My New Extreme-Gaming Machine. Quick Question too

[Slam'n Systems]

Well, my old system specifications looking like this:
AMD 64 2800+
3GIGS DDR 333 Ram
ATi X1300 Graphics Card
Thermaltake 480W PSU
Gigabyte K8-Triton Mobo
Maxtor 80GIG IDE HDD
Windows Vista Premium

I felt it was time for me to upgrade to the current PCI-Express, Dual Core, SATA age that computers have come to. So, this is my new build that will be arriving via UPS tomorrow;

The New Rig

• AMD X2 Dual-Core 6000+ 3Ghz CPU
• eVGA 8800GTS 640Mb GDDR3 Graphics Card
• Gigabyte AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 6100 AMD Motherboard
• Corsair XMS2 2 Gigabytes DDR2 800 RAM PC2 6400
• Antek TruPower Trio 550W PSU
• Seagate Barracuda 7200RPM 320GB SATA HDD
• Thermaltake Xaser][ Case w/ Window
• Windows Vista Premium 32-Bit

I was stuck between the eVGA 8800GTS Superclocked 640Mb or the one I bought, but I got a good deal on the one I got so, oh well =) I will be one of the few who will be able to play Crysis on almost maxed out settings [Yay!]

Quick question though. I would be interested in a month or so to buy another 2 Gigs of RAM but with Windows Vista 32-Bit, I know you can only have 4GIG's Max of physical memory, but does this mean 4GIG's of RAM or 4GIG's including RAM, GFX Card and CPU? <-If all 3 are included in this 4GIGS, then getting more RAM would be useless as it wouldn't read.

The reason I ask is because a few people say it's the 3; CPU, Gfx & RAM while others tell me it's just straight 4GIGs Max of RAM and that CPU & Gfx Card do not matter. <-If that is the case, then I would definitly get 2 more gigs of RAM

Also, what are some recommended programs to overclock my Video Card? CPU?

Thanks and I can't wait to build it tomorrow!

 

[fastrandstrongr]

it is most certainly 4gb of ram, there is no combination of memory.

 

[Slam'n Systems]

it is most certainly 4gb of ram, there is no combination of memory.

Thank you very much =) I figured that would be the case but everyone I talked to, who I thought knew what they were talking about (They claimed they were vista experts <_<) said it was all 3 and started making me believe it >.< ; so I had to ask lol

 

[jonny_uk]

Looks great except for your operating system! it may work fine for you but personally it wasnt any good for me, and i dont have any old hardware yet my webcam and control panel for my sound wouldnt install properly so i was back on xp within 2 days! try it, might be ok

 

[meat_helmet]

32 bit operating systems can only recognize about 3.2Gb of RAM, 64bit OS's can handle alot more.

The system ram and the ram on the gfx card are two totaly seperate issues and no you do not add them up.

There is really no need for 4Gb of ram unless you have a 64bit OS and use intense graphics software (CAD, 3D, photoshop etc.) for games there is not yet any benifit.

 

[fastrandstrongr]

just read something from codinghorror.com:

In the absence of the PAE switch, the Windows memory manager is limited to a 4 GB physical address space. Most of that address space is filled with RAM, but not all of it. Memory-mapped devices (such as your video card) will use some of that physical address space, as will the BIOS ROMs. After all the non-memory devices have had their say, there will be less than 4GB of address space available for RAM below the 4GB physical address boundary.

gotta learn somethin everyday i guess

 

[Slam'n Systems]

Looks great except for your operating system! it may work fine for you but personally it wasnt any good for me, and i dont have any old hardware yet my webcam and control panel for my sound wouldnt install properly so i was back on xp within 2 days! try it, might be ok

Well, I am currently running Vista on my older setup and it works fine. Audio works, Video works .. everything runs good.

 

[Nagasama]

nice rig.
i heart amd.

 

[veg1992]

you asked about the overclocking?

use ati tool for GPU, CPU ur bios........

 

[maroon1]

Core 2 Duo E6600 usually cost the same as 6000+, it would be better if you could get that instead of 6000+

Edit: But since you are getting your computer tomorrow, I assume that you can't change anything.