Need a few clarifications
 

1. Is it my understanding that you don't want to using a computer as you typically would with GIMPS running? (IE Just use the computer for GIMPS and that's it?)


2. I think I read that you should turn the screen saver off. Why is that?


3. Considering #2 do you need GIMPS to be the top window for it to run?

[QUOTE=mrk74;536582]1. Is it my understanding that you don't want to using a computer as you typically would with GIMPS running? (IE Just use the computer for GIMPS and that's it?)[/quote]You can run the software, Prime95, on a computer that you are normally using. It runs in the background. Most people rarely, if ever notice it running.
[QUOTE]2. I think I read that you should turn the screen saver off. Why is that?[/QUOTE]Because the screen saver will run at a higher priority than Prime95, and thus limit how much work Prime95 can do. Just setting it to go blank is good.
[quote]3. Considering #2 do you need GIMPS to be the top window for it to run?[/QUOTE]No, it runs in the background. You can minimize it. And if it is running (not paused), you can even click the X in the corner and it will still be running.

Welcome to the team and the forum.

[QUOTE=Uncwilly;536585]Most people rarely, if ever notice it running.[/QUOTE] I wish I could say that. For some reason, unfortunately I have a pretty loud fan (on a NEW computer). I only ran it for about 20 mins and the fan never shut off.

[QUOTE=mrk74;536587]I wish I could say that. For some reason, unfortunately I have a pretty loud fan. I only ran it for about 20 mins and the fan never shut off.[/QUOTE]
Ah. I was speaking from a performance standpoint. Your machine may benefit from a thorough dust cleaning. You can tell Prime95 to throttle, it will pause a little bit. It will keep the machine from warming up so much.

I'd hope it doesn't need a cleaning already. I've only been using the computer about a month out of the box. :huh:

From the readme.txt file : "Running prime95 may SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE YOUR ELECTRIC BILL. The amount depends on your computer and your local electric rates."
That increase in electricity usage implies an increase in heat. It is thus normal that your fan(s) blow(s) continuously even if your machine is new and clean. (Uncwilly just zapped the fact that you told us it was a new machine.)

Jacob

[QUOTE=S485122;536600](Uncwilly just zapped the fact that you told us it was a new machine.)[/QUOTE]That was an edit to the OP's post after I loaded the post and was going to reply to it. I think that is when I was on a phone call.

Unfortunately, some prebuilt desktops have poor cooling solutions built-in, and do get rather loud when all cores run heavy computation- that is, when maximum power is drawn and maximum heat is created. Many small-form-factor boxes have small & inexpensive fans, with the manufacturer figuring that there won't be many demanding video games played on such a system (video games are the most-common way to use most of / all of a CPU's multiple cores these days). Hardware of the same spec, but in a "gaming case" with a little extra space and larger cooling fans and maybe some air management consideration, can run nearly silently under full power.

If it's a home machine and you're able to open up the side of the case, you may want to determine if there's a spot for an additional fan, or perhaps if a larger (or thicker -> higher volume of air) fan can be mounted in place of the factory one. Fans are rated by cfm = cubic feet per minute of air movement. An 80mm = about 3" square fan is a standard size, for which a high-CFM upgrade can be both quieter and better for the machine. If no fan is that large, you're likely stuck with noise.

We recently acquired a new PC that was quite loud out of the box. This turned out to be a (presumably) cheap PSU. The fan ran full on even at startup. I had to replace the PSU to get some peace.

[SIZE=2]For what it may mean to anybody:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]
[/SIZE][SIZE=2]AMD Ryzen 5 - 8GB Memory - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 [/SIZE][B][SIZE=2]
[/SIZE][/B]
And yes just an out of the box laptop from a big box store.

[QUOTE=mrk74;536655] laptop [/QUOTE]

This part is far and away the most important bit, and the one you didn't mention previously.

Inexpensive (read: not gaming) laptops are usually not designed to cope with the heat that Prime95 generates. I would hesitate to run P95 on any laptop at full speed /CPU wattage. If math work is a priority for the machine, I would reduce the maximum CPU speed & power draw from the windows system settings power management options, until the fan noise is tolerable and no part of the chassis is uncomfortably hot to hold my hand against.

Even so, the fan in there may be so cheap that you shorten the life of the machine from "as long as the power plug port and screen stay undamaged" to perhaps 3 or 4 years for the fan to die. If the chassis can be opened up for access to the fan/board/etc, then you can clean out dust every 6-12 months, have the option to replace the fan, and can run guilt-free.

EDIT: The GTX1050 suggests the machine has gaming in mind, and thus may have robust (though loud) cooling. I had a 17" gaming laptop in 2011 that ran LLR (a P95-like program) on all 4 cores for 5 years, no problems other than dust removal every year.