What is considered stable?

[LIVAN]

Running prime95 Torture test.

How long does it ned to run before the system can be consididered "Stable"?

 

[jacklutz]

Half an hour will be plenty, IMO.

 

[Nefrodite]

a day

 

[flood]

why not forever? :-]

 

[VBboy]

Half an hour will probably point out 99% of instabilities. One full day will do 99.99999%

Don't forget that for testing the videocard and HD you need a completely different program (like 3dMark 2001 running for a day, or Sandra's HD test)..

 

[LIVAN]

so 1/2 hour = 99% stable?

 

[Wind]

Most ppl here run 24 hrs.

 

[Migroo]

It just depends how much you want to make abslutely sure.

I'd say 2 hours and youre fine.

 

[Pabster]

I'd give it 24 hours.

I've had (and seen) many a machine crap out after 4+ hours before...

 

[LIVAN]

Yes obviously if it runs 24 hours its very stable. But isn't it relative. If it can withstand the torture test for 1 hour, to me, that is already very stable even if it craps out after 1 hour and 3 minutes. So those of you who runs it for 24 hours, what if it craps in the 25th hour? IS your machine not stable then?

IT takes quite a stable machine to run that torture test even for 20 minutes...

 

[dullard]

It should be able to run when the processor has reached its hottest temperature. In my lab experiments, temperatures are measured relative to a reference temperature (using thermocouples). Many times the reference temperature is inside the computer. This reference temperature takes roughly 30 minutes to reach a steady temp. Thus, I would wait at least 30 minutes under hard work for the processor to reach it's maximum temp. Anything much beyond that point is a waste of time.

Don't forget: One major torture test is to open and close many programs. During those acts, a computer is most likely to lockup. A computer is far less likely to lockup by overheating the processor (unless you tried to overclock it way too far). Therefore Prime95 and other similar programs will not detect the majority of instabilities.

 

[uhohibrokeit]

ive noticed alot more stability problems with computers falls somewhere between the chair and the keyboard

 

[thraxes]

5 days nonstop 3D-Max rendering 😀

been there, done that, got the t-shirt, certified that my box is stable and got a realy neat animation in the process