Basic benchmarking

Hi,

What benchmarking utilities would give me a good overview of my computers
performance level and alert me to sub-par operation for the given hardware
configuration?

My system is as follows:

Pentium 4 Processor at 2.8GHz with 800MHz front side bus
1 GB DDR 400MHz SDRAM (2 DIMMs)
128MB DDR ATI Radeon 9800 with TV-Out Video Card
16X DVD-ROM
200 GB EIDE Hard Drive (WD2000JB)
48X CD-RW Drive
56Kbps Data/Fax Modem
Sound Blaster Live! Digital Sound Card

Thanks for the help.

get a xDSL net connection, you'll be much happier ;-)


"Steve" wrote in message
...
Hi,

What benchmarking utilities would give me a good overview of my computers
performance level and alert me to sub-par operation for the given hardware
configuration?

My system is as follows:

Pentium 4 Processor at 2.8GHz with 800MHz front side bus
1 GB DDR 400MHz SDRAM (2 DIMMs)
128MB DDR ATI Radeon 9800 with TV-Out Video Card
16X DVD-ROM
200 GB EIDE Hard Drive (WD2000JB)
48X CD-RW Drive
56Kbps Data/Fax Modem
Sound Blaster Live! Digital Sound Card

Thanks for the help.

prime95
seti@home

These will expose any instability. As for benchmarking, Winstone is fairly
well-respected.

-
Steve stood up at show-n-tell, in
, and said:

Hi,

What benchmarking utilities would give me a good overview of my
computers performance level and alert me to sub-par operation for the
given hardware configuration?

My system is as follows:

Pentium 4 Processor at 2.8GHz with 800MHz front side bus
1 GB DDR 400MHz SDRAM (2 DIMMs)
128MB DDR ATI Radeon 9800 with TV-Out Video Card
16X DVD-ROM
200 GB EIDE Hard Drive (WD2000JB)
48X CD-RW Drive
56Kbps Data/Fax Modem
Sound Blaster Live! Digital Sound Card

Thanks for the help.

--
Strontium

"It's no surprise, to me. I am my own worst enemy. `Cause every
now, and then, I kick the livin' **** `outta me." - Lit

hi steve,

i'd first test the stability of the system before moving onto actual
benchmarking:

1. memtest86 -- ram test, run this for a few hours

2. sisoft sandra's burn-in, prime95, seti@home -- you should run either of
these tests for a few hours/overnight to assess your pc's stability at full
load, heat issues, etc

3. move onto overall system performance (cpu-ram-video) - futuremark
3dmark01se/3dmark03 -- futuremark's online result browser will give you a
general idea about how well your system scores against comparable configs

4. application specific benchmarks to test individual components - hard disk
(hddtach, sisoft drive test), memory (sisoft), graphics (popular opengl and
directx games - quake3 mpc demo, unreal tourney 2003 flyby, comanche,
serious sam 2, etc). sisoft has an inbuilt database that will let you
compare your results against other similar setups. For game specific
numbers, browse through some regular hardware resource sites like tomshw,
anandtech, firingsquad, etc

best,
vin


"Steve" wrote in message
...
Hi,

What benchmarking utilities would give me a good overview of my computers
performance level and alert me to sub-par operation for the given hardware
configuration?

My system is as follows:

Pentium 4 Processor at 2.8GHz with 800MHz front side bus
1 GB DDR 400MHz SDRAM (2 DIMMs)
128MB DDR ATI Radeon 9800 with TV-Out Video Card
16X DVD-ROM
200 GB EIDE Hard Drive (WD2000JB)
48X CD-RW Drive
56Kbps Data/Fax Modem
Sound Blaster Live! Digital Sound Card

Thanks for the help.

"Steve" wrote in message
...
: Hi,
:
: What benchmarking utilities would give me a good overview of my computers
: performance level and alert me to sub-par operation for the given hardware
: configuration?
:
: My system is as follows:
:
: Pentium 4 Processor at 2.8GHz with 800MHz front side bus
: 1 GB DDR 400MHz SDRAM (2 DIMMs)
: 128MB DDR ATI Radeon 9800 with TV-Out Video Card
: 16X DVD-ROM
: 200 GB EIDE Hard Drive (WD2000JB)
: 48X CD-RW Drive
: 56Kbps Data/Fax Modem
: Sound Blaster Live! Digital Sound Card
:
: Thanks for the help.

Performing what, matrix inversions, Fourier transforms, gaming? What do you
want to prove to your friends? Anyone worth his pencil can write code that
will make your box look like an absolute cripple. Going the other way is not
quite so simple. Benchmarks don't prove very much except in specific
cases. From the hardware you list you have a fairy high end chip and a
cheap old cycle stealing sound card. You don't say whether your modem is
hardware or software. Not to rain on your parade but sounds like the on
commission computer salesman go to you.

claus

Performing what, matrix inversions, Fourier transforms, gaming? What
do you want to prove to your friends? Anyone worth his pencil can
write code that will make your box look like an absolute cripple.
Going the other way is not quite so simple. Benchmarks don't prove
very much except in specific cases. From the hardware you list you
have a fairy high end chip and a cheap old cycle stealing sound card.
You don't say whether your modem is hardware or software. Not to rain
on your parade but sounds like the on commission computer salesman go
to you.

claus

I agree. benchmarks are only useful when performing tests on the same rig.
ie overclocking memory while raising timings. As nvidia has shown us
hardware can be optimized to benchmarks so it's value in comparing
different systems has become an apples to oranges ordeal.

The new P4c with HP are amazing!!

Mines at 13x X 250 = 3257 with an overclocked 9700p that I have had for just
about a year now.


Use SiSoft's Sandra bench marks to calculate memory bandwidth and CPU
performance along with tons of other tests.




"Steve" wrote in message
...
Hi,

What benchmarking utilities would give me a good overview of my computers
performance level and alert me to sub-par operation for the given hardware
configuration?

My system is as follows:

Pentium 4 Processor at 2.8GHz with 800MHz front side bus
1 GB DDR 400MHz SDRAM (2 DIMMs)
128MB DDR ATI Radeon 9800 with TV-Out Video Card
16X DVD-ROM
200 GB EIDE Hard Drive (WD2000JB)
48X CD-RW Drive
56Kbps Data/Fax Modem
Sound Blaster Live! Digital Sound Card

Thanks for the help.

not really.

CPU Dhrystone and Whetstone in terms of MIPS and MFLOPS are standard and
commonly used to accurately compare CPU's. Same for Interger and FPU
calculations.

This isn't like 3D Marks bench where a video card can be tricked. Their is
no driver responsible for running a Pi Calculation or a Dhrystone/Whetstone.

I'm using Sandra 2003 (2003.7.9.73)
P4c/Abit IC7 @ 13x X 250.6 = 3257.5 MHz (1.60v)
Sandra Mem 5472 mbs | 5474mbs (200.5MHz, cl2-2-2-6)

Sandra CPU 9899 MIPS | 2812 / 6191 MFLOPS

Sandra MM 15,013 it/s | 23992 it/s

Sandra HD (C:\) 30846 KB/s (Western Digital 120GB SE)



3DM01 (371/344):
19,292 (dx8, cat 3.4) http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k1=6661809
18794 (dx9, cat 3.6) http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k1=6769660


"Joe" wrote in message
...

Performing what, matrix inversions, Fourier transforms, gaming? What
do you want to prove to your friends? Anyone worth his pencil can
write code that will make your box look like an absolute cripple.
Going the other way is not quite so simple. Benchmarks don't prove
very much except in specific cases. From the hardware you list you
have a fairy high end chip and a cheap old cycle stealing sound card.
You don't say whether your modem is hardware or software. Not to rain
on your parade but sounds like the on commission computer salesman go
to you.

claus

I agree. benchmarks are only useful when performing tests on the same rig.
ie overclocking memory while raising timings. As nvidia has shown us
hardware can be optimized to benchmarks so it's value in comparing
different systems has become an apples to oranges ordeal.

SST,
My question still stands what are you trying to prove? CPU performance is
only one criteria in the overall performance of a system; MIPS or MFOPS are
only important if you're executing a particular algorithm. The fastest
processor in the world doesn't make much difference if only 5% of the
processing time is spent multiplying or dividing.
Drystone/Whetstone are synthetic tests they measure certain attributes of a
processor but they're not much good at telling you what will happen in a
real world situation. It would appear you are interested in numbers to
impress in which case they may be of value to you. If you're really
interested in benchmarking try the ACM or IEEE sites for info.



"SST" wrote in message
et...
: not really.
:
: CPU Dhrystone and Whetstone in terms of MIPS and MFLOPS are standard and
: commonly used to accurately compare CPU's. Same for Interger and FPU
: calculations.
:
: This isn't like 3D Marks bench where a video card can be tricked. Their is
: no driver responsible for running a Pi Calculation or a
Dhrystone/Whetstone.
:
: I'm using Sandra 2003 (2003.7.9.73)
: P4c/Abit IC7 @ 13x X 250.6 = 3257.5 MHz (1.60v)
: Sandra Mem 5472 mbs | 5474mbs (200.5MHz, cl2-2-2-6)
:
: Sandra CPU 9899 MIPS | 2812 / 6191 MFLOPS
:
: Sandra MM 15,013 it/s | 23992 it/s
:
: Sandra HD (C:\) 30846 KB/s (Western Digital 120GB SE)
:
:
:
: 3DM01 (371/344):
: 19,292 (dx8, cat 3.4) http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k1=6661809
: 18794 (dx9, cat 3.6) http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k1=6769660
:
:
: "Joe" wrote in message
: ...
:
: Performing what, matrix inversions, Fourier transforms, gaming? What
: do you want to prove to your friends? Anyone worth his pencil can
: write code that will make your box look like an absolute cripple.
: Going the other way is not quite so simple. Benchmarks don't prove
: very much except in specific cases. From the hardware you list you
: have a fairy high end chip and a cheap old cycle stealing sound card.
: You don't say whether your modem is hardware or software. Not to rain
: on your parade but sounds like the on commission computer salesman go
: to you.
:
: claus
:
: I agree. benchmarks are only useful when performing tests on the same
rig.
: ie overclocking memory while raising timings. As nvidia has shown us
: hardware can be optimized to benchmarks so it's value in comparing
: different systems has become an apples to oranges ordeal.
:
:
:

"SST" wrote in message
et...
The new P4c with HP are amazing!!

What is HP? P4c's do have HT though and hasn't been around for a year!



Mines at 13x X 250 = 3257 with an overclocked 9700p that I have had for
just
about a year now.


Use SiSoft's Sandra bench marks to calculate memory bandwidth and CPU
performance along with tons of other tests.




"Steve" wrote in message
...
Hi,

What benchmarking utilities would give me a good overview of my
computers
performance level and alert me to sub-par operation for the given
hardware
configuration?

My system is as follows:

Pentium 4 Processor at 2.8GHz with 800MHz front side bus
1 GB DDR 400MHz SDRAM (2 DIMMs)
128MB DDR ATI Radeon 9800 with TV-Out Video Card
16X DVD-ROM
200 GB EIDE Hard Drive (WD2000JB)
48X CD-RW Drive
56Kbps Data/Fax Modem
Sound Blaster Live! Digital Sound Card

Thanks for the help.