Prime95: What do you consider "stable?"

S

Sovereign

2[H]4U
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Mar 21, 2005
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I have a crap-stepping Opty 170 (forget what it was but I think XS said it usually tops out at 2.6-2.7) that I'm working on OCing. I currently have CPU voltage at 1.4+.15 (thanks for the weird setting MSI, for the record it's 1.55) and the thing Priming away at 2.6GHz. RAM is @ 240MHz (DDR480), well within spec for DDR500 memory (G.Skill Extreme 2GB or something like that).

I used the following method for the test that is running as I type this:
Install Prime for dual core operation (obviously)
Run each instance with about 830MB of memory availible of 2GB (to avoid testing the pagefile/HDD)
Use a Custom Test with the only setting changed from the default Custom being the Memory value.
TEST!

Question: is it possible to end up testing the pagefile anyway, even with the settings I have, and have the pagefile produce a Prime error? I had a bad Raptor, then a bad setting (NCQ on + nF4 = BAD)....could those have been the source of my Prime issue? And no, my memory won't do DDR520 :( :(, at least not in Prime.
 
when you can run Rosetta@home for 7 days straight without restarting the computer, then it is stable. :cool:
 
You could try running the small ftt tests in prime, the units are small enough they all fit in the processor on-die cache, and thus stress only the cpu. I believe this has been the accepted method of cpu stability testing here, and its what I use. Right now with so much ram in the equation its really more of a memory test than cpu. Make sure each prime is running on a single core's affinity. Myself, I consider 24 hours of small ftt prime to be cpu stable; ram is memtest86 8+ hours stable and a 32mb superpi run.
 
Yep two instances of the Small FTT and your computer will be smoking. I did that on my old EE machine and the frig'n thing got cooking well above spec.. so much so I was worried I killed the cpu. Installed a Zalman 9500 and now it never gets above 48c.

I'd like to see what happens when you try this test make sure you have some ability to monitor the CPU temp!!!! I have an asus so I monitored it via their AI booster tool.

Sunin
 
Thanks, I have nVMonitor for temp monitoring. I will try the Small FFT thing soon.
 
Prime95 is almost worthless for stability testing these days. I can run prime all day long with a specific overclock just to load a game and it crashes instantly.
 
J-Mag said:
Prime95 is almost worthless for stability testing these days. I can run prime all day long with a specific overclock just to load a game and it crashes instantly.
Click to expand...

it is not at all worthless. Saying a blaringly wrong statement like that is asking for flaming... What it does do is test if the processor is capable of operating at full load for extended time frames without overheating. A paticular OC may fail due to memory when it will pass using prime95 Small FTT. For that you should use Memtest86, if I recall the name...

Please refrain from stating comments that in no way helps address the OP's original question.

Sunin
 
Before I whip out the stable stamp I normally do:

8 hours small FFT Prime.
1 hour memtest test #5.
1 pass of OCCT.
1 pass of the 3dmark Suite (03,05,06).
1 pass of 32M SuperPi.

And the most important test of them all:
An extended gaming session (at least 2+ hrs steady) of the current game I'm playing at the time of machine build.
 
Sunin said:
it is not at all worthless.
Click to expand...

Read my post I said it is ALMOST worthless. I think it does still have some value, but minimal.

Sunin said:
Saying a blaringly wrong statement like that is asking for flaming... What it does do is test if the processor is capable of operating at full load for extended time frames without overheating. A paticular OC may fail due to memory when it will pass using prime95 Small FTT. For that you should use Memtest86, if I recall the name...
Click to expand...

I know what Prime does, and thats why I think it is ALMOST worthless. If someone wants to test for stability, then they should test with the apps that they use consistently.

So unless you are actually trying to find new prime numbers, Prime is ALMOST worthless.


Sunin said:
Please refrain from stating comments that in no way helps address the OP's original question.
Click to expand...

How about you refrain from being a forum Nazi. Also how does your rant at me help the OP? Hypocritical...
 
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