Burning in Memory

[JJADAMS]

Is it nessesary to burn in memory? Just bought Samsug pc2700

 

[bozo1]

Necessary? no

Many people do it anyway just to make sure there are no problems before you can get a refund, etc., or before you start doing any overclocking stuff.

 

[Jeff7]

Burn in - that seems to have two meanings these days:
1) Burning in - a way of thoroughly testing a system or component for awhile to ensure that they are all working properly.
2) Burning in - a way of getting an overclocked component "used to" a higher voltage and speed.

From what I've seen, definition 1 is valid - making sure a component is working is quite good; running a few passes of Memtest86 on the RAM should be fine to see if it's in good condition.
Method 2 seems to have little evidence of actually doing anything; if it doesn't work at a certain voltage or speed, it probably won't start working after any amount of trying to force it.

 

[THUGSROOK]

burn in is a myth
burn out is more of a possibility

ive never in my time, ever seen anything computer run faster just because you "beat the he!! outta it".
if anything it will run worse.

 

[Mikki]

Originally posted by: THUGSROOK
burn in is a myth
burn out is more of a possibility

ive never in my time, ever seen anything run faster just because you "beat the he!! outta it".
if anything it will run worse.

You've never seen a cat run faster because you beat the he!! outta it?






jk of course...

 

[THUGSROOK]

cat been annoying you today Mikki?

 

[Jeff7181]

Apparently you're not into cars... it's required that you break in a new camshaft by running it at 2500-3000 RPM for 20-30 minutes to properly establish a wear pattern so the surfaces mate properly and the lifter turns in it's bore and doesn't stick... otherwise your engine will need another rebuild after about 3-5 thousand miles.
Also, piston rings have a break in period too, and depending on the materials used, it can be anywhere from 3000-10,000 miles to properly break in piston rings... during the break in period, performance will be somewhat lower than when they're broken in due to blowby (loss of compression) and friction.

Computers aren't my only hobby =)

*EDIT* ... just to let ya know that some things do need a break-in period... and that's what people are refering to when they say "burn-in" ... so it's not a COMPLETELY rediculous idea

 

[Mikki]

Uhhhh, what's that got to do with "burning in" computer components?

 

[Jeff7181]

What does a cat have to do with computer componants?

 

[Mikki]

Oh, you were making a joke! Sorry mate, I didn't realize...

 

[loafbred]

I've seen a lot of talk in the past few years about improved speed of components after burn in. The way I see it, there are so many variables involved that it's hard to pin down why some people do see improvements after running new parts for a while. It may be changes in capacitors in the power supply and motherboard, slight changes in airflow in the case, or maybe the chips do sometimes improve with use. My T-Bird 1.2 AXIA did improve from 1370 MHz to 1420 after a few months at the same voltage. I can't say why it did, but it absolutely would not run that fast when new. My Samsung 2700 is now running at "Turbo" settings w/2.7v at 166 MHz after running for a couple of months, and it wouldn't run for any length of time at 2-3-3-6 when I first started with new m/b, cpu and memory. I'm also running the cpu at 166*11.5 w/1.9v core, which wouldn't run stable before. I've been running 190*10 for a while with memory timings at "SPD", and just tried 166 @ "Turbo" again yesterday for the heck of it. I suspect that adding .05v to the cpu may be what really made the difference in overall stability, because I had never added core voltage to the cpu before, when changing memory timings.
Your guess is as good as mine.

 

[ErikaeanLogic]

When I first got my XMS3200C2, it would only run DDR446 totally stable (MemTest, etc.). 3 months later, it runs stable at DDR450 and I've successfully MemTest'ed it at DDR454. Riddle me that, Batman.



(hi, THUGS)

 

[THUGSROOK]

3 months later - you made a change that did that
or its colder now.

im always retesting my computer equipment ~ never has anything gone faster 3-6 months later.

and what does breaking in a camshaft have todo with this?

 

[dbwillis]

What about CPU's?
My 2.4B was maxed at 157fsb on 1.625v (BIOS) 2 days after I got it..now its at 160fsb on 1.600v (BIOS)?
Temps have stayed the same here (30'F-day, 18'F-night), room is same as always ~67'F ??

Mayeb its just me though!

 

[THUGSROOK]

67F! :Q turn the heat on!

it takes 2-5 days for Arctic silver to settle in.

thats why i dont bother to stress test cpu for the 1st 2 days.
ill benchmark and run M86 insted

 

[dbwillis]

well, maybe 70'F, but i use Radio Hack goop, not ASII !

 

[jhites]

Originally posted by: JJADAMS
Is it nessesary to burn in memory? Just bought Samsug pc2700

NO

Just run memtest86 thru all 11 tests and keep increasing the fsb until you get errors.

Bingo - thats your limit. IMHO

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: THUGSROOK
3 months later - you made a change that did that
or its colder now.

im always retesting my computer equipment ~ never has anything gone faster 3-6 months later.

and what does breaking in a camshaft have todo with this?

see my response to the last guy who asked that

 

[THUGSROOK]

ok ok fine! youre right....
the cat did run faster

 

[mrman3k]

There is no need to burn anything in. After all a computer minus the fans and hard drives are not mechanical. Therefore it will either work or not work. People "burn-in" their components to find any problems in the equip.

 

[SickBeast]

there actually is a physics-explanation for this. something to do with the expansion/contraction of the copper interconnects.

personally, my xp1900+ couldn't overclock more than 10mhz when i first bought it (4 months ago) but now it runs 100% stable at 1650. riddle me this, batman.

 

[Duvie]

Let me put my 2 cents in on this....

I have not in the last 2 years, and I have gone through many cpu/mobo/ram upgrades (wife can attest) and nothing has miraculously ran better after "burning it in"....I may stress my system as hard as most with apps and testing and I just haven't seen it...

NOw Thugs and I have seen the reverse effect!!!


Don't make the expert PM come in again and post his true technical explanation why this is a farse!!! I may dig it up for you guys....It should be enshrined to end these threads quickly!!

 

[ErikaeanLogic]

Originally posted by: THUGSROOK
3 months later - you made a change that did that
or its colder now.

im always retesting my computer equipment ~ never has anything gone faster 3-6 months later.

and what does breaking in a camshaft have todo with this?

Nope, system/cpu temps are virtually the same, and I have the same settings (maybe different cpu) in the BIOS now that I did 3 months ago. So we agree to disagree; me, with nothing but the empirical evidence/experience to back my claim.

 

[Jeff7181]

Aside from my sarcastic comments... I find it hard to believe "burning in" memory or any computer componant helps. Elecrical componants wear just like moving parts wear. Well... not JUST like it... but... electronics have a certain life expectancy. The average CPU might last 20 years if it's taken care of and kept at factory specs, but who's gonna be using thier current CPU 20 years from now? Increasing the voltage of the CPU increases the signal strength, so at faster speeds, the processor can still understand the info being sent to it. But you're also increasing electrical pressue (voltage is defined as electrical pressure) which will break down the logic gates faster. So by increasing voltage in order to overclock, your CPU may last 5 years instead of 20. I don't know about you, but I don't plan on using this CPU 5 years from now.
Really, the only place heat comes into the picture is in the conductivity of the connectors... hot "stuff" doesn't conduct electricity as well as cold stuff... which is why a CPU may become unstable as it's temp increases... it gets hot enough that the voltage supplied is no longer enough to create a clear signal because some of the voltage is lost in order to overcome the increased electrical resistance of the hot "stuff"

The moral of the story is... useage breaks down the componant... it doesn't improve it.

 

[Duvie]

Originally posted by: ErikaeanLogic

Originally posted by: THUGSROOK
3 months later - you made a change that did that
or its colder now.

im always retesting my computer equipment ~ never has anything gone faster 3-6 months later.

and what does breaking in a camshaft have todo with this?

Nope, system/cpu temps are virtually the same, and I have the same settings (maybe different cpu) in the BIOS now that I did 3 months ago. So we agree to disagree; me, with nothing but the empirical evidence/experience to back my claim.

I think calling that empirical evidence is a far stretch...The fact is you and we don't know why, but basic physic and the study of electrical components tells us it wasn't burning in....

Lets just call it your experience be it as it may...Not evidence!!!

Do you know how any things it could have been??? It may have always been able to run at that speed but it took one simple bios setting and poof it works...Ram in a different slot...ram settings slightly different...cooling of the northbridge chipset...etc...

You are not burning pathways into the chips like Star Trek...the paths are already there. Either it runs or it doesn't.


I am going to go get that PM response!!!