Help on trying to kill my nans computer?

[ChristopherP]

Hi there,
Yesterday, the CPU for my nans computer was finally returned. I plugged all the bits together and everything works.

The problem was, the motherboard and CPU would not work together. you probably all remember i returned the mobo, it was tested as working, i returned the CPU, it was tested as working. but when the engineers tried them with each other, they wouldnt work and they experienced the same problem i had. They used a different CPU in my motherboard, then put back my 2600+ and for some reason it started to work again! They said this is rare but they have seen it before and from experience, once it has happened, it should never happen again.

The engineers told me to basically try and kill/overstress the system before i give it back to my nan, just to make sure its in tip top condition. They said that if i do break it, they would replace the parts free of charge with new ones.

So far i have run 3DMark 2003 without error, and also a CPU benchmark of Sandra 2004 without error. I also ran folding @ home for 10 minutes and took a screenshot of some numbers of Abit EQ

I am not sure which readings are normal on motherboard monitors so i thought i would post a screenshot.

Could you all confirm with me that everything seems to be normal please, after 100% CPU load for 10 minutes?

System specs are...

Abit KV7 Socket A Motherboard
AMD Athlon 2600+ Barton 333fsb w/ stock cooler
256Mb Kingmax PC3500 DDR433
MSI geForce FX 5200 128mb TV out
Maxtor SATA 80Gb 7200rpm 8mb
Floppy Drive
CDrw/DVD Combo drive
80mm LED case fan
Arianet (generic) 430w PSU

 

[KGB-911]

i fint the best way to kill a computer is to use a hammer...

 

[ChristopherP]

not covered by warranty.

 

[KGB-911]

They said that if i do break it, they would replace the parts free of charge with new ones.

Sounds like it is...

 

[floppybootstomp]

Run Prime 95 for at least twelve hours, preferably twenty four hours. That's the most stressful thing I know.

If it doesn't crash during that, it should be OK. Also acts to 'burn in' the CPU.

 

[Kenny]

good answer!

 

[ChristopherP]

what does "burning in" do ?

 

[ChristopherP]

is not 100% CPU utilisation as stressfull as it gets?

 

[floppybootstomp]

questions, questions, questions, flooding the mind of the concerned young person today......

What's burning in do? I haven't got a clue, but I see it mentioned everywhere so I thought I'd act clever, sound like I know what I'm talking about and mention it You see, if nothing else, I'm honest

But seriously, I think once all them layers of silicon have run a while and settled down nicely, a CPU is supposed to have greater stability.

Next question, yes, you at the back with your hand raised and the luminous orange trainers.

100% utilisation? Um, yes, a CPU can do no more I suppose, but it constantly has to multi-task and assign. Couple that with the rest of the system and your operating system and Prime 95 will seriously show up any flaws.

It's a favourite tool of Overclockers to test stability on overcloccked CPU's, regarded by many as the only true test.

 

[ChristopherP]

with your hand raised and the luminous orange trainers.

Don't laugh, they were cheap

But seriously, I think once all them layers of silicon have run a while and settled down nicely, a CPU is supposed to have greater stability.

Oky doky - cheers

It's a favourite tool of Overclockers to test stability on overcloccked CPU's, regarded by many as the only true test.

I have used it myself to test my system as i read the same.

which setting do i set prime95 to - the most stressfull? or what?

Sorry for all the q's

 

[floppybootstomp]

Well, if you're trying to make the thing go pop, or at least test it's stability, then yes, give it full wellie, so to speak

Let us know the results.

 

[ChristopherP]

i'll stick it on tomorrow probably

 

[bodhi]

Hey,

What is Prime 95? Is it some kinda benchmarking thing which runs your pc to full capacity? So if it runs that ok it should run anything? I think i remember a thread recently on here where someone said that running things like that can damage your hardware?! Just wondering!

 

[Spooky Mouse]

Chris.. i went to do a search to help you find ways to kill your nan's computer.. (Murderer!..lol)..

Well a search came up with this Wow... just have a http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_382915.html?menu=news.latestheadlines
Gee... I used to Play Ultima Online.. I wonder how many people are gunning for me...

Sorry mate slightly off track for breaking your nan's computer.... KGB's Idea with the hammer would work... failing that you could allways take it on the Motorway and when you reach a speed of 75MPH (Well you do have to break the law these days)... Get your passenger to throw it out the window... Then when you eventually find all the pieces you could claim that you were playing.. Grand Theft Auto!....... when it Broke... lol

 

[ChristopherP]

wow thats awful! when will these people learn ITS ONLY A GAME!

Dropping a PC out of a car moving at 75mph down the motorway is illegal! the speed limit is 70!

 

[Spooky Mouse]

(Well you do have to break the law these days)...

I rest my case!.. lol

He he I quoted myself!... Sorry all I have been drinking wine!...

 

[ChristopherP]

oooh sorry i missed that bit!
lol oops

that is true

 

[ChristopherP]

Do any of you know what the "PWM" temperature is? - see the first screenshot.

Is it allowed to get so hot?

 

[ChristopherP]

Uh-Oh... BAD THINGS!!


Ran Prime95 on maximum torture and after about 30 minutes of continuous testing and continuous music playing i got the following:

[Sun Sep 19 13:25:47 2004]
Self-test 1024K passed!
[Sun Sep 19 13:38:55 2004]
FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.5, expected less than 0.4
Hardware failure detected, consult stress.txt file.

Also see the attached picture.

Can anyone tell me what the problem could be please??

Cheers,
Chris

 

[ChristopherP]

Sorry to post in quick succession yet again... But i don't think something is right. Maybe i'm paranoid but maybe you can determine whether something is up?

Sandra tells me a 2600+ should run at 2.08GHz - This one is running at 1.94GHz !

edit: d'oh - thats how it's meant to be! the Barton is 1.93GHz and the Thouroughbred is more!

Sandra says... see tha attached screenshot. My 2600+ should get more points than this aparently!