Thread: help needed with upgrade of Mobo and memory

Originally Posted by NYCdesignkid

Hi Everyone! I'm looking to upgrade my Via M10000 and memory. The lag is really driving me nuts. Currently I use it only for mp3 use and videos and it takes so long to just switch from the menu screen in RR to my music files. Changing tracks is pretty instant, but I know the board is incapable of handling flash skins, which is what I'd like to get into. I looked up this MB899 Intel Core Single/Duo Mini-Itx Motherboard 945GM and wanted to know your opinions if its worth me upgrading. I would like to start using Navagation as well as phone control. Perhaps I don't need something as powerful as that?!? I really can't tell exactly what would be useful for my needs. Can you guys help? Thank you. By the way, I already have my mobo and harddrive mounted custom in my armrest and would prefer a setup approx. the same size so I can simply replace what I have instead of relocating it. Hope that helps. My setup is listed under my user name. Thanx!!

You have a big video card, so it is actually RR that makes the "lag". I use a M10k, and it is plenty fast for music/video/GPS/Phoco/SNES emulator. What you are refferring to is the lag from when you click "Music" on the main menu with the spinning logo to when the screen with music pops up. This "lag" should only happen once, because RR only loads the skin files as it goes. There is a setting in the roadrunner *.ini file I believe that you can change that will make RR take a bit longer to startup, but it loads all skins at the beginning eliminating that lag.

And as for the flash skins, the M10k is not fast enough if you are using the onboard video. But you have a GeForce card so that should be plenty fast. Are you sure that you installed your video drivers correctly if this setup you have is giving you slow times? Because default windows' drivers work to make video display but it is slow as all hell with nvidia cards. Make sure you download and install the latest nvidia signed drivers for your card because if you haven't, you will see a great difference in speed.

I suggest to check the drivers, and then download a flash intensive skin and try to run it. Even if you don't like the skin just try it to see the speed it goes with. I think you will be positively impressed with the speed. I forget the actual line in RR's ini file you need to change, but once i find it I'll post it. Change that too!

If it is not good enough then go the upgrade route. And maybe I'll buy your M10k if you put it up for sale! I love these little boards!

Well there is a dual core mini-itx board out there and it will work just fine. You might need to get DDR2 memory though because I don't think it takes DDR memory. They don't consume that much power even though it is quite a bit more than the epia boards. So you should be fine with your power supply. Just a 5 minute change out of parts if you need to upgrade.

wow...thank you so much for the reply!! I actually don't have the videocard installed now...I did, but when I relocated the pc, it didn't really fit where I put it. Now I guess I will FORCE it to fit I never realized the loading of the skin issue. But I have that issue no matter when I go back to the menu or even hit the "power" button in RR. I did notice that if in the rr .ini I assign the power button to do anything but show the menu, it will switch instantly. Otherwise if I hit the power button to "show the menu" it takes too many seconds to switch screens. I will try what you say though...THANX!!!

oh...toaster...I noticed you have 1 gig or ram...I only have 512. Do I need to upgrade this???

Originally Posted by NYCdesignkid

wow...thank you so much for the reply!! I actually don't have the videocard installed now...I did, but when I relocated the pc, it didn't really fit where I put it. Now I guess I will FORCE it to fit I never realized the loading of the skin issue. But I have that issue no matter when I go back to the menu or even hit the "power" button in RR. I did notice that if in the rr .ini I assign the power button to do anything but show the menu, it will switch instantly. Otherwise if I hit the power button to "show the menu" it takes too many seconds to switch screens. I will try what you say though...THANX!!!

1 question to make sure this is what it is: After a cold boot, so starting fresh and RR comes up, you push the Music button. It takes a few seconds, then the music screen comes up. Now when you go back to the main screen where you can select music, gps, radio, exit and all that good stuff, and if you click back on Music, does it still take a long time to load, or is it quicker than the first time?

I think it is just the skin loading thing. You saying that the function is carried out instantly if there is no skin to load, supports my theory too.

Originally Posted by NYCdesignkid

oh...toaster...I noticed you have 1 gig or ram...I only have 512. Do I need to upgrade this???

Not too many people have a bunch of RAM installed and not too many people need it. I use 1Gb because I like RAM! I have 4Gb in my desktop. The more RAM, the longer it actually takes to hibernate though, so if you use hibernate keep that in mind. I use standby, so the image is just kept in the RAM opposed to writing it to the HD.

If you are going to be loading all those skin screens at once, it is going to take considerable memory space. 512 should be enough but it might be a bit slow when playing video or gps. It couldn't hurt to get more RAM, but because our boards only have 1 slot, you would have to buy a full 1Gb card. Could be a waste of money if you don't need it.

I suggest that you first cram that video card in there and change the RR settings see if the speed and response time are to your liking. If not, then go for the 1Gb of RAM.

However, if it is still waaaaaay to slow for you, then save the money and get the dual core board. This board however is over $300, so if a $50 stick of RAM and a video card you already have can fix it, then why spend so much!

Here are links for that board by the way. The first is a site that you can buy it from, and the second is the manufacturers webpage: http://www.logicsupply.com/product_i...roducts_id/552
http://www.commell.com.tw/Product/SBC/LV-677.HTM