After a build, what tests do you do on a system?

[DarkStar_WNY]

I just ordered all the parts for my first modern system build, and after screwing up and not posting here until the day I was ordering I decided not to make that mistake again and as such I'm posting this up before I even get the parts.

After the system is built, drivers and Windows are installed and updated, what if any testing do [H] members do to their rigs?

I'm not so much thinking benchmarks, although feel free to list any and all of those you run, but more like testing for stability, heat build up, or anything else that I might not think of.

Thanks in advance for your help, it will allow me to get together a collection of any software and/or tools I need before I even open the boxes.

 

[John721]

I found this list to be useful. Also, pick up Real Temp or Core Temp. From there, Hard Disk Sentinel and your drive maker's utility software. That should be a decent start.

 

[BlindedByScience]

I've found running a couple of tests before installing the OS to be very, very helpful:

• Memtest86+ - Any new build or upgrade I do runs Memtest86+ for at least 12, usually 24 hours. "No Errors" is the only right answer here.
• Run the HD manufacturer's "Extended" test on the drive, two or three times.
• If you have a decent volt-ohm meter, I like to actually measure the voltages from the power supply, just to see where they "really" are. MoBo readings may or may not be accurate.

Does this catch everything? No....but, in my experience this does catch 98% of all the common things that bite a system builder. You'd be surprised how many memory / MoBo incompatibilities I've found by running Memtest86+.

A great disk to have is the Ultimate Boot CD. This lets you boot up the system before you install an OS and run the tests I've described. A very handy disk to have hand, I've found.

 

[DarkStar_WNY]

I found this list to be useful. Also, pick up Real Temp or Core Temp. From there, Hard Disk Sentinel and your drive maker's utility software. That should be a decent start.

Thanks for the link, that's a keeper.

I've found running a couple of tests before installing the OS to be very, very helpful:

• Memtest86+ - Any new build or upgrade I do runs Memtest86+ for at least 12, usually 24 hours. "No Errors" is the only right answer here.
• Run the HD manufacturer's "Extended" test on the drive, two or three times.
• If you have a decent volt-ohm meter, I like to actually measure the voltages from the power supply, just to see where they "really" are. MoBo readings may or may not be accurate.

Does this catch everything? No....but, in my experience this does catch 98% of all the common things that bite a system builder. You'd be surprised how many memory / MoBo incompatibilities I've found by running Memtest86+.

A great disk to have is the Ultimate Boot CD. This lets you boot up the system before you install an OS and run the tests I've described. A very handy disk to have hand, I've found.

Awesome, I had never even considered running any tests before installing the OS.

As for testing the hard drives, would you test an SSD the same way as a standard HDD?

 

[Deleted member 88227]

Since this is a gaming rig that you are building, testing the machine for stability really isn't necessary. I mean, if it was some kind of production/work horse machine where the data it crunched was important such as simulation or rendering type work, I could see making sure everything checked out okay... but it's just going to mostly be gaming.

Therefore, if it starts to show signs of having trouble doing daily tasks such as gaming; test it. If not, let it ride.

Just my $.02.

Though I always tend to run benchmark programs on new rigs, just to compare it to the system it replaces.

 

[dr.stevil]

Since this is a gaming rig that you are building, testing the machine for stability really isn't necessary. I mean, if it was some kind of production/work horse machine where the data it crunched was important such as simulation or rendering type work, I could see making sure everything checked out okay... but it's just going to mostly be gaming.

Therefore, if it starts to show signs of having trouble doing daily tasks such as gaming; test it. If not, let it ride.

Just my $.02.

Though I always tend to run benchmark programs on new rigs, just to compare it to the system it replaces.

same here. If it works okay and everything is running stock (no overclocks) then I let it be unless it gives me some issues.

overclocking on the other hand, I'll generally run some heavy benchmark stress tests to make sure temps are okay and everthing is working smoothly.

 

[Deleted member 88227]

+1 to that as well. When I start overclocking, I only run programs that will stress the GPU or CPU, which ever I am testing, just to sure the clock is stable and the temps are in check. Especially since when you are gaming, watching temps is probably the last thing on your mind while you're shooting at people.

Also since you intend to do some folding on that rig, that will stress/test the system for stability better than most programs do and possibly be productive at the same time.

 

[BlindedByScience]

As for testing the hard drives, would you test an SSD the same way as a standard HDD?

I'd test them, but consider the failure modes are completely different because you are dealing with completely different types of hardware. I know Intel has an SSD utility that does integrity testing, I'm sure most other manufacturers do as well. The UBCD has pretty much every standard hard drive test utility you'd ever need....