Maybe a stupid question, but that never stopped me! I want to replace mobo and cpu in present case. Remove socket 939 mobo with AMD 64 3200+, replace with new mobo and AMD x2 6000+. Same video card (Geforce 7600) and sound card (audigy 2). I'm looking for a huge fps boost with more planes and ground objects etc. Is this the ticket? Thanks.

Yes, you should get a boost on FPS.. but I doubt it will be jaw dropping. I would concider picking up a new GPU as well (suggest GF 9600GT/9800GT or ATI 7650/4830 which don't cost a fortune). Then make sure you have some RAM as well.. no reason to have less than 2GB DDR2 concidering todays low price on RAM.

What is RAM going for these days? Also at this time I only have one Gig and I know you have to put in the same RAM to not bottleneck but is it also advisable to use the same manufacture of your RAM?

Prices for DDR2 have been going down alot during the last year. Now high speed DDR2 RAM is dirt cheap compared to how it was a year ago. Here in Sweden I can pick up 2*1 GB PC8500 (1066Mhz) quality brand (Corsair, Kingston, Crucial, OCZ etc) for less than €40.
You don't need to stick to the same manufacturer when adding more RAM.. But! Make sure you know the speed of your current RAM and then buy new RAM that matches that speed. So, if you have RAM that is rated at 667Mhz then look at buying new RAM which is at least 667Mhz.
1GB RAM will bottle neck most modern games.. I'm not sure of IL2 as I have never run it on less than 1.5GB RAM.. but that was on an old system with a single core Intel and an old GF 7800GTX 256MB GPU and I was just getting average to low performance. When I went from 1GB to 1.5GB playing BattleField 2 I did notice better loading times and also a few frames better performance in game.. I also didn't suffer as many momentary freezes in game as I used to on 1GB RAM.

Hi

if you want a huge boost, get a new graphics card too

I was going to upgrade my old A64 3500, but once I priced out how much the parts were, I just built a whole new PC

I went from a64 3500 1 GB 3200 ram, EVGA 7900 GS and SB X-fi
to a core 2 duo 3.0 Wolfdale , 4 GB DDR2, EVGA 9800 GT nice ASUS MB with onboard sound, with a 500 GB HD and I got a HUGE boost ,plus ,it was under a grand Canadian ( about 27 dollars US) including windows Vista

in most benchmarks I got 60 fps solid ( vsynch for my LCD monitor)

PS< if you replace the Mobo and CPU, wont you need the newer RAM too?

I dont believe the 6000 cpu uses the older socket 939 Ram ( isnt it DDR2 vs PC 3200?)

I finally post something that isn't a question! And, I think I can contribute something relevant...

I have just upgraded from an Athlon x2 4800+ to a Athlon x2 6000+, and my video card from a EVGA 8800GS to an MSI 4830. Motherboard to a Asus M3A78-Pro to hold it all. I have 4GB Corsair 6400 memory, Vista Home Premium, etc.

While I cannot address the issue of FPS in this game, I can give you my experience in BIA Hell's Highway. I went from mid 20's/low 30's to low 60's FPS with my upgrade. I consider that to be significant. I don't know it it was the video card or the CPU or the combination of both. Why I have never taken a look at frame rates for '1946 I haven't a clue, except it just kinda slips my mind (what little there is of it). And, I had never installed the FRAPS utility until just recently. Maybe any increase in IL2 won't be as great, but I'll get back to you.

Hope this might help you.

All,
Thanks for you help.

1. It looks like there will be a significant increased in FPS from 3200+ AMD 64 to 6000+ X2. I've always been under the impression that Il-2/PF is a very CPU-dependent game (not that a good GPU doesn't hurt).

2. Of course new ram (DDR2). I figured that was a given when I said I was getting an AM2 mobo, and pulling the old 939 mobo.

3. Ram is dirt cheap. Check newegg (if you are in the USA). Compared to 3 years ago they're practically giving it away (at least the "value" ram).

4. May upgrade GPU (to nvidia 9800?) once mobo/Am2/DDR2 are paid off!

Thanks for that information F19_lacrits

AMD socket 939 motherboards only support DDR RAM, not DDR2. PC3200 is a way of describing the bandwidth of the memory; 3200MB/s = 3.2GB/s. So, you will find RAM specs like the following; PC6400 800Mhz DDR2 = 6.4GB/s bandwidth memory at 800Mhz (2*400Mhz) DDR2 RAM.

Slant6 - Asking here before you purchase is very smart! We would much rather answer your questions now rather than trying to trouble shoot later. The idea is to grow the community and when members complain that their ill-advised upgrade are generating lower fps than projected - it doesn't help with attracting the non-tech savvy new comer.

To add something to F19_lacrits's memory guide, I have ran test using Corsair Dominator DDR2 8500C5D 2G and 4G with relation to timings, RAM speed and Amount. BlackDeath.trk was the test bed.

4G vs. 2G RAM under XP doesn't gives about 3-5% fps increase (XP only recognizes 3.25G - 3.75G, the more PCI/PCIe slots used the less RAM XP will register - which is different from what your motherboard recognizes)

You also get about 3-5% increase in going to 4-4-4-12 vs. 5-5-5-15 on your RAM timings; this also calls for something in the 800MHz RAM speed range. This also allows for a 1:1 CPU/RAM ratio which makes your system more efficient.

I was running IL-2 at 1080MHz @ 4.03GHz (425 x9.5), but down clocked my RAM to 850 MHz.

I went from MIN: 34 MAX: 120 AVG: 85 to MIN: 35 MAX: 120 AVG: 108.

S! X-Man. I take it, then, that a new x2 6000+, mobo and 2gb ddr2 (still running xp, and same 7600GT for now) will give me a significant boost then?

Yeah you should - but the bottle will be your video card. Think of it like this:

Running 86 Octane gas in a Bugatti Veyron will definitely give you a significant degradation in performance. However, it will still run much faster than a Chevy Cobalt.

Flight simulators are more CPU processing power bound rather than video card driven - the mathematical calculations these games have to process to mimic flight is just mind blowing.

However the video card comes into play with beautiful graphics smoother image rendering.

With every upgrade, there should always be something new that meets the eye.

"Something new that meets the eye."

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121268

Asus 9800GT 512 MB DDR3 etc. etc. Seems like a real deal (104.99 after rebate) of a video card (unless you are of the ATI persuasion). And thanks again.

At that price I would get two! I am quite sure that should tie you over until BoB when a Quad Core maybe in order.

Just to give some more perspective on the CPU upgrade.. I have bumped up my Intel E8400 Core2Duo from default 3.0Ghz to 3.4Ghz and 400Mhz fsb (lowered multiplier to *8.5). Now running IL2 Black Death track my average FPS has jumped up to 77 from 65 and minimum FPS to 35 from 23 FPS.. This just from upping the speed of the CPU. So going from older CPU with older technique to newer, faster and modern technique should definately improve your expirience in IL2!