Help me build a poker comptuer

[bfonnes]

Originally posted by: DpR

Originally posted by: bfonnes

Originally posted by: DpR
I have built pretty close to the mentioned computer for poker play (10 table, with PAHUD, and PT). I have 4GB RAM. The 4GB is recognized by CPU-Z and in System information, however in System settings on the general tab it only says 2.25GB. I was wondering exactly what is discussed in this thread. Does that mean Windowns is not actually using the extra memory? Is there anyway to fix this (I am reading that one link above now).

As for the data intensive nature, I Am pretty sure it is with the terrible party software. My CPU also ran at 100% close to all the time. I just got this new system together so I will see tonight how it does. The databases are total bears. I am constatly writing to and reading from databases that in total are over 10GB.

The whole 10GB+ database will not remain fully in memory at any one time, though, so, this kind of RAM requirement should be unnecessary... Once the problem is solved it might be an interesting test to just take out half of your RAM and see if that has a significant "slowdown" effect on your setup. But, this does confirm the need for a fast hard drive... It certainly can't hurt... As for noise, I don't believe he said he was building an HTPC. The fans in the system are significantly louder than any hard disk drive would be. WD drives are pretty quiet.

BFonnes

I could theoretically limit my useage to smaller databases, if it would help. The 10GB is about 5DBs I use mostly reading information from. If I only used say 2 databases totaling 2.5GB, writing to one that is about 1.5GB would it then all be stored in RAM? If it was a significant perfomance improvement, I could live with the less information and switch to that plan.

Some of these other posts seem to intimate that my computer is only using 2GB of the memory though. I am a bit confused on that front.

well, I'm not sure about that last part, refer to the link to the Microsoft support article posted earlier in the thread...

As for limiting the size of your database, I would not automatically assume that is necessary until you do some testing, and also check task manager (ctrl-alt-del, click processes tab while in task manager) to see how much memory the database program is actually using, even. Although, it could be something to try if you are continually having speed issues just to see if it helps.

BFonnes

 

[neovan]

I'm curious as to what tables you guys play at? 1/2, 30/60, 100/200?

Are these programs worth it?

 

[DpR]

Originally posted by: neovan
30/60, 100/200

Are these programs worth it?

yes

 

[imported_heyguy]

Originally posted by: neovan
I'm curious as to what tables you guys play at? 1/2, 30/60, 100/200?

Are these programs worth it?

I used to play 10/20 to 30/60, but I don't play anymore (not financial reasons).

If you're serious about playing/learning/winning, those programs are essential, as long as you don't rely on them too much to make decisions while playing. Pokertracker is very good for displaying your own stats for evaluation. You'll be able to compare your stats to those of winning players and be able to go through all your hands to find holes. In conclusion, if you know how to use them, they can do amazing things for your game.

 

[bX510]

You might want a bigger monitor and more powerful video cards... So you can get a bigger resolution and see all your 12 tables at once, or you can just minimize them...

 

[Lord Evermore]

Originally posted by: DpR
As I mentioned I just completed a 4GB system. CPU-Z and System info have the memory at 4GB, but System properties/general tab list it at 2.25GB.

I am not savvy enough to understand what to actually do to add the boot.ini switch you linked. Is there somewhere I can find a proceedure as to how to complete that task?

Thanks!

Edit: Oh, I am runnning XP Pro.

It may or may not actually make any difference for you. If you open Task Manager while you've got everything running, and the Commit Charge displayed at the bottom is less than 2GB, then you aren't running into the 2GB limitation. The Performance tab, in the Commit Charge (K) section, shows exactly what the limit is, and the Kernel Memory (K) section shows how much memory the kernel is using. If the Kernel is near 2GB, then you don't want to make the change either since the change will make only 1GB reserved for the kernel.

Keeping in mind that editing the boot.ini file can make your system unbootable, it's not that hard.

In the root folder of the C drive is the boot.ini file, which is where Windows looks to determine what operating systems are installed on which partitions, and what options to load with them. If you have more than two OSes installed, it looks there and then gives you a boot menu. To see it in Windows Explorer, you have to go to the Tools, Options menu and on the View tab, check the option for Show Hidden Files and Folders and uncheck Hide protected operating system files. Apply the change and then you'll see the file. (If "Hide extensions for known file types" is still checked, Explorer won't show the .ini extension, but you'll see the text file named "boot".) Then you have to check whether it's set to Read Only, which is on the Properties for the file; uncheck that if it's checked, and when you've made the changes, check it again.

Make a copy of the file and save it as something like boot.old. Then you just open the file in Notepad, and make the changes, save it, make it read-only if it was before, and reboot. You can also change back the options for the hidden files if you want.

In the file you'll see at least one line like so:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut

Just add a space and /3GB to the end, and save the file.

 

[Hoopster81]

Originally posted by: Thyme
I'd suggest dual or more monitors to run that many tables. It should save you some grief. I'm skeptical that you'd need too much power unless PartyPoker is really that poorly done (none of the ones I've played have given me any problems).

Monitors are not a concern, I've got two big ones.

 

[Hoopster81]

Originally posted by: nccr
There's a well known problem in the partypoker client where if you open up many "monster" tables, your cpu usage goes through the roof. Most of us feel that in their latest update partypoker programmers added some kind of code which eats up cpu cycles in moving the monster jackpot banner back and forth. You can fix it by clicking on the little red icon on the upper right hand of the banner. This prevents it from moving back and forth. It's a pain though, since you have to do it for each table and each time you reopen a table.

Even when I pin the images down, the client becomes unplayable within an hour or so.

Somone on twoplustwo suggested that it starts creating a lot of "handles" and doesn't remove them when it is done using them, so they just pile up. Anyone know what the most important part of the PC is to handle if the poker client creates >1,000,000 handles?

Thanks

 

[Hoopster81]

Originally posted by: DpR
I have built pretty close to the mentioned computer for poker play (10 table, with PAHUD, and PT). I have 4GB RAM. The 4GB is recognized by CPU-Z and in System information, however in System settings on the general tab it only says 2.25GB. I was wondering exactly what is discussed in this thread. Does that mean Windowns is not actually using the extra memory? Is there anyway to fix this (I am reading that one link above now).

As for the data intensive nature, I Am pretty sure it is with the terrible party software. My CPU also ran at 100% close to all the time. I just got this new system together so I will see tonight how it does. The databases are total bears. I am constatly writing to and reading from databases that in total are over 10GB.

As for winning back the cost of the system, that will take only a few hours of play, so I am pretty sure most serious poker players would pay most any amount to have a computer that would run smoothly while running these apps. I am hopefull that this will do it, but I am far from confident.

Let me know if there is any improvement

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally posted by: DpR
I have built pretty close to the mentioned computer for poker play (10 table, with PAHUD, and PT). I have 4GB RAM. The 4GB is recognized by CPU-Z and in System information, however in System settings on the general tab it only says 2.25GB. I was wondering exactly what is discussed in this thread. Does that mean Windowns is not actually using the extra memory? Is there anyway to fix this (I am reading that one link above now).

As for the data intensive nature, I Am pretty sure it is with the terrible party software. My CPU also ran at 100% close to all the time. I just got this new system together so I will see tonight how it does. The databases are total bears. I am constatly writing to and reading from databases that in total are over 10GB.

As for winning back the cost of the system, that will take only a few hours of play, so I am pretty sure most serious poker players would pay most any amount to have a computer that would run smoothly while running these apps. I am hopefull that this will do it, but I am far from confident.

last i heard it was something like.... xp can see 4GB jus fine, but individual programs cant call on more than 2Gb or something

so if u have 4 GB then 1 program cant use it all

 

[bob4432]

your situation may be a true reason to go to a 10-15K scsi hdd setup. everybody always bags on scsi saying it is not good for a single user because the data pattern is not equal to a true server with a db. well since you are accessing and writing to a db constantly i would say that is where a 10-15K scsi hdd would really shine.

scsi hdds own raptors in db situations thus you should benefit from using one with your applications since that is whay they are.

 

[phisrow]

You might consider moving your database to a separate machine, and accessing it over gigabit crossover, in order to take load off of your main CPU and disk subsystem. Most database based systems should have no problem at all with working over a network.