PC-Extreme have done a performance comparison using 3DMark2001 SE build 330, Comanche4, Serious Sam 2, Jedi Outcast and Quake III and the newly leaked Nvidia Detonator 30.30 against the following Detonator driver sets: 29.80 / 29.42 / 29.40 / 29.20 / 28.90 / 28.32.

Ars Technica is back with their latest editorial on CPU caching and the technology and benefits behind it. Feel like you could learn something - well check it out then: In order to really understand the role of caching in system design, it helps to think of the CPU and memory subsystem as operating on a consumer-producer (or client-server) model: the CPU consumes information provided to it by the hard disks and RAM, which act as producers. Driven by innovations in process technology and processor design, CPUs have increased their ability to consume at a significantly higher rate than the memory subsystem has increased its ability to produce. The problem is that CPU clock cycles have gotten shorter at a faster rate than memory and bus clock cycles, so the number of CPU clock cycles that the processor has to wait before main memory can fulfill its requests for data has increased. So with each CPU clockspeed increase, memory is getting further and further away from the CPU in terms of the number of CPU clock cycles. Read more...

VR-zone have put up a new guide for unlocking your AMD T'Bred.

Yok from Japan has another way of unlocking your T'Bred by connecting the 2 pins (VSS and NC) together . This method is just like pin modding the Northwood to get higher VCore voltage where you can either use a thin wire or conductive grease the connect the pins together. This way works the same as connecting 5th bridge of L3 as demonstrated by Gao the previous week so apply either method which is easier for you.

Just got word that TweakersGuide.de have posted a new guide: Changing your Windows XP startbuttons lable. Here's a byte from their guide.

Many people modify their operating system with specific programs like Windowblinds, Desktop X and so on. However, these always take resources away.

This guide is there to show you how to modify the text on your Windows startbutton without having to permanently run a program. Doing this is really not difficult!

Just saw this @ Sportin.org (ClubOC). Take a close look where he got most of these drivers ;-)

I've noticed lately that there is a lack of Nvidia detonator driver tests, actually a lack of comparisons between them. So I have compiled this list of current 28.84 / 29.20 / 29.40 / 29.42 / 29.42 Beta Omega Driver / 29.60 / 29.80 drivers and tested them using 3DMark2001 Build 330. I have included full, unaltered screen shots to show the 3DMark and Nvidia Defaults.

Just got word that TweakersAsylum have updated their Windows XP ACPI Tweak Guide. Below is their announcement:

A while back we did a guide on gaining 3D gaming performance by disabling Windows XP ACPI. This guide generated A LOT of interest and still does on a regular basis today! Due to the high demand, I decided to break down and do an update to our original guide. In this update you will find a new set of benchmarks, a few more tips, and even a couple of new tricks!

SharkyExtreme has put together what seems to be a very general guide to overclocking the CPU. They use a SiS645DX and a i845D based system for this purpose. Here is a snip: The overclocking process for the Pentium 4 is greatly simplified due to the locked multiplier present in all consumer-level processors. Sure, you might nab an engineering sample through other means, but for the vast majority of users, Intel Pentium 4 can only be overclocked via an increase to the front-side bus speed. The guide

VR-Zone.com have updated their OC database for AMD Thoroughbred and they have seen many new entries and records.

Athlon XP 2200+ 1.80@2.72Ghz by Son
Athlon XP 2200+ 1.80@2.59Ghz by Tamo
Athlon XP 2200+ 1.80@2.51Ghz by Jahovx
Athlon XP 2200+ 1.80@2.46Ghz by Memesama
Athlon XP 2200+ 1.80@2.42Ghz by NewBeetle

Just noticed this @ NTCompatible.com. Thanks to Yakumo for this one:

I've done a small guide for how to fix ASPI under NT/2K/XP because installing the latest Adaptec ASPI doesn't create some of the necessary keys that many programs, such as AudioCatalyst, CDRWIN, Exact Audio Copy and others need before they can actually discover your drives.

This is a problem that has been annoying the hell out of a lot of friends of mine, so I thought there must be many others out there grieving over lack of AudioCatalyst functionality if nothing else!

Ok Peeps THE EVIL MESSAGEBOARD FORUMS have posted a great guide that will show you how to install and use RivaTuner and even power users might find some great tips that you might of missed otherwise.

Just got word from the Reverend that he's posted an article over @ Beyond3D.com about Nvidia's anisotropic filtering implementation in 2 different driver versions 27.51 vs. 29.42. Here's a byte from his article.

I used a VisionTek GeForce4 Ti4600 for this article. The only drivers I have that are prior to the two previous official drivers (28.32 and 29.42) are the 27.51s which is what I used for this article, comparing it to the latest official 29.42s. Medal Of Honor Allied Assault was used, with com_maxfps set to 500 and everything else set to maximum with the exception of shadow quality set to Simple. Although the built-in framerate counter was enabled, screenshots taken (using the F11 key) do not show the framerate readout. I have provided my own framerate readout, which is what the framerate counter read the minute I hit the F11 key.

As we are beginning to see more positive overclocking results of the Thoroughbred, we can conclude that it is a better overclocker as improvement of clock speed can range from 100-150Mhz even at a lower VCore voltage. Therefore they have set up a new overclocking database for it.

One of Microsoft?s latest efforts to help promote system stability is Windows File Protection (WFP), as debuted in Windows 2000 & now featured in Windows XP. TechSpot's guide will take you through basic operation of WFP, how to use & configure it for your system.

If any of you are lucky enough to have AMD's new Thoroughbred 2200+ CPU here's an unlocking guide from Extreme Systems and don't forget to bring your super glue! HEHE

Just saw this @Theinquirer.net:

WE HAVE NOW HAD TIME TO TEST the performance on the 30.20 "buggette" we reported here last week. Nvidia really got its skates on on this one and sent us an updated driver within 36 hours from our original story.

The updated driver appears to deliver 500+ 3dmarks compared to 28.32 and that difference with and without the splash screen is quite small.

If you run each test 3 times it's 50 to 100 points different which is also not that significant, at least according to Nvidia.

Hardtecs4u.com have posted a chart that lists the Asus motherboards that are compatible with AMD's new Thoroughbred CPU and shows you from which BIOS and board revision.

Geekextreme.com scoured the Internet looking for the best prices on computer hardware, and created a weekly pricing guide.

Have you ever wanted to have a go at setting up a server or learning a new language? If the answer is yes, then I have something special for you people @ Sniper Tech. I have just completed work on a new tutorial for which I have tried to explain how to install and set up a Microsoft Windows compatible PHP Server that you can use for hosting web sites or for developing PHP code. Press Read More for further info.

With the introduction of ATI's latest Radeon drivers a new utility was introduced which normally runs in the background and scans your system for the most stable (PCI &) AGP settings. If you wonder how to manually change the settings you will have to read more.

Reliable and cost-effective systems are the result of good planning, appropriate hardware components, and consistently good assembly techniques. While this guide can not directly help a system builder with assembly techniques, it is designed to aid in the planning stage, give guidance for many of the hardware choices, and offers techniques for addressing some common problems. Read more...