Do I need to upgrade my PC for Maya?

# 1 07-05-2008 , 08:55 PM

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This is my PC..

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1196470439043

It has a 64 bit dual core proxcessor.. does that help a lot?

Is there a big difference between 32bit and 64bit?

The bad thing about this PC is that the graphics card is relatively weak.. will that be a problem running the 64 bit Maya?

Does having a weak graphics card hurt you while working in the work view? Or can you have the processor handle that - take that load?

Are there ways to optimize your PC if you have a weak graphics card?

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# 2 08-05-2008 , 02:02 AM

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Taken from Autodesk's site:

At a minimum, the 64-bit version of Maya 2008 software requires a system with the following hardware:
Windows and Linux: Intel EM64T, AMD Athlon 64, or AMD Opteron processor

2 GB RAM

2 GB hard disk space

Qualified hardware-accelerated OpenGL graphics card

Three-button mouse with mouse driver software

DVD-ROM drive

Originally Posted by

You can find a list of qualified hardware here.

I don't have a 64-bit system so I can't help you any more than that. Good luck!

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# 3 08-05-2008 , 02:43 AM

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Thanks! I almost didn't see that hardware link.. that is great!

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# 4 08-05-2008 , 02:59 AM

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You'll need a 64 bit OS too.

"No pressure, no diamonds" Thomas Carlyle

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# 5 08-05-2008 , 03:23 AM

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gster, are you saying my windows vista isn't 64bit?

Why would they make a PC with the 64bit processor but not 64bit OS?

Or is it just for potential future upgrades? Seems like a waste...

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# 6 08-05-2008 , 03:33 AM

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Originally posted by ExtrudedDingus
gster, are you saying my windows vista isn't 64bit?

Why would they make a PC with the 64bit processor but not 64bit OS?

Or is it just for potential future upgrades? Seems like a waste...

Originally Posted by

Could be the case, the spec sheet you put up didnt specify if it was or not.

Just make sure its a 64 bit version of vista, I dont know much about vista and its varients, so just make sure that its what you need.

Theres a lot of the AMD's that are 64 bit that were sold with 32 bit OS's (XP), as it's an option untill the technology matures completly, that was a while ago, but like I said just make sure.

"No pressure, no diamonds" Thomas Carlyle

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# 7 08-05-2008 , 03:54 AM

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I am trying to see if it is.. but it doesn't say it when checking what version I have in the windows control panel.. I am sure oif it was 64 bit it would say it was..

Pretty confusing though..

https://www.microsoft.com/windows/pro...ons/64bit.mspx

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# 8 08-05-2008 , 04:35 AM

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See what I mean. Have you gone to the link about getting a 64 bit copy at the bottom of that page??

"No pressure, no diamonds" Thomas Carlyle

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# 9 08-05-2008 , 05:45 AM

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Yeah.. I saw that.. I think you are right.. I think if I had 64 bit windows it would say it everywhere on my PC.. but it doesn't say what it is...

which is kind of weird too.. you would think it would say 32 bit so you know you need and want 64 bit..

what is all that business about gigbytes of memory at the bottom of that page too?

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# 10 08-05-2008 , 06:30 AM

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I don't know about the OS but the hardware is definitely sufficient. I run Maya 8.5 with barely half as much and it goes fine as long as I don't dig in the really complex stuff.

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# 11 08-05-2008 , 06:53 AM

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Originally posted by ExtrudedDingus
what is all that business about gigbytes of memory at the bottom of that page too?

Originally Posted by

The gig's are how much RAM the PC can use , 32 bit maxes out at 4gig (although programmes can only use 3.25-3.5 gig depending on how much windows allocates to itself)

Did you get your vista disk and instructions with your PC, it might say in ther, maybe give microsoft a bell, there pretty good.

"No pressure, no diamonds" Thomas Carlyle

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# 12 08-05-2008 , 07:36 AM

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Thanks Benny.. for modeling simple stuff it's ok so far.. but I haven't gotten into cloth simulations or complex scenes so I am kind of worried about that..

What kind of graphics card do you have, Benny? That's the big weak link in my system.. and I think that might be the most important thing for Maya..

gster, I found where it says 32 bit system.. it was right in front of my face.. that's probably why I missed it.

:headbang:

That's a bummer about the RAM.. I thought I could max at 8 GB.. because that's what my specifications said.. but that must be after a upgrade to 64 bit.. user added image

sneaky...

Last edited by ExtrudedDingus; 08-05-2008 at 07:40 AM.

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# 13 08-05-2008 , 12:15 PM

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I've got Radeon 9550 now... I don't know how it compares to yours but it's definitely worse.
Just so you know, I managed to run Maya with Nvidia FX 5200 (which is MUCH, MUCH worse then yours) earlier with reasonable preformanse.
I also have 2.6 GHz on one core so I wouldn't worry about the CPU, and I've got 1 GB RAM DDR(1) so I'd say 3 GB DDR2 will do for a few years at least...
wellcome to SM :attn:
Benny

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# 14 08-05-2008 , 02:24 PM

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Wow, BennyK, you were hardcoring it.I haven't even seen those words "Nvidia FX 5200" in such a long time it made me have a flashback. user added image

ExtrudedDingus, that system is fine but when things start getting heavy in your scene view it'll no doubt bring that graphic card to its knees. You can overclock it but you better have adequate cooling. Also it says Vista Home Premium preinstalled and I know the Autodesk site says Vista Business, dunno how that'll work out. Its a waste to have a 64bit system and not have a 64bit OS, and for anyone who doesnt know how to check, go to control panel>system. And get the 64bit verison of Maya. Getting more than 4GB RAM if you're not upgrading to 64bit OS is pretty much pointless.(I suggest you download the drivers and burn em') I don't even know what kinda mobo this thing has :/ this is why I build my systems myself so that I get exactly what I want/need. Only thing I can tell you is to get a 64bit OS and 64bit Maya, everything else is ok.:blush:

- Genny
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# 15 08-05-2008 , 03:56 PM

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Thanks GecT. Good info.

I was looking at these graphics card.. seems like they could solve my problem..

https://www.hothardware.com/Articles/...ootout/?page=1

It's really weird though.. on the Maya site it says the ATI cards don't work well with the software but here in these tests it says ATI is better and Nvidia doesn't work well..

Only thing I can tell you is to get a 64bit OS and 64bit Maya, everything else is ok.

Originally Posted by

If I do get the 64bit Maya and Windows then will that help my graphics card's performance?

Thanks for the welcome Benny! user added image

What version of Maya are you running, Benny? When you were animating scenes with cloth movement or anything complex did it slow your system down a lot or crash?

Last edited by ExtrudedDingus; 08-05-2008 at 03:59 PM.

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Do I need to upgrade my PC for Maya?

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