Newb question here: How to use Prime95 correctly?

[SliNGky]

I want to know the right way to run Prime95...
please, don't post message like, left click on Prime95.exe...

Thanks,
SliNGky

 

[Pipsquek]

All ya need to know is here: http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=335813

 

[c627627]

Hello. To test the stability of overclocked CPU, download the latest bug fixed version of Prime95:
http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft.htm

Double click on PRIME95.EXE to start the program.

Just Stress Testing (if prompted) > OK >
Options > Torture Test > Blend (if prompted) > OK


The program should not give any errors.
It may be necessary to run the program 12-24 hours to make sure an overclocked system is stable (no program errors displayed).


If you get errors only after several hours, this is a result of slight instability because the system is running with little or no margin. It's stable enough to boot and to be moderately stressed, but as soon as the system is under enough load to go over that critical point, it will freeze. To be 100% stable, Prime95 should run 12-24 hours without any errors.

The point of testing is to see if you get errors or not thus testing the stability. The meaning of errors themselves is not as important.


Running Prime95 Torture Test for 5 to 30 minutes is enough to get a feeling about general stability. If it seems to be stable, increase the FSB (with 0.025V Vcore increase if needed), or increase the multiplier by 0.5.

Reboot and run Prime95 Torture Test for 5 to 30 minutes and repeat this until the Program displays errors.
It's then time to back down and repeat the Torture Test until there are no errors for at least 12 hours.

It's OK to use the computer while Prime95 Torture Test is running in the background.


After finding your stable point you may want to then retest by going to the Advanced section, setting the password to 9876 and then setting Priority to 10. (You won't be able to use your computer while Priority 10 Prime95 Torture Test is running, but it'll confirm your system stability.)

 

[SliNGky]

Wow, Thank you !

All I need to know!

Cya,
SliNGky

 

[huonglant]

I have a silly question, once Prime95 is running in priority 10, it still shows low priority in the system task manager so I right click on the base priority and set it to HIGH, and is this another way to tell prime95 to die quickier (if the system is not stable yet)?

 

[c627627]

Prime 95 > Advanced > Password to 9876 and then

Prime 95 > Advanced > Priority to 10.

It's an internal Prime95 setting, forget about using the computer with that setting set to 10, people usualy use it for overnight testing to confirm the stability of their systems...

They usually run it 12-24 hours... type of errors displayed are not as imortant as making sure you don't get any, by lowering your overclock, or increasing voltage while not heating the system up too much, good luck.

 

[The Coolest]

The blend test doesn't test the cpu nearly as much as it does on Small FFTs.
I usually use Prime95 to test the CPU for stability, run Small FFTs for 24 hours, then play UT2004 for a few hours, that's usually enough to test for overall system stability, and run memtest86 for 12 hours if I overclock the FSB/RAM.

 

[huonglant]

Thanks for your input.

 

[c627627]

Participated in few threads with Hoot & them on Prime95 usage, as I recall concensus was that new people looking to use stability test for the first time should use Blend, do you think they should use small FFTs instead, The Coolest?

 

[The Coolest]

Blend always clugged up my system, even on low priority rendering almost unusable, running Small FFTs has always gave me higher temps and never failed me. I'm folding 24/7/365, and if I can pass 24 hours of Prime95 on small FFTs I know I can fold without problems as long as it takes.
Currently I have 15 day uptime and only stopped folding to send/recieve work, no problems so far.

 

[Know Nuttin]

Blend is better for both CPU/memory testing. Small FFT is better for pure CPU. Running Blend, I found the CPU wasn't being stressed as much as using Small FFT. Blend does a great job of testing memory though, which for XP and P4 systems would include testing the northbridge chipset, good for overclocked FSB's.

 

[c627627]

...which is why the question was worded like that to The Coolest. He mentioned using memtest86, so for people using just Prime95, Blend test was thought to have been a better option, so maybe The Coolest can clear it up, does he still vote for Small FFTs for new users?

 

[The Coolest]

Argh, I just tried to post, but got a "Database error" and lost all that I typed.
But let me sum everything up.
Basically for someone new, I'd go for 24hours on Blend, and then another 24hours specifically on Small FFTs.

The way I test stability is this:
If I only change the multiplier, which only results in a change of CPU speed, I run Prime95 on Small FFTs for 24hours.
If I increase the FSB, and thus I increase the CPU speed, I first do Memtest and then do the above with Prime95. After that if both cleared and are stable, I do some gaming. I've noticed that unreal 2003 and 2004 put some very high stress on the system as a whole, if something is not stable, you'll know it within the hour.
So if I:
1) Pass 24hours of Prime95 on Small FFTs
2) Pass memtest on default settings for over 12hours
3) Game play UT2k3/2k4 for a couple of hours straight
I know my system is stable.
I haven't turned my PC off in ages, I can go without restarting for months, and that is with the CPU at full load by F@H, F@H also stresses other components like memory, so the whole system is under full load, and runs without issues for weeks without problems.

 

[exitpr0gram]

Wow this thread is old, but still ...

I've overclocked my i7 2600-k and GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3 motherboard to 4.5GHz.... H100 Corsair for cooling.

I have 8GB of RAM and i know i need to adjust the settings in Prime95 to use most of it -400MB according to a video on you tube here.

My question is .... Is the stress test in Prime95 the best way to test stability, or is there another test? Also, should i be running Prime95 in safemode? Should i run the test for the full 24 hours?

There was another test in Prime95 that heard from read from here that you need to run for about a week. It is under Test>Prime Net..... Is that a better test? He sais its for "Prime Numbers", which i dont know exactly what that is, i'm aiming for stability and i want to know the best test to run and how to do it.

Thanks in advance, guys.

 

[BeepBeep2]

Try LinX on intel platforms. 80% memory or more.