Basic Performance Test

[RebateMonger]

It's very common to hear Users complain "My PC is slow". When confronted by this statement, I'll run a few basic tests to give me a general feeling for performance.

Something like:
1) Open up Internet Explorer and see how long it takes to open a web page.
2) Open up "My Computer" and see how long it takes to open a folder.
3) Open up the "Computer Management" Control Panel, noting how long it takes.
4) Open up any "problem" application the User is complaining about.

Often, there's an obvious problem. Maybe it takes three minutes to open up a web page. Or it takes 30 seconds to open up "My Computer". But these "performance tests" are pretty subjective.

Are there any quick performance or speed tests that folks use as a standardized test to detect software or hardware problems?

Ideally, it'd be program or script that could be run periodically and the results logged, looking for changes in performance. It would also be used on a one-time basis to give a quick comparison between that PC and a healthy similar PC.

Thanks for any suggestions. RebateMonger.

 

[law9933]

http://www.pcpitstop.com/pcpitstop/default.asp

 

[cyphilis]

I 2nd the PC pitstop Optimizer 2.0 I love it, and have used the optimizer for a year or so.

 

[Gustavus]

There is no single answer to your question, but I will try to give several answers whose relevance will depend on exactly what you wish to measure. I am an inveterate overclocker so I am always trying to determine whether a change has made a difference or not. I have a lot of experience trying to quantify computer performance.

There are widely accepted tests that measure performance of a part of the machine. HDTach is excellent for measuring hard disk performance. MemTest is absolutely essential to check that memory is working error free when you are pushing latency settings or the FSB. I generally run it overnight after any such major change. There are two (at least) widely used torture tests for the whole computer -- Prime95 and SuperPi. Both provide timing data to allow you to see quantatively just how well a particular machine is doing. And both have a long history so you can make comparisons with what other people's machines are doing. I don't consider any machine stable until it can run Prime95 overnight with no errors.

One of the most highly regarded "package" test softwares is SiSoft Sandra. It has a large menu of individual tests -- memory, CPU, Harddisk etc. -- and a reference list of how other machines have done on these tests so you can immediately compare your machine to many others. It also makes suggestions for changes.

If you are tweaking net settings, SpeakEasy and the global bandwidth speed test at SpeedTest.net are the best I know of. I depend on these two to tell me not only how a machine is doing, but also how my broadband cable connection is doing. I can't resist bragging on how well the machine on which I am typing this is doing:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/wrhzxd

That is after every bit of tweaking I can think of.

Hope this is of some assistance.

 

[RebateMonger]

Thanks, all, for your recommendations. I'll take a look at the suggested software and see if it fits.