Second Life Forums Archive - Need good advice on Computer fix for SL!!

Yirrkala Wombarra

Registered User

Join date: 28 Apr 2006

Posts: 11

05-15-2006 09:12

Hi

I'm not a computer techie and I need to know how to make my computer run SL better. I get fairly jerky action and slow build rate with what I have now. I will list my computer's specs and Please can someone tell me specifically what I can do to make it run SL better?

Here is my computer:

*HP Pavilion A1110Y
*Integrated Intel High Definition Audio
*Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900
*80 GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
*512 MB DDR2-400MHz
*Intel Pentium 4 516 (2.93GHz, 533MHzFSB)
I have broadband connection but I don't know if what's in there connecting the cable to the guts is the best. It's whatever the HP people put in. Does someone know what's in the HP Pavilion A1110Y?

Now, I need some sound advice: what can I have done to this setup to make it run SL better?

Thanks!
Yirrk

Duke Scarborough

Degenerate Gambler

Join date: 30 Apr 2006

Posts: 158

The Answer

05-15-2006 09:23

All you need is a decent graphics card. It should cost you between $75 and $100.

Striker Wolfe

.

Join date: 11 Dec 2004

Posts: 355

05-15-2006 09:32

Another 512mb of ram setting you at a gig wont hurt either since SL alone can use up more than that.

Yirrkala Wombarra

Registered User

Join date: 28 Apr 2006

Posts: 11

06-21-2006 13:19

I now have 2.5 gigs RAM.. and it's not really helped the lag much.

I'll try the Graphics upgrade next.

Someone was telling me that I can turn off my integrated graphics and use a card, but can someone tell me the best graphics card to use for SL (please refer to my computer's specs in my original post)?

Thanks!
Yirrk

Striker Wolfe

.

Join date: 11 Dec 2004

Posts: 355

06-21-2006 13:40

According to HP you have 3 PCI slots, no PCI-Express or AGP, so your choices of a good video card are now limited. Take a look at this thread, its a bunch of people with the same questions and some good responses on what PCI video card to get,

/111/da/113456/1.html

Best post I found in there and agree with:

From: Argent Stonecutter

The radeon 9200 is just barely acceptable for SL, IMHO. It's actually a less capable card than the 8500.

If you can get an nVidia 5700 or 6600 PCI, go for it. It'll be MUCH faster than the Radeon 92xx. I don't know about the 5200 or 6200, they're nVidia's low end model and designed to compete with the 9200 rather than the 9600 or 9800.

The probable order, from slowest to fastest, would be:

9200/9250 5200 6200 5500 5600 5700 6600.

I've used these cards for SL:

9200 5600 6600 7600.

The 6600 is *significantly* better than the 5600, and the 7600 is moderately better than the 6600. And the 9200 is (as noted) marginal.

_____________________

AMD 4400+ X2 OC 4800+
MSI 7800GTX OC 256MB
2GB OCZ Platinum Rev2 2-3-2-5 1T Timings @ 218MHz
Western Digital Raptor 10K RPM 74GB
Soundblaster X-Fi Xtreme Music

ColdFire Bigwig

Anthro Techi Dragon

Join date: 11 Dec 2005

Posts: 93

06-21-2006 16:17

From: Yirrkala Wombarra

Now, I need some sound advice: what can I have done to this setup to make it run SL better?

I would reccomend this Video Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814139166

Geforce 5700 is about the best you will find for PCI, and nVidia runs OpenGL better then ATi.

Also another 512Mb of Ram would help a lot too.

_____________________

I Fix PC's for a living but live on a Mac.

Missy Malaprop

♥Diaper Girl♥

Join date: 28 Oct 2005

Posts: 544

this will be harder.

06-21-2006 21:04

your machine model isnt the easiest to upgrade to decent, its quite bottom line in upgradablitiy.

Your machine (by specs off HP site) only has 3 PCI slots, no AGP slot for video card, or PCIe (PCI Express) slots. Youll have to find an old type PCI card, which is possible. There are some out there good enough to run SL, and much better than the GMA900 intel video you have. Just make you you get a video card that is PCI, not PCI anything else, just only those 3 letters. PCI Extended, PCI Express, PCIe, PCI-E, PCI-X, or any type of PCI besides a standard 32bit PCI card will not work, and most wont even physically fit.

More ram would help your computer too, but the video is the biggest concern, as intel integrated runs really bad and is not suported by SL.

Need good advice on Computer fix for SL!!
Yirrkala Wombarra Registered User Join date: 28 Apr 2006 Posts: 11	05-15-2006 09:12 Hi I'm not a computer techie and I need to know how to make my computer run SL better. I get fairly jerky action and slow build rate with what I have now. I will list my computer's specs and Please can someone tell me specifically what I can do to make it run SL better? Here is my computer: HP Pavilion A1110Y Integrated Intel High Definition Audio Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 80 GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive 512 MB DDR2-400MHz Intel Pentium 4 516 (2.93GHz, 533MHzFSB) I have broadband connection but I don't know if what's in there connecting the cable to the guts is the best. It's whatever the HP people put in. Does someone know what's in the HP Pavilion A1110Y? Now, I need some sound advice: what can I have done to this setup to make it run SL better? Thanks! Yirrk
Duke Scarborough Degenerate Gambler Join date: 30 Apr 2006 Posts: 158	The Answer 05-15-2006 09:23 All you need is a decent graphics card. It should cost you between $75 and $100.
Striker Wolfe . Join date: 11 Dec 2004 Posts: 355	05-15-2006 09:32 Another 512mb of ram setting you at a gig wont hurt either since SL alone can use up more than that.
Yirrkala Wombarra Registered User Join date: 28 Apr 2006 Posts: 11	06-21-2006 13:19 I now have 2.5 gigs RAM.. and it's not really helped the lag much. I'll try the Graphics upgrade next. Someone was telling me that I can turn off my integrated graphics and use a card, but can someone tell me the best graphics card to use for SL (please refer to my computer's specs in my original post)? Thanks! Yirrk
Striker Wolfe . Join date: 11 Dec 2004 Posts: 355	06-21-2006 13:40 According to HP you have 3 PCI slots, no PCI-Express or AGP, so your choices of a good video card are now limited. Take a look at this thread, its a bunch of people with the same questions and some good responses on what PCI video card to get, /111/da/113456/1.html Best post I found in there and agree with: From: Argent Stonecutter The radeon 9200 is just barely acceptable for SL, IMHO. It's actually a less capable card than the 8500. If you can get an nVidia 5700 or 6600 PCI, go for it. It'll be MUCH faster than the Radeon 92xx. I don't know about the 5200 or 6200, they're nVidia's low end model and designed to compete with the 9200 rather than the 9600 or 9800. The probable order, from slowest to fastest, would be: 9200/9250 5200 6200 5500 5600 5700 6600. I've used these cards for SL: 9200 5600 6600 7600. The 6600 is significantly better than the 5600, and the 7600 is moderately better than the 6600. And the 9200 is (as noted) marginal. _____________________ AMD 4400+ X2 OC 4800+ MSI 7800GTX OC 256MB 2GB OCZ Platinum Rev2 2-3-2-5 1T Timings @ 218MHz Western Digital Raptor 10K RPM 74GB Soundblaster X-Fi Xtreme Music
ColdFire Bigwig Anthro Techi Dragon Join date: 11 Dec 2005 Posts: 93	06-21-2006 16:17 From: Yirrkala Wombarra Now, I need some sound advice: what can I have done to this setup to make it run SL better? I would reccomend this Video Card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814139166 Geforce 5700 is about the best you will find for PCI, and nVidia runs OpenGL better then ATi. Also another 512Mb of Ram would help a lot too. _____________________ I Fix PC's for a living but live on a Mac.
Missy Malaprop ♥Diaper Girl♥ Join date: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 544	this will be harder. 06-21-2006 21:04 your machine model isnt the easiest to upgrade to decent, its quite bottom line in upgradablitiy. Your machine (by specs off HP site) only has 3 PCI slots, no AGP slot for video card, or PCIe (PCI Express) slots. Youll have to find an old type PCI card, which is possible. There are some out there good enough to run SL, and much better than the GMA900 intel video you have. Just make you you get a video card that is PCI, not PCI anything else, just only those 3 letters. PCI Extended, PCI Express, PCIe, PCI-E, PCI-X, or any type of PCI besides a standard 32bit PCI card will not work, and most wont even physically fit. More ram would help your computer too, but the video is the biggest concern, as intel integrated runs really bad and is not suported by SL.

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Need good advice on Computer fix for SL!!