winsat cpu

Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista

Assesses the performance of the processor(s) using encryption and decryption or compression and decompression.

For examples of how to use this command, see Examples.

Syntax

winsat cpu <[encryption|encryption2]|[compression|compression2]> [optional parameters]

Parameters

Important

Only one of the four required parameters is required to run the assessment.

Required Parameter Description

-encryption

Run the encryption and decryption sub-assessment using 256-bit AES cryptographic algorithms.

-encryption2

Run the encryption and decryption sub-assessment computing a SHA1 hash.

-compression

Run the compression and decompression sub-assessment using a Lempel-Zev algorithm.

-compression2

Run the compression and decompression sub-assessment using an internal Microsoft compression algorithm. This is the same algorithm used to compress the hibernation file and with ReadyBoost and ReadyDrive technologies.

Optional Parameter Description

-buffersize <n>

Define the buffer size for the assessment. The minimum is 4K. The maximum is 2MB. The default is 16KB.

-data <file name>

Specify a file to be loaded into the buffer for use in the assessment. The default file used if none is specified is %SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll.

-nbr <n>

Specify the number of buffer regions used in the assessment. The default is 16 regions.

-brs <n>

Specify the size of buffer regions used in the assessment.

-v

Send verbose output to STDOUT, including status and progress information. Any errors will also be written to the command window.

-xml <file name>

Save the output of the assessment as the specified XML file. If the specified file exists, it will be overwritten.

-idiskinfo

Save information about physical volumes and logical disks as part of the <SystemConfig> section in the XML output.

-iguid

Create a globally unique identifier (GUID) in the XML output file.

-note "note text"

Add the note text to the <note> section in the XML output file.

-icn

Include the local computer name in the XML output file.

-eef

Enumerate extra system information in the XML output file.

Note

A combination of -buffersize, -nbr, and -brs can be specified, but only two can be used simultaneously.

  • When -buffersize and -nbr are used together, the region size is determined by dividing the number of regions into the buffer sizes.

  • When -buffersize and -brs are used together, the number of regions is determined by dividing the region size into the buffer sizes.

  • When -nbr and -brs are used together, the buffer size is determined by multiplying the values for -nbr and -brs together.

Additional considerations

The -buffersize value defaults to bytes unless a suffix is used with the number supplied. The following suffixes can be used to specify other magnitudes:

  • B or BYTES for bytes (assessments that do not permit values this small will default to the smallest allowed value)

  • K or KB for kilobytes

  • M or MB for megabytes

  • G or GB for gigabytes (assessments that do not permit values this large will default to the largest allowed value)

Examples:

  • -buffersize 1K

  • -buffersize 256BYTES

Examples

  • The following example assesses CPU performance using 256-bit AES cryptographic algorithms:

    winsat cpu -encryption
    
  • The following example assesses CPU performance using the same compression algorithms that Windows Vista uses internally:

    winsat cpu -compression2
    

Remarks

  • Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, is the minimum required to use winsat. The command must be executed from an elevated command prompt window.

  • To open an elevated command prompt window, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and click Run as administrator.

Additional references

Winsat