Folding can be used for FINAL stability testing IFF you take precautions. Of course, if you are a folder like me, you will be folding 724 forever anyway
But before folding I run:
- pcmark04 (make sure you get a score! else it failed). This doesn't seem to work on the newer conroes/mobos so i have started using pcmark05. This requires at least some minimal level of video capability so i use something like an x600 to do my OC with, then later put in el cheapo 2mb pci video for just folding rigs. PCMark05 takes quite a bit longer to run than PCMark04 unfortunately.
- AND at least the first 2 fft test sizes in P95 torture test blended. (about 10 iterations?) You could run more p95 or Orthos if you don't fold 724 on your rig like I do. OC settings cannot be too near the max or my rigs will later produce errors if the ambient temps fluctuate, etc. Orthos is an easy way to run dual prime95 on the dual cores. Most of my rigs have good mem, and I have never had a bad stick of ddr/ddr2 memory so I don't use memtest or lengthy p95 tests unless i am struggling with an OC or suspect mobo issues.
I used to think dual p95's produce less heat than dual folding but since i have started using orthos on the conroes, I had noticed that is definitely not the case. Gautam also pointed this out in a conroe thread in the folding forum. Orthos on DC's will produce higher cpu temps. So testing with it for a few hours is a good idea especially if you are on air, since if it passes it gives you a bit of buffer on your temps in case (when) ambients go up later on, or your hsf/rad gets dust/dirt clogged.
Then folding is the FINAL stability test .... NEVER the FIRST test.
- after a WU downloads, stop the folding instance and backup the downloaded WU. To backup the WU copy the 'WORK' subdir AND QUEUE.DAT file to a backup directory (i have backup subdirs in all my folding directories).
- then disable the lan - i prefer to disable it via network properties and leave the window open to remind myself of its state. You can also unplug the lan cable if it is easier for you ... i have too many rigs and cables so i prefer the disable approach.
- then start the folding instance.
If it EUE's:
- remember what % it was at (or look in the fahlog.txt)
- stop the folding instance
- delete the work subdir and queue.dat from the folding directory.
- copy the backed up WORK subdir AND QUEUE.dat file (these files are the WU) from the BACKUP directory into the folding directory.
- fix your OC - my usual approach is to lower FSB on my intels by 5. You might want to raise VC a bit but since my rigs fold 724 i find lowering fsb is usually better since it gets better temps and is more likely to be long term stable.
If you are tweaking memory you may need to increase divider/reduce multiplier, loosen timings or give it more vddr, or all of the above
Some WU's will EUE even on stabile hardware ... it is very infrequent for non-beta testing, less frequent on advmethods, and very infrequent on public/normal WU's. If you restart the wu form the backup and it EUE's again at the same % completion, then it is not likely due to your OC. Stanford re-assigns EUE'ed wus to several other computers to check the result ... if they eue at the same point on multiple computers, then it is a valid result. So you can do the same on your own rig before you let the WU be submitted back to stanford.
If it continues to eue at the same % completion, enable the lan so it can submit the results (since it is a 'valid' EUE), and let it download a new wu. Then go back to the beginning of the process (ie. stop the folding instance, backup the wu, disable the lan .....)
I prefer the 5.02 or 5.04 text consoles running from the desktop, not as a service, while i am doing final stability testing since it makes it easier to see what is going on, and stoping the instance is easy but make sure you use ctrl-c to stop it so you don't corrupt the wu. If it gets corrupted it will start at the beginning of the wu (ie starts at 0%).
If you normally run folding as a service, just disable the service and stop it, create a shortcut to the console.exe in the folding directory with whatever flags you run with eg -local -forceasm -verbosity 9 etc.
You should NOT use the advmethods flag during stability testing.
The advmethods class of wu's are not usually good candidates for final stability testing since they have a higher probability of EUE'ing than the non advmethods wu's.
After a WU or 2 have been successfully completed, your cpu, mem are stabile.
This does not stress your video so that needs games, 3d testers etc. I am a noob when it comes to video
If you have any questions, pm me or post in the folding forum,