Stress testing new laptop

I got XPS M1530 with T8300, 3 GB of PC-5300/PC-5400 RAM, 200 GB 7200 RPM drive, NVIDIA 8600M GT GPU. I want to stress test the machine while it is in the 21-day return period.
For the memory I will use memtest86+.
What do you guys prefer for CPU, GPU and the HDD stress-testing?

 

3Dmark 06 or CRYSIS

 

crysis, a game is not a stress test
try superpi

 

A real stress test is something like Prime95 that you can run for hours. Stress tests are not benchmarks (3Dmark 06, superpi). There are many others I just don't remember off the top of my head.

 

This is correct, I am not looking for a benchmark tool that can stress your GPU and somewhat CPU for a brief moment. I want something that runs for prolonged time even if it means that I might kill my laptop at the end - well, this is the ultimate goal nonetheless.
I found CPU Burn-in tool but it is kind of old I think.
http://users.bigpond.net.au/cpuburn/
For HDD, along with the featured HDTune (which I think of as a benchmark tool) I found HDTach (again more of a benchmark), and SpinRite which seems to fill in the gap (only minor downside - it isn't free, and there is no trial version, for rare use it isn't practical)
http://www.grc.com/spinrite.htm
For the GPU testing ATITool does a better job shaking your GPU than the 3DMark.

 

You are correct HDTune and HDTach are benchmarks. I have to question your HDD stress testing. It is a non solid state device, it has moving parts and those are what fail. I think normal use or HDTune a couple of times is as likely to show defects as anything and stress testing=wear, on a physical component like HDD I don't think such a good idea. Also remember stressing will not make the platters spin any faster. Periodically accessing data moves the heads so normal use is going to work fine IMO. Video card wise play some games, I know torturous. Prime95 overnight should be a good enough test. I can make up stress tests, how about Prime95 and put in an oven at 120F overnight? At some point Stress testing is just abuse that after being done I am not sure I would even want to own the machine afterwords even if it still worked. I guess I am saying I think use the thing that should be as good as most anything other than 95 anything more is pointless and abuse.

 

I guess I should correct myself, I want to give the HDD a rigorous testing - create a couple large files, and read them; create bunch of small files and read them; want to check the drive for bad sectors, etc.

 

check disk?

 

What you are looking for is neither a benchmark app or a stress test app. Both of those are specialized "laboratory" types of apps. What you are looking for is a "Burn In" application. Something that simulates a NORMAL (not a stressed) load for an extended period of time. When I owned a computer store decades ago, we had such apps that we ran for a 48 hours cycle on all new machines. But I could not give you the name of any contemporary ones I am afraid.

Just did a Google check for ["Burn in" Application] without the brackets but WITH the quotes and turned up these:

http://www.passmark.com/products/bit.htm
http://www.pc-diagnostics.com/pc_diagnostics_tools/pc_certify_burn_in.shtml

http://www.millennium-solutions.co.uk/diagnostic-tool-pc-computer/burnin-test-burn-in-testing.html

A discussion of Sisoft Sandra here: http://www.techimo.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-10535.html

And some other dialog here: http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-11192-0.html?forumID=52&threadID=163222

That should point you in the right direction.

Gary

 

Gary and all, I appreciate your help with the topic.
I might be pushing the issue too hard considering it is regarding a consumer grade product, but I want to make sure my $1500 went into a solid piece of electronics. I've owned ThinkPads before and I can attest IBM could build solid notebooks in terms of physical structure as well as internal components.

 

Ok I have a plan for you, I think the only one someone could improve on is GPU, I'm not a big gamer so not GPU guy.

The plan:
CPU-Prime95 for 12,24 or 48 hours, will stress RAM also.
HDD-Use a disk wiping utility it will write every bit on HDD multiple times so the heads are going to move a lot. Will I believe require reinstall unless you can just wipe free space.
GPU-Play the games to stress, If someone knows a stress test mention it, I don't.

Only new advice was disk wiping.

 

a simple background process of Folding@Home will give u a good idea how ur overall comp performance (stress handling) stands up to

my 2 c

cheers ...

 

I used a distributed computing client before - SETI@home. How could I forget it

Thanks!

 

Thanks a ton, powerpack!
The disk will be wiped out in any case, I will not be running MS OS as a host OS on it!
I just want to save me a headache installing *NIX on it, and finding out I have a lemon on my hands