Best DOS/Win9x software for stress testing a 486 \ VOGONS

Best DOS/Win9x software for stress testing a 486

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First post, by 8bitbubsy

Posted on 2022-09-11, 20:46

8bitbubsy Offline

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I think my 486DX4-100 may be slightly unstable because of my BIOS tweaks, but the crash happens so rarely that I don't know for sure if it's the RAM/cache timings or a regular software crash. Are there any good tools out there that puts a big load on the CPU, caches and RAM at the same time, for testing the stability? I run Windows 95 (and DOS).

Unisys SG2400:
- CPU: 486DX2-66
- RAM: 16MB (0 waitstates)
- VGA: Diamond SpeedSTAR VGA (ET4000AX 1MB ISA)
- Audio: Sound Blaster 16 CT2800
- 8GB SSD
- ISA USB card (for USB sticks)
- MR BIOS

Reply 1 of 4, by Sphere478

Posted on 2022-09-11, 22:54

Sphere478 Offline

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Phil’s computer lab has a benchmark suite.

Could try that

For cache and ram memtest86+ is a good one.
Can make boot disks for it

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Reply 2 of 4, by rasz_pl

Posted on 2022-09-11, 23:01

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you could run winquake demo loop. Lots of ram used, protected mode, MMU used, multitasked, seems to cover all bases.

https://github.com/raszpl/FIC-486-GAC-2-Cache-Module for AT&T Globalyst
https://github.com/raszpl/386RC-16 memory board
https://github.com/raszpl/440BX Reference Design adapted to Kicad
https://github.com/raszpl/Zenith_ZBIOS MFM-300 Monitor

Reply 3 of 4, by Horun

Posted on 2022-09-12, 04:20

Horun Offline

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Sphere478 wrote on 2022-09-11, 22:54:
Phil’s computer lab has a benchmark suite. […]
Show full quote

Phil’s computer lab has a benchmark suite.

Could try that

For cache and ram memtest86+ is a good one.
Can make boot disks for it

+1 as the first thing to run ! Being a test that runs not off the HD or with any OS drivers loaded it can show more deeply if a Ram, cache, cpu hardware issue is at fault.
If it passes then try other other tests based on when you notice the most crashes. Like if under DOS then DOS tests first, if under just WIn95 then well it could be many driver things....

Hate posting a reply and then have to edit it because it made no sense 😁 First computer was an IBM 3270 workstation with CGA monitor. Stuff: https://archive.org/details/@horun

Reply 4 of 4, by 8bitbubsy

Posted on 2022-09-12, 10:09

8bitbubsy Offline

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Posts: 189
Joined: 2015-05-29, 14:49
Location: Norway

Been running WinQuake (v1.09) for over half an hour at 640x480 fullscreen, without issues. Maybe the issues I've had are not related to unstable hardware.
I did play Curse of Monkey Island yesterday (just as a test to see if it would run on a DX4-100), and it froze after like 15 minutes of playing, but it's possible that it was related to buffering issues because it did go out of sync every now and then...

Unisys SG2400:
- CPU: 486DX2-66
- RAM: 16MB (0 waitstates)
- VGA: Diamond SpeedSTAR VGA (ET4000AX 1MB ISA)
- Audio: Sound Blaster 16 CT2800
- 8GB SSD
- ISA USB card (for USB sticks)
- MR BIOS

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