Another bonus: Graphic torture tests usually coax underpowered or faulty power supplies into giving up the ghost, so you’re stressing two birds with one stone. If you’re a gamer, stress testing your graphics card is a no-brainer, especially since graphics cards tend to fail under heavier loads-you know, like the ones generated by top-end games. Verifying your video card’s stability Nope, that’s not the eye of Sauron, it’s the FurMark stress test. If you run into an error, you’ll have to retest each RAM module individually to identify which is the problem child. Once it’s up and running, let the software do its thing for a long time-preferably overnight once again. Simply burn MemTest86+ to a flash drive or CD, insert it into your PC, and then boot your computer to the media type you’re using. This tried-and-true diagnostic software has been around seemingly forever, and while it definitely looks its age-MemTest86+ rocks an ugly BIOS-esque interface-the program is just as effective now as it always has been. When it comes to seriously testing RAM, only one option is worth considering: MemTest86+. But if your CPU survives all that, it’s definitely a keeper. Personally, I like to stress-test new PCs using Prime95’s Blend and Small FFT tests for at least twelve hours apiece, and I sometimes follow it up with an hour-long, High or Very High stress level IntelBurnTest run. No matter which testing program you choose, run it for at least four hours a full overnight run is preferable. Both hit your processor hard and ramp temperatures up very rapidly, however, so keep a close eye on your system-monitoring software when you first start them up. Hard-core types also hold IntelBurnTest and OCCT-two other CPU-stressing programs-in high regard. Want a second opinion? Different programs test CPUs in different ways. IntelBurnTest is a nonofficial, user-friendly version of Intel’s brutal Linpack benchmark. If your rig can run Prime95’s Small FFT test for a full 24 hours without issue, the CPU is as solid as a rock and ready to fold. Prime95 sometimes catches CPU errors even after half a day of testing. If you have the time (and adequate cooling), feel free to “torture” your PC with Prime95 for much, much longer, particularly if you plan to use your computer for projects, which can consume a ton of CPU resources for extended periods. Alternatively, the Small FFT and Large FFT torture tests lay off the RAM a bit to subject the CPU to as much respective stress and heat as possible. Blend stresses both the CPU and RAM if no errors pop up after four hours or so, you can consider it stable for normal use. Open the program, then head to Options > Torture Test to bring up a list of options. Ostensibly designed to find Mersenne prime numbers, the software absolutely hammers your processor, to the point that the developers now include a dedicated “Torture Test” mode for people who are interested in system stability than complex mathematics. While a handful of programs are available that can stress your CPU to its limits, Prime95 has become the de facto standard. Prime95 includes three different “torture” tests. It’s that important-and it’s frequently the culprit behind an unstable system. If you stress-test only a single component, stress-test your CPU.
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