[Updated] My latest hardware problem. Any help?

[The IT Monkey]

Okay,
So I have learned my lesson. Do NOT buy an off the shelf HP no matter how top of the line it seems if you expect to 5-Box on one machine with three monitors.

My story to date.
I purchased THIS HP Computer from Frys. Here are a couple specifications:
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q6700 @ 2.66GHz (4 CPUs), ~2.7GHz
Memory: 4094MB RAM

Purchased the GeForce 8800 GT. Installed said card and realized what a mistake I had made. Like a jackass I didn't think about the mobo when I purchased the HP and realized that I was screwed if I ever wanted to put in a second video card to run three monitors. No second PCE-E x16 slot.. all it has available are pcie x1 and a single PCI slot.

Last night I tried putting in a GeForce 6200 in that PCI slot. After much tinkering I got it all installed and running off the same drivers as the 8800... SUCCESS.

Or not.

Start up wow with keyclone all set to "maximize" my windows.

FPS: 7

SEVEN!? And that is on the monitors as well!

If I pull the the two WoW's off the 6200 and pull them all over onto the monitors running off the 8800 my FPS jump back up to normal. So the question is, why, if I take some of the load OFF the 8800 does the FPS go up on that card?

What am I missing folks? What have I F.U.B.A.R.'d? What have I forgotten? I didn't expect TOP performance out of this card but I didn't think it would drag the other card down with it!

I was gong to bite the bullet this morning, cut my losses. I purchased an absolute TITS ASUS mobo on the way to work. Being in a hurry I compounded my problem by not comparing the form factor to what I have.... you guessed it. My computer is in pieces all over my tech bench as we speak and the MoBo that was IN the HP is a mini while the mobo I purchased is a regular ATX. The HP case look sweet and I was really not wanting to replace it because it has some handy bells and whistles.

So, in no particular order, a couple questions:

1) Can anyone make a suggestion to get what I currently have to work. That being the two videocards and the current mobo and case. One of the video cards being the 8800 Gt and the other being the 6200 OC by BFG. I want my FPS back. Any suggestions there?
2) If not 1 then which do I go for? A new case and the new mobo that I have. Or is there a good MoBo out there that is mini AND has two pci-e x16s?

Hope you guys can help.

I have

[Xzin]

The GeForce 6200 is an AWFULLY underpowered card.

Seriously It's BAD.

Any off the shelf HP is unlikely to have 2x 8 or 1 lane channels... so upgrading is going to be nearly impossible. I would figure somebody who can take his cpu apart and is can IT monkey would simply newegg.com and buy their own parts and put it together? Seems like you learned your lesson, any chance you can return the computer or is it eBay time?

[Eteocles]

GeForce 6600 minimum for ANY game today, preferably 7900+(I use a 7900 and love it)

Also, my personal advice: NEVER EVER BUY PREMADE NAME BRAND COMPUTERS. EVER. They cost the same or more than a custom built with MUCH lower specs. Either learn to put 'em together yourself(it's REALLY easy, I've done it for years with no training whatsoever, though a little internet/friend help; most of it's common sense) or befriend someone who can And get much more bang for your buck. I spent about $500 on my new system(sans case/monitor, I used existing ones, replaced everything else including a SATA HD I've been too lazy to hook up since last year lol) and it runs 3 maximized WoWs with full graphics settings + mirc and wmplayer/winamp just fine; my sister's comp cost about the same, was a prebuilt eMachines, and it doesn't even have a dedicated videocard and little ram.

[twobztwop]

Ouch. heh heh, after all your upgrades you've basically paid $1,200 for the HP case.

and yeah, premade computers are not the way to go. I mean, why would HP use a $500 Q6700 processor but then use 4gigs of cheap PC5600 (667mhz) memory??? It's all marketing. They use the cheapest components with specs no one knows/or cares about, but then makes sure put Quad Core 6700 + 4 GIGS memory all over the box. (heh heh, just a rant from the days of selling these things in college -- remember Packard Bell. LOL.)

anyway... If I were you, I'd stick to your HP system and just use 1 video card. As long as you turn down the graphical settings I wouldn't think you'd have a problem running 5 wows with the 8800gt. (Aside from Shatt, my current system runs fine with a C2d6600 and a 8800gts for 5x wows on a 24" and 17" monitor)

FYI, here is something I priced out last week... I decided to wait till later in the year for the next gen quad-cores.

Case - Antec P182 $ 149.99
PSU - Corsair 750 Watt $ 179.99
CPU - intel Q6600 $ 254.99
MB - Asus P5E $ 219.99
Memory - 8 Gig (DDR2 PC6400 4x2 kit) $ 189.99
Video - EVGA 9600GT $ 209.99 (maybe x2)
HD - WD RE2 500gig $ 119.99
DVD-R - Lite-On $ 32.00
OS - Vista Home Pro 64bit OEM $ 100.00

Total $1,456.93 usd

[pinotnoir]

Buy a new motherboard and another video card. You can find lots of graphics card/motherboard combo deals at newegg.com

Find out what type of ram you have and make sure it will work with the new board. Also, make sure your CPU will work and that it will fit in your case. I stopped buying brand name systems years ago. The only thing I buy now are dell laptops. If you start getting into building your own system you will have more power over the quality of parts that make up your pc. It also gives you better options for future upgrades.

[Ughmahedhurtz]

Might take that 6200 back and pick up one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814129072

Not exactly a Mercedes but it'll probably do what you want it to without too much trouble. Definitely a higher-end card than the 6200. Has DVI output for flat panels, too. It's an ATI versus your NVidia, so if you're running Vista *gag* then you'll have to bodge in the xp drivers if you want to run both cards. If you're on XP, you should be golden.

[The IT Monkey]

Okay... I'll post my new woes here.

Bit the bullet (AGAIN, my teeth are starting to hurt) and purchased a big ass computer case.... got it all installed and hooked up yesterday.

Still tinkering but here is what I got

4 gigs of ram
2 video cards (1 8800GT and one 8600 [gs I think])
the Core 2 Quad
Vista 64x

If you need more info let me know.

Now... this runs much better than the 6200 PCI set up I had but.... I am still not getting the FPS I was getting when I was just running the 8800 and two monitors. And that is with the graphics turned down even further than I had them before (always had them turned down all the way on the alts but am now having to turn them down on the main as well).

I am getting 25-30 FPS on the main when in WESTFALL. You Hordies may not be as familiar with the state of westfall these days but it is BARREN.

So, now what? Tips? Tweaks? Help a brother out. I have now, sadly and stupidly, spent enough money that I could have built TWO very superior rigs. To answer the question of "Why, if you are an IT Monkey, did you not build it yourself from the start" is.... I was lazy and impatient. Lazy, didn't want to spend the time researching or building a computer. Impatient, the HP was an IMPULSE purchase at Fry's. Saw it, loved it's look... thought it could do it. But sadly it is the super model of computers... pretty to look at but don't try holding a conversation with it.

FYI: My screens look AWESOME:

[The IT Monkey]

Just found this info regarding Direct X
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936710

From the article:

SYMPTOMS
Consider the following scenario:
�You have a Windows Vista-based computer.
�The computer uses two or more DirectX-compatible graphics processing units (GPUs) in a linked configuration.
�You are using a DirectX 10 application and driver.
In this scenario, the computer's graphics performance indicates that only a single GPU is being used.

The second bullet point is of interest to me. By "Likned Configuration" do you think they mean the SLI cable? I don't have them linked like that. Still wonder if this is my problem.

[Stabface]

Did you install the Vista hotfixes that Nvidia recommends?
http://www.nvidia.com/object/windows..._hotfixes.html