Probably a stupid question.

If a desktop PC has no CPU in it and you try to turn that PC on, it won't turn on right? Meaning no signal to the monitor, No bios; Just nothing??? Sounds about right to me, just wanted to be sure. Thanks.

 

Could you operate without your brain?

 

Yep, your right, youve got yourself a nice door stop there.

Burrell

 

Exactly, lol.

 

Reasonable question for a learner, here's a site that will explain in detail a bit about your question...

http://www.build-your-own-computer.net/cpu.html

 

The only stupid question is the one that is never asked. Basically the CPU is like the engine in a car and without it the system just wont start.

 

-Thanks-

So i have another question, When something uses 100 % cpu usage and the computer has very little memory; will this problem improve with adding more memory, or not just because the cpu just doesn't have what it takes and it'll remain that way even if you do install 4GB memory and a 1GB video card or do all the upgrades possible to the Mo/bo, It wont change will it?

What about HD, my Board supports HD yet when i play HD it lags anyway there for; the fact that the HD label is on the board seems very irrelevant to me; Is the workings of HD dependant on ram and video memory? For the life of me i can't figure out why I can't play HD with an HD board.

 

Huh???

 

Guess i have a bad way of wording things so let me clarify.

"John doe Has a PC With an 800mhz FSB, 2.8 Ghz P4 CPU, 64 - 256MB shared on-board video, HD Audio, 1GB of ram installed, minus 128MB for On-board video.

John likes to play web based Flash games; He notices when he plays these games the CPU usage is at 100%.

He also knows that his Motherboard is supposed to have HD compatibility, Yet when he trys to play HD format movies on his computer they will not play, they just lag, John is really puzzled to why this is happening.

John is unsure how to go about getting these problems solved, Should he get more ram and a video card, John thinks maybe this is a good idea but does not know if it will fix or help the 100% CPU usage problem or not, what should john do, what advice would you give him?"

Basically I'm John and I'm having these exact problems and I want to know, If i upgrade from 1GB ram to 2 to 4 and get a 512MB to a 1GB video card, will these problems still remain??

 

Sure wouldn't hurt. Your machine would thank you for it.

 

I agree , Just wanted to be sure before i go wasting a lot of money just to find out that i can't Improve it much more and the problem will most likely remain because it's a Pentium 4 machine.

 

not to be an *** but, lol.. That was a good answer; but didn't really tell me what i wanted to know.

 

Just watched Alvin and the Chipmunks DVD on my machine with NO lag or skip.
FYI, it's a P4 3.0GHz with 1GB RAM and the onboard graphics.
Have you ensured that you have the latest VGA drivers for your machine?

 

I'm pretty sure i have the proper and latest drivers, I installed the drivers from the disc that came with my Mother board

Maybe it has something to do with my CPU, Intel Pentium 4 2.8GHZ CPU SL6S4. It just sucks? lol.

Should i be having these problems with the specs I have?? =S

 

To play HD video you also need "good internet speed" to stream this quality. A further consideration is you need a Video Card (or IGP) that is capable of "rendering" HD quality and finally you need a monitor unit the can "display" this quality (normally HDMI capable Video Card to HDMI capable Monitor). Although system RAM may assist with the problem unless the above 3 parameters are met you wont see HD.

 

Btw when i say HD, I mean AC3, x264, h264...ect..
My internet speed is great, "Cable" and I don't watch videos web based via youtube for example, I download via torrent and play using, Vlc, Mplayer clasic or SMplayer.

 

I have cable internet, I could get a video card eventually if you believe it'd help solve my problem, My monitor is an OLD!!!! Gateway ev700- old bulky style monitor.

What about my other problem, 100% cpu usage when i play web base flash game apps?

You have a P4, do you get 100% CPU usage while playing those types of games as well?
I Upgraded my board to try to get away from this, but no change really...

 

Maybe if i upgrade my CPU (Already have my eye on one) from the 2.8 GHZ 533 fsb to 3.2 GHZ 800mhz bus; maybe that'd help a lot; it does seem like it's a cpu problem..

 

You haven't got a chance of seeing HD on this beast!

But i would recommend you get a new graphics card,

If you like give me hint on your budget and i will look for a good card for you.

But you should also look into a new monitor!!

Burrell

 

Biogenesis DO NOT spend much money on parts locked into the old form factor because you will never get any form of return, e.g. DDR, AGP, PGA478, IDE, etc.

 

well My new board May be a P4 socket 478, BUT it does have DDR2, PCI-E and SATA.

 

That's a nice PGA478 mobo I must say, the older model had DDR and AGP a bit like dragging large concrete blocks around behind a 4cyl car.

 

Yeah i nottice a HUGE diff with this board, Maybe even a bigger diff if and when i replace the 2.8GHZ 533FSB with the 3.2GHZ 800FSB CPU and stick some more ram in and get a pci-e video card, id think it should be able to handle s.u.n (soul of the ultimate nation) Decently then.

 

I wish i had a better overclocking tool for it though, the one that came with the board only overclocks to 213MHZ max.

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/7553/60551075.jpg

Don't laugh at me for trying to overclock a P4.. lol!

 

I must have missed the crossover. I thought this thread was for 3ntity.

 

Ouch.....good point sry OP didn't mean to be a Hijacker.

Bio.......ROFL.

 

I am entity, lol. As for laughing at me for overclocking a p4 board, well.... maybe you should give biostar a good laugh for including a overclocking program on the software disc. lol.

 

Hey Bio. I had that board awhile back! Well a version of that board anyway. That little over clocking tool is kinda wimpy (yeah, I used it) If the kink to newegg was your board anyway. I ain't had enough sleep these last few dayz! Here's a few Link about your board for ya to reed up on. Mine had the 3.4 CPU with 1.5 gb of memory....
http://forums.tweaktown.com/f19/does-anyone-know-if-biostar-p4m900m4-mobo-will-support-processor-26531/
http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/mb-Biostar/P4M900-M4_6.x.html
http://www.motherboardpro.com/BIOSTAR-P4M900-M4-Motherboard-VIA-P4M900-Intel-Socket-478-Micro-ATX-p-424.html

 

Not sure what your budget is but this CPU will work.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Intel-Pentium-4-3-4-GHz-Processor-Hyper-Threading-478_W0QQitemZ320470205768QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCPUs?hash=item4a9d834548
Always wanted to try this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Pentium4-3-4-3-4EE-3-4GHz-2MB-478-CPU-Extreme-Edition_W0QQitemZ300370748279QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCPUs?hash=item45ef7de377
But this is better than the first, has a 1m cache. The 512 is kinda slower.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Intel-Pentium-4-3-4-GHz-1-M-800-MHz-478-HT-Prescott-CPU_W0QQitemZ320471685045QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Components?hash=item4a9d99d7b5

 

-I am kinda bored so I DownLoaded your MB manual. Reading over it you MAY be able to use the 3.4 Extreme Edition. BUT I can't find one anywhere that someone doesn't want a arm and a leg for it!

 

which one's the best, the nearly $300.00 one? lol

 

I don't know why but in Australia we seem to have a lot more PC For Sale forums and can get older hardware at very reasonable prices ($30-50AUD) for whole P4 systems.

One of my favourites is OCAU (Overclockers Australia Forums) as many of these people always want to have the latest and greatest they sell their older gear at very reasonable prices and often just give away older PCs to the first in.

All I have found so far in the US is Tigerdirect and Newegg snapping up the old govt PCs and then doing their mark-ups for on-selling so older systems are still $250+.

 

I wouldn't waste money on the $300 one! But the Intel Pentium 4 3.4 GHz 1 M 800 MHz 478 HT Prescott CPU should work. The $300 is a Extreme Edition and unless you have the MB that you can REALLY overclock, wouldn't be worth it.

 

Do you think id see major improvement with the 3.4 ghz 1 M 800 MHz 478 HT Prescott ? My computer still seems to choke up on some small things.

current cpu is 2.8GHZ 533FSB, 512kb cache.

 

In a word. YA! But before you go out and buy all kinds of stuff figure out what you want for the upgrades (RAM-CPU-Video Card) and it may be the same amount as a new computer.

 

kinda late for that, lol. If anything I'll build this one up and sell it, id rather just build this one up for now anyway, probably the best option for me.

I'm thinking about getting this ram for the biostar board, would it work??

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145590&cm_re=CORSAIR_2GB_240-Pin_DDR2_SDRAM_DDR2-_-20-145-590-_-Product

 

I can't say much. I have had old computers that I played with,spent more than I should have just to see. But to your ram... kinda overkill for your copmuter but it will work. What EXACTLY do you want to do? Here's some from crucial a bit cheaper...http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=P4M900-M4

What power supply do you have?

 

Wait, you're not telling me that this Mo/bo can't handle the Max 4gb like it says it can in the item specs on new egg and in the book i got with the board are you??

What do i want to do?
I want to be able to play some of my games like S.u.n, Soul of the ultimate nation with out lag and or 100% CPU usage, That's all i ask out of a computer; seems kinda impossible though with out having to go duo core -.-
BUT the specs for sun state the following.

CPU: Pentium 4 1.8GHz or higher
Memory: 512 MB or higher
Graphics Card:
Geforce TI4200 or higher
Radeon 9200 or higher
Video Memory 128M or higher
OS:Windows 2000, XP, VISTA
HDD: 3GB or more [Swap & Temp Files Included]
DirectX: Direct X 9.0c or higher

Recommended specs :
CPU: Pentium 4 3.0 GHz or higher
Memory: 1GB or higher
Graphics Card:
Geforce 6200 or higher
Radeon 9600 or higher
Video Memory 128M or higher
OS: Windows 2000, XP, VISTA
HDD:3GB or more [Swap & Temp Files Included]
DirectX: Direct X 9.0c or higher

But somehow i have a feeling even if i do meet those requirements with my current P4 board I'll still get 100% cpu usage and my system will choke like crazy when I play games like s.u.n.

 

I don't know what I'm doing wrong but it must be something pretty bad cause there's loads of people who run that game with single cores..

 

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7586_102-0.html?messageID=3224124&tag=forum-w;forums06#3224124

 

It will take 4 gb but not sure if it will useall of it. ANd more mem and a decent card will pull some load off the CPU. But don't expect a miricle! Not gonna go from 100% CPU to like 5-10%. But every bit will help.

 

Any 32-bit (x86) Windows will only use about 3.5Gb of 4Gb. Don't know all the technical reasons but that's just the way they handle memory. 64-bit Windows will see and use all memory. I have 8Gb in my AMD Phenom II setup, Win 7 x64 can use all of it. I dual boot this system Win7x64/XP Pro x86. XP only sees about 3.5 Gb.

Also try www.3BTech.net . They have a lot of older CPUs/mobo/memory/vidcards. That's where I got my P4M900-M4 from.

Sam

 

I don't care as long as it's not 100% anymore, even 75 - 80% would be nice! Seriously I get 100% just running Farmville on face book. =/

Sounds like biostar are a bunch of idiots or just tryin to rip ppl off, If it wont do 4GB then they shouldn't of put it in the specs, I'm half tempted to send the board back and tell them to shove the Pos and stop false advertising.
Will it even do 3GB? LOL. Here's a question i should really be asking, Did they lie about the 800MHZ FSB as well???? This board pisses me off more and more, first i find out it wont do HD because they failed to include HD Video support along with the HD Audio which is a joke; Now all of this.

Note: 3.5 GB, That's not bad at all But like i said, will this board even do that much?

 

Windows 32 bit will use about 3.5Gb that's just how 32bit memory architecture works. Now if you install 4Gb AND you're using shared memory for onboard video you'll have 3.5 minus what amount is shared. It's not Biostar's fault, it's 32-bit memory addressing that's the limiter. I wish I had saved a link I once had explaining how and why 32-bit memory architecture works.

Now if you're using a SL6S4 that's a 533Mhz CPU.

Sam

 

Yeah, I kinda Already knew about the 32bit OS not showing or using a whole 4 GB, more like what you said, 3.5, and in my case minus what ever i'm using for on-board video, until i get a video card which i plan on doing. As long as this thing will show and use a full 3 GB if i install 4, that's reasonable.

Yeah, I'm using a 533MHZ FSB CPU, I plan on getting a 3.2 or 3.4 800MHZ FSB CPU, That should make some difference along with a video card and memory upgrade, but If i still get 100% CPU usage after all that and my games just lag to hell, I'll probably be giving my PC Flying lessons. :-D

 

Bio- In general how does that P4M900-M4 behave? I have a SL6S4 coming to get mine up and running. It's just going to be a web-surfer/light media-streamer in our guest bedroom for the grand-kids (ages 3-6) to use when they visit.

Would have been nice if the P4 I had from that Dell worked in it but $25 wasn't too bad for the SL6S4 on eBay. Got some old parts I can get rid of on eBay or Craig'sList to recoup that cost anyway.

Also I've doing some looking on Newegg and they have some mobo/cpu combo deals with low cost AMD or Intel dual cores that run in the $90-$110 range so if the different P4 doesn't work for me I may get one of those.

Sam

 

For basic usage it runs GREAT couldn't ask for more, other than the time between boot screen and when the windows xp screen pops up it takes forever. I know my sisters kids around that age like web based games, you may run into a problem there cause running farmville on this thing spikes CPU usage to 100%.

I have some old parts too, can't list them on e-bay due to lack of funds, Got em on Craigs list but No luck and it's been about a week.

A duo core would be nice but id rather not jump into the cheapest i can get because what i end up with might not be a whole lot better than my P4 system.

 

On eBay, I have my eye on a Gateway
E=4100 with a 3.4GHz P4 HT (800 FSB) with 1GB RAM. 2 days left and current bid is $61. Free shipping.

 

Yeah 2 of our systems run Biostar boards. My setup is a TA790GX-128m with an AMD Phenom II X3-720BE 2.8Ghz triple core. That one takes a good 20-30 seconds before Win 7 starts to load. I disabled the Biostar splash screen so it shows the AMI screen and it seems to take a good 20 sec while it "initializes USB controllers". Our living room PC (hooked to our TV for streaming and movies I've ripped to the hard drive) is a Biostar K8NHA Grand running an Athlon 64 3400+. That one is much faster getting to Win 7 loading than my newer board.

One of the grandkids was here for a week over Xmas and was on the Nick Jr web site a lot using my wife's Inspiron 8500. The interactive stuff ran OK (P4 2Ghz, 2Gb, only 32mb video) so I figure the P4M900-M4 setup will be a little better than that.

Sam

 

I thought the P4M900-M4 would be a lot better than the HP Pavilion 504n I had but SO FAR it isn't really.. I got PCI-E with the new board unlike the old one, The old one has a DDR-1GB max ram, and Max CPU at 2.5GHZ/400MHZ FSB. On-board video fried, I was using a PCI-Nvidia Geforce FX5200 256MB video card.

The P4M900-M4 has a max DDR2-4GB, and as far as i know take up to 3.4GHZ P4's 800MHZ FSB..

My current specs,
P4M900-M4 Motherboard, 1GB DDR2 667MHZ Minus 256mb For the onboard video ram, so that's 768mb Ram. CPU: Intel Pentium 4 2.8GHZ/533FSB SL6S4.

CPU: http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SL6S4
Mo/bo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138079
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146580


Comparatively the specs for the biostar board is a huge upgrade from the HP, but like i said SO far the performance is about the same, Cept with the HP my games were a bit more playable.