New Hardware for FSX - No Help

[Fly By]

I have been a simmer for many years and never thought I would get to where I am. I have spent gobs of money on new hardware to effectively run FSX and still find myself in the single digit fps. My best result but only in a few global areas has reached 14 -15.
Here's my set up:
Intel Pentium(R) D 925 Dual Core 3.0 GHz@800M
RAM 3.00 GB DDR2 -800MHz
600 W Power Supply
Gigabyte Ultra Durable 2 P35-DS3R MotherBoard
Western Digital 500 GB Patitioned 7200RPM
GeForce 8600 GT 512
Windows XP Home Edition
I have gone to High Flight and tweaked both the autogen files and fsx.cfg files.
I get this result with all settings at default and even tried turning sliders all the way back.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

[noell]

First and foremost you need a more capable processor. Any processor with the word "Pentium" attached to it is not going to run FSX the way I think you want it to run. Get at least a Core 2 Duo E6750 (or, even better, an E6850) or even a quad core like the Q6600. You can, of course, go higher than those models but they will be quite a bit more expensive. The models I just mentioned will give you nice performance without breaking the bank. BTW, a quick check on Gigabyte's website says your motherboard is compatible with Core 2 Duo and Core Quad (that's true for the Rev. 2 model anyway).

Next, you need a a faster video card. The new 8800GT is the way to go right now. The 8600 you have now is not that bad a card but its about what I would consider "mid-range" at best for FSX.

3GB for RAM is not the best RAM configuration as it prevents operation in dual channel mode. For dual channel mode you need to install 2 or 4 identical sticks of RAM. The details on running in dual channel mode can be found on page 16 of your motherboard manual. If you don't have it, you can download it from Gigabyte's website:
http://www.gigabyte.co.nz/Products/M...ProductID=2626
IMO, the best configuration for dual channel mode is 2 X 1GB identical sticks. 2GB, BTW, is plenty for FSX with XP and there will be no performance improvement by going beyond that.

Finally, keep in mind that FSX is a challenge for even a very high-end system. My system, for example, is fairly high-end and highly tweaked and over-clocked but it will still bog down to mid-teens FPS around major airports.



....Noell

Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 @ 3.8GHz
CPU HSF: Sunbeam Tuniq Tower 120
ASUS P5K Deluxe
2GB Mushkin XP2 PC2-6400 @ DDR2-950 & 5-5-5-15
EVGA 8800 GTS KO ACS3 640MB OC'd @ 650MHz Core & 1.85GHz Mem (Driver: XG169.17)
Monitors: Samsung 215TW (Primary) & LG L206WTQ (Secondary)
1 X 36GB WD Raptor
2 X 74GB WD Raptor RAID 0
1 X 250GB WD Caviar (2500KS)
X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Pro Series
OCZ GameXStream 700W
Antec P180B case

[myocardia]

BTW, a quick check on Gigabyte's website says your motherboard is compatible with Core 2 Duo and Core Quad (that's true for the Rev. 2 model anyway).

All P35 motherboards can run both Core 2 Duo's and Core 2 Quads, although a couple need BIOS updates for the quads.

3GB for RAM is not the best RAM configuration as it prevents operation in dual channel mode. For dual channel mode you need to install 2 or 4 identical sticks of RAM.

Nope, every Intel chipset since the 925 can use different sized RAM, as long as both channels have equal amounts: http://www.intel.com/cd/channel/rese...arn/242787.htm And with his chipset, it's even possible to run 2GB in one channel, and 1GB in the other, although it's always best in my opinion to just run 1.5GB per channel. I recently built a system for someone with 2x1 GB plus 2x512 MB, using an Abit IP35, with 1.5 GB per channel in dual-channel.

[noell]

Yes. It can be that a BIOS update is required for quad core. Thanks for pointing that out.

Dual channel RAM mode - Another check in the manual for the poster's Gigabyte Ultra Durable 2 P35-DS3R Motherboard says it is "recommended that memory of the same capacity, brand, speed, and chips be used and installed in the same colored DDR2 sockets for optimum performance". However, there is a further note that mentions Intel's "Flex Technology" that offers "greater flexibility to upgrade by allowing different memory sizes to be populated and remain in Dual Channel mode/performance."

That made me wonder, though, why is Gigabyte recommending the use of identical modules if using dis-similar modules can produce the same results due to Intel's "Flex Technology"?

A look in the manual for my Asus P35 based motherboard ((P5K deluxe) may have the answer.........

While I can't find any specific reference to Intel's "Flex Technology" in the Asus P5K manual, I think that's what they are talking about when they say:
"Users may install different memory size DIMMs into the two channels and enjoy dual channel and single channel operation at the same time."

Elsewhere in the manual it goes on to say:
"You may install varying memory sizes in Channel A and Channel B. The system maps the the total size of the lower-sized channel for the dual-channel configuration. Any excess memory from the higher-sized channel is then mapped for single-channel operation."

I think Gigabyte is saying the same thing but they didn't go into the details in their manual the way Asus did in theirs. To me, it explains why they (both Gigabyte and Asus) recommend that all modules be of the same size as it is then you will get full dual channel operation.



.....Noell