System/Network Stress Test

To access this utility start INSTALLATION Workshop and from the menu select Toolbox|System/Network Stress Test.

This utility can be used to test the stability/reliability of the disk system of a local computer, or network reliability when accessing a file server.

The system begins by creating 1000 records in 10 database files. It then randomly appends records to these databases, reads the data back from the hard disk or network, and writes (edits) existing records. Periodically the system scans the contents of the database files looking for incorrectly written data.

When you are finished testing press the End Test button. A stable system should be capable of running the test indefinitely without reporting problems or error messages. A realistic test of your system would be in the range of 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the performance of your computer or network.

If the stress test operation fails; for example, by reporting an error message such as 8009 - corruption detected or 1010 read error, this may indicate a problem with your computer, network or operating system. The system test should not stop until the End Test button is pressed by an operator. Possible errors that may require correction include:

Faulty network cabling or connectors
Hard disk faults
Network adaptor faults or incompatibilities
Defects (bugs) in network client or driver software
File system corruptions (that may require running the Scandisk or other disk repair utilities)
Operating system defects (bugs) that may require patching or "service packs"
Incorrect set-up/installation of the operating system, such as incorrect local cache settings.

Multi-User Stress Testing

Multi-user stress testing may reveal problems on a network that would not be detected by single user testing. To test multi-user stability run the System/Network Stress Test utility on two or more computers connected to the same file server, simultaneously.

During multi-user stress testing the message Lock attempts rejected may appear. This is normal if two or more systems are executing the stress test and does not in itself indicate any type of network problem. However, if the message appears when only a single system is performing the stress test, this does indicate a system problem.

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