If you have any installed any Database Software, BDE Drivers, ODBC Drivers, and have configured any ODBC Data Sources, they will show up under their respective pages here.

 

BenchmarkS & BURN-INS

This is where you can run individual memory and CPU benchmarks on your system. The results will be compared against a database of Intel and AMD systems representing low and high-end machines. Lavalys keeps the database current with each new build of EVEREST Ultimate Edition.

 

It should be noted that these are synthetic benchmarks; and as such, they do not necessarily reflect the real-world performance of a PC running applications or games. However, as Lavalys points out in the Online Manual, synthetic benchmarks are useful when seeking quick and easy comparisons between computer states after altering system configuration parameters like CPU clock speeds and memory timings—specifically when overclocking and performance tuning. In addition, while EVEREST’s 32-bit benchmarks will run under 64-bit versions of Windows, they aren’t coded to take advantage of and measure the performance of running under a 64-bit OS.

 

Here’s a description of each benchmark, taken directly from the EVEREST Ultimate Edition’s Online Manual:

Memory Read: This benchmark measures the maximum achievable memory read bandwidth. The code behind this benchmark method is written in Assembly and it is extremely optimized for every popular AMD and Intel processor core variants by utilizing the appropriate x86, MMX, 3DNow!, SSE or SSE2 instruction set extension. The benchmark reads a 16 MB sized, 1 MB aligned data buffer from system memory into the CPU. Memory is read in forward direction, continuously without breaks.

 

In order to avoid concurrent threads competing over system memory bandwidth, Memory Read benchmark utilizes only one processor core and one thread.

 

Memory Write: This benchmark measures the maximum achievable memory write bandwidth. The code behind this benchmark method is written in Assembly and it is extremely optimized for every popular AMD and Intel processor core variants by utilizing the appropriate x86, MMX, 3DNow!, SSE or SSE2 instruction set extension. The benchmark writes a 16 MB sized, 1 MB aligned data buffer from the CPU into the system memory. Memory is written in forward direction, continuously without breaks. In order to avoid concurrent threads competing over system memory bandwidth, Memory Write benchmark utilizes only one processor core and one thread.

 

Important note

 

On AMD K8 class (Athlon 64, Athlon 64 X2, Socket 754/939/AM2 Sempron, Opteron, Turion 64, Turion 64 X2) systems configuring the Command Rate setting to 1T significantly improves Memory Write bandwidth.

 

Memory Copy: This benchmark measures the maximum achievable memory copy speed. The code behind this benchmark method is written in Assembly and it is extremely optimized for every popular AMD and Intel processor core variants by utilizing the appropriate x86, MMX, 3DNow!, SSE or SSE2 instruction set extension. The benchmark copies an 8 MB sized, 1 MB aligned data buffer into another 8 MB sized, 1 MB aligned data buffer through the CPU. Memory is copied in forward direction, continuously without breaks. In order to avoid concurrent threads competing over system memory bandwidth, Memory Copy benchmark utilizes only one processor core and one thread.

 

Memory Latency: This benchmark measures the typical delay when the CPU reads data from system memory. Memory latency time means the penalty measured from the issuing of the read command until the data arrives to the integer registers of the CPU. The code behind this benchmark method is written in Assembly, and uses 1 MB alignment, 1024-byte stride size. Memory is accessed in forward direction. Memory Latency benchmark test uses only the basic x86 instructions and utilizes only one processor core and one thread.

 

Important note

 

On AMD K8 class (Athlon 64, Athlon 64 X2, Socket 754/939/AM2 Sempron, Opteron, Turion 64, Turion 64 X2) systems configuring the Command Rate setting to 1T significantly improves Memory Write bandwidth.

 

 

CPU Queen: This simple integer benchmark focuses on the branch prediction capabilities and the misprediction penalties of the CPU. It finds the solutions for the classic "Queens problem" on a 10 by 10 sized chessboard (http://mathworld.wolfram.com/QueensProblem.html). At the same clock speed, theoretically the processor with the shorter pipeline and smaller misprediction penalties will attain higher benchmark scores. For example -- with HyperThreading disabled -- the Intel Northwood core processors get higher scores than the Intel Prescott core based ones due to the 20-step vs. 31-step long pipeline. However, with enabled HyperThreading the picture is controversial, because due to architectural bottlenecks the Northwood core runs out of internal resources and slows down. Similarly, at the same clock speed AMD K8 class processors will be faster than AMD K7 ones due to the improved branch prediction capabilities of the K8 architecture. CPU Queen Test uses only the basic x86 instructions, it consumes less than 1 MB system memory and it is HyperThreading, multi-processor (SMP) and multi-core (CMP) aware.

 

CPU ZLib: This integer benchmark measures combined CPU and memory subsystem performance through the public ZLib compression library Version 1.2.3 (http://www.zlib.net). CPU ZLib test uses only the basic x86 instructions, and it is HyperThreading, multi-processor (SMP) and multi-core (CMP) aware.

 

FPU Julia: This benchmark measures the single precision (also known as 32-bit) floating-point performance through the computation of several frames of the popular "Julia" fractal. The code behind this benchmark method is written in Assembly, and it is extremely optimized for every popular AMD and Intel processor core variants by utilizing the appropriate x87, 3DNow!, 3DNow!+ or SSE instruction set extension. FPU Julia test consumes less than 1 MB system memory, and it is HyperThreading, multi-processor (SMP) and multi-core (CMP) aware.

 

FPU Mandel: This benchmark measures the double precision (also known as 64-bit) floating-point performance through the computation of several frames of the popular "Mandelbrot" fractal. The code behind this benchmark method is written in Assembly, and it is extremely optimized for every popular AMD and Intel processor core variants by utilizing the appropriate x87 or SSE2 instruction set extension. FPU Mandel test consumes less than 1 MB system memory, and it is HyperThreading, multi-processor (SMP) and multi-core (CMP) aware.

 

FPU SinJulia: This benchmark measures the extended precision (also known as 80-bit) floating-point performance through the computation of a single frame of a modified "Julia" fractal. The code behind this benchmark method is written in Assembly, and it is extremely optimized for every popular AMD and Intel processor core variants by utilizing trigonometric and exponential x87 instructions. FPU SinJulia test consumes less than 1 MB system memory, and it is HyperThreading, multi-processor (SMP) and multi-core (CMP) aware.

You can use the EVEREST Report Wizard to generate a hard copy of all the items under Benchmark and Quick Reports of individual tests. You can also run a series of tests—before and after overclocking, for example—adding them to and creating your own your own User Result List by clicking the Results button that appears on the Toolbar when you have any of the Benchmark modules highlighted, and making the appropriate selection from the menu. You can delete the list when you’re finished with it, if you wish.

 

Lavalys’ recently added Disk Benchmark to EVEREST Ultimate Edition allows you to perform synthetic read and write benchmarks to hard drives (including SCSI ATA/Serial ATA and RAID arrays), flash drives Zip disk drives and optical drives.

 

 

When EVEREST Disk Benchmark launches, it prompts you—in bold red letters no less—to carefully read the introductory Quick Overview before performing any actual benchmarks. And with good reason. All of the write benchmarks are destructive. Run them on the wrong drive or partition, and you’ll be minus an operating system or valuable data. By default, the write tests are disabled, and you will be warned one final time about potential data loss and asked if you’re sure that you want to enable them.

 

The benchmark performs Linear, Random, Buffered Read, and Average and Max Read tests individually—or all of them via the Read Test Suite. The write tests consist of Linear, Random and Buffered Write, and Average Write Access (no combined test suite is available for the write tests). Current, minimum, maximum and average CPU Utilization is recorded and displayed during the tests, and the results can be saved to a screenshot in .PNG format.

 

 

The Cache & Memory Benchmark allows you to run all of EVEREST Ultimate Edition's memory benchmarks at once while also benchmarking the L1-L3 Cache of your processor. You can also test your overclock or burn-in a newly installed motherboard, processor, RAM and hard drive with the System Stability Test. Just check off the components you want to test and click Start. You can track CPU and motherboard temperatures during the test, which runs until you manually stop it—or it detects an error. The System Stability Test is also a good tool for draining a laptop battery as part of maintaining it. 

 

EVEREST Ultimate Edition also has its own version of the popular CPU-Z Utility. As you can see from the screenshots, EVEREST's version has a slicker appearance, but it doesn't provide the additional Cache, Mainboard, Memory or SPD information of CPU-Z. That information is provided elsewhere in EVEREST Ultimate Edition in greater detail. Naturally, EVEREST CPUID is multi-processor and multi-core aware, as the screenshot shows.

Although it probably won't unseat more extensive, specialized tools like DisplayMate, the Monitor Diagnostics in EVEREST Ultimate Edition 4.00 are certainly better than none at all—or relying solely on your eyes (especially when you start getting up in years like me). Monitor Diagnostics can be quickly configured to test CRT or LCD displays with just a mouse-click.

Let's take a closer look at EVEREST Ultimate Edition's customizable, built-in applet for the Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard's LCD display.	You can select from a number of System, CPU, GPU, Temperature and Voltage readings to display, and more than a few ways to display them, as this screenshot shows.	Modifying existing items is just as easy. The arrow key pad is used for positioning items on the G15's 160x43 LCD display. You can also import low-res, simple bitmaps to be displayed as well	Let's say that I wanted to remove the C displayed in Celsius for the GPU item. First, click the radio button labeled Custom. Then position your mouse cursor in the field where the °C label is.
Now <Backspace> over the "C" or just highlight and delete it. Click OK.	Here's the results. Clicking Apply will implement the change immediately on the G15's display.	Here's a shot of my Logitech G15 running the EVEREST Ultimate LCD applet I created. EVEREST must be running minimized in your system tray and checked off in the Logitech LCD Manager, for the applet to work...	...like so.

EVEREST Ultimate Edition 4.0 is Windows Vista-Ready. Here it is on another test system where I have Windows Vista Ultimate Edition installed.	Except for the obvious difference running under Vista's Aero interface, EVEREST Ultimate Edition works pretty much the same as it does under Windows XP,  with one exception...	...you can enable EVEREST's Vista Sidebar applet. This is just the first step, though. You'll need to make sure that EVEREST is running minimized in the system tray, of course.	You'll also need to right-click on the Vista Sidebar and select Add Gadgets from the pop-out context menu.	Now double-click on the EVEREST gadget icon.

...and there it is directly under the RSS Newsfeed gadget!	You can adjust the opacity of the gadget...	...like so...	...and undock it as well.