Merging Computers

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Steve V.
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Message 427685 - Posted: 28 Sep 2006, 12:12:49 UTC
Last modified: 28 Sep 2006, 12:13:48 UTC

Hello all. I recently updated a computer from Win 2K to XP. I tried to merge the XP computer with the 2K computer on my account , but when I click the "merge computers" button (on either computer), there are none listed. I have tried doing this on several different computers with the same result. Any suggestions?

(edited for spelling)
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Message 427702 - Posted: 28 Sep 2006, 12:22:20 UTC

When something changes in the description of the host, be it CPU, RAM, Operating System, then a new hostID is made. Since to BOINC a computer running Windows 2000 is not the same as a computer running Windows XP, you cannot merge them. Only if their descriptions are one and the same, can you merge them.

If the old host does not show results in the results list anymore (results purged from database), then you can delete it. The credits it gathered always stay with you.
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Message 439253 - Posted: 18 Oct 2006, 16:40:36 UTC - in response to Message 427702.  

When something changes in the description of the host, be it CPU, RAM, Operating System, then a new hostID is made. Since to BOINC a computer running Windows 2000 is not the same as a computer running Windows XP, you cannot merge them. Only if their descriptions are one and the same, can you merge them.

If the old host does not show results in the results list anymore (results purged from database), then you can delete it. The credits it gathered always stay with you.


this is no longer true. I currently have 3 computers that are all identical except for the Ram in them, they are all the same CPU and OS including version #. However I have been unable to merge these computers, even the two that are identical. SETI just needs to have more leniency on computer definitions.... If I have an AMD 64 3200 and an AMD 64 3200 one with 1gb or ram and another with 2gb or ram ... and all I did was upgrade the ram I should be able to merge them... but alas I can't. An Intel and an AMD machine merger is out of the question... totally different story...


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Message 439322 - Posted: 18 Oct 2006, 18:47:30 UTC

The merging computer must have no units in process. If there are, these need to expire before you can merge.

Since your computers are hidden, we can not see if there are any other differences.


My movie https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/502242
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Message 439451 - Posted: 18 Oct 2006, 21:51:55 UTC - in response to Message 439253.  

I currently have 3 computers that are all identical except for the Ram in them, they are all the same CPU and OS including version #. However I have been unable to merge these computers, even the two that are identical. SETI just needs to have more leniency on computer definitions....

So you are saying that because your pc's are actually one and the same Seti should just "know" that? The problem is there are people with dozens of machines sometimes that are in fact identical to each other but different physical machines. How is Seti to know the difference? Short answer they can't, so to prevent database corruption, each machine has workuntis assigned to it and it alone, the merging pc's rules are kinda tight.

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Message 449593 - Posted: 4 Nov 2006, 0:54:42 UTC - in response to Message 427702.  

When something changes in the description of the host, be it CPU, RAM, Operating System, then a new hostID is made. Since to BOINC a computer running Windows 2000 is not the same as a computer running Windows XP, you cannot merge them. Only if their descriptions are one and the same, can you merge them.

If the old host does not show results in the results list anymore (results purged from database), then you can delete it. The credits it gathered always stay with you.

I made an upgrade to my machine some months ago and after updating in the Boinc-manager I was 'identified' as a 'new computer' (although both the WU and the harddisk/OS were the same = no formating).
My point is: I don't want to delete the old host, I want it to appear in the list of 'mergeable' hosts, so I can select it for merging. Why is the merging process so restrictive? If I have a password for my user, I should be allowed to choose any of my hosts and merge them... Who knows better than I if they are one to be merged...
Anyone, please refute my logic... ;-)
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Message 449598 - Posted: 4 Nov 2006, 1:00:45 UTC - in response to Message 449593.  

I made an upgrade to my machine some months ago

You changed your CPU? Did you run your queue empty before doing so? As changing a CPU can be considered you getting a whole new PC. And two different CPUs are not necessarily the same computer, so the BOINC server software distinguishes them as two different computers.

Not always, though. Sometimes it just picks this up as the old computer and just changes the CPU designation. It did on my system, where I changed CPUs while I still had work.
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Message 449618 - Posted: 4 Nov 2006, 1:16:44 UTC - in response to Message 449598.  

I made an upgrade to my machine some months ago

You changed your CPU? Did you run your queue empty before doing so? As changing a CPU can be considered you getting a whole new PC. And two different CPUs are not necessarily the same computer, so the BOINC server software distinguishes them as two different computers.

Not always, though. Sometimes it just picks this up as the old computer and just changes the CPU designation. It did on my system, where I changed CPUs while I still had work.

I changed MBoard (ASUS), CPU and graphics board. However I didn't empty my work-queue before 'ripping the computer apart'. But the Hdisk is the same - has a new one to keep it company - and the workunit was successfully uploaded after srewing and bolting.
I just do not see why it has to be so hard to choose a host to merge with another... If they are 'our machines/hosts' we should know best if they are one to merge, right?
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Message 449630 - Posted: 4 Nov 2006, 1:39:09 UTC - in response to Message 449618.  

I changed MBoard (ASUS), CPU

These two are already a big enough change that you get a new computer ID appointed.
I just do not see why it has to be so hard to choose a host to merge with another... If they are 'our machines/hosts' we should know best if they are one to merge, right?

As otherwise you can easily merge your AMD computer with your Intel computer. Now what good would that do? All results are registered to the computer that downloaded them. That same computer must also upload the results. If you could merge computers at will, this would become very confusing for the server software.

It would also make it very easy to download results on a slow computer, crunch them on a speedy computer and upload them through that one, as you just merged your old slow one with the speedier one.

Just delete the old one from the list. For credits it doesn't matter as those always stay with the participant, not with the computer. So you won't lose them when you delete a computer from the list.
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Message 449656 - Posted: 4 Nov 2006, 2:08:02 UTC - in response to Message 449630.  

I changed MBoard (ASUS), CPU

These two are already a big enough change that you get a new computer ID appointed.
I just do not see why it has to be so hard to choose a host to merge with another... If they are 'our machines/hosts' we should know best if they are one to merge, right?

As otherwise you can easily merge your AMD computer with your Intel computer. Now what good would that do? All results are registered to the computer that downloaded them. That same computer must also upload the results. If you could merge computers at will, this would become very confusing for the server software.

It would also make it very easy to download results on a slow computer, crunch them on a speedy computer and upload them through that one, as you just merged your old slow one with the speedier one.

Just delete the old one from the list. For credits it doesn't matter as those always stay with the participant, not with the computer. So you won't lose them when you delete a computer from the list.

I just did that. Hope nothing more was lost of old data than the name of the host. Thanks anyway.
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Message 458981 - Posted: 16 Nov 2006, 13:39:35 UTC - in response to Message 449656.  

Same problem here. I formated my Windows XP and installed Vista. The hardware is the same, so I'd like to merge the computers cause it IS only one machine.
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Message 459014 - Posted: 16 Nov 2006, 14:29:11 UTC - in response to Message 458981.  

Same problem here. I formated my Windows XP and installed Vista. The hardware is the same, so I'd like to merge the computers cause it IS only one machine.


OS is different on each. Can't merge because of different OS.
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Message 459305 - Posted: 16 Nov 2006, 22:17:02 UTC - in response to Message 458981.  

Same problem here. I formated my Windows XP and installed Vista. The hardware is the same, so I'd like to merge the computers cause it IS only one machine.


You could always wait until the "old" XP machine has no data attached to it (all results added to the master science database). Then you can delete the "old" XP system if you really want to "pretty" up your list of computers. That way, you will only have your Vista machine listed.

No need to worry about losing credits though. Your credits stay with your account regardless of the machines deleted within your account.
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Questions and Answers : Web site : Merging Computers


 
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