Everytime I run SETI at HOME my Hard Drive needs to be repaired. So Until someone solves the problem I am quitting SETI at Home for good.

I can't afford the time to constantly repair my hard drive.

QUAD G5 OS 10.4.10 with all the latest updates.

---

Michael J Lettini
AKA Viper Mike

Everytime I run SETI at HOME my Hard Drive needs to be repaired. So Until someone solves the problem I am quitting SETI at Home for good.

I can't afford the time to constantly repair my hard drive.

QUAD G5 OS 10.4.10 with all the latest updates.

Do you mean whit repair the disk a filesystem check ? - Have you tried to boot from the CD and made a full filesystem check.
Also I think, that this is not SETI, what corrupts something at the filesystems. It could also be a hardware problem at your harddisk. Often such error points to comming harddisk crash. How old is this harddisk ?

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May I suggest getting Drive Genius from Prosoft www.prosoftengineering.com. It found a flaw on my G3 that could not be repaired but is a good disk repair routine. It also Defragmented a 6 year G4 and it improved boot time alot. Even if is not the solution to your problem, it is handy to have.

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Thanks for the advice but the problem is with SETI at HOME ... everytime I run it I have to repair my Hard Drive with either Disk Utiliy , DiskWarrior or Tech Tool Pro. If I don't run SETI than I have no problems.

Drive checks out ok, memory is ok ... I even replaced memory to make sure it wasn't memory.

Everything is stable and perfect until I run SETI.

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Michael J Lettini
AKA Viper Mike

Very strange. I am running a system close to yours but don't see the problem and to the best of my knowlege, you are the first to report it. Only other idea I have is I think I caused the problem with my G3 by packing the disk full. My G5 has 250 GB and is only around 1/4 full. SETI shouldn't be doing anything nasty because there is no need to so I am out of ideas.

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Thanks for the advice but the problem is with SETI at HOME ... everytime I run it I have to repair my Hard Drive with either Disk Utiliy , DiskWarrior or Tech Tool Pro. If I don't run SETI than I have no problems.

Drive checks out ok, memory is ok ... I even replaced memory to make sure it wasn't memory.

Everything is stable and perfect until I run SETI.

SETI writes every few minutes its checkpoints (some KBs) to the disks. It is not normal, that your filesystem get corrupted. A such low IO should not harm anything on a filesystem or the harddisk, where everything is OK. So I think, it could be that a harddisk failure will comming soon. - Also, it could be, that a new disk gets corrupt after some days/weeks/month. For example, at the last bunches of disks I have ordered at work, where everytime some drive defekts within one month.

Where do you see, that you have got to repair your harddisk ?
Do you have any strange error messages in /var/log ?
With which tools have you checked your harddisk ?
Have you booted from the install CD and made a full filesystem check and repair ? - I recommend you this, too.

I think this strange behavior must have a cause, and I think we must search and find it.

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Where do you see, that you have got to repair your hard disk ?

I run verify disk periodically just to make sure all is ok ... that's where I find out or I get strange behavior in the finder like disk images not showing up or failing to delete. They are usually minor repairs but enough to mess up my system.
-----------------------------------
With which tools have you checked your harddisk ?

Disk Utility, Diskwarrior, and Tech Tool Pro.
--------------------------------------------
Have you booted from the install CD and made a full filesystem check and repair ? - I recommend you this, too.

I have done this. I am positiive it's not the Hard Drive about to fail.
-------------------------------------------------

Do you have any strange error messages in /var/log ?

Nothing strange.

---

Michael J Lettini
AKA Viper Mike

Where do you see, that you have got to repair your hard disk ?

I run verify disk periodically just to make sure all is ok ... that's where I find out or I get strange behavior in the finder like disk images not showing up or failing to delete. They are usually minor repairs but enough to mess up my system.
-----------------------------------
With which tools have you checked your harddisk ?

Disk Utility, Diskwarrior, and Tech Tool Pro.
--------------------------------------------
Have you booted from the install CD and made a full filesystem check and repair ? - I recommend you this, too.

I have done this. I am positiive it's not the Hard Drive about to fail.
-------------------------------------------------

Do you have any strange error messages in /var/log ?

Nothing strange.

Are you running your disk checks while BOINC is running? This may be the cause of your errors. Many disk utility programs require exclusive access to your hard drive without any other program writing to disk.

BOINC, by default, writes to disk every 60 seconds so that in the event of a crash, you can pick up very close to where you left off. This disk write can cause disk utility programs to think there's an error on the disk because it didn't think anything was supposed to change.

Also, doesn't it make you the least bit concerned that people with similar configurations do not exhibit the same problems that your system does? If it were me, I'd be very concerned about what's wrong with my system and do what I can to find out what's wrong (and not simply write it off as a single program failure, at least, not if that program isn't causing anyone else the same problem I'm having).

---

Where do you see, that you have got to repair your hard disk ?

I run verify disk periodically just to make sure all is ok ... that's where I find out or I get strange behavior in the finder like disk images not showing up or failing to delete. They are usually minor repairs but enough to mess up my system.
-----------------------------------
With which tools have you checked your harddisk ?

Disk Utility, Diskwarrior, and Tech Tool Pro.
--------------------------------------------
Have you booted from the install CD and made a full filesystem check and repair ? - I recommend you this, too.

I have done this. I am positiive it's not the Hard Drive about to fail.
-------------------------------------------------

Do you have any strange error messages in /var/log ?

Nothing strange.

---------------------
Are you running your disk checks while BOINC is running? This may be the cause of your errors. Many disk utility programs require exclusive access to your hard drive without any other program writing to disk.

No everything is off . WIth Diskwarrior and Tech Tool Pro you have to boot from their disk to check and repair files and volume structures.

BOINC, by default, writes to disk every 60 seconds so that in the event of a crash, you can pick up very close to where you left off. This disk write can cause disk utility programs to think there's an error on the disk because it didn't think anything was supposed to change.

When I run Disk Utility, I run from the OS DVD ... it indicates that there are errors and repairs them.

----------------------------------
Also, doesn't it make you the least bit concerned that people with similar configurations do not exhibit the same problems that your system does? If it were me, I'd be very concerned about what's wrong with my system and do what I can to find out what's wrong (and not simply write it off as a single program failure, at least, not if that program isn't causing anyone else the same problem I'm having).

Apple has checked the computer as well ... nothing is wrong - all checks out as OK. I can guarantee that this only happens when I run SETI ... and I have NO third party hacks ... I run a straight Mac OS 10.4.10. I even ran the OS 10.4.10 Combo installer ... then tried running SETI ... same problem.

---

Michael J Lettini
AKA Viper Mike

Apple has checked the computer as well ... nothing is wrong - all checks out as OK. I can guarantee that this only happens when I run SETI ... and I have NO third party hacks ... I run a straight Mac OS 10.4.10. I even ran the OS 10.4.10 Combo installer ... then tried running SETI ... same problem.

OK, but doesn't that concern you? Why does SETI only have problems on your computer, but not on Mac similar to yours? A program cannot run one way on one computer and a different way on another computer. A program is designed to work the same way on every system to achieve the desired results. There must be something different about your system....

PS - I've heard of experiences with the Apple guys in the Genius Bar. They are smart, but part of what makes them appear so helpful is that they always take the path of least resistance. If your computer appears to be having a problem with SETI, instead of actually checking for the problem, they're simply going to tell you to stop using it. Not truly helpful if you ask me.

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Have you tried running another BOINC client, such as Einstein@Home to see if your Mac has the same problems with it?

I see you are running the 5.21 SETI client. Go to this thread http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=31810&nowrap=true#444480 and download Alex's optimized SETI client and install it in place of the 5.22 client. My older G5 dual processor takes around 12,000 CPUSec to process a work unit worth 62 credits, and I see your newer machine is now taking over 65,000 CPUSec for the same credit.

C

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Join Team MacNN

Have you tried running another BOINC client, such as Einstein@Home to see if your Mac has the same problems with it?

I see you are running the 5.21 SETI client. Go to this thread http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=31810&nowrap=true#444480 and download Alex's optimized SETI client and install it in place of the 5.22 client. My older G5 dual processor takes around 12,000 CPUSec to process a work unit worth 62 credits, and I see your newer machine is now taking over 65,000 CPUSec for the same credit.

C

------------------------------

I'm not interested in running any other BOINC project ... SETI was my main interest ...

Thank you all for providing potential solutions ... but they are all directed at a computer problem ... it's not the computer, memory, hard drive, video or any other hardware ... it's something in the BOINC SETI software ... it started when the constant restarting issue surfaced. I had to abort existing units, reinstall and reset SETI ... ever since then even though I have done everything suggested ... every time I run SETI my Hard Drive file structure gets screwed up and I have to do a disk repair ... if I don't run SETI all is ok and stays ok.

---

Michael J Lettini
AKA Viper Mike

------------------------------

I'm not interested in running any other BOINC project ... SETI was my main interest ...

Thank you all for providing potential solutions ... but they are all directed at a computer problem ... it's not the computer, memory, hard drive, video or any other hardware ... it's something in the BOINC SETI software ... it started when the constant restarting issue surfaced. I had to abort existing units, reinstall and reset SETI ... ever since then even though I have done everything suggested ... every time I run SETI my Hard Drive file structure gets screwed up and I have to do a disk repair ... if I don't run SETI all is ok and stays ok.

Well, it sounds like you have yourself convinced, and I'm well aware of the consequences of trying to educate otherwise.

I can only leave you with: if it were SETI, then everyone else would be having the same problem. That's the way software works.

Perhaps you'll give another try sometime later.

Bye.

---

Have you tried running another BOINC client, such as Einstein@Home to see if your Mac has the same problems with it?

I see you are running the 5.21 SETI client. Go to this thread http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=31810&nowrap=true#444480 and download Alex's optimized SETI client and install it in place of the 5.22 client. My older G5 dual processor takes around 12,000 CPUSec to process a work unit worth 62 credits, and I see your newer machine is now taking over 65,000 CPUSec for the same credit.

C

------------------------------

I'm not interested in running any other BOINC project ... SETI was my main interest ...

Thank you all for providing potential solutions ... but they are all directed at a computer problem ... it's not the computer, memory, hard drive, video or any other hardware ... it's something in the BOINC SETI software ... it started when the constant restarting issue surfaced. I had to abort existing units, reinstall and reset SETI ... ever since then even though I have done everything suggested ... every time I run SETI my Hard Drive file structure gets screwed up and I have to do a disk repair ... if I don't run SETI all is ok and stays ok.

The seti 5.21 was the one that didn't work for any one. they came out with 5.22 a few days later. It works sorta of, but it is full of bug. Look at the post on this BB about it. I don't know anything about the 3rd party software mentioned above, but its got to be better then what we currently have.

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The seti 5.21 was the one that didn't work for any one. they came out with 5.22 a few days later. It works sorta of, but it is full of bug. Look at the post on this BB about it. I don't know anything about the 3rd party software mentioned above, but its got to be better then what we currently have.

Eric has written in the MacOS help desk, that he plan to release 5.23 on MacOS PPC at Monday, which fixes the 5.22 issues and problems.

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The seti 5.21 was the one that didn't work for any one. they came out with 5.22 a few days later. It works sorta of, but it is full of bug. Look at the post on this BB about it. I don't know anything about the 3rd party software mentioned above, but its got to be better then what we currently have.

Eric has written in the MacOS help desk, that he plan to release 5.23 on MacOS PPC at Monday, which fixes the 5.22 issues and problems.

Has it been confirmed that one of the issues with v5.21 and earlier trashed the Mac's file system? If so, I have not read it anywhere.

---

The seti 5.21 was the one that didn't work for any one. they came out with 5.22 a few days later. It works sorta of, but it is full of bug. Look at the post on this BB about it. I don't know anything about the 3rd party software mentioned above, but its got to be better then what we currently have.

Eric has written in the MacOS help desk, that he plan to release 5.23 on MacOS PPC at Monday, which fixes the 5.22 issues and problems.

Has it been confirmed that one of the issues with v5.21 and earlier trashed the Mac's file system? If so, I have not read it anywhere.

There are no reports on any filesystem crashes causes by SETI I know in my eight years of SETI crunching and over two years as help desk volunter.
Also, I think, that there is a hardware issue or a problem at the filesystem/filesystem driver,... at Michaels system. And from my point of view it is not SETI what's corrupting the filesystem, there must be a cause of this and I thing it is urgent to search the root cause of the filesystem crashes.

I think, it could be a solution to move the whole SETI folder to a other (new) filesystem and test if the corruption also happens there, too. I think, OzzFan's advice to test a other project and look if the filesystem crash occurs too, could help to solve the problem.

I only wan't to respond to pixy's posting, that there would be a new version is on the way.
Pixy, as I have written in the 5.22 thread, there are some issues that on some systems the application crases, some users reports that the application is slower (correct tests and reports are still outstanding from the users) and sometimes the screensaver not will be shown, or some things would be not shown correctly. This happens only on a few systems. Also a not working or not correct screensaver is only a minor bug. The therm "full of bugs" is not right in my opinion. Please stop to fire the panic here.

---

The seti 5.21 was the one that didn't work for any one. they came out with 5.22 a few days later. It works sorta of, but it is full of bug. Look at the post on this BB about it. I don't know anything about the 3rd party software mentioned above, but its got to be better then what we currently have.

Eric has written in the MacOS help desk, that he plan to release 5.23 on MacOS PPC at Monday, which fixes the 5.22 issues and problems.

Has it been confirmed that one of the issues with v5.21 and earlier trashed the Mac's file system? If so, I have not read it anywhere.

There are no reports on any filesystem crashes causes by SETI I know in my eight years of SETI crunching and over two years as help desk volunter.
Also, I think, that there is a hardware issue or a problem at the filesystem/filesystem driver,... at Michaels system. And from my point of view it is not SETI what's corrupting the filesystem, there must be a cause of this and I thing it is urgent to search the root cause of the filesystem crashes.

I think, it could be a solution to move the whole SETI folder to a other (new) filesystem and test if the corruption also happens there, too. I think, OzzFan's advice to test a other project and look if the filesystem crash occurs too, could help to solve the problem.

I only wan't to respond to pixy's posting, that there would be a new version is on the way.
Pixy, as I have written in the 5.22 thread, there are some issues that on some systems the application crases, some users reports that the application is slower (correct tests and reports are still outstanding from the users) and sometimes the screensaver not will be shown, or some things would be not shown correctly. This happens only on a few systems. Also a not working or not correct screensaver is only a minor bug. The therm "full of bugs" is not right in my opinion. Please stop to fire the panic here.

---------------------

Then how come my system is perfectly stable when I DO NOT run SETI ... I have no problems ... and the Disk/file structure does not need repair.

I have been checking it several times a day ... NO PROBLEMS. I still think it's a SETI software problem ... I'd like to see others check their file structure with (Disk Utility, DiskWarrior, TechTool Pro or whatever) and see if there is a problem after they have run SETI.

---

Michael J Lettini
AKA Viper Mike

Then how come my system is perfectly stable when I DO NOT run SETI ... I have no problems ... and the Disk/file structure does not need repair.

I have been checking it several times a day ... NO PROBLEMS. I still think it's a SETI software problem ... I'd like to see others check their file structure with (Disk Utility, DiskWarrior, TechTool Pro or whatever) and see if there is a problem after they have run SETI.

As I have written in the previos posting, there was no post in my 8 years of SETI, where such a failure was happens or reported.
But, your repeating responses, that SETI is the cause and not awnser to any questions and advices we gave you, did not help to solve your problem.

---

Then how come my system is perfectly stable when I DO NOT run SETI ... I have no problems ... and the Disk/file structure does not need repair.

I have been checking it several times a day ... NO PROBLEMS. I still think it's a SETI software problem ... I'd like to see others check their file structure with (Disk Utility, DiskWarrior, TechTool Pro or whatever) and see if there is a problem after they have run SETI.

As I have written in the previos posting, there was no post in my 8 years of SETI, where such a failure was happens or reported.
But, your repeating responses, that SETI is the cause and not awnser to any questions and advices we gave you, did not help to solve your problem.

-----------------------------

I have answered ALL the questions asked. REPEAT: ALL THE QUESTIONS. I am not going to run another Boinc program like Einstein ... I need my computer for more important stuff.

Please run SETI then run Disk Utility and let me know what you get.

Thanks ...

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Michael J Lettini
AKA Viper Mike