How much of an improvement would I see upgrading my graphics card?

  • Thread starter Adam41
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The v2 version supports the 125W version of the 8320 cpu. If you were correct in saying yours doesn't, then you have the original version.

edit: forgot the issue was the CPU and not the graphics card
 
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Yep just checked, I have the original version V1.

Been reading up on updating my BIOS and some of it has gone over my head. :lol: especially with all of the different methods some guides and people suggest.

I'm probably going to get someone I know who knows this sort of stuff a bit better so they can help me out, but what's the easiest way to do it?
 
Aderrrm
Yep just checked, I have the original version V1.

Been reading up on updating my BIOS and some of it has gone over my head. :lol: especially with all of the different methods some guides and people suggest.

I'm probably going to get someone I know who knows this sort of stuff a bit better so they can help me out, but what's the easiest way to do it?
Click to expand...

I'm seeing two methods. This one requires a USB drive and some sort of support CD (comes with motherboard?). It's before booting into Windows.
http://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1008280/

This should be less risky than updating it in Windows.
 
Aderrrm
Yep just checked, I have the original version V1.

Been reading up on updating my BIOS and some of it has gone over my head. :lol: especially with all of the different methods some guides and people suggest.

I'm probably going to get someone I know who knows this sort of stuff a bit better so they can help me out, but what's the easiest way to do it?
Click to expand...
First put back your old CPU in so it boots up. Then download 0603 bios from Asus website, put it on a USB that is FAT or FAT32 formatted then when booting up go into BIOS by pressing delete key, then tools and Ez Flash 2 or press alt and F2 to go straight into Ez Flash 2. Press tab and then select your USB drive which might be D: drive. Go into that drive and select your file to flash you put on USB to update by pressing enter. Shouldn't take long to complete. Also good to load optimised defaults after by going into BIOS by pressing F5 and saving with F10.

Here is video that might help you be more confident, think it is same motherboard as yours:

 
Nice one lads!

I'd be putting the USB into the front USB slot on my tower right?

Also do I need to do anything with the CMOS once I've updated my BIOS?

/noob questions :D


Edit: tried to load up the E drive which was my USB stick placed in the front USB slot of my tower and it said "Unable to load drive or directory". Any clues? @Saidur_Ali
 
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Tried a different USB drive and it worked fine. 👍

Also backed up my old BIOS.

Going to pop the new CPU back in tomorrow and it *should* work right? Right? :D

Cheers for the help chaps.
 
Aderrrm
Tried a different USB drive and it worked fine. 👍

Also backed up my old BIOS.

Going to pop the new CPU back in tomorrow and it *should* work right? Right? :D

Cheers for the help chaps.
Click to expand...
Good to see you got it updated 👍.

It *should* work ;).
 
CPU up and running. :D

While I'm working on my PC, over the last year my computer has become slower and slower, particularly on start up. I know this is expected after a while, but what can be done to speed it up a little?
 
Run CCleaner. Change startup options and remove everything unless really needed like Anti Virus. What OS are you running?
 
DQuaN
Run CCleaner. Change startup options and remove everything unless really needed like Anti Virus. What OS are you running?
Click to expand...

Ran CCleaner and it seemed to help a bit I think. I also got rid of a few programs which were running on start up like Spotify. I'm on Windows 7 64 bit.
 
So to see all startup programs type msconfig in the start search and select the startup tab. Untick everything you dont want to use at startup.

A defrag will probably also help. I like to use defraggler. You can find it on the same website as CCleaner www.piriform.com
 
DQuaN
So to see all startup programs type msconfig in the start search and select the startup tab. Untick everything you dont want to use at startup.

A defrag will probably also help. I like to use defraggler. You can find it on the same website as CCleaner www.piriform.com
Click to expand...

Thanks for these. Will have a look.


Experiencing a couple of issues since I installed the CPU and GPU. I've had 2 random freezes where I couldn't even ctrl+alt +delete and just had to shut down the computer, one when I was playing Witcher 3 and one where I was just browsing on Chrome. Also yesterday I came back to my computer after going downstairs for a couple of minutes and it had restarted itself.

Just now I was playing pCARS, exited, turned my T500 wheel off at the plug (which was connected via USB to my computer) and this came up instantly:



Any ideas?
 
DQuaN
In windows run BlueScreenView http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html

Post a screenshot. It should identify the file or driver causing the issue.

Sounds like it could be connected to the wheel.
Click to expand...

Silly question, but will that work for crashes/random restarts that don't produce a blue screen too?

A couple of times yesterday the computer restarted itself, once browsing chrome and once with only Spotify open.
 
Yes, chances are you have the "automatic restart on system failure" enabled. Your computer is blue screening but restarting before you can see it.
 
Aderrrm
Thanks for these. Will have a look.


Experiencing a couple of issues since I installed the CPU and GPU. I've had 2 random freezes where I couldn't even ctrl+alt +delete and just had to shut down the computer, one when I was playing Witcher 3 and one where I was just browsing on Chrome. Also yesterday I came back to my computer after going downstairs for a couple of minutes and it had restarted itself.

Just now I was playing pCARS, exited, turned my T500 wheel off at the plug (which was connected via USB to my computer) and this came up instantly:



Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Did you uninstall your old graphics drivers before upgrading GPU? Maybe worth uninstalling your graphics drivers for both AMD and Nvidia using program and features and afterwards using this tool: Link

Download a fresh copy of latest Nvidia drivers from their website before though so you can install your GTX 960 afterwards easily.
 
Below are the screenshots for the 4 times it has crashed. Something to do with the processor?



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I also didn't uninstall the old AMD drivers, forgot about that. Will get them uninstalled.
 
Aderrrm
Sorry, what do you mean by this? Do you mean reset the BIOS to default and then update it to the latest version again?
Click to expand...
Just reset the settings to optimised defaults and save settings in the BIOS, should say what key to press, most likely F10 to save. Not to update again.
 
Saidur_Ali
Just reset the settings to optimised defaults and save settings in the BIOS, should say what key to press, most likely F10 to save. Not to update again.
Click to expand...

So I've gone into the BIOS and pressed F5 to load defaults and then saved and exit. 👍

I've also removed the AMD drivers I used to have. I haven't used the DDU program because I'm having issues getting into safe mode (which it advises). When I press F8 on start up, it asks which drive I want to boot and gives me 2 options. Neither of them let me enter safe mode.

Will also run a stress test tomorrow as soon as I get in from work.
 
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Aderrrm
So I've gone into the BIOS and pressed F5 to load defaults and then saved and exit. :tip:

I've also removed the AMD drivers I used to have. I haven't used the DDU program because I'm having issues getting into safe mode (which it advises). When I press F8 on start up, it asks which drive I want to boot and gives me 2 options. Neither of them let me enter safe mode.

Will also run a stress test tomorrow as soon as I get in from work.
Click to expand...
Should press F8 repeatedly after BIOS post screen passes usually just before Windows logo appears normally. Otherwise you will just go into boot menu.
 
Another thing to check would be the processor speed and memory settings, to see that they are not "accidentally" overclocked or out of spec through the BIOS settings.
 
It crashed again today with the exact same file name listed on BlueScreenView causing the crash.

I did a 4 hour stress test on it shortly after the crash and it was fine. All the cores 'passed'.

I went on to AMD overdrive and saw that the processor was on some sort of turbo mode at 3500 MHz. I've brought this down to the standard 3200 MHz but this wouldn't be the issue would it?

Is there anything else I can try to pinpoint the problem? Thinking of posting the problem on AMD support/forum, would they help?
 

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