SPECIAL THANKS TO ADMINISTRATION AND VISITORS OF WWW.NVWORLD.RU FOR HELP IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND POPULATING OF THE PROGRAM. ================================================================================ Video Memory stress Test v1.7 Video Memory stress Test for Clean Environment v1.21 This test allow you to completely test your video RAM (accessible to DirectX). The best way to check stability after overclocking ;) "Video Memory stress Test for Clean Environment" is a separate program, which must be launched via booting from a special boot disk. Detailed information about it see in VMTCE folder of this archive. Main difference from my old tool Artifact Locator is per-bit testing (almost per-pixel), what allow to escape of usage of GDI and make possible to use the bit masks almost color masks. Now tests in different color modes performs in "background", without changing current video mode. Now no any "show": only two progressbars and simple digits of the results. In testing process the results field will filled by different information, video RAM error messages has following view: Error at [01ABCDEF]: must be FFFF, but found FFEF (bits: 0000000000010000) Also after detection of the error will be increased counter "Errors found". All other messages in results field is information-only and do not say about video RAM errors. On videocards with hundreds megabytes of video RAM full test set can to work many hours. Express-test can be performed by selecting value "Small" or "Express 15%" in field "Test set". First variant does not test memory with walking bits. Second one performs test with all patterns, but process only random 15% of created surfaces (different for each pattern and not less then one in any case). "Small" test set is good for quick check of overall memory integrity, "Express 15%" is better for quick stability test after overclocking. Except testing via DirectX, now program can to test video RAM via CUDA interface from nVidia company. Dropdown list "Test type" allows switch test method. Beyond selecting "CUDA" item test options panel will change its view and will contain two new dropdown lists. With "Device" list can be selected one of available video cards, and "Memory block size" list contain available values for one memory test step. The CUDA technology at this moment supported only nVidia GeForce 8xxx and 9xxx series cards. IN THE CURRENT PROGRAM VERSION THIS TEST TYPE HAS BETA-STATUS AND IT CORRECT WORK ON YOUR SYSTEM DOES NOT GARANTED. Except testing via DirectX, now program can to test video RAM via OpenGL interface. All main parameters is like "CUDA", but main difference is in the necessary to manually select video memory size (OpenGL does not provide any way to determine it automatically). IN THE CURRENT PROGRAM VERSION THIS TEST TYPE HAS BETA-STATUS AND IT CORRECT WORK ON YOUR SYSTEM DOES NOT GARANTED. Mode with using of onscreen buffer allows to test videocards with incorrect direct memory read function (on this moment it is Radeon HD 38xx series). If with default settings test found big count of different errors, there is onscreen buffer mode must be used. In this case only one color mode can be processed, all others will skipped. In some cases this mode needs disabling of ignoring colors bit mask option (many errors with bits 1000000000000000 or 11111111000000000000000000000000). While test progress with onscreen buffer usage test window must be on the desktop and over other windows! A management of used color modes is accessible by using command-line switches. If pass "+24" parameter, program will try to use 24-bit color even if video driver does not reports of it support. Allowed adding of modes starting from 16, but all them must be is multiple to 8. Parameter "-16" removes all variants of 16-bit mode from testing. Also can be disabled separated submodes, for example parameter "-RGB:555" will force to ignore of this submode in test process (existing modes are: RGB:565, RGB:555, BGR:565, RGB:888 and BGR:888). There are some difficults to determine actual memory size of videocards with TurboCache, HyperMemory or other video RAM extension technology. In this case if program processes more or less video memory, then really exists on card, it is desirable to specify actual video memory size by passing to command line count of megabytes of video RAM as simple digit. After starting program sets interface language such as default language of current user. It is possible to select language manually by command-line parameter "/Lang". To set English language need to pass "/Lang:English" parameter. Text resources are stored in VMT.LNG file and can be changed. Program have internal visual command line builder. For launch it "/Loader" parameter must be passed in. This parameter can only be combined with "/Lang" parameter (in this case passed langiage ID will be selected and added to result command line). Examples of program launching with parameters: VMT.EXE /Loader Start VMT command line visual editor VMT.EXE -16 -24 -BGR:888 Starts testing in single mode 32bpp/RGB:888 VMT.EXE 64 /Lang:English Testing only 64 megabytes of memory and select English interface language. VMT.EXE +24 16 Forces 24-bit color and limits RAM usage to 16 megabytes. Recommendations on use: - DirectX 7.0 or better must be installed (DirectX 9 is recommended). - CUDA 1.1 or better must be installed for CUDA test mode. - OpenGL 1.5 (or OpenGL 1.1 with "GL_ARB_vertex_buffer_object" extension available) must be installed for OpenGL test mode. - Before testing all graphical applications (editors, viewers, players, games etc.) must be closed. - Monitor standby function must be deactivated. - Before start testing, program prompts for changing video mode to 640x480x16 (for able to capture more video RAM), and it is recommended to agree. Your actual video mode will be restored after test ending (or canceling). - For better check it is recommended to perform test two times: with square surfaces (for example 1024x1024) and with rectangle surfaces (for example 256x1024). - Do not think what addresses of fail points is physical addresses. This values represents only logical offsets and writed for information and analytic purposes. - Output of big count of errors vary decreases test speed. For disable error output uncheck flag "Log errors". Counting of errors in field "Errors found" continues. - Because the way of test data is vary long (system memory - memory controller - bus - GPU - video RAM), sometimes can be found errors, what are not mean videocard fault. Recognize these errors is possible by random addresses and bits. In any case, before testing, all system overclocking must be disabled (except videocard, if it testing for check stability after overclocking). - While test in progress, do not change any video options. - Do not ignore 16-bit modes! Many GPU show decreased stability of memory controller in these modes. Known issues: - Because of problems with determining of actual video RAM size on cards with any memory extension technology (like TurboCache or HyperMemory), can be necessary to specify correct megabyte count in command line. - Cards of Radeon HD 38xx and 2xxx series (may be also some others of same generations) has problems with direct memory reading and if on this card test shows many different errors, "Onscreen buffer" mode must be selected. Program is free for home use. For purchase commercial licenses write to address misha_irpen@ukr.net or mike@mikelab.kiev.ua. 2008 (C) Misha Cherkes, http://mikelab.kiev.ua/index_en.php