Getting Ready To Run Benchmark Tests With Performance Test. Need Help!

[NITRONICRAVER]

I am testing different several different hard drive encryption tools such as (PGP, SafeBoot, Utimaco, etc.. ) and I decided to use Performance Test 6.1 as the tool for this.

I have never used Performance Test before and I definitely want to keep a level plain baseline, Does any body suggest a specific way I go about doing my tests.

Pretty Much what I want to do is.. do an initial benchmark test, install the product, Re-Do the benchmak test and check for differences from the initial baseline test. Then re imaging the system and starting all over again with the next encryption tool.

Let me know if you guys have any feedback regarding my situation.

Best Regards,

NITRONICRAVER

[David (PassMark)]

Have a look at the advanced disk test before you start. It might be a better option than the standard disk test as you can use larger file sizes, look at CPU usage as well and have better control over the test settings.

Repeat the test several times. Windows (sepecially Vista) can do tricky stuff like defag on the fly and move files around on the disk. So results might vary from one run to the next.

Be aware of caching issues (large file sizes somewhat avoid this).

You might alway want to disable any background services that use the disk (the Vista search indexing function comes to mind).

[NITRONICRAVER]

We are talking about a Windows XP machine here.

Any recommendations with that operating system, just like the tips you gave on Vista.

[Ian (PassMark)]

The sugestions are relevant to XP as well.

Regards,
Ian