Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Windows 8 banned from benchmark database


Microsoft Windows 8 has been banned from uploading results to HWBOT, one of the leading databases for benchmarking results due to issues with the real time clock. All current Windows 8 results have also been invalidated.

Best benchmark clock image
HWBOT is one of the leading database services where overclockers around the world can upload their overclocked benchmark results to be verified. Recently, it was discovered that Microsoft Windows 8 carries some intrinsic issues dealing with its real time clock (RTC) that makes it impossible to correctly time and therefore score the benchmark results.


The benchmarks all rely heavily on the RTC to calculate the time it takes to perform some given task. Therefore, the accuracy of the RTC is very important in all operating systems for the purpose of benchmarking. Windows 8, however, has modified the behavior of the RTC due to its power-saving optimization schemes when it comes to underclocking the CPU. The result is that the RTC runs inaccurately during certain resting states of the Windows 8 operating system.

Overall, the end result is that Windows 8 can gain an unfair advantage that shows it being up to 7.38% faster than what it is. While the issue may seem minor for most people, overclockers around the world compete to get the highest scores, and the unfair advantage of Windows 8 simply is not acceptable. For these reasons, HWBOT has decided that Windows 8 results are no longer qualified to be indexed and overclockers are urged to use older versions of Windows to participate in the benchmarking program.


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