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From: Daddy on 17 Feb 2010 11:34
I'm about to purchase a Studio XPS 8100. It's been a while since I got a
new PC, so I'd like to ask the collective wisdom:

How do you check out a new PC?

What do you like to do before and after you press the Power button for
the first time?

Daddy
From: Brian K on 17 Feb 2010 21:34

"Tom Scales" <tjscales(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
news:2FE2DEA31CE845EAB9FDDEDE20B52BA3(a)XPS13...
>
> Why wipe it? Dell doesn't load that much. Seems like work for nothing.


I agree. Uninstall what you don't want.




From: Geoff on 18 Feb 2010 05:27

>
> My fault for not being specific enough.
>
> What I meant to ask was: Is there anything special to do to make sure
> the hardware works properly? I mean, besides just working with the
> computer for a while.
>
> Do you open the case and have a look? Run special 'stress test'
> software, or otherwise put the hardware to the test? That sort of thing.
>
> Daddy

quick easy tests you can do to stress test
run memtest
(go memtest+ website, burn the iso image to a cd, boot off it, let it run)

run prime 95 for a bit (stress test cpu and ram)

those should be good enough to cover you
From: Daddy on 18 Feb 2010 10:20
Geoff wrote:
>
>>
>> My fault for not being specific enough.
>>
>> What I meant to ask was: Is there anything special to do to make sure
>> the hardware works properly? I mean, besides just working with the
>> computer for a while.
>>
>> Do you open the case and have a look? Run special 'stress test'
>> software, or otherwise put the hardware to the test? That sort of thing.
>>
>> Daddy
>
> quick easy tests you can do to stress test
> run memtest
> (go memtest+ website, burn the iso image to a cd, boot off it, let it run)
>
> run prime 95 for a bit (stress test cpu and ram)
>
> those should be good enough to cover you

Thanks very much. I'm familiar with memtest but Prime95 is a new one for
me. Let's leave aside for now that I don't know the difference between a
Fourier and a furrier. Does this kind of stress-testing carry the risk
of damaging the system, particularly through overheating?

Daddy
From: William R. Walsh on 18 Feb 2010 11:19
Hi!

> How do you check out a new PC?

If the manufacturer supplies them, I start with their diagnostics
routine.

Then I move to a three pronged approach to perform additional testing:
distributed.net (which the computer will end up running every day),
Memtest86 or Memtest 86+ and SpinRite.

After that, I may decide to clear the hard disk and reinstall only the
things that I want to have alongside the operating system. I prefer to
do the OS install myself, because then I can be sure I have set
everything up the way I want it...something that's easier to do with
the predictable steps of an operating system installation.

That's part of the reason why I prefer either self building a PC or
buying a Dell system--the presence of a real operating system
reinstallation disc is priceless.

William
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