Suggested method for putting CPU under load... ?

[PeteWalker74]

Hey all...

Just put a WC system together, and I want to absolutely jam out my CPU at every step of the way.

Just a little info first, before I get to my question. Right now, at idle, I'm at 86F case and 95F CPU using MBM. Is it me, or does the 86F seems VERY high as the ambient in here is 70F? Anyway, I do the usual torture test using Prime95 + Sandra burn-in, but the temps only go up a few degrees, and I never break 100F.

I was thinking that I am not running Prime95 correctly/effectively to be able to max out both "hyperthreaded cpus". I check the Processes tab under Task Manager, and one part is cranked, while the other is idle. I see the option to choose the affinity, but I can't seem to figure out how to run two instances, one for each affinity.

If anyone can help, or provide me with an alternative way to stress test the CPU I would appreciate it. I'm not complaining about my temps, just wanting to be absolutely sure that once I hit a point after overclocking that I am 100% stable.

Thanks guys.

 

[ATi_Loyalist]

fold for the [H]orde!
F@H works well, with prime95, and sandra running at the same time.

 

[Carnival Forces]

max out CPU:
1. run F@H (set to 100% of spare cycles)
2. run Prime95 TortureTest
3. run 2nd copy of Prime95 TortureTest
4. run 3dmark-whatever-flavor-you-like CPU benchies (looped).
5. SiSoft Sandra CPU burn-in
6. [H]ard|OCP Ut2k3 CPU benchie looped
^-- let run for a few hrs.

max out entire system:
do "max out CPU" +
1. All SiSoft Sandra burn-ins
2. All of 3dmark-whatever-flavor benchies looped
3. [H]ard|OCP Ut2k3 benchie looped

 

[createcoms]

I find the best stress for my system(s) is a divx encode.

Sometimes all the other stress utilities cant make the computer crash except for a divx encode which is why I use it to check the stability. And yes I have thoroughly tested to make sure divx isnt just crashing of its own accord.

 

[kronchev]

DO NOT RUN FAH IF YOURE TESTING YOUR CPU PLEASE. FALSE RESULTS = TEH SUCK

To run 2x prime95 you can either have two folders with a prime95 in each, and just set each to a separate affinity to delegate each to each HT, but theres a command line param you can run with just one folder that makes another instance, although I cant remember it off the top of my head.

 

[Maxx]

Prime95 at maximum priority is a good indicator for heat, it definitely gets my CPU up a few C over any game.

30C idle case temp isn't really that bad, although you might find that some BIOS revisions give differing temperatures. You might consider some modded cooling to help the board temp (MOSFET, bridges, if you haven't already and is relevant on your board) but I wouldn't be concerned unless the load board temps are rather high. I found from extreme testing (I like to push things as hard as possible just to see the limits) that board temps get nasty around 36-37C, and a system should never be run at or above 38C.

One way around the affinity problem is to disable HT and run Prime after that, although of course you could also run more programs simultaneously as well. A good combo might be Prime95 and SuperPI.

 

[mwarps]

As kronchev said, do NOT NOT NOT use Folding@Home to stresstest! PLEASE! The reults are actually returned and actually have scientific value against fighting diseases. If your CPU is not tuned right, it will do bad calculations and will produce shit results which is bad.

Please use doubled up prime or something else, but not FAH.

 

[TekieB]

Originally posted by mwarps
As kronchev said, do NOT NOT NOT use Folding@Home to stresstest! PLEASE! The reults are actually returned and actually have scientific value against fighting diseases. If your CPU is not tuned right, it will do bad calculations and will produce shit results which is bad.

Please use doubled up prime or something else, but not FAH.

SETI!!! They won't tell you if they find anything anyways

 

[PeteWalker74]

Thanks, as always, fellas... I'll try the thing with running prime95 from two different folders. But, does anyone have the command line argument to accomplish what I want?

Update: Ok, I just ran two copies, one doing large, one doing small. It seems to do the trick. The cpu is at 40c now, and case at 32c. However, I still don't understand how it gets this case temp. There's no way in hell it's 89F in the case, nor is ambient anywhere near that.

Am I just experiencing the problem that Abit supposedly runs high, when it comes to recording temps?