3dMark2001 SE score help

[Quietus]

Well, I just benchmarked off a clean reboot, nothing else running (even disabled monitor #2), and i got the rather dissapointing score of 5098. I really need to get this up, but I'm afraid it'll cost me about $800 to get it over the 10,000 mark. Here's my specs (No OCing):

Processor: 2.0 GHz Celeron
Power: 400 Watt PSU (was a 200 watt... damn HP)
RAM: 896 MB PC-2100 (before you ask, it's a 512, a 256, and a 128)
Hard Drive: 60GB Maxtor
MoBo: Soyo P4x400 Dragon Lite
Video Card: ATI Radeon 9000 Pro (128MB AGP)

And that's about it. I have a couple questions, though. I have a 120 GB Western Digital HDD coming in tomorrow (it's 2 AM, so I guess it'd be tomorrow); should I partition it and use the 8MB cache for my OS, or should I keep the Maxtor working on that? Also, I planned to upgrade with 3.0GHz P4, then 128 MB Radeon 9700 All-In-Wonder, then an Asus mobo. That sound like a good order, or would it be better to upgrade the mobo before the video card?

Any help I can get would be much appreciated. I'm kind of baffled on how to cheaply up my specs.

[Urban_Squrill]

Welcome to TechIMO.
I would have to say you Vid card would be your bottle neck. I think you ment to say today up there.

[muno]

I scored over 7000 with default everything on xp1800+ (with a card similar to that).

Celeron just doesn't have it.
However, the 3dmark score has nothing to do with real life happiness. If you're pleased with the visual quality and fps, why upgrade.
-M

[Quietus]

Originally posted by Urban_Squrill
I think you ment to say today up there. [/B]

Nope, tomorrow. Thursday.

Also, I was wondering if my hard drive clutter may have something to do with the problem. I only have about 2 GB free, and I don't think I've defragged since I installed windows. I'm holding off untill I move everything onto the new drive, so I have more space to play with.

Oh, and my new massive doom case comes in on Thursday.

[Quietus]

Originally posted by muno
I scored over 7000 with default everything on xp1800+ (with a card similar to that).

Celeron just doesn't have it.
However, the 3dmark score has nothing to do with real life happiness. If you're pleased with the visual quality and fps, why upgrade.
-M

I'm not happy unless i'm better than everyone else.

That and it's causing me problems when hosting games of BF1942.

[muno]

Cheaply be better than everyone else?
I'd believe that if it was cheap to be better than everyone else, everyone would be better than everone else and if that happened no-one would be better than everyone else.

So no, you can't be cheaply better than everyone else.

I would upgrade the processor to a real processor first.
-M

[Quietus]

Originally posted by muno
Cheaply be better than everyone else?
I'd believe that if it was cheap to be better than everyone else, everyone would be better than everone else and if that happened no-one would be better than everyone else.

So no, you can't be cheaply better than everyone else.

I would upgrade the processor to a real processor first.
-M

By cheap I mean "save up $100 every two weeks, and every couple months buy another part".

I need a job.

[ShawnD1]

Maybe your computer just hates Direct3D like mine does. Try benchmarking your computer with GL Excess. Comparing my score to yours will also tell me if my computer can run BF1942. If not for yourself, do it for me?

[Quietus]

bf1942 runs great on mine, the problem I have is at LAN parties, when I try to host a game with bots. My computer just doesn't have the power for it. Then people start freaking out because everything skips, and I laugh because I'm used to it.

I'll try that new benchmark as soon as it finishes downloading.

[samwichse]

It's the Celeron...

The small cache crappiness of a P4 Celeron gives it pathetic gaming performance. An XP 1800+ can beat or match a Celeron oc'd to 3.0ghz in many cases.

http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/20021016/index.html

Look at the 3DMark scores in that review...

The only suggestion I can give is to try overclocking or replace it with a P4.