3DMark06 Scores?

Noc0de · 5 Jul 2007 at 13:40

Hi All

I'm a bit concerned by 3DMark06 scores are a bit poop for my system.

I've got a:

Q6600 @ Stock
8800 GTX @ Stock
Gigabyte P35C-DS3R
4GB PC8500 @ 800Mhz
Windows Vista 64Bit

I'm getting:

3DMark Score 9140 3DMarks
SM 2.0 Score 3727 Marks
SM 3.0 Score 4046 Marks
CPU Score 2736 Marks

I don't think this score is particularly good for my system even if it is only running at stock. Also, the CPU score seems pretty low? The CPU test looks to run like a complete dog, whilst the graphics tests look to run fairly smoothly.

I'm running all the latest drivers for the mobo (chipset, sata, lan etc) which I downloaded from the gigabyte webpage, I'm also running the ForceWare 158.24 drivers.

Any thoughts? Is this score poop? Is there an issue with the CPU score?

I do plan to overclock, but I've literally only just built this system and finished installing all the latest drivers, so I was going to leave it a while before I do. I would have thought stocks speeds to have been faster though?

Anyone got a similar system on Vista 64Bit to compare with?

paradigm · 5 Jul 2007 at 13:47

Noc0de said:
I don't think this score is particularly good for my system even if it is only running at stock. Also, the CPU score seems pretty low? The CPU test looks to run like a complete dog, whilst the graphics tests look to run fairly smoothly.

Any thoughts? Is this score poop? Is there an issue with the CPU score?

The overall score, IS low. My X2 3800+, 1GB PC3200 DDR, HD 2900XT gets me just under 9100 marks.

The CPU test however IS meant to run choppily, all the graphics you see there are rendered in software on the CPU, not touching the GPU at all, even the fastest machines out there in 3dmark06 land are only attaining under 4fps.

However, a standard Core2 Quad should be hitting 4000~ CPU points.

chaparral · 5 Jul 2007 at 13:47

edit...sorry didn't notice the cpu was a Quad..

Noc0de · 5 Jul 2007 at 13:53

So is it just the CPU scores that are looking low?

Is it possible my CPU is throttling and if so, why?

paradigm · 5 Jul 2007 at 14:32

I doubt your processor is throttling back, although without monitoring your temperatures during a 3dmark06 loop its hard to say for sure.

I'd make sure all my drivers were up to date, and give it another run, oh and turn off speedstep if you haven't already.

If scores are still low, and temps aren't stupidly high, try installing XP or Vista 32 on a spare HDD and see if the score rockets.

dunker · 5 Jul 2007 at 15:11

looks a bit slow to me, e6600@stock 8800gts640meg"oc"@stock - 9100'ish

Noc0de · 5 Jul 2007 at 16:18

Hmmm, I've just been looking at my CPU in Everest:

and

I don't think the CPU looks hot enough to be throttling.

The multiplier seems to be 6 x 266 (1596Mhz), and when stressing it a bit seems to go to 7 x 266 (1862Mhz) but doesn't seem to hit 9 x 266 (2394Mhz) to reach it's 2.4Ghz stock speed.

I had a look in my BIOS for the "CPU EIST Function" which is apparently the SpeedStep option but it's not there and the mobo manual says it should be.

Any thoughts? I wonder if I'm getting poop results because my CPU is running a lot lower than it should be?

Help

Richdog · 5 Jul 2007 at 16:20

Looks like throttling... just scour the BIOS until you find the right option, there will be something you've missed if the CPU is dropping the multiplier that low.

Noc0de · 5 Jul 2007 at 16:31

The only things I can see are these 2:

CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)
Enables or disables Intel CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E) function, a CPU power-saving function in system halt state. When enabled, the CPU core frequency and voltage will be reduced system halt state to decrease power consumption. (Default: Enabled).

CPU Thermal Monitor 2 (TM2)
Enables or disables Intel CPU Thermal Monitor (TM2) function, a CPU overheating protection function. When enabled, the CPU core frequency and voltage will be reduced when the CPU is overheated. (Default: Enabled).

---

I'd be suprised if I have to disable both of these? The first one sounds to only decrease the frequency and not the multiplier. The second one sounds like a good idea to have enabled, but I don't think my CPU temps are high enough to bring this to bear.

Richdog · 5 Jul 2007 at 16:38

Noc0de said:
The only things I can see are these 2:

CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)
Enables or disables Intel CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E) function, a CPU power-saving function in system halt state. When enabled, the CPU core frequency and voltage will be reduced system halt state to decrease power consumption. (Default: Enabled).

CPU Thermal Monitor 2 (TM2)
Enables or disables Intel CPU Thermal Monitor (TM2) function, a CPU overheating protection function. When enabled, the CPU core frequency and voltage will be reduced when the CPU is overheated. (Default: Enabled).

---

I'd be suprised if I have to disable both of these? The first one sounds to only decrease the frequency and not the multiplier. The second one sounds like a good idea to have enabled, but I don't think my CPU temps are high enough to bring this to bear.

lol... at least disable the second one... that's throttling you numpty.

paradigm · 5 Jul 2007 at 16:41

Richdog said:
lol... at least disable the second one... that's throttling you numpty.

NO! The second one is thermal throttling, leave that ON.

Disable the first one, C1E = EIST

EDIT: In regards to "altering the frequency and not the multiplier", the way it changes overall frequency IS to change the multiplier, the CPU has no control over FSB speeds.

Noc0de · 5 Jul 2007 at 16:46

Yeah, I was a bit reluctant to turn anything off that might throttle upon temperature alone, simply because it looks like TM2 will throttle if u start to cook your CPU which is a good thing. I can't envisage it would ever throttle on stock speeds, particularly if my temps aren't that high (which they shouldn't be on stock).

I'll try turning the C1E off though and see if that makes a difference.

Interestingly, when I looked in my BIOS it had the multiplier set to x7 so I guess thats why it was going between x6 and x7. Now I've changed the multiplier to x9 its going between x6 and x9. But as I said, I'll turn off C1E and see if it stays at x9 all the time.

Thanks for all the help so far! I'll let u know how I get on.

paradigm · 5 Jul 2007 at 16:48

Yeah, seems you had your CPU underclocked. With C1E disabled you should be at x9 100% of the time now.

Let us know how you get on.

Richdog · 5 Jul 2007 at 16:48

paradigm said:
NO! The second one is thermal throttling, leave that ON.

Why would you leave it on...? I have mine disabled and it's perfectly fine, with it on it would throttle under high stress load temps.

paradigm · 5 Jul 2007 at 16:50

Richdog said:
Why would you leave it on...? I have mine disabled and it's perfectly fine, with it on it would throttle under high stress load temps.

Why would you want your CPU to allow itself to cook itself?

You're CPU shouldn't be reaching throttling temperature if you are cooling it properly, even under 100% load. I'd leave it on for incase your CPU cooling fails.

EDIT:

Noc0de, I'd Imagine your CPU score will raise to around 3500 now that its at 266x9.

fornowagain · 5 Jul 2007 at 16:55

Richdog said:
Why would you leave it on...? I have mine disabled and it's perfectly fine, with it on it would throttle under high stress load temps.

You don't need to leave it on, its just the TM2 throttle for the TCC (thermal control circuit). It activates the signal PROCHOT# when TCC reaches zero.

paradigm said:
I'd leave it on for incase your CPU cooling fails.

There is another throttle, THERMTRIP# which can't be switched off, supposedly stops any real damage and shuts down the cpu. TCC is factory set and near the Tjmax value.

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=9378488&postcount=14

Richdog · 5 Jul 2007 at 16:55

paradigm said:
Why would you want your CPU to allow itself to cook itself?

But it won't... that's what setting the automatic shut-off temperature option is for (at least that's what I use it for anyway).

You're CPU shouldn't be reaching throttling temperature if you are cooling it properly, even under 100% load.

I think it can... especially running a quad or highly OC'd dual at high stress. And especially if your cooling isn't top of the line. What Intel considers a safe theoretical maximum operating temperature differs to what your motherboard considers a safe max before it starts throttling. My E6600 used to always throttle at relatively silly temps with throttling enabled.

fornowagain said:
You don't need to leave it on, its just the TM2 throttle for the TCC (thermal control circuit). It activates the signal PROCHOT# when TCC reaches zero. There is another throttle, THERMTRIP# which can't be switched off, supposedly stops any real damage and shuts down the cpu. TCC is factory set and near the Tjmax value.

Maybe i'm confusing it with another option in my BIOS (different names yet similar functions). Seems likely...

Noc0de · 5 Jul 2007 at 17:10

Well, I've made sure my multiplier is firmly set at x9 and that C1E is disabled.

The multiplier seems steady down at x9 and clock speed @ stock 2.4Ghz.

Here's my new results:

3DMark Score 10784 3DMarks
SM 2.0 Score 4454 Marks
SM 3.0 Score 4580 Marks
CPU Score 3436 Marks

I don't think thats too bad for Vista 64 Bit, Q6600 @ stock (2.4Ghz) and 8800 GTX @ stock?

Richdog · 5 Jul 2007 at 17:11

Noc0de said:
Well, I've made sure my multiplier is firmly set at x9 and that C1E is disabled.

The multiplier seems steady down at x9 and clock speed @ stock 2.4Ghz.

Here's my new results:

3DMark Score 10784 3DMarks
SM 2.0 Score 4454 Marks
SM 3.0 Score 4580 Marks
CPU Score 3436 Marks

I don't think thats too bad for Vista 64 Bit, Q6600 @ stock (2.4Ghz) and 8800 GTX @ stock?

Yeah that looks fine now.

What cooler do you have?

Noc0de · 5 Jul 2007 at 17:43

I've got a Noctua NH-U12F currently with one fan on it, but I've got another winging its way to me in the post

I've also got 2 x OcUK 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 PC2-8500C5 1066MHz Dual Channel Kit.

Any advice for overclocking? (as I'm clearly a n00b from my posting today so far

)