OCCT: how to use, program designation, installation and testing

Stability problems arise due to overclocking the PC. This is where the stress testing area begins. It ensures the stability of the main part and raises the level of computer performance, reaching ultimate performance. The OCCT test is a health check tool that was created back in 2003 and has been updated regularly since then. The program allows you to fully check the computer's operating modes using various options: CPU-OCCT and CPU-Linpack, designed to test the CPU, GPU: 3D, power supplies.

OCCT Test Review

OCCT is a freeware application created as part of hardware diagnostic software and available on DOCBASE for Windows. Verification options can be performed randomly or over a period of time. Before using OCCT, they are determined with a validation period. It is permissible to include an idle period at the beginning or at the end of the test in order to better see how the PC temperature rises from IDLE to full load and vice versa.

OCCT includes a monitoring mechanism that provides complete readings of the machine’s internal temperatures, voltages, and fan speeds, and displays them both in real time graphs and at the time of the process.

The graphs show the second line showing processor and FPS usage during test OCCT. CPU utilization is instantaneous, not average since the beginning of the test, as it was in the first releases of the program. The modern version has 5 different options, descriptions of which are at the end of the change log.

The main tests:

1. CPU is the best test for finding processor errors. It works at lower temperatures than Linpack, and quickly detects errors.
2. Processor - Linpack-test reaches maximum temperatures, which makes the processor very hot, and the last circumstance must be considered before using OCCT. It is ideal for finding problems related to overheating, but for the rest, the first option is enough.
3. GPU: 3D, according to AMD, this is the best test for debugging a video card, as well as for testing performance at high temperatures.
4. Power Supply is designed to test the strength of the power supply. For this purpose, he uses a combination of Linpack and 3D to make the power source consume as much power as possible. Before using OCCT, pay attention to the model of the power supply, it is believed that it is better not to experiment with the weak.

OCCT 4.5.1 is licensed as free software for the Windows operating system (32-bit and 64-bit) for equipment diagnostics without restrictions, and is available to all users like Freeware. Hardware compatibility with this software may vary, but it usually works fine under Microsoft Windows 10, 8, 8.1, 7, Vista, and XP. A separate version of x64 may be available on OCBASE as an .exe file, and you must open it before using OCCT 4 5 1.

Program interface

System stability testing tool designed for Windows. In addition to monitoring the voltages, temperatures and fan speeds of various components, it can be used for reference marking of power supplies (SMPS), graphic cards (GPUs) and main processors (CPUs).

The built-in test monitors the performance of the system in stressful situations. If the performance is below the nominal, then you can upgrade the equipment or replace parts that work with values ​​below the nominal in order to improve the overall stability and productivity of the machine.

In the OCCT main interface in Russian, you can see various tabs related to the CPU, GPU and power supply. They display information related to these hardware components. You can select test configurations, and then click the green "ON" button, which will run a stress test for a particular hardware component. Before using OCCT, take protective measures, since tests can make the system inoperable and it is better to save all the data first.

To the right of the main window, another is displayed showing various real-time monitoring results. The monitoring window can be moved to the left or minimized. Sensor information is displayed in either tabular or graphical format.

The main conditions for stress testing

A form of deliberate intensive and thorough testing is used to determine the stability of a system or object and includes the creation of modes that exceed normal operation parameters.

Directions of modes:

1. Determination of critical points or limits of safe use, their zone is set before using the OCCT program.
2. Confirmation of the fact that the mathematical model is accurate in predicting critical points or limits of safe use.
3. Check compliance with specified specifications.
4. Determination of failure modes when the system fails.
5. Checking the stability of a part or system outside of standard use.

Engineers working in the field of reliability of PC equipment experience testing the elements under the conditions of the expected voltage or in the conditions of acceleration in order to determine the product service life or establish failure modes. This is done by running a processor-intensive program for extended periods of time to check if the computer freezes or crashes.

System preparation

Before conducting tests, the user must properly prepare the system. To achieve the best results, whether it is a stress test or a regular one, you need to control the following parameters.

When the OCCT test is performed, the temperature of the computer rises sharply first of all, so make sure that it does not exceed the maximum allowable limits. These thresholds vary by equipment model. As a rule, the maximum allowable limits for processors are up to 70 ^° C, while for video cards they are slightly above 80-90 ° C.

It is safer for the equipment to know the exact maximum temperatures in advance, for this they will familiarize themselves with the operating instructions for the corresponding subsystem. You can find this data on the manufacturer’s website on the Internet. Knowing the maximum allowable parameter, they use the monitoring application to be sure that the PC will not be damaged during the process. A very simple and useful tool for this task is HWMonitor.

A PC should be able to make the most of all its capabilities during stress tests. To do this, the user needs to close all running applications that run with Windows and consume resources in the background. Ideally, it should be executed immediately after starting the system, and the only working program should be designed to measure temperature. They also turn off all sleep or hibernation settings and make sure that the energy saving plan is not included.

Monitoring mechanism

OCCT 4.4 has a built-in monitoring mechanism, providing the user with full readings of the computer's internal temperatures, voltages and fan speed, displaying them on graphs constructed in real time.

If the user is worried about PC performance, real-time graphics can not be opened, although in reality they are lightweight and do not take up a lot of resources, in addition, hiding the graphic panel will not allow further timely updating of data and may lead to distorted results.

The program protects the computer from overheating or damage, including alarms that can be configured for each sensor. As soon as the values ​​for temperature, voltage or fan speed are exceeded, test will stop to protect the machine.

Multi mode

OCCT offers a rather complex processor stress test, which is often ignored by users. It can not generate the huge amount of heat that is observed when Prime95 works with AVX, but still it is an excellent choice for long-term test stability. The software registers a number of important parameters, working in an endless loop or stopping after a certain period of time. The “OCCT with a small data set” option generates the lowest load available, it is less expensive than Prime95 with AVX.

“OCCT with a large data set” mode - the total load drops again, which makes this test suitable for laptops that should not be brought up to temperature limits. Memory is tested more strongly than in Prime95. In fact, this is the second largest memory load in software.

The implementation of OCCT AVX generates a common load, although it does not reach the numbers generated by the Small Data Set native parameter of this utility. The memory load is quite high.

OCCT with Linpack and SSE. Implementing SSE in OCCT generates a low total load similar to the Big Data Set option. But while it does not set any new records, it is therefore a good alternative for younger computers with standard coolers. It is also a good option for extended testing.

Build Pro-Online

OCCT Pro is a professional version of the program. Its use is permitted in a commercial environment and companies, and not just for personal use.

This version comes with all the features included in OCCT, with the addition of the following:

1. A custom test compiled from a native application. They simply fill out three batch files: one to start, one to stop, and one to report status. In this case, you can use your own scripts for the computer, including the OCCT power supply.
2. A test for monitoring when OCCT does nothing but fix parameters: temperature, voltage, and others.
3. CSV output of all sensors along with charts, it is possible to create your own charts and configure the output folder.
4. You no longer need to clear the My Documents folder.

OCCT Pro is available for purchase online. Its price depends on the number of employees in the company, therefore it is available for any organization and personal use.

Perestroika stability tool

OCCT Perestroika is a stability testing tool, free for home use. It provides an accurate error detection algorithm for processors and graphics cards. The latest version of OCCT is Perestroika 3.0.0. This is the main release, which includes new features with processor monitoring, system information and processor utilization, GPU graphics cards, memory and SLI / Crossfire.

Main features of OCCT Perestroika:

1. Completely redesigned graphical interface.
2. Graphics include a second curve showing processor or FPS usage when using the 3D test.
3. The processor load is instant, it has 5 modes, the description of which follows the change log.
4. The interface is fully modular, works on a tab system.
5. Help module.
6. Updated engine - support for the latest processors.
7. Many bugs were fixed, including the well-known error "3 cores detected on 4".
8. Graphs show processor or FPS usage during the test.
9. Demonstration of a legend to understand what is happening.
10. The "test" configuration in the program header.
11. Description of the tests.

PC monitoring on schedule

The “only monitoring” test will do nothing. It starts and stops according to the schedule. All that he will perform is to record testimonies until he is stopped by the user or the schedule comes to an end.

User mode is enabled if the "Monitoring only" checkbox is disabled. The engineer will have access to his main parameters in order to launch his own application. The main goal is to give information about him, how to start it, close it and check its status.

Start Batch / Exe - path to the .exe file, to the batch file, or any executable file that you want to run. When executed, it will automatically stop the application and point to a package that “kills” the process.

Batch / Exe status is optional. This is usually a batch file that returns “0” if the application is working correctly, or any other value if something is wrong. His tester uses to detect errors.

If "Stop on error" is checked, OCCT will stop as soon as the "Status Packet / Exe" reports an error. If the checkbox is not checked, it will continue to work until the test reaches the end.

User test example.

This list lists all running processes and searched with the name "calc.exe". If it is not found (ERRORLEVEL will be 1), you can exit with the code “1”. Otherwise, they exit with code “0”, which means that the test is running. Experienced users recommend checking the “no sound” box unless the user wants the “cmd.exe” window to appear every second.

Processor test algorithm

Stress testing is very important for overclocking. Without it, the user cannot be sure that the processor is completely stable at the stated speeds. Testing software applications provide the highest and unrealistic workload on equipment components, so if the overclocked component is stable during the process, it can accept any other type of load.

OCCT is great for stress testing the CPU, graphics card, and power supply. Download and unpack in any convenient place, for example on the PC desktop.

Processor Check Algorithm:

1. Open OCCT.exe.
2. Choose a Linpack processor.
3. In the "Test Type" field, select "Custom".
4. Enter the desired time. Usually 10 minutes for the first overclocking of the processor to save time. As soon as they get the maximum result, they test the processor for 2 hours.
5. In Test Mode, select Max (90% of free memory).
6. When test is complete, the program will report errors during the test, and will also create useful graphs that show processor usage, its temperature, ripple in power lines, processor VCore, and others.
7. If an OCCT error is detected during a stress test, the user will have to increase the V-Core CPU performance a notch. If this has already been done and error messages still appear, you need to adjust the memory settings.
8. If the user believes that the processor overheats during stress testing, then you need to stop it and provide additional cooling. Visit the manufacturer's website to find out the maximum temperature at which the processor can work.
9. Before overclocking and stress testing, OCCT rus makes sure that a good power supply (PSU) is installed. Using cheap ones will lead to the failure of system components. If there are doubts about its quality, you can not start overclocking and testing. Experts do not trust some Chinese power supplies, because they are not able to provide even 50% of the total capacity for which they are designed.
10. It is also equally important to have a good third-party CPU cooler. Standard Intel and AMD heatsinks are good for regular situations. Anything above the nominal clock frequency only increases the temperature.
11. And last but not least, the thermal interface used also plays an important role in acceleration, each degree of heating must be taken into account. Experts recommend the use of Arctic Cooling MX-2.

GPU Graphics Control

OCCT offers a load test GPU. In fact, it generates the highest package temperatures from all similar programs. As in FurMark, they use full-screen mode for maximum load and arrays of several video cards. This software also provides some of the highest power consumption indicators that make it ideal for determining the maximum power and efficiency of coolers.

If you are using Windows 10, install OCCT in DirectX 9 mode for safe operation. Configuring DirectX 11 either does not work at all, or leads to unstable systems. Fortunately, DirectX 9 produces incredibly high temperatures.

Every 15 seconds, someone in the world launches OCCT. In order not to overload the PC and know its real capabilities, stress testing becomes a vital resource in the technical arsenal of the user.