Generally when I get a new computer (or components) I like to do a 24 hour burn in of the product. I usually setup a list of programs that tax the device to it’s limits and keep it there for 24 hours. I got a new Dell system about a week ago (Drachen, your right, quality control way down) and I had a bunch of encoding to do, so I figured I might as well let my new system chew it up a bit.

After transfering the file, ~40GB, I disabled HT (for some reason the program wouldn’t use HT) and I let her go. 3.2Ghz and by my math it will take 6.4 days to finish encoding. I’m about 3 days in and she’s going fine. Output fan puts the system at 115 degrees, so its about 125 or so inside. Taskmanager shows a steady 100% CPU usage.

So…what’s the longest you had your CPU at 100%?

It’s a bit annoying because I only have 256MB of RAM in the PC (encoding uses no RAM) and my 4GB sticks just came and I am dying to put them in except I need to wait for it to finish…

Erik

I don’t have a definite regimen for stress-testing new hardware, I just use the things. Between my game playing, having millions of IE windows open and all the chrome apps I use, I tend to find RAM, heat and hard drive problems pretty quickly. 8)

Drachen, what are your chrome apps?

Those are all the little apps that make my desktop look better, but don’t really do anything functional. I have a mostly-complete list on my website .

[quote author=“tifosiv122”]

It’s a bit annoying because I only have 256MB of RAM in the PC (encoding uses no RAM) and my 4GB sticks just came and I am dying to put them in except I need to wait for it to finish…

Erik

You mean 4 by 1GB sticks?

[quote author=“japaneseimportscomau”][quote author=“tifosiv122”]

It’s a bit annoying because I only have 256MB of RAM in the PC (encoding uses no RAM) and my 4GB sticks just came and I am dying to put them in except I need to wait for it to finish…

Erik

You mean 4 by 1GB sticks?

Well, yeah I totalled them up, 4x1GB.

Erik

you had me scared even just thinking about the cost of a 4GB ram stick

[quote author=“japaneseimportscomau”]you had me scared even just thinking about the cost of a 4GB ram stick

I got a pretty good deal on my RAM…4x1 Corsair, PC4200 533Mhz DDR2 for $336 shipped.

Erik

pretty damn good. Where did you get it, if I may ask?

Price went up from $84 each to $87 but still cheap. It was retail boxed, not OEM, with full lifetime warranty. It’s valueram but I ran tests and it was much faster ram then came with the system I had. I am very happy with it.

Erik