Hello folks :)
I have just won an auction for an Alienware quad core machine which i ofc want to check before i hand over my cash... can anyone recommend a program or site which can give me pointers to show if its been overclocked or if theres any problems please??
heres the specs i have....
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 9.6Ghz
Memory: Kingston HyperX 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 8500C5 1066Mhz Dual Channel
Motherboard: ASUS P35 P5kK-E Wi-Fi-AP
Video Card: BFG NVIDIA GeForce 8800GTS 640mb
Power Supply: Enermax ATX 650W SLI compatible
thanks in advance :)
Full Version: Need To Test A Pc Before I Buy...
Hi kalam 
There's no real way to determine whether a system has been overclocked in the past if the BIOS has been set back to its defaults/stock clocks.
Just doing something intensive like playing a recent game on it for 15 minutes, is the best way to see if it runs as advertised. A full version of Everest will let you see the components and their voltages/clockspeeds (if Everest supports the components properly). Everest also has a suite of benchmarks you can run to stress the system for a bit (whilst monitoring the temperatures).
The Q6600 (stock = 4x 2.4Ghz) is known for being a great overclocker (the G0 stepping in particular). Ask if they still have the invoices and boxes for each component -- or as a whole. Some parts may still be within their warranty period.
There's no real way to determine whether a system has been overclocked in the past if the BIOS has been set back to its defaults/stock clocks.
Just doing something intensive like playing a recent game on it for 15 minutes, is the best way to see if it runs as advertised. A full version of Everest will let you see the components and their voltages/clockspeeds (if Everest supports the components properly). Everest also has a suite of benchmarks you can run to stress the system for a bit (whilst monitoring the temperatures).
The Q6600 (stock = 4x 2.4Ghz) is known for being a great overclocker (the G0 stepping in particular). Ask if they still have the invoices and boxes for each component -- or as a whole. Some parts may still be within their warranty period.
Always be wary of auction systems as there could always be something fishy happening. Hopefully if it has been Overclocked they knew what they were doing and had excellent cooling, check for heat marks on crucial solder points, as well as if there was a decent heatsink installed or just the stock one.
QUOTE
The Q6600 (stock = 4x 2.4Ghz) is known for being a great overclocker (the G0 stepping in particular). Ask if they still have the invoices and boxes for each component -- or as a whole. Some parts may still be within their warranty period.
Thanks for the info ADL! I have heard that the Q6600 stands up well to clocking... picking it up monday morning so will let you know how it goes.... downloading Everest now
QUOTE ([Crash_Override] @ May 28 2010, 09:23 PM) 
Always be wary of auction systems as there could always be something fishy happening. Hopefully if it has been Overclocked they knew what they were doing and had excellent cooling, check for heat marks on crucial solder points, as well as if there was a decent heatsink installed or just the stock one.
Thanks Crash i will look out for these!
QUOTE (kalam @ May 28 2010, 03:29 PM)
Thanks for the info ADL! I have heard that the Q6600 stands up well to clocking... picking it up monday morning so will let you know how it goes.... downloading Everest now
Thanks Crash i will look out for these!
Thanks Crash i will look out for these!
ask them to post a futuremark score and then compare online with other hardware.
If you want to stress test it to make sure everything is stable, I recommend using Prime95 for 24 hours.
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