Question PC advice

[Notebook]

Just a quick question...my youngest or latest PC is about x years old, can't remember, could be six or seven.
Just wondering if its worth getting some more ram and a new graphics card, or start looking to build a new one?

Specs:

Motherboard MSI
MS-7350 (P6N SLI-FI)

Memory Type: DDR2 PC2-5300, DDR2 PC2-8500, DDR2 PC2-6400, DDR2 (non-ECC)
Maximum Memory: 8GB
Currently Installed Memory: 3GB
Total Memory Slots: 4
Available Memory Slots: 1
1GB DDR PC2-6400
1GB DDR PC2-5300
1GB DDR PC2-6400
EMPTY

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 2.40 GHz 4 cores.

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8800GTS 640 MB Ram.

Another question! Would this run 64bit Windows 7?

All input appreciated, N.

 

[Revolpathon]

depends on what you want to do with it, for running orbiter with earth l11 you'd need a new pc, but for your usual day to day pc use that excludes the latest games on high graphics you should be fine with more ram and a new vid card.

and that system will run win7 64 bit just fine

 

[Notebook]

Thanks Revolpathon, although its my newest, its not one I use all the time, sort of generic backup.
Any advice on graphics cards?

N.

 

[Quick_Nick]

Your PC well exceeds mine in processor and graphics. You should have little problem with even most games, as long as you change settings appropriately. I would absolutely upgrade RAM though. Get at least 4GB, don't be afraid of even more. And it's very strange (to me) that your RAM isn't paired. If your mobo is limited to DDR2 (research to be sure) that's unfortunate but not a huge deal.

 

[Revolpathon]

with generic back up i take it it should be able to play the latest games but it doesnt have to have all the crisp graphics you'd demand from your main pc.

i did a quick google search as i'm not all that on the up and up graphic card wise but the ati radeon 7770 seems like a good choice for under 200 bucks. but i suggest you google for "graphics card budget" on google. and form your own opinion.

i'm not sure if you can still find ddr2 ram out there but also try to get around 6 gig's worth (if i recall they're pretty cheap) preferably in a 3x2gb setup as they are linked and thus perform better.

 

[Notebook]

Thanks for that chaps chaps. It is a backup, but its also the one I have FSX and Xplane 10 and Skyrim...so it is a games machine for me. Trouble is I don't have time to play them!

Crucial memory in the Uk:
http://www.crucial.com/

They are doing 4Gb kits for about £40. I think that machine came with 2GB and I stuck a 1GB card in at some point. All a bit vague now.

N.

 

[Quick_Nick]

How do those games perform for you? I recently started playing Skyrim, and I need Low settings to play it and it's still jerky. I need a completely new computer for gaming.
My advice would be to run Win7 as is, check performance. Upgrade RAM, check performance. If things are greatly improved, woohoo! If it's not enough (specifically in games), then you can consider a new graphics card.
I wouldn't really think about getting a new PC unless you simply want to spoil yourself. As far as I know, it's not all that easy to sell a used PC at a price you can live with.

And by the looks of it, the RAM situation is what you describe. I don't know why on earth it would come with only two GB though and adding just one more is really not much help.

 

[RisingFury]

depends on what you want to do with it, for running orbiter with earth l11 you'd need a new pc,

No you wouldn't. I run Orbiter with L11 and higher textures on a much worse machine just fine.

---------- Post added at 11:39 ---------- Previous post was at 11:26 ----------

preferably in a 3x2gb setup as they are linked and thus perform better.

That would require tripple-channel capable motherboard. There aren't many out there. The only chipset I know of is X58, which didn't exist at the time of GTS8800...

Stick with two or four identical sticks of RAM.

 

[orb]

I run Orbiter with L11 and higher textures on a much worse machine just fine.

That's correct. For just Orbiter you don't even need to increase the RAM size, as Orbiter can only utilize 2 GB. I ran Orbiter on E6600 (which has 2 cores fewer) with 2GB RAM and 8800GTS-640, only 2 years ago in Windows XP, and I had 130-300 FPS (without antialiasing, and 75-85 FPS with 8x AA) on Earth lvl. 10, in Florida, which is level 14.

 

[Notebook]

Thanks again, Orbiter isn't a problem, I do all my add-on stuff on a HP Presario thats older than this machine. I figure if my add-ons run on that, they will run on other folks PCs.

I am having problems with this machine, the occasional BSD. Thats why I'm considering doing things with it.
Its running Windows Vista Uktimatte currently, I do have a spare SATA 1TB disk in another PC box, so hopefullly I can put Windows 7 64bit on it?

N.

 

[orb]

Its running Windows Vista Uktimatte currently, I do have a spare SATA 1TB disk in another PC box, so hopefullly I can put Windows 7 64bit on it?

Yes you can. Core 2 (Quad) are 64-bit processors.

 

[Notebook]

To Quick_Nick:

I really don't want another machine, got three boxes already, and I'm a bit tired of upgrading and finding FS runs much the same as the old one!
Moved across to XPlane as Microsoft have pulled out, got Skyrim as I enjoyed the last one(can't remember the name...age related).

Basically, I'd like to get down to two boxes, canabalise the oldest two for the best machine, tart that one up, give away the old bits, hopefully leave them alone for a year.

I've ordered the 4GB from crucial, I'll bring it up to 6GB total and see how it goes with Windows 7. If it behaves, thats it.

Currently its struggling with X-Plane 10 and Skyrim on medium settings. I can't blame the machine as it looks like the HD is dying.
Might get to work on it next week. Stay tuned for the next exciting episode!

N.

 

[palebluevoice]

You might look at upgrading the graphics card; everything else looks good. I have an Nvidia geforce 550 Ti; it does pretty well, but I regret not getting the 560, as I usually have to tune down the lighting, shadows, etc. and I can't use AA over 8x. If you can afford it, you might look towards the 300$+ range; Newegg is a good place to go for that.

 

[Notebook]

Thanks palebluevoice, I have no idea where to start looking for graphic cards. Hopefully I won't need one. If its satisfactory after this mini-update, that'll do for a year or two.
Been going to my local PC chap for the last 20 years, he's a good lad, but little £ signs light up in his eyes when I go through the door!
Saying that, he wouldn't sell me any ram recently, said its overpriced and wait a bit till it comes down again

Just been on the MSI site, didn't realise the motherboard could do SLI. Might be worth looking for a couple of used cards on ebay?

N.

 

[spaceranger]

If your MB can do SLI, then stick with NVIDIA. Start looking at MSI NVIDIA cards if you have an MSI MB. Set your budget and get the best card in your budget range.

 

[Notebook]

It is a NVidia chipset in the MB, and I remember the SLI connecting cable that came with the box.
I think SLI cards were very expensive then, and I didn't go with it. Looks like my PC chap was thinking ahead, more than I did!

N.