Socket 939 Loaner System Challenge

[Lochekey]

So Caddi Daddi has offered to send me an older Socket 939 AMD setup so that I can get my feet wet with an AMD System. In talking with Caddi we came up with the idea that it would be fun to pass this system around and let everyone have a go at it and post up their results.

So what I am proposing is that we put together a list of interested participants and a set of required benchmarks. Each bencher will have an allotted amount of time with the system before having to ship it on to the next person on the list. I will keep a second "results" post going as the system gets passed around so everyone can see how things are going.

We will obviously have to set some ground rules on allowed types of cooling and all results should be limited to the equipment sent with the system (I.E. CPU, Ram and GPU).

I would love to hear feedback from everyone on this and am looking for ideas on what benchmarks we should run and how the rules should be structured.
I will post up the full system specs when I get a chance.

I'll be updating this as the discussion ensues but I think this could be a lot of fun for everyone.

Thanks
Lochekey


Current participants

Caddi Daddi
Lochekey
Mr. Scott


Tentative benchmarks
Superpi 1M
Wprime 1024m
Pcmark04
3dmark01
Max cpu frequency

 

[jaymz9350]

That's sounds like fun, I personally won't participate as I have way to much 939 stuff of my own that I still need to bench (though I may post some results with the same chip for fun, I likely have whatever it is and if I don't I need it lol). One thing to keep in mind is the results from this shouldn't be submitted to the bot as it falls under hardware sharing.

 

[freakdiablo]

Ok, great. Now I want to break out my old s939 system from the basement and see if that still works.

 

[caddi daddi]

don't bother, just get out a psu and a few other things to make it go.
we will include;
motherboard,
ide drive and cable,
operating system image,
gpu,
memory.
the included memory is just so so, so if you want to throw in some good stuff, speak up now or make do with what's included.
you must use the pieces included, the rest is up to you.

 

[EarthDog]

Cool idea!

Just one thing, we ALL can't post results up at hwbot on the same hardware. I'm sure most know that, but, wanted to say it out loud if only for my own peace of mind.

Edit: Darnit... reading > me... +1 james.

 

[Lochekey]

Yea this would just be am in house type of competition. Thanks for making the point about entries to hwbot.

Anyone have any thoughts on what benches to run.

I was thinking something like,

Superpi 1M
Pcmark04
3dmark01
Max cpu frequency

 

[EarthDog]

PcMark will depend on so many other factors(hdd, etc) I wouldn't bother there. Write 32M for a 'long' test.

Not sure I'd use 3d01 either... different card will affect score, as cpu limited as it is.

I guess, imo, if you are testing cpu, run cpu benches. BUT, I'm not involved so...

 

[Lochekey]

PcMark will depend on so many other factors(hdd, etc) I wouldn't bother there. Write 32M for a 'long' test.

Not sure I'd use 3d01 either... different card will affect score, as cpu limited as it is.

I guess, imo, if you are testing cpu, run cpu benches. BUT, I'm not involved so...

Well the system is going to have all the essential hardware included such as hdd and gpu so you will be stuck using them to compete.

As the hardware will be the same for everyone I figured pcmark will really force you to tweak the system for better results.

With us limiting it too an older agp based gpu I was trying to pick an older 3d benchmark that would not overload it.

 

[EarthDog]

Ahh.. gotcha. Didn't know ALL that was included.

 

[caddi daddi]

I'm thinking that is everything that will effect most benches so might as well throw it in.

 

[caddi daddi]

got a win xp 32 bit on the drive, when you get it, back it up and reimage the drive before sending it to the next.

 

[Lochekey]

I'm pretty sure I have an extra ide drive around that I can send along that way we can have the original untouched drive and people can clone to the second drive to tweak with that way we have the original unblemished drive for everyone to work from.

 

[Mr.Scott]

I'd just send the drive and let people put their own OS on it. Wipe it when your done.
Either way, I'll give it a go if that's ok.

 

[caddi daddi]

everybodys welcome in.
lets open the drive and operating system, they will be in there incase you don't own an ide drive or a 32 bit operating system.

 

[Lochekey]

everybodys welcome in.
lets open the drive and operating system, they will be in there incase you don't own an ide drive or a 32 bit operating system.

That sounds like a plan, if we are gonna open the drive though we should exclude pcmark and maybe run conference or wprime instead. I'm kinda just picking out of a hat here so if someone has a suggestion let me know.

 

[Mr.Scott]

If you're sending a GPU, I'd do PCM04 and 3D01. Along with 1M or 32M SPI, and Wprime 32m or 1024M. I would do one long and the other short. Don't really matter which which way. Just throwing out ideas.

 

[Lochekey]

That sound good Scotty, my only concern with pcmark,is if people start using different hdd it may sway the results. I have not really played with pcmark much so I do not know how much it will really effect the final results.

I have put a tentative benchmark list in the first post and will update it as we get feedback.

 

[Mr.Scott]

PCM04 is not like PCM05. Storage makes no difference.
Also, I would make it mandatory to use the HD that was sent. You just provide your own OS.

 

[Lochekey]

PCM04 is not like PCM05. Storage makes no difference.

That is good to know, learned something new today.

 

[Aleslammer]

Don't want to play but really like the concept.