AstroPulse Ghost WUs !!!

Okay... I'll admit procrastination in updating my app_info.xml files to process the AP WUs... I was waiting for the official "An app_info.xml file will be made available here" section of the Astropulse FAQ to be created.

Seems this didn't stop the project from issuing an AP WU to my host, which was immediately dismissed due to missing AP client, causing my issued WU to become a ghost. It will "timeout" on 02 Sep and then be reissued.... Sorry wingman.

I doubt that I'm alone, and unless folks pay close attention to their message logs and "Computer Tasks" webpage, you won't even notice you own ghost WUs.

Question is... How many others like mine are there ?

Be warned folks, unless you want to be a Ghost Rider, do not postpone updating that app_info.xml file ASAP.

BOINC on..on...
JDWhale

Okay... I'll admit procrastination in updating my app_info.xml files to process the AP WUs... I was waiting for the official "An app_info.xml file will be made available here" section of the Astropulse FAQ to be created.

Seems this didn't stop the project from issuing an AP WU to my host, which was immediately dismissed due to missing AP client, causing my issued WU to become a ghost. It will "timeout" on 02 Sep and then be reissued.... Sorry wingman.

I doubt that I'm alone, and unless folks pay close attention to their message logs and "Computer Tasks" webpage, you won't even notice you own ghost WUs.

Question is... How many others like mine are there ?

Be warned folks, unless you want to be a Ghost Rider, do not postpone updating that app_info.xml file ASAP.

BOINC on..on...
JDWhale

Hmmm......I thought that it was indicated that AP work would not be issued to a host computer if you were already running optimized unless the proper files to process it were in place....you were running an opti app on that rig, no?
Maybe this is another scheduler bug that Eric needs to be aware of.

Hmmm......I thought that it was indicated that AP work would not be issued to a host computer if you were already running optimized unless the proper files to process it were in place....you were running an opti app on that rig, no?
Maybe this is another scheduler bug that Eric needs to be aware of.

From the Astropulse FAQ...

Can I choose to run only Astropulse? Can I choose not to run Astropulse?

At present you must run both Astropulse and the original SETI@home. However, we plan to implement the ability to choose in the near future.

================

Lesson here... if you have the hardware, you will be issued AP work!!! Nevermind that you don't have the AP client.

It should not download the work if you do not have the files in place for it though.

If you are using an optimised application then you will need to replace or modify the app_info.xml file.

It should not download the work if you do not have the files in place for it though.

If you are using an optimised application then you will need to replace or modify the app_info.xml file.

I take that statement to mean that the servers will not issue you AP work until you have the app_info file updated.

This one should work just fine on the E4500 as you run the same version as I do.

<app_info>

<app>

<name>astropulse</name>

</app>

<file_info>

<name>astropulse_4.35_windows_intelx86.exe</name>

<executable/>

</file_info>

<file_info>

<name>libfftw3f-3-1-1a_upx.dll</name>

<executable/>

</file_info>

<file_info>

<name>ap_graphics_4.35_windows_intelx86.exe</name>

<executable/>

</file_info>

<app_version>

<app_name>astropulse</app_name>

<version_num>435</version_num>

<file_ref>

<file_name>astropulse_4.35_windows_intelx86.exe</file_name>

<main_program/>

</file_ref>

<file_ref>

<file_name>libfftw3f-3-1-1a_upx.dll</file_name>

</file_ref>

<file_ref>

<file_name>ap_graphics_4.35_windows_intelx86.exe</file_name>

<open_name>graphics_app</open_name>

</file_ref>

</app_version>

<app>

<name>setiathome_enhanced</name>

</app>

<file_info>

<name>AK_v8_win_SSSE3x.exe</name>

<executable/>

</file_info>

<app_version>

<app_name>setiathome_enhanced</app_name>

<version_num>517</version_num>

<file_ref>

<file_name>AK_v8_win_SSSE3x.exe</file_name>

<main_program/>

</file_ref>

</app_version>

<app_version>

<app_name>setiathome_enhanced</app_name>

<version_num>527</version_num>

<file_ref>

<file_name>AK_v8_win_SSSE3x.exe</file_name>

<main_program/>

</file_ref>

</app_version>

<app_version>

<app_name>setiathome_enhanced</app_name>

<version_num>528</version_num>

<file_ref>

<file_name>AK_v8_win_SSSE3x.exe</file_name>

<main_program/>

</file_ref>

</app_version>

</app_info>
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Nope. I'm running optimzed apps on all my rigs...and I received WUs on a MAC and on a Linux box...and I didn't change the app_info.xml file...
Haven't checked my WIN-rigs yet...

It should not download the work if you do not have the files in place for it though.

If you are using an optimised application then you will need to replace or modify the app_info.xml file.

I take that statement to mean that the servers will not issue you AP work until you have the app_info file updated.

I think Mark actually got it right.

(modify the app_info.xml and download the astropulse files)

I think Mark actually got it right.

(modify the app_info.xml and download the astropulse files)

The files to download are in Richards post Beta - AP release soon - 34336

I got an astropulse unit here a couple hours ago and I'm running the stock app. Looks like my wingman got it with the optimised client. Don't know who this is as its listed As.

Not sure what you mean by a ghost wu. That mean the optimized client isn't goign to process it?

I think Mark actually got it right.

(modify the app_info.xml and download the astropulse files)

The files to download are in Richards post Beta - AP release soon - 34336

Yes, I understand... Since I didn't update my app_info.xml file or install the AP client files, is it expected that I would be assigned ghost AP workunits?

I think Mark actually got it right.

(modify the app_info.xml and download the astropulse files)

The files to download are in Richards post Beta - AP release soon - 34336

Yes, I understand... Since I didn't update my app_info.xml file or install the AP client files, is it expected that I would be assigned ghost AP workunits?

No, you shouldn't have issued AP units, that is a server problem.

Must check my computers to see if I have been allocated AP here. Don't want them here yet have enough of them at Beta. That could be a long job and I have been told to paint doors today or else, she who must be obeyed has spoken.

After reading this thread I thought i'd better run through and update all of my crunchers. I ran across this in one of the logs:

03-Aug-2008 01:35:28 [SETI@home] [error] State file error: missing application astropulse
03-Aug-2008 01:35:28 [SETI@home] [error] Can't handle task ap_02jl08aa_B0_P1_00330_20080802_07749.wu in scheduler reply
03-Aug-2008 01:35:28 [SETI@home] [error] State file error: missing task ap_02jl08aa_B0_P1_00330_20080802_07749.wu
03-Aug-2008 01:35:28 [SETI@home] [error] Can't handle task ap_02jl08aa_B0_P1_00330_20080802_07749.wu_0 in scheduler reply

So it looks like it tried to give me one. Strange thing is I can't find when I look at My Account -> My Computers -> Tasks. I also tried My Acccount -> All tasks and can't find it listed there either. The tasks for the computer are here

snipped......
[edit]
@WinterKnight : here's one
[/edit]

I'm wondering what we can do about this. As things stand, I can't see Eric fixing the scheduler code until at least Outage Tuesday (he's up to his neck in the politics thing, and he absolutely needs to have a long sleep and a long walk in the hills before doing any coding - otherwise more mistakes will be made).

Probably, the best thing would be to turn off the AP splitters for the time being. There are now a fair number of AP tasks out for crunching - I got my first for my Xeon with dual-mode app_info an hour ago, so at least that bit is working. Let's wait for those to come back, check the results, and evaluate the whole situation. Then, it'll be the time to debug the scheduler and restart AP for real, long-term, science.

In the meantime, I'm wondering about deliberately sabotaging my app_info.xml on hosts that wouldn't normally get AP work - for example, the 1.8 GHz P4 server I wrote up here. It would normally not ask for AP work, because it has a high resource share for Einstein - but Einstein is down for maintenance this weekend, and it's dry. (Who mentioned a perfect storm?)

We know how to sabotage it - just put that pesky space in the <main_program /> tag! If that generated an immediate error, rather than a ghost WU, the long-term result would be the same, but the re-issue would happen after a few seconds, rather than a month. And it wouldn't put any extra load on the BOINC splitters and database (generating a new task from an existing WU is a much lighter task than generating the WU in the first place). The only downside would be an increase in downloaded data: potential ghost WUs would be downloaded twice, rather than not at all at present.

Thoughts, anyone? Please don't rush to do this before we've had a chance to think about it - there may be other drawbacks that haven't occurred to me yet. The last thing we want to do at the moment is to put extra stress on either the staff or the servers at Berkeley.

My AstroPulse Ghost WU downloaded last week is in my folder C:\Program Files\BOINC\projects\setiathome.berkeley.edu and is 8196KB but it is not listed in BOINC Tasks so will never run. I have added the AP files and modified app_info.xml but not sure if I want to run AstroPulse at the present time.

939358121

Thanks Richard. How did you find it? Is there a search function on the website for them, or did you go through all the tasks?

I looked through the caches on all of my rigs and do not see any AP work there at present. If any has been issued to my rigs, it is not waiting in cache.
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4 kitties on a Seti mission...Meeeeeeooowwwrrrrr!!!


The Genuine Kittyman..........accept no substitutes.

I looked through the caches on all of my rigs and do not see any AP work there at present. If any has been issued to my rigs, it is not waiting in cache.

I looked through the caches on all of my rigs and do not see any AP work there at present. If any has been issued to my rigs, it is not waiting in cache.

Son-of-a-gun... the only rig I didn't update app_info.xml... my 1.6GHz single core laptop got a ghost AP WU. I will not run AP on my laptop... so I fear more ghosts will follow.

I looked through the caches on all of my rigs and do not see any AP work there at present. If any has been issued to my rigs, it is not waiting in cache.

@msattler : Here's one of your AP WUs... Have you changed your app_info.xml to understand how to crunch ?

Son-of-a-gun... the only rig I didn't update app_info.xml... my 1.6GHz single core laptop got a ghost AP WU. I will not run AP on my laptop... so I fear more ghosts will follow.

Son-of-a-gun... the only rig I didn't update app_info.xml... my 1.6GHz single core laptop got a ghost AP WU. I will not run AP on my laptop... so I fear more ghosts will follow.

Unless you install a deliberately-sabotaged app_info, as suggested in my message 791984. What say you?

Eric is now aware of the situation and will be looking into it.
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4 kitties on a Seti mission...Meeeeeeooowwwrrrrr!!!


The Genuine Kittyman..........accept no substitutes.

So the question is, how to cancel this WU, given that the localhost has NO knowledge of this wu?

Same thing is happening on Einstein (ending of S5R3, starting of S5R4) for those running power/beta apps with app_info.xml there. On one pc I deleted Einstein app_info.xml and Einstein sent the new S5R4 app and resent the "lost" new S5R4 WU, but the resend feature is disabled here...

Saw a new message on the Frozen Penny, during a work request and subsequent download of new work, that I had not seen before.....

Is this a fix to the ghosties?


8/6/2008 12:32:54 AM|SETI@home|[error] State file error: missing application astropulse
8/6/2008 12:32:54 AM|SETI@home|[error] Can't handle task ap_02jl08aa_B3_P0_00320_20080805_06835.wu in scheduler reply
8/6/2008 12:32:54 AM|SETI@home|[error] State file error: missing task ap_02jl08aa_B3_P0_00320_20080805_06835.wu
8/6/2008 12:32:54 AM|SETI@home|[error] Can't handle task ap_02jl08aa_B3_P0_00320_20080805_06835.wu_0 in scheduler reply
____________
4 kitties on a Seti mission...Meeeeeeooowwwrrrrr!!!


The Genuine Kittyman..........accept no substitutes.

Saw a new message on the Frozen Penny, during a work request and subsequent download of new work, that I had not seen before.....

Is this a fix to the ghosties?


8/6/2008 12:32:54 AM|SETI@home|[error] State file error: missing application astropulse
8/6/2008 12:32:54 AM|SETI@home|[error] Can't handle task ap_02jl08aa_B3_P0_00320_20080805_06835.wu in scheduler reply
8/6/2008 12:32:54 AM|SETI@home|[error] State file error: missing task ap_02jl08aa_B3_P0_00320_20080805_06835.wu
8/6/2008 12:32:54 AM|SETI@home|[error] Can't handle task ap_02jl08aa_B3_P0_00320_20080805_06835.wu_0 in scheduler reply

Saw a new message on the Frozen Penny, during a work request and subsequent download of new work, that I had not seen before.....

Is this a fix to the ghosties?


8/6/2008 12:32:54 AM|SETI@home|[error] State file error: missing application astropulse
8/6/2008 12:32:54 AM|SETI@home|[error] Can't handle task ap_02jl08aa_B3_P0_00320_20080805_06835.wu in scheduler reply
8/6/2008 12:32:54 AM|SETI@home|[error] State file error: missing task ap_02jl08aa_B3_P0_00320_20080805_06835.wu
8/6/2008 12:32:54 AM|SETI@home|[error] Can't handle task ap_02jl08aa_B3_P0_00320_20080805_06835.wu_0 in scheduler reply

'fraid not, that means you were just assigned another ghost.

LoL, I feel kindof cheated not getting these, what makes you guys so special?
[Whoops spoke too soon.. found one ....]
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...
[Whoops spoke too soon.. found one ....]

Darn, no time to make the adjustments to my machines 'til the weekend, but I suppose this may be fixed by then. Guess I'd better find more time to start looking more seriously at the AP code too :S

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...
Guess I'd better find more time to start looking more seriously at the AP code too :S

BTW.#2 The AP-WUs have different crunchingtimes like the Enhanced-WUs (AR)?

BTW.#2 The AP-WUs have different crunchingtimes like the Enhanced-WUs (AR)?

By my very limited understanding (so far) no, they all have the same processing, but I only half-heard/read that somewhere and it may have been referring to something else...

From what we've seen in Beta, the runtimes are very consistent - no AR to vary, and hence no AR variation.

BTW.#2 The AP-WUs have different crunchingtimes like the Enhanced-WUs (AR)?

By my very limited understanding (so far) no, they all have the same processing, but I only half-heard/read that somewhere and it may have been referring to something else...

From what we've seen in Beta, the runtimes are very consistent - no AR to vary, and hence no AR variation.

When an optimised app for AP...? I think soon as later...:)

...
I kinda like the 'box of chocolates' you get with MB.....you just never know what you are gonna get.

AP-WUs have a size of 8 MB ??

Uhh.. I think my rig need a bigger HDD.. ;-D

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U aren't, or U aren't happy in Ur team? seti.international ! :-)

Looks like those are part of the bad bunch identified earlier when the splitter was having issues generating work.
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Wendy



Click Here for BOINC FAQ Service

AP-WUs have a size of 8 MB ??

Uhh.. I think my rig need a bigger HDD.. ;-D

Anybody know yet if the new preference setting in 'resource share and graphics' to select AP, Enhanced, or both is working to suppress the ghost AP WUs if set to Enhanced only?
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4 kitties on a Seti mission...Meeeeeeooowwwrrrrr!!!


The Genuine Kittyman..........accept no substitutes.

Anybody know yet if the new preference setting in 'resource share and graphics' to select AP, Enhanced, or both is working to suppress the ghost AP WUs if set to Enhanced only?

Anybody know yet if the new preference setting in 'resource share and graphics' to select AP, Enhanced, or both is working to suppress the ghost AP WUs if set to Enhanced only?

No. I think you've just volunteered to test and report (I'm set to receive either here, so I won't be using the new preferences).

On the other hand, has anyone seen a reliable report of a new ghost being created since the fix was put in place on 6 August? I see lots of chatter, speculation, and vague mutterings about unspecified nasties, but nothing with sufficient clarity that I can turn into a properly-directed bug report.

As for the new option to choose which application to run, I had not changed that from it's default setting of 'both' until a few minutes ago. So the 6 Aug fix for ghosts appears to have worked, for me at least.

BTW, IMO that option really should have been implemented at the Venue level, not global. I have 3 machines that were unplugged for the summer and would have been glad to turn one of them back on just to run AP only. I have no way to do that without affecting my other machines.

As for the new option to choose which application to run, I had not changed that from it's default setting of 'both' until a few minutes ago. So the 6 Aug fix for ghosts appears to have worked, for me at least.

BTW, IMO that option really should have been implemented at the Venue level, not global. I have 3 machines that were unplugged for the summer and would have been glad to turn one of them back on just to run AP only. I have no way to do that without affecting my other machines.

Gomeyer, as far as I can tell it _is_ implemented at the venue level. I use it just the way you describe, by setting different preferences for the different venues I have 1 machine (home) accepting ap+mb whereas my 2 other machines (school) only crunch multibeam.

Regards,
John.

Anybody know yet if the new preference setting in 'resource share and graphics' to select AP, Enhanced, or both is working to suppress the ghost AP WUs if set to Enhanced only?

Well, it's a step in the right direction, but it's a bit to generic for me. With my 16 hosts, I've got some I'd accept AstroPulse on and some I wouldn't. So, the only way to achieve that would be to leverage the "venue" settings and say the "School" preferences don't allow AstroPulse whereas the "Home" ones do and the "Work" preferences run Only AstroPulse.Like I've used the venues to control resource share in the past. Then I just have to fictionalize which system is where.

I decided that I want my PC to run AP units because it can do them in about 44 hours. The iMac will not be doing them as they take 82 on it.

The iMac will stay on the default location and my PC will go to the work location which will accept AP units.
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