PC Stress Test Software - What To Use?

Jason W · Post by **Jason W** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 11:51 am

I am in the build process right now, and want to be able to stress test my build to check temps as well as check stability when overclocking.

Here is my build list:

P182 case with Nexus Fans
GA-P35-DS3R mobo
E6750 CPU with Ninja Rev. B
2GB of G.Skill GBHZ DDR2 800 RAM
Fanless GeForce 7600GS 256MB video card
Windows XP Pro SP2b OEM

What are the best free software apps to use for stress testing these components, both at stock speeds and overclocked?

Thanks in advance for your help!

DrCR · Post by **DrCR** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 12:10 pm

I use multiple instances of CPUBurn. CPUTest for Mac. Prime95 for _truly_ testing the stability of your machine, not just CPU heat testing.

SPCR used to have an apps linky deal that disappeared when the website was overhauled way back when. Would be nice to have that back.

DrCR

Bories36 · Post by **Bories36** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 12:12 pm

Intels Thermal Analysis tool puts TONS of stress on your CPU. I just use Orthos, it puts like 95% load on both cores, while TAT puts 100% on both.

As for graphics card, I use the Smoke Test, or ATI Tools Find Artifacts test.

Rev B. is horrible in my opinion, unless your gonna get another retention kit, I wouldnt suggest getting it. I have very high temps because it only makes contact with 50% of my CPU

Jason W · Post by **Jason W** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 12:19 pm

Bories36 wrote:Intels Thermal Analysis tool puts TONS of stress on your CPU. I just use Orthos, it puts like 95% load on both cores, while TAT puts 100% on both.

As for graphics card, I use the Smoke Test, or ATI Tools Find Artifacts test.

Rev B. is horrible in my opinion, unless your gonna get another retention kit, I wouldnt suggest getting it. I have very high temps because it only makes contact with 50% of my CPU

Thanks. Question for you - I have the SCURK1 retention kit along with the Rev. B Ninja... do you think I will be okay with this? I also lapped my Ninja - glad I did as it was not very flat. Much higher on the edges than in the center. Am thinking of lapping the E6750 as well, but that makes me nervous.

klingenfelter · Post by **klingenfelter** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 12:24 pm

I used Passmark's stress test software on my recently completed HTPC.

http://www.passmark.com/

Intel supplies it with their motherboards. The bundled intel version will run on only intel hardware. Passmark sells a generic version on their web site.

The test has different segments that hammers the CPU, memory, hard drive and CD rom. It gives you a performance index at the end.

See post
viewtopic.php?t=42580

For how i used it to test a new HTPC.

cmthomson · Post by **cmthomson** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 3:16 pm

TAT tests the CPU cooling to the limit. It runs much hotter than anything else out there.

Orthos should be run for at least 12 hours to test CPU/memory overclocking stability. It loads the CPU about as much as TAT set at 75%.

rthdribl runs the GPU the hottest of any programs I've seen.

ATI Tool artifact mode should be run to test your GPU stability. It is not specific to ATI chips, and works fine with Nvidia as well.

Bories36 · Post by **Bories36** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 4:59 pm

Ya, that retention kit is fine i guess, and its really good you lapped your ninja, you should be ok. I never lap my chips, just to be safe....but you can....

bonestonne · Post by **bonestonne** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 6:18 pm

i'd say running TAT and Orthos would be a good stress test, but also have Speedfan open the whole time...if you see your CPU or a chipset go over its threshold, i'd stop the tests...i've seen people [mainly stupid friends] who do a mad overclock, and loose their system because they did a major stress test and didn't monitor it in the process, so they just ended up frying their board.