Fess up! Simming...and the machine.....

[Dr. Anthony J. Lomenzo]

OK, fess up, your video card fan...when is the last time you actually
checked it with regard to the small cooling muffin fan actually
turning!? Well? When? Fess up! If you have, as most folks do, a 'tower'
case set-up, then that decent bucks video card is no doubt facing
'downwards' .... and you can't normally see the fan, yes? Well, I'm here
to tell you to get a small mirror and check it! Mine, when I looked,
brought memories of reading Shackleton when the 'Endurance' became beset
in the Weddel Sea at the South Pole! The small on-board video muffin fan
was sooooooo full of dust and grit that it was frozen solid! 'Beset' as
Sir Ernie would say! THAT, inter alia, perhaps explained those periodic
system halts! Comment: check the fan [in fact take a few moments and
check ALL the fans in the system!] and even when you see it turning and
doing its thing, get out the old toothbrush and clean it! CAUTION on
that air can zap because the gas residue can cause component problems
and NEVER use an air can on a system fan while the system is running!
Never! Don't ask! :-(


And this for which I award myself the yoyo of the hour award. :-( An
amigo went to that P4 top o' the line 3.06 gig CPU and that new 'hyper'
memory with the 2.5 CAS speed and fancy cooler covers and so that left
his now used [pardon...make that 'pre-owned'] P4 2.8 gig 533 Mhz FSB CPU
[which my mobo would accept short of another BIOS hit to make the thing
3.06 ready but I'm not a great fan of changing the BIOS as there are too
many horror stories of BIOS upgrades going sour....] and 1 gig [two
512MB sticks] 3.0 CAS PC-3200 DDR memory and I got both for a great deal
to use on m work machine. Hey, the price was right! Why not!

Now...the work machine was using a P4 2.4B gig 533 MHz FSB with PC2100
DDR memory and a SOYO P4X400 Ultra Platinum mobo and I 'assumed' [BIG
ERROR!] that the machine/BIOS set internal multiplier for the 2.4B would
remain the same [*Ohhhh the pain for that assumption!] thing for the 2.8
gig 533 FSB CPU update and so when the 2.8 fired up with the 'machine'
and hence BIOS doing the multiplier math, so to speak, and which is NOT
shown [the multiplier] in SOYO mobo systems, well then, 'I' then
calculated an 'approximation' of the OLD multiplier of what 'I' thought
[based on the OLD machine 2.4B gig CPU multiplier] would come close to
the new 2.8 gig CPU and ....and.....after clicking OK to set and save
the BIOS settings....WHAM! Knocked the entire system out cold! Forget
blue screen....try full black screen...absolutely nada! Panic!


Cutting to the chase...MANY hours later....and a now corrupted BIOS but
later a virtual miracle that the thing finally took a re-flash of the
BIOS using DOS and discs! Comment: When you install an updated CPU in
your system...assume ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Some motherboards have their
own internal way of calculating the FSB multiplier so when the machine
starts up with the new CPU, do NOT fiddle with the BIOS page but rather
go into Windows and run one of your system data info programs and see
what the 'program' says as to your current CPU speed! THEN, if you wish,
you can 'cautiously' tinker with the BIOS FSB adjustment page.

This too....if you really don't know how these things tick when that
updated memory goes in and you're asked in the BIOS pages all manner of
'manually' [read: user set] set memory settings on the BIOS page --or--
'manual' set FSB multiplier CPU stuff, hey, until you've got the ear or
presence of a tech or at least a person who 'does' savvy the stuff [and
what can go wrong] or indeed, enough savvy [and in some cases, 'nerve']
to proceed after BIOS tinkerings, consider the generally prudent setting
of "SPD" which essentially lets the 'machine' decide the timings and
speeds. Run a check too! Sometimes the 'SPD' setting is just as decent
[read: fast] as countless tinkerings with 'manual' memory timings and
settings! Run a read/write memory speed test in Windows and compare your
'manual' user-set tinkerings with that of 'SPD' or machine set settings!

And then...unless you're an expert, be VERY, V E R Y careful of ever
changing or indeed even touching the motherboard 'voltage' settings for
the motherboard, the CPU, the video card and the memory! Present day
machines allow much user tinkerings within the BIOS pages but this is
also a dangerous waters area if you don't have the savvy! One small
error there [voltage tinkerings] can VERY QUICKLY do intense damage or
fry the stuff right there and then! Then you'll weep! It happens!
Voltage settings NOT as forgiving as the other BIOS user-set tinkerings!
And be realistic! If your memory has a rated CAS [memory timing speed]
of 3.0, hey, if you simply 'must' tinker/experiment in that 'manual'
[read: user set] BIOS area, be 'grateful' if you get the memory working
at a CAS of ONE HALF-STEP LOWER THAN THE RATED CAS [generally one 'CAS'
setting down] because setting it 'too' low [for an even faster memory
latency timing speed a la 2.0 ] can 'zap' the system or corrupt the
machine BIOS...THEN you have big problems! It just may NOT recover!

Just passing it on.... .

Doc Tony

[Dr. Anthony J. Lomenzo]

ADDENDUM!

Much good input via email came in on this one...plus a few admitted
horror stories [hey, who doesn't have a horror story or two to relate
with these electronic gizmos?!] ---anyway--- and for further input
benefit, email or public, I'd like to hear from those simmers who use
the UDMA 100 or 133 ATA IDE hard drives for their simming VERSUS the newer
SERIAL ATA hard drives. The latter of course requiring a special 'SATA'
[serial] controller and power wires. Anyone for comment on the
differences? Better? Worse? The same?

BTW, and with regard to UDMA 100 versus UDMA 133 on the IDE HD's, I can
see no difference in speed whatsoever between the 100 vs 133 UDMA
speeds. As for 'serial' ATA drives, dunno! Anyone? Or, for that matter,
the RAID array [minimum of 2 drives with each having the identical gig
capacity and related specs....supposedly the system can then draw from
'both' drives and it's supposed to be faster...dunno!] --and if using a
RAID array, well then, results wise, is it better, worse, no difference?
Anyone? My mobo is RAID equipped but I've not used it thus far because
the RAID set-ups [not to mention the minimum required extra two HD's]
can get confusing at best and I'm not sure if there is any great
advantage in terms of simming needs using a RAID array versus the usual
non-Raid set-up.

For example, I would assume [Ohhh-ohh!] that any HD problem in 'one' of
the RAID array drives [*my understanding [bottom line translation:
dunno!]is that the RAID array can handle up to four HD's although each
two or 'pair' of same must be identical in HD specs] would de facto
cause the 'entire' RAID array to be affected and thus cause problems,
yes...no? Any input would be appreciated. Post in RAS or via email.

And this...have you noticed certain avionics gauges suddenly or, worse,
periodically during flight, disappearing in the sims or a sudden black
patch area of any size with no graphics whatsoever? Check that high end
video card for the 'performance' settings where in some systems [*Note I
say 'systems' and not 'video cards' because what I've found is that
various video probs are not necessarily due to the video card per se BUT
rather the uniqueness of each 'individual' system in toto and its user
decided myriad of stuff contained within the system and thus all those
things impacting on the system 'as a whole' which then explains why some
folks with the 'identical' video card seem to have no or at least very
minor video problems while others are plagued with video problems and
hence what 'their' individual system does or does not do to the card
when everything [including behind the scenes so to speak] begins to
interact!]--anyway-- watch that 'maximum quality' setting which tends to
cause problems in some systems whereas 'max performance' may be better
but then too for each 'extra' max-like setting or that anti-aliasing or
advanced 'anti-whatever' filtering and user set gradations therein, you
WILL take a video hit in overall performance.

Ditto the monitor resolution settings and, I'll add, an often neglected
area to check when video problems hit...the setting of the monitor
'refresh rate' with some users insisting on setting the refresh rate to
the absolute max [or opting for the 'optimal' refresh rate setting which
may or may NOT be the best one!] for which the monitor is rated for and
will not settle for anything less than the max refresh rate 'but' that
can cause its own set of problems when you get into the higher screen
'resolutions'! Hey, who said getting the best possible 'visual' flight
was easy?


Doc Tony





Dr. Anthony J. Lomenzo wrote:[i]
>
> OK, fess up, your video card fan...when is the last time you actually
> checked it with regard to the small cooling muffin fan actually
> turning!? Well? When? Fess up! If you have, as most folks do, a 'tower'
> case set-up, then that decent bucks video card is no doubt facing
> 'downwards' .... and you can't normally see the fan, yes? Well, I'm here
> to tell you to get a small mirror and check it! Mine, when I looked,
> brought memories of reading Shackleton when the 'Endurance' became beset
> in the Weddel Sea at the South Pole! The small on-board video muffin fan
> was sooooooo full of dust and grit that it was frozen solid! 'Beset' as
> Sir Ernie would say! THAT, inter alia, perhaps explained those periodic
> system halts! Comment: check the fan [in fact take a few moments and
> check ALL the fans in the system!] and even when you see it turning and
> doing its thing, get out the old toothbrush and clean it! CAUTION on
> that air can zap because the gas residue can cause component problems
> and NEVER use an air can on a system fan while the system is running!
> Never! Don't ask! :-(
>
>
> And this for which I award myself the yoyo of the hour award. :-( An
> amigo went to that P4 top o' the line 3.06 gig CPU and that new 'hyper'
> memory with the 2.5 CAS speed and fancy cooler covers and so that left
> his now used [pardon...make that 'pre-owned'] P4 2.8 gig 533 Mhz FSB CPU
> [which my mobo would accept short of another BIOS hit to make the thing
> 3.06 ready but I'm not a great fan of changing the BIOS as there are too
> many horror stories of BIOS upgrades going sour....] and 1 gig [two
> 512MB sticks] 3.0 CAS PC-3200 DDR memory and I got both for a great deal
> to use on m work machine. Hey, the price was right! Why not!
>
> Now...the work machine was using a P4 2.4B gig 533 MHz FSB with PC2100
> DDR memory and a SOYO P4X400 Ultra Platinum mobo and I 'assumed' [BIG
> ERROR!] that the machine/BIOS set internal multiplier for the 2.4B would
> remain the same [*Ohhhh the pain for that assumption!] thing for the 2.8
> gig 533 FSB CPU update and so when the 2.8 fired up with the 'machine'
> and hence BIOS doing the multiplier math, so to speak, and which is NOT
> shown [the multiplier] in SOYO mobo systems, well then, 'I' then
> calculated an 'approximation' of the OLD multiplier of what 'I' thought
> [based on the OLD machine 2.4B gig CPU multiplier] would come close to
> the new 2.8 gig CPU and ....and.....after clicking OK to set and save
> the BIOS settings....WHAM! Knocked the entire system out cold! Forget
> blue screen....try full black screen...absolutely nada! Panic!
>
>
> Cutting to the chase...MANY hours later....and a now corrupted BIOS but
> later a virtual miracle that the thing finally took a re-flash of the
> BIOS using DOS and discs! Comment: When you install an updated CPU in
> your system...assume ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Some motherboards have their
> own internal way of calculating the FSB multiplier so when the machine
> starts up with the new CPU, do NOT fiddle with the BIOS page but rather
> go into Windows and run one of your system data info programs and see
> what the 'program' says as to your current CPU speed! THEN, if you wish,
> you can 'cautiously' tinker with the BIOS FSB adjustment page.
>
> This too....if you really don't know how these things tick when that
> updated memory goes in and you're asked in the BIOS pages all manner of
> 'manually' [read: user set] set memory settings on the BIOS page --or--
> 'manual' set FSB multiplier CPU stuff, hey, until you've got the ear or
> presence of a tech or at least a person who 'does' savvy the stuff [and
> what can go wrong] or indeed, enough savvy [and in some cases, 'nerve']
> to proceed after BIOS tinkerings, consider the generally prudent setting
> of "SPD" which essentially lets the 'machine' decide the timings and
> speeds. Run a check too! Sometimes the 'SPD' setting is just as decent
> [read: fast] as countless tinkerings with 'manual' memory timings and
> settings! Run a read/write memory speed test in Windows and compare your
> 'manual' user-set tinkerings with that of 'SPD' or machine set settings!
>
> And then...unless you're an expert, be VERY, V E R Y careful of ever
> changing or indeed even touching the motherboard 'voltage' settings for
> the motherboard, the CPU, the video card and the memory! Present day
> machines allow much user tinkerings within the BIOS pages but this is
> also a dangerous waters area if you don't have the savvy! One small
> error there [voltage tinkerings] can VERY QUICKLY do intense damage or
> fry the stuff right there and then! Then you'll weep! It happens!
> Voltage settings NOT as forgiving as the other BIOS user-set tinkerings!
> And be realistic! If your memory has a rated CAS [memory timing speed]
> of 3.0, hey, if you simply 'must' tinker/experiment in that 'manual'
> [read: user set] BIOS area, be 'grateful' if you get the memory working
> at a CAS of ONE HALF-STEP LOWER THAN THE RATED CAS [generally one 'CAS'
> setting down] because setting it 'too' low [for an even faster memory
> latency timing speed a la 2.0 ] can 'zap' the system or corrupt the
> machine BIOS...THEN you have big problems! It just may NOT recover!
>
> Just passing it on.... .
>
> Doc Tony
>