KSP-induced Hardware SNAFU

[StahnAileron]

Have a computer hardware story. It was kicked off by KSP, so that's why it's here. (I just needed to vent a little...)

I was playing KSP about two months ago. 1.2 was proving fun once the majority of the mods I use updated. KSP being more cooperative now (compared to 1.0.5; I skipped 1.1.x), I decided to actually build a true space station. A modular one, so I needed to assemble it in orbit. (I can't do the monstrosity launchers some players build and use...) I design it in the SPH. The lag hurts. In fact, KSP crashes several times due to Out of Memory conditions. This on a system with 16GB of physical RAM. (I do have my virtual RAM limited because of that, but still... KSP memory leaks/hogging strikes once more.)

I get fed up and decide to bump it up to 32GB. I noticed Windows 7's memory caching feature is pretty nice, so it would help with loading other stuff I deal with often (other games I play, file transfers, etc.) Should be a worthwhile investment. I buy, receive, and install. No problems. Ironically, I wasn't playing KSP as much, but it was more solid when I was and would go longer per session. I was mucking with the Space Station in orbit. I had to dock with it and retrieve Jeb and Val. (They manned the two command modules for the station during those launches as I wasn't willing to add probe cores to the station modules when they had command pods already.) The lag from the part could was tolerable, but kinda annoying. This is on a i7-4771. I weigh getting a CPU upgrade.

So last week, I bite the bullet: let's get a used i7-4790K! I got it today and spent the last 2 hours installing it and figuring out why POST wasn't QUITE working. A trip to Intel's site after I got my system in a working config and looking at BIOS updates tells the story: Intel's own DZ87KLT-75K MB does NOT support the 4790K! CRAP! Well, it SORTA does, or else I wouldn't be writing this at this time. (Would've been later with the 4771 re-installed.) It seems support is half-assed since it's just a refresh of the 4770K, I just can't access the BIOS. So I need to run my system is stupid-proof mode. (BIOS is locked out from user access/changes and I assume is using stock defaults.) So the entire reason I have this processor - to overclock the sucker - is render moot currently.

SO! A lesson to others: Know your hardware! And its quirks.

Anyway, I love Intel as a tech company, but I sometimes hate them as a business. The latter aspect is in full force right now...

So I now have a spare CPU and 16GB or RAM laying about. I can either re-install my 4771 and try to offload the 4790K (I lucked out and got it for under typical prices on eBay, so I might at least break even) or invest more money into an obsolete platform. I would need a Z97 MB, which are out of production. Still buyable new at retail; the selection just sucks. Looking at 100-150 more... Or I can get a "server-grade" Z97 MB from SuperMicro for about 225. I used to buy Intel boards for the stability. (They're quirky at times, but damned if I ever had hardware issues them. 24/7 rock-solid operation.) SuperMicro is known for their server equipment... I just don't know if I should bother for that price.

Of course, I could just save up and just build a new system, but that's another MB anyway along with a completely new CPU and newer DDR4 RAM (I'm currently a DDR3 home due to the old tech here...) The performance advantage of the latest systems aren't really much better than that of several year ago. (Efficiency has been the main advance, not raw performance.) Not really worth the extra re-investment.

On top of this, I don't feel like migrating my current OS install to essentially new hardware. (MB swaps aren't to be taken lightly...)

Dilemmas, dilemmas... And I feel so stupid about the compatibility part. *sigh*

Any other computer stories out there originated by KSP? (Good or bad.)

Edited May 4, 2017 by StahnAileron

[LoSBoL]

Ah man, that sucks! Don't feel stupid, Intel is stupid, one bios update from Intel would have solved your problem...

Here's what I would do, find yourself a second hand Z97 board and continue your plan to clock the living daylights out of it. No need to go for an servergrade mainboard, any decent mainboard like Asus, Gigabyte or Asrock with a Z97 will be stable.

Slap the 4771 on the Z87 mainboard, accompanied by 16 GB ram and sell it!

And like you said, the performance advantage from an 5th or 6th generation will bring you nothing, the 4th generation is far from obsolete, because the performance advantage of the 6th and 7th generation has basicly been achieved by bumping the clockspeed. speeds you can easily reach when overclocking the 4790K. (and at the same time 5 GHz is about the absolute maximum you would get out of 6th or 7th gen intel overclock, spending more and achieving the same result)

As for the OS, I don't know if Windows 7 is more sensitive, but with Windows 10 I had no issues when swapping an H85 mainboard for an Z97 mainboard without reinstalling the OS

 

I got a originated KSP computer story to. Bought an second hand H85 + I5-4440 + 8 GB ram + GTX970 for a nice price to start gaming again 

After about 3 months I bought KSP and started playing, wanted more performance and saw a second hand I5-4690K, only to be scammed €175 out of my pockets...

A week later I saw an second hand Z97+4790K+16 GB ram for a steal (€ 320 Euro), picked it up and 2 days later I sold the H85+I5+8GB for € 200.

Edited May 4, 2017 by LoSBoL