is in my sig.

That's messed up. I score just below 13k with my SINGLE 8800GT overclocked with the same processer, a little less RAM. Can you link us the actual test? So we can see your test score by score and what settings ect?death1505921

It's the free test from 3dMark so basic settings... i'll link in a second once i run it one more time.

[QUOTE="death1505921"]That's messed up. I score just below 13k with my SINGLE 8800GT overclocked with the same processer, a little less RAM. Can you link us the actual test? So we can see your test score by score and what settings ect?sonicsurfer

It's the free test from 3dMark so basic settings... i'll link in a second once i run it one more time.

Kk, somethings seriously wrong in there :S.

It wouldn't let me upload so here's what i got.

10605 3DMarks
Resolution 1280 x 1024
No AA

SM2.0 Score: 4609
HDR/SM3.0 Score: 6096
CPU Score: 1950

Definitely looks like my processor is holding me back, but it's not like i have an outdated processor... what about the other scores do they look about right?

It wouldn't let me upload so here's what i got.

10605 3DMarks
Resolution 1280 x 1024
No AA

SM2.0 Score: 4609
HDR/SM3.0 Score: 6096
CPU Score: 1950

Definitely looks like my processor is holding me back, but it's not like i have an outdated processor... what about the other scores do they look about right?

sonicsurfer

I think I know your problem mate. Download CPU-Z and tell me what speed your CPU is.

I think I know your problem mate. Download CPU-Z and tell me what speed your CPU is.

death1505921

Core Speed: 2100.1 MHz
Multiplier: x 6.0
Bus Speed: 350.0 MHz
Rated FSB: 1400.0 MHz

[QUOTE="death1505921"]

I think I know your problem mate. Download CPU-Z and tell me what speed your CPU is.

sonicsurfer

Core Speed: 2100.1 MHz
Multiplier: x 6.0
Bus Speed: 350.0 MHz
Rated FSB: 1400.0 MHz

Boot up your BIOS and change the multiplier to x9. Then re-run 3dmark06.

[QUOTE="sonicsurfer"][QUOTE="death1505921"]

I think I know your problem mate. Download CPU-Z and tell me what speed your CPU is.

death1505921

Core Speed: 2100.1 MHz
Multiplier: x 6.0
Bus Speed: 350.0 MHz
Rated FSB: 1400.0 MHz

Boot up your BIOS and change the multiplier to x9. Then re-run 3dmark06.

Alright, i'll try that. I used the bios on the disc that came w/ my motherboard... i guess it's safe to say they aren't the updated drivers?

[QUOTE="death1505921"][QUOTE="sonicsurfer"][QUOTE="death1505921"]

I think I know your problem mate. Download CPU-Z and tell me what speed your CPU is.

sonicsurfer

Core Speed: 2100.1 MHz
Multiplier: x 6.0
Bus Speed: 350.0 MHz
Rated FSB: 1400.0 MHz

Boot up your BIOS and change the multiplier to x9. Then re-run 3dmark06.

Alright, i'll try that. I used the bios on the disc that came w/ my motherboard... i guess it's safe to say they aren't the updated drivers?

They should be okay. Don't bother trying to update your bios, just set the multiplier to 9x and it should work fine. It happens to alot of boards with the E8400.

They should be okay. Don't bother trying to update your bios, just set the multiplier to 9x and it should work fine. It happens to alot of boards with the E8400.

death1505921

Well i did what you told me to do in the BIOS and the BIOS shows that i am set at x 9 but CPU-Z still reads x 6.0
And my clock speeds have gone down:

Core: 2000.0 MHz
Bus: 333.3 MHz
Rated FSB: 1333.5 MHz

I believe that is Intel's speed step butting in. It underclocks your CPU until it is underload and needed, then it clocks it back up to normal speeds.General_X

That is correct, it's fine and actualy shows it's working correctly now. Go run your 3dmark06 and come back :).

I believe that is Intel's speed step butting in. It underclocks your CPU until it is underload and needed, then it clocks it back up to normal speeds.General_X

Yeah, that's what my 8400 does.

That is correct, it's fine and actualy shows it's working correctly now. Go run your 3dmark06 and come back :).

death1505921

Running the test now, will edit when done.

However, it bothers me that in the CPU tests of 3DMark, i'm getting an average of 0 FPS... or at least the first one in the canyon. I dunno if it's supposed to do that but that's what has always happened... my system LUGS in the CPU tests

[QUOTE="death1505921"]

That is correct, it's fine and actualy shows it's working correctly now. Go run your 3dmark06 and come back :).

sonicsurfer

Running the test now, will edit when done.

However, it bothers me that in the CPU tests of 3DMark, i'm getting an average of 0 FPS... or at least the first one in the canyon. I dunno if it's supposed to do that but that's what has always happened... my system LUGS in the CPU tests

That's supposed to happen.

14841 3D Marks (SLI)

SM2.0 Score: 6796

HDR/SM3.0 Score: 7769

CPU Score: 2899

So does the processor really hold back the GPUs that much? I thought they could stand on their own to an extent.sonicsurfer

Partialy, but an extra ghz is quite alot. Especialy since 2ghz is pretty low.

I think it's obvious why my processor score went, but why were my frames being held back so much? I'm satisfied w/ my score, now i'm just looking for understanding.sonicsurfer

Bottleneck, probably. A Wolfdale at 2GHz is a little weak for two powerful cards in SLI.

I think it's obvious why my processor score went, but why were my frames being held back so much? I'm satisfied w/ my score, now i'm just looking for understanding.sonicsurfer

What do you mean? You won't notice much of a difference in the GPU score, but you'll notice a big increase in the CPU score. 3dmark06 doesn't add your scores together either, it has some crazy formula. So a small change in CPU score can mean a big overall score difference.

And the impact on in game frames well obviously the 2ghz CPU was bottlenecking, I'd have thought that would have been self explanitory.

What do you mean? You won't notice much of a difference in the GPU score, but you'll notice a big increase in the CPU score. 3dmark06 doesn't add your scores together either, it has some crazy formula. So a small change in CPU score can mean a big overall score difference.

And the impact on in game frames well obviously the 2ghz CPU was bottlenecking, I'd have thought that would have been self explanitory.

death1505921

Well if you compare my 2 benchmarks (page 1 and page 2), i saw an increase in frames as well.

So does the processor really hold back the GPUs that much? I thought they could stand on their own to an extent.sonicsurfer

In my experience the cpu is a bottleneck for enthusiast videocards. I haven't tried 3dm06 in a while but from what I remember, I received a much higher score increase from overclocking my processor by 80mhz rather than overclocking my videocard. I never ran 3dm06 at that speed though. I stopped testing though because I couldn't achieve a stable overclock. My FSB doesn't like going over 205mhz.

[QUOTE="death1505921"]

I think I know your problem mate. Download CPU-Z and tell me what speed your CPU is.

sonicsurfer

Core Speed: 2100.1 MHz
Multiplier: x 6.0
Bus Speed: 350.0 MHz
Rated FSB: 1400.0 MHz

EDIT: I think you should overclock your CPU to around 3.6ghz. You will get pretty good performence by doing so.

[QUOTE="sonicsurfer"][QUOTE="death1505921"]

I think I know your problem mate. Download CPU-Z and tell me what speed your CPU is.

Jamiemydearx3

Core Speed: 2100.1 MHz
Multiplier: x 6.0
Bus Speed: 350.0 MHz
Rated FSB: 1400.0 MHz

EDIT: I think you should overclock your CPU to around 3.6ghz. You will get pretty good performence by doing so.

I plan to, i'm just kinda nervous as i am on stock fan and heatsink. Should i upgrade before overclock?