New PC running extremely slow

[retrochoir]

System as follows: ASrock Dual-sata Mb, AMD64 3000 (venice),
2 x crucial 256Mb DDR400, 80 gig ATA HD, Nvidia Geforce2 MX.

I have just installed the new motherboard, processor and memory but while installing XP/ME the system is running very slow. I estimate it to be equivalent to a 100mhz processor. As a result, Windows takes over 2 hrs to install whereas my 750 duron system installed it in about 40minutes.

The Bios is reporting the processor as running at 1800mhz which (according to ASROCK website) is correct. The dimms are reported as being DDR333 when they are actually DDR400.

Can anyone help with this.

 

[rvnguy]

You did not specify what your Harddrive's were IDE or SATA...

As the install of the OS is not memory nor CPU intensive but more HD intensive I would check the mode that you HD is set to communicate at (IDE), verify that the highest mode that is supported by your particular HD is the mode being used, and also check the mode for your CD/DVD as this could also slow things down.

BTW after the 2 hour gruel, how is the general performance?

Please post back with your findings

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[retrochoir]

Its an IDE drive. Ill check in the bios for the DMA mode when I get home. Thanks. I didnt get chance to fully install windows as I had to come to work.

I've a feeling It may be more than the hard drive though because even the screen updates during installation were being displayed step by step i.e. the windows box would display, then the back button, then the next button, then the cancel button - also very slowly one after the other. Also when I tried to move the mouse pointer, It moved a couple of inches and the froze. I had to use the keyboard after that.

Will I not need to change the memory clock speed to 400mhz or does this not matter?

Thanks rvnguy.


Jeff

 

[mainegeek]

Is the Rom Drive new or used? Maybe try a different Rom drive as a failing one will cause slow performance.

Also, the mobo may be defective. (Bad Cache)

 

[rvnguy]

Will I not need to change the memory clock speed to 400mhz or does this not matter?

This is only possible if the mobo supports 400MHz mem. Usually setting spd to auto is best as the mobo/BIOS will sense and set at optimum.

This difference in mem speed would not cause this slow response. Try in BIOS resetting to defaults to insure that something was not inadvertantly set.

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[retrochoir]

Thanks everyone for your help - I,ve found a solution on an internet forum.

All I had to do was set both hard drives to 'Cable Select'.

Everything works fine now.

Cheers All,

Jeff

 

[jazzgirl]

Retrochoir, had you not come back and said you set the drives to cable select I was going to suggest that you try that. When I built my other computer I had the same problem and had to do the same thing. I have two hard drives on IDE0 and they were set master/slave. Once I set them to cable select they worked fine.

JG