What is THE "Best" way to test/bench a new build?

[v3rax]

I have been building computers for years, but as long as they turned on and ran windows, I pretty much left it at that.

Now I am getting into the enthusiest/overclocking hobby and really have no idea what applications I should be using to "REALY" test the stability of each new build (no overclocking) and then test same system after I overclock it. I rea;ize that if it won't boot or crashes in 3Dmark, evidentally something isn't right, but I want to really work it out so that I "KNOW" it is stable.

Would some of you that have built a gaziilion computers and are expert overclockers tell me "WHICH PROGRAMS" you use the most please?

Thanks you all in advance.

[Roger_D25]

Well I'm not an expert but when I'm trying to test for stability I use the following programs,

Prime95 (multi-core version)
MemTest (both Windows & Boot-Up versions)
SuperPI/HyperPI
LinPack

There are many other applications that people use but these are the ones I use most. Check out some of the other threads in this "Xtreme Overclocking" section, the reviews/testers usually post many screenshots to show both settings and benchmark/stability results. That might be a great place to learn what applications members use for testing. Good luck and keep pushing it!

[Revv23]

I like to start with 3dm05 then occt 2 hrs then linpack for a few hours then prime max priority for a night...

after that i feel pretty good about my rig.

[K404]

Everyone has a different definition of stable, so the subject can get a bit of a hornets nest. If it reliably runs what you need it to....its stable

F@H, your game of choice, 3DVantage.....whatever

[HDCHOPPER]

linpac or intel burn test lets you know quickly to move on to> Prime ( which takes much longer to have an answer) then >Folding ( if a completed wu is accepted) lets you know computations are being done correctly

this is what eye do for my customers machines ( the ones that want to know . (most of my cust. are over 50+ and couldnt care or know any better lol)