Stress Testing with Dacris Benchmarks
Dacris Benchmarks 8.1 introduces a new feature: the CPU stress test. This test allows you to identify if your CPU or (in some cases) memory subsystem is unstable.
Not all CPUs are created equal, and while the odds are small, there can be some cases where CPUs are faulty. This could be due to fabrication process errors or due to bad cache memory. The Dacris Benchmarks stress test will help identify such errors. Most often though, it will be a system configuration issue that can be corrected, such as an invalid voltage setting in the BIOS or a poorly seated heatsink.
What generally causes the CPU stress test to fail?
- Overclocking of the CPU
- CPU manufacturing bugs (rare)
- Bad RAM (in some rare cases)
- Power supply issues causing abnormal voltages
- Bad power supply unit
- Bad motherboard power circuitry
- Cooling system issues that cause the CPU to overheat:
- Poor contact between heatsink & CPU
- Poor air circulation inside the case
- Broken CPU fan
Of these, the most common for non-overclocked systems is cooling issues. This is why it is recommended that you also get a temperature monitoring tool like SpeedFan or CoreTemp and run it during the stress test to observe temperatures.
When should I run the test?
The stress test should be run when you first install your CPU. It should also be run everytime you make changes to the CPU clock speed (as in overclocking) or changing the CPU voltage. You should also run the test whenever you re-seat your CPU heatsink or change the cooling system in your PC. It may also be helpful to run the CPU stress test periodically (every 5 years) to check for any component degradation inside the system.
How do I run the test?
Running the test is as simple as selecting Tools – Stress Test from the main menu. Click “Start” and follow the on-screen instructions. Heed the warning about possible spontaneous reboots and overheating. It is strongly recommended that you keep an eye on CPU temperature while the stress test is running, at least for the first few minutes.
The recommended duration for a stress test is 8 hours. This is because it takes time for the CPU and case to heat up to peak temperatures.
If you want a rapid assurance that the system is “stable enough” for day-to-day use, generally 20 minutes should suffice. However, for mission-critical systems, you will want to run it for 8 hours or longer.
Does it test all of my CPUs?
The CPU stress test will test all physical and logical CPUs in your system. If you have a multi-core hyperthreaded CPU, it will test every core and every thread. To confirm, your CPU usage in Task Manager should be 100% when the test is running.
How was the stress test designed?
The stress test is based on the Prime95 application, used for finding Mersenne primes. Prime95 is widely regarded as an excellent stress testing tool by overclockers, who regularly push their systems to the limit of reliability and performance.
The goals of a good stress test are: to generate as much heat as possible, and to identify errors quickly – usually within minutes of starting the test. Prime95 is a good stress test because it meets these criteria remarkably well. In fact, Prime95 generates the more CPU heat than just about any other Windows application, due to its extensive use of MMX, SSE, and other low-level instructions.
