Motherboard troubles with older hardware.

[DANK_AS_gay]

Hello all!

I recently got ahold of an old Dell server/workstation INSPIRON T3400, bought a new PSU and GPU (GTX 460), and set out to get the old machine running Windows 7 for some late 2000's gaming.

Problem is, the only resolution I can run my games at is seriously undertaxing my GPU so that my 460 is being bottlenecked by my Core 2 Quad q6600. I have a motherboard with overclocking capabilities, and is officially stated by Gigabyte on their website to support SPECIFICALLY the q6600. This motherboard is tested and working with a Core 2 Duo E8400 I believe. The Motherboard is called the GA-EP45-xxxx. I forget the last few numbers, but it has 4 ram slots, a yellow and red color scheme, and a gold heatsink. LGA 775 socket, I know all of the components individually work, and together they all work except for the q6600 and this motherboard, various RAM, GPU, PSU, BIOS (the ones I could find), and SSD configs are tested working, but the q6600 refuses to boot with the motherboard. What do I do next? I am stuck looking for a solution, I have no idea what to do next. Also, Windows 7 refuses to install without corrupting, so Windows 10 is what I am forced to use for the time being with the stock DELL motherboard.

[SimplyChunk]

Support, maybe.  Run well....the GTX 460 was released 3 years after the Q6600.  I think that's where your trouble lies

[Bombastinator]

9 minutes ago, DANK_AS_gay said:

Hello all!

I recently got ahold of an old Dell server/workstation INSPIRON T3400, bought a new PSU and GPU (GTX 460), and set out to get the old machine running Windows 7 for some late 2000's gaming.

Problem is, the only resolution I can run my games at is seriously undertaxing my GPU so that my 460 is being bottlenecked by my Core 2 Quad q6600. I have a motherboard with overclocking capabilities, and is officially stated by Gigabyte on their website to support SPECIFICALLY the q6600. This motherboard is tested and working with a Core 2 Duo E8400 I believe. The Motherboard is called the GA-EP45-xxxx. I forget the last few numbers, but it has 4 ram slots, a yellow and red color scheme, and a gold heatsink. LGA 775 socket, I know all of the components individually work, and together they all work except for the q6600 and this motherboard, various RAM, GPU, PSU, BIOS (the ones I could find), and SSD configs are tested working, but the q6600 refuses to boot with the motherboard. What do I do next? I am stuck looking for a solution, I have no idea what to do next. Also, Windows 7 refuses to install without corrupting, so Windows 10 is what I am forced to use for the time being with the stock DELL motherboard.

My memory is the core2quad had weird overclocking issues and the only ones that would really do it right were some boards made specifically by intel that were expensive and hard to get.  It’s an old memory though. Details elude me.  All I remember is all the intel motherboards had skulls on them.  I bought one.  Had to wait months which is normal now but wasn’t then.

Edited August 6, 2021 by Bombastinator

[Bombastinator]

Hah! Found the box.  Intel extreme dp45sg

Edited August 6, 2021 by Bombastinator

[DANK_AS_gay]

1 minute ago, YouSirAreADudeSir said:

Support, maybe.  Run well....the GTX 460 was released 3 years after the Q6600.  I think that's where your trouble lies

I am not worried about that currently, I am running the GTX 460 intentionally, The problem is I am running the thing at 1280x800. I also said "multiple GPU configurations" this include much more appropriate cards. I am not asking about the card anyways.

[DANK_AS_gay]

8 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

Hah! Found the box.  Intel extreme dp45sg

Do you remember any other useful info? I have heard many different opinions about motherboards for the Q6600 specifically, including the mobo I have (the non-energy saver version), and ASUS boards. Do you have more info? And is it possible for me to buy that off of you if no other solution presents itself?

Edited August 6, 2021 by DANK_AS_gay

[BondiBlue]

I'm confused. Do you have two separate systems you're trying to get running?

22 minutes ago, DANK_AS_gay said:

Hello all!

I recently got ahold of an old Dell server/workstation INSPIRON T3400

Do you mean the Precision T3400?

[DANK_AS_gay]

2 minutes ago, BondiBlue said:

I'm confused. Do you have two separate systems you're trying to get running?

Do you mean the Precision T3400?

Yes, sorry. I can't keep all the DELL names straight. I have 2 systems, one is the system with the mobo in question and the E8400, the other is the upgraded DELL that came with 8GB of RAM (the original RAM), and the Q6600.

Edited August 6, 2021 by DANK_AS_gay
Not Enough Detail

[Bombastinator]

Just now, DANK_AS_gay said:

Do you remember any other useful info? I have heard many different opinions about motherboards for the Q6600 specifically, including the mobo I have (the non-energy saver version), and ASUS boards. Do you have more info? And is it possible for me to buy that off of you if no other solution presents itself?

If you’ll use it instead of resell it you can have it along with the entire machine.  It’s in my basement.  Probably pretty dusty.   I was going to freegeek it anyway. It’s my backup atm though so as soon as I upgrade my current will become my backup and you can have that one.  I’m over a year beyond what I was planning on for upgrading though.   was a decent machine for it’s day.  Not the best but not bad. Only thing I specifically remember being on it besides that board is the cpu (number began with 8.  Wasn’t too line.  Maybe second from top line) and the cooler which was a hyper212.  I thought it was a freezer7 but I recently found the freezer7 in a box.

[Bombastinator]

Wait I’m wrong.  Motherboard was in the box.  Means I have no idea what is in my basement.  No cpu in it. Also a silly little fanless video card. 
 

gotta dig the thing out of my basement and find out what is in it then. 

[DANK_AS_gay]

1 minute ago, Bombastinator said:

you can have it along with the entire machine.  It’s in my basement.  Probably pretty dusty.   I was going to freegeek it anyway.

!. Thank you! That would be amazing! I definitely plan to use it for things like Trackmania United, Some Halo2/3 some old Forza Motorsport titles ETC.

2. FreeGeek? What is that? 

Do you want my email so we can DM?

[DANK_AS_gay]

1 minute ago, Bombastinator said:

Wait I’m wrong.  Motherboard was in the box.  Means I have no idea what is in my basement.  No cpu in it. Also a silly little fanless video card. 
 

gotta dig the thing out of my basement and find out what is in it then. 

I mean, The mobo is what I was looking for, whatever is in that system, (unless it is actually worth money, I don't like accepting things worth actual money on eBay and stuff, makes me feel guilty) would be nice too, but ultimately I am having mobo problems, not component troubles.

[Bombastinator]

Just now, DANK_AS_gay said:

!. Thank you! That would be amazing! I definitely plan to use it for things like Trackmania United, Some Halo2/3 some old Forza Motorsport titles ETC.

2. FreeGeek? What is that? 

Do you want my email so we can DM?

I think I want to find out what is in my basement though getting late. Can’t do that tonight. I could COD it to you if such things are still done. PM me with deets.  Also don’t be shy about reminders if I’m slow about it.  I forget things.

 

freegeek is a volunteer based donation reclamation recycling thing.  Used to be a lot more of them.  Only a few left.  Pretty cool.  They would take old machines people were throwing away because they were too slow, throw a Linux on them and give them away to the needy.

[Somerandomtechyboi]

Ep45 should do 600fsb easily as long as your ram isnt crap, i suggest getting 1066mhz ddr2 if its ddr2 or if its ep45t get 2133 or 2400mhz ddr3

 

Could you show us pics of the two systems aswell?

[Bombastinator]

1 minute ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

Ep45 should do 600fsb easily as long as your ram isnt crap, i suggest getting 1066mhz ddr2 if its ddr2 or if its ep45t get 2133 or 2400mhz ddr3

 

Could you show us pics of the two systems aswell?

Can take a pic of the open motherboard box tonight.  The other is hard to get at and will require moving things.

[Bombastinator]

[DANK_AS_gay]

2 minutes ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

Ep45 should do 600fsb easily as long as your ram isnt crap, i suggest getting 1066mhz ddr2 if its ddr2 or if its ep45t get 2133 or 2400mhz ddr3

 

Could you show us pics of the two systems aswell?

Afraid not at the moment, but my mobo model is the GA-EP45-DS3L. It does a little try to boot, then it resets and tries again, then just doesn't reboot after that. When I intentionally pushed my DUO too far to see how the mobo handled it, it did the same thing as the Quad, but booted on the 4rth automatic try.

[Somerandomtechyboi]

Well if you are retro gaming i suggest just picking up a cheap 4 heatpipe tower, 1066 ddr2 or 2133/2400mhz ddr3, an e84-8600, and shoving those into your system and ocing it

 

My g31m s2c seems to be able to run above 500mhz fsb but stupid ram is bottlenecking me

 

Btw ignore the 41 and 43 series mobos are they are fsb limited making them useless bricks only useful for bseling q6600, 41 goes to ~370, 43 goes to ~420

 

31 goes to ~450fsb but if your board is on steroids then expect 500mhz+

 

33 goes to ~500 but a roided board will go near 600fsb

 

35 goes 600 easy

 

45 goes 700+ fsb

[DANK_AS_gay]

3 minutes ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

Well if you are retro gaming i suggest just picking up a cheap 4 heatpipe tower, 1066 ddr2 or 2133/2400mhz ddr3, an e84-8600, and shoving those into your system and ocing it

 

My g31m s2c seems to be able to run above 500mhz fsb but stupid ram is bottlenecking me

 

Btw ignore the 41 and 43 series mobos are they are fsb limited making them useless bricks only useful for bseling q6600, 41 goes to ~370, 43 goes to ~420

 

31 goes to ~450fsb but if your board is on steroids then expect 500mhz+

 

33 goes to ~500 but a roided board will go near 600fsb

 

35 goes 600 easy

 

45 goes 700+ fsb

It appears your motherboard is only capable of supporting dual core processors, I don't want to sound greedy, but I am going for overkill, and nothing says overkill like a quad core processor in 2006. And 8 GB of RAM. And a GTX 460. It feels good to run games at max settings, even if it is only because the hardware I picked was either unobtanium at the time, or significantly better than the hardware at the time LOL. I really just want to get my hardware I do alread have working , rather than picking up new RAM, a new CPU, and a new Mobo.

[Somerandomtechyboi]

Just now, DANK_AS_gay said:

It appears your motherboard is only capable of supporting dual core processors, I don't want to sound greedy, but I am going for overkill, and nothing says overkill like a quad core processor in 2006. And 8 GB of RAM. And a GTX 460. It feels good to run games at max settings, even if it is only because the hardware I picked was either unobtanium at the time, or significantly better than the hardware at the time LOL. I really just want to get my hardware I do alread have working , rather than picking up new RAM, a new CPU, and a new Mobo.

Eh most games of that era dont even benifit from quads so just get an e8600 instead

 

And it seems like quads only go to around 550fsb wheras dual cores its skys the limit

 

Tbh if you want actual performance and the build being ludicrous then go stick a beefy cooler on your cpu + 1066mhz ram and oc it near or past 5ghz

 

E8400s seem to be pretty good so maybe expect around 1.6v for a 5ghz oc, and no thats still safe as ive actually pushed my 45nm cpus to 2v before and they havent died nor degraded, though thats basically death zone voltage so i dont suggest going above 1.6v cause your cooler might not be able to handle it and even if these things go for pennies its still kinda wasteful to kill em, esp if you got a really good sample

[DANK_AS_gay]

23 minutes ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

Eh most games of that era dont even benifit from quads so just get an e8600 instead

 

And it seems like quads only go to around 550fsb wheras dual cores its skys the limit

 

Tbh if you want actual performance and the build being ludicrous then go stick a beefy cooler on your cpu + 1066mhz ram and oc it near or past 5ghz

 

E8400s seem to be pretty good so maybe expect around 1.6v for a 5ghz oc, and no thats still safe as ive actually pushed my 45nm cpus to 2v before and they havent died nor degraded, though thats basically death zone voltage so i dont suggest going above 1.6v cause your cooler might not be able to handle it and even if these things go for pennies its still kinda wasteful to kill em, esp if you got a really good sample

I am not experienced at all with OC'ing, do you mind explaining it, especially for these older BIOS's?

[Bombastinator]

So I had to take the trash out (I forgot) which means I had to get dressed again so I went down to the basement and it wasn’t under as many things as I thought.  It need a ablow out which I definitely can’t do tonight.  It’s raining  no idea what the mobo, video card or cpu is. There’s some memory in it that I thought was in a box.  It’s way way too dusty to try booting.  Just asking for blue smoke. Mechanical HD.  No idea what is on it.  This thing needs a going over. 

[Bombastinator]

2 minutes ago, DANK_AS_gay said:

I am not experienced at all with OC'ing, do you mind explaining it, especially for these older BIOS's?

It was uglier back then but it worked better.  OC was basically de riguer because you could get boosts much more massive than you can now.  40% improvements.  I overclocked everything.  Depending on age it could get very weird. Every generation had a different way to do it.

[DANK_AS_gay]

1 minute ago, Bombastinator said:

So I had to take the trash out (I forgot) which means I had to get dressed again so I went down to the basement and it wasn’t under as many things as I thought.  It need a ablow out which I definitely can’t do tonight.  It’s raining  no idea what the mobo, video card or cpu is. There’s some memory in it that I thought was in a box.  It’s way way too dusty to try booting.  Just asking for blue smoke. Mechanical HD.  No idea what is on it.  This thing needs a going over. 

I got one busted PC from an engineering/milling place, the dust and oil mixed to form an impenetrable mudm I am 100% with restoring older hardware lol. You don't need to clean it at all. I can give you the email if you want to discuss shipping.

[Bombastinator]

31 minutes ago, DANK_AS_gay said:

I got one busted PC from an engineering/milling place, the dust and oil mixed to form an impenetrable mudm I am 100% with restoring older hardware lol. You don't need to clean it at all. I can give you the email if you want to discuss shipping.

Can’t even ship it like that though.  There’s like a solid mm of dust on the cooler.  Plus there’s wall to wall weirdness here.  I don’t have what I thought I did where I did.