50% CPU results with E8400 at 3ghz

[joewalch]

Hi

I am receiving around 50% results for a new intel e8400 CPU.

System setup:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 @ 3GHz
Mobo: Inno3d SL7N73UM GeForce 7150 + nForce630i (MCP73U)
Bios version 1.1 (cannot find an updated bios from Inno3d)
GPU: Nvidia Quadro NVS 440

All drivers up to date. Bios is running on automatic at 1333 fsb, 800mhz RAM

Results for CPU test are as follows:

PassMark(TM) PerformanceTest 6.1 (http://www.passmark.com)
Results generated on: 03 June 2008

Benchmark Results
Test Name: This Computer
CPU - Integer Math: 191.1
CPU - Floating Point Math: 734.5
CPU - Find Prime Numbers: 734.8
CPU - SSE/3DNow!: 4773.8
CPU - Compression: 4859.2
CPU - Encryption: 27.9
CPU - Image Rotation: 930.7
CPU - String Sorting: 3411.7
CPU Mark: 1362.1
PassMark Rating: 367.8
System information: This Computer
CPU Manufacturer: GenuineIntel
Number of CPU: 1
(2 Core(s)/CPU, 1 Logical(s)/Core)
CPU Type: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00GHz
CPU Speed: 1999.8 MHz
Cache size: 6144KB
O/S: Windows XP (WIN32)
Total RAM: 2046.4 MB.
Available RAM: 1572.4 MB.
Video settings: 1280x1024x32
Video driver:
DESCRIPTION: NVIDIA Quadro NVS 440
MANUFACTURER: Quadro NVS 440
BIOS: Version 5.43.02.88.03
DATE: 11/03/05
Drive Letter: C
Total Disk Space: 100.0 GBytes
Cluster Size: 4.0 KBytes
File system: NTFS


Thanks.

[joewalch]

Sorry , does anyone know why this would be?

[David (PassMark)]

Your CPU scrore seems to be about 30% too low. You didn't post the other scores so I can't comment on the other benchmarks. Except to say the Quadro NVS 440 is a low performance video card if you are interested in 3D.

Check in the Edit / Preferences window in PerformanceTest. Make sure you have 2 or more processes set.

Check the CPU is not over heating and throttling down.

Make sure you have nothing else running in the background (or as little as possible). Repeat the test run a few time in case there was something using up CPU time now and then.

[joewalch]

Thanks for the reply.

I have tried the test a number of times, ensuring the processes is at 2 and there is little difference. Indeed with 4 processes it is worse.

What is unusual is that I have installed and run Speedfan, which worked previous to this processor being installed, and this now hangs and will not finish loading?

I am concerned that the processor may be faulty. Any ideas?

Also I am aware that the quadro is a low power GPU. I do not need high powered graphics, I run music software.

[joewalch]

Some progress.....

I have changed the CPU multiplier manually rather than using the optimal defaults setting. (changed from value "6" to "9")

The results are improved as follows:

PassMark(TM) PerformanceTest 6.1 (http://www.passmark.com)
Results generated on: 04 June 2008

Benchmark Results
Test Name: This Computer
CPU - Integer Math: 289.2
CPU - Floating Point Math: 1106.4
CPU - Find Prime Numbers: 795.8
CPU - SSE/3DNow!: 7282.5
CPU - Compression: 7354.6
CPU - Encryption: 41.9
CPU - Image Rotation: 1404.8
CPU - String Sorting: 4665.2
CPU Mark: 1990.0
PassMark Rating: 537.3
System information: This Computer
CPU Manufacturer: GenuineIntel
Number of CPU: 1
(2 Core(s)/CPU, 1 Logical(s)/Core)
CPU Type: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00GHz
CPU Speed: 2999.5 MHz
Cache size: 6144KB
O/S: Windows XP (WIN32)
Total RAM: 2046.4 MB.
Available RAM: 1627.1 MB.
Video settings: 1280x1024x32
Video driver:
DESCRIPTION: NVIDIA Quadro NVS 440
MANUFACTURER: Quadro NVS 440
BIOS: Version 5.43.02.88.03
DATE: 11/03/05
Drive Letter: C
Total Disk Space: 100.0 GBytes
Cluster Size: 4.0 KBytes
File system: NTFS

Some values are still lower:

Prime Numbers
String sorting




Any idea why? Should I be using an updated bios? More importantly is there any indication that the processor has a fault?

[DavidB]

I don't know anything about your mobo, but does it have something like the Intel SpeedStep on it? If so, that could be throttling down the CPU.

The other thing that occurred to me... you mentioned that SpeedFan was working ok until you installed the new CPU. Does that mean you had a PC in which everything was installed and you replaced the CPU?

If so, I know that sometimes Windows (whatever edition) sometimes gets confused if it finds a different CPU to the one that was present when it was installed. This can cause all sorts of problems.

[joewalch]

I have now reinstalled windows XP and acheived a 30% increase in all CPU areas. Thanks for your help.

Moral of the story - reinstall with a new CPU!


Test Name: This Computer
CPU - Integer Math: 287.7
CPU - Floating Point Math: 1107.4
CPU - Find Prime Numbers: 1095.5
CPU - SSE/3DNow!: 7148.3
CPU - Compression: 7307.1
CPU - Encryption: 42.0
CPU - Image Rotation: 1399.2
CPU - String Sorting: 5133.3
CPU Mark: 2042.5
PassMark Rating: 551.5
System information: This Computer
CPU Manufacturer: GenuineIntel
Number of CPU: 1
(2 Core(s)/CPU, 1 Logical(s)/Core)
CPU Type: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00GHz
CPU Speed: 2999.3 MHz
Cache size: 6144KB
O/S: Windows XP (WIN32)
Total RAM: 2046.4 MB.
Available RAM: 1654.0 MB.
Video settings: 1280x1024x32
Video driver:
DESCRIPTION: NVIDIA Quadro NVS 440
MANUFACTURER: Quadro NVS 440
BIOS: Version 5.43.02.88.03
DATE: 11/03/05
Drive Letter: C
Total Disk Space: 100.0 GBytes
Cluster Size: 4.0 KBytes
File system: NTFS

[SilverWS602]

I don't know anything about your mobo, but does it have something like the Intel SpeedStep on it? If so, that could be throttling down the CPU.

The other thing that occurred to me... you mentioned that SpeedFan was working ok until you installed the new CPU. Does that mean you had a PC in which everything was installed and you replaced the CPU?

If so, I know that sometimes Windows (whatever edition) sometimes gets confused if it finds a different CPU to the one that was present when it was installed. This can cause all sorts of problems.

Speedstep only throttles down when the cpu is idle... I've had it enabled on all my intel chips (e6600, q6600, q9450) and never had an issue with low scores.