Should I Suspend BOINC While Running an AVG Scan

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Message 860520 - Posted: 1 Feb 2009, 3:07:05 UTC

Like to run AVG anti-virus scan frequently.
Am currently always suspending BOINC beforehand and during it, which costs me credit.
Is it necessary to do this?
Thank You
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Message 860529 - Posted: 1 Feb 2009, 3:23:50 UTC - in response to Message 860520.  

Like to run AVG anti-virus scan frequently.
Am currently always suspending BOINC beforehand and during it, which costs me credit.
Is it necessary to do this?
Thank You

No, I never do.
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Message 860540 - Posted: 1 Feb 2009, 4:09:19 UTC

Just leave Boinc to do it's thing.

It only uses the 'spare' clock cycles that other software doesn't use. As a virus scanner often has to wait for disk access there are plenty of these spare, and even more so on a multi core CPU.

Because it runs at low priority the CPU will run all other tasks before it does any BOINC work, so you wont really notice a slow down with the scanner either.

Ian
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Message 860751 - Posted: 1 Feb 2009, 17:20:52 UTC

Well, i tried it and lost one task to a "computation error" before the scan ended.
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Message 860756 - Posted: 1 Feb 2009, 17:33:55 UTC - in response to Message 860751.  

Well, i tried it and lost one task to a "computation error" before the scan ended.

Just make sure that the Boinc folders are excluded from the scan. Then AVG will not interfere with Boinc.

F.
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Message 877520 - Posted: 20 Mar 2009, 17:54:04 UTC - in response to Message 860756.  

GREETINGS
<Another message from remedial single cpu land>
Got better AVG, paid kind. (Definitely must suspend BOINC with free AVG.)
Have run its scan at least twice excluding BOINC, but then i tried to increase the scan to handle things besides what AVG calls the "Desktop" (where there is an excludeable BOINC folder in program files) and suspect it caused this:

Name03ja09ab.2226.890.11.8.185_0
Workunit425691914
Created19 Mar 2009 13:46:14 UTC
Sent19 Mar 2009 15:00:17 UTC
Received20 Mar 2009 10:00:05 UTC
Server stateOver
OutcomeClient error
Client stateCompute error
Exit status-226 (0xffffffffffffff1e)
Computer ID4620700
Report deadline11 Apr 2009 10:40:56 UTC
CPU time15706.45 stderr out
<core_client_version>6.2.19</core_client_version>
<![CDATA[
<message>
too many exit(0)s
</message>
<stderr_txt>
setiathome_enhanced 6.02 DevC++/MinGW
libboinc: 6.3.6

Work Unit Info:
...............
WU true angle range is : 0.448012
Optimal function choices:
-----------------------------------------------------
name
-----------------------------------------------------
v_BaseLineSmooth (no other)
v_vGetPowerSpectrumUnrolled 0.00062 0.00000
v_ChirpData 0.02312 0.00000
v_vTranspose4x8ntw 0.00556 0.00000
BH SSE folding 0.00266 0.00000
Can't acquire lockfile - exiting
Can't acquire lockfile - exiting
Can't acquire lockfile - exiting
Can't acquire lockfile - exiting
Can't acquire lockfile - exiting
Can't acquire lockfile - exiting
Can't acquire lockfile - exiting
Can't acquire lockfile - exiting
Can't acquire lockfile - exiting
Can't acquire lockfile - exiting
Can't acquire lockfile - exiting
Can't acquire lockfile - exiting
Can't acquire lockfile - exiting
Can't acquire lockfile - exiting
Can't acquire lockfile – exiting
{{{{{[I have removed 85 subsequent “Can’t acquire lockfile – exiting” messages from this list for simplicity’s sake]}}}}}
</stderr_txt>
]]>
Validate stateInvalid Claimed credit39.9140096428428 Granted credit0 application version6.03
............

IS there a way to tell what time this task was actually running on the computer?

I can't figure out how to properly exclude ALL of BOINC from the scan, and/or this had nothing to do with AVG. I normally don't lose tasks. Every time i have, it has been caused by a virus scan. Is there some sort of very occasional random task loss to be expected?
THANK YOU




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Message 877530 - Posted: 20 Mar 2009, 18:16:59 UTC - in response to Message 877520.  

I have been running AVG free for years. I've never lost a WU because of it to my knowledge. I run AP, AP V5, MB, and CUDA. I have a little EMachine C2D 2.0 Celeron cruncher with an 8500GT graphics card.


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Message 877558 - Posted: 20 Mar 2009, 19:17:41 UTC

Try this. Run AVG while BOINC/Seti is running. then run the scan again with Seti paused. I recall BOINC slowing down the AVG scan which in turn slows down the overall processing of work. However I'm not sure that stopping boinc would save time with the scan that you wouldnt get just running AVG


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Message 877583 - Posted: 20 Mar 2009, 20:10:51 UTC

I've never had any problems with it, but it has been suggested that when a virus scan is running, the heavy system load can cause all running tasks to go into "exited with zero status, but no 'finished' file" and restart. I have not seen a correlation between the two events personally, but I do get the "no finished file" occurrence when the only thing running is BOINC and the science apps within. Other times when I'm encoding videos or playing a game, BOINC and the science apps are fine. Doesn't make sense to me.
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record uptime: 1511d 20h 19m (ended due to the power brick giving-up)
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Message 877589 - Posted: 20 Mar 2009, 20:23:49 UTC

I don't use AVG, I use Nod32 x64 edition. I have scheduled scans of my hard drive once a week, and I have Nod32 set to exclude the entire C:\ProgramData\BOINC directory (I'm using Vista) while scanning.

I do not know if Nod32 is multi-threaded, but I have 8 CPUs and notice very little performance degredation in the time it takes to complete tasks. Of course, the AV scans are set for 3:00 AM, so I doubt I would notice any performance issues in the first place, and I don't examine every returned workunit for errors or completion time since I have far greater things to do with my time than worry about such things (no offense meant to those who do).
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Message 877594 - Posted: 20 Mar 2009, 20:37:48 UTC - in response to Message 860520.  
Last modified: 20 Mar 2009, 20:40:33 UTC

Like to run AVG anti-virus scan frequently.

Why?

That is an awful waste of computer time.

Am currently always suspending BOINC beforehand and during it, which costs me credit.
Is it necessary to do this?

No.

Set AVG to exclude the BOINC folders.


Better still, use an operating system that does not suffer from live viruses 'in the wild'. (No anti-virus used here! ;-) )

Special note: The s@h WU data is essentially random data that may have non-random information superimposed. We're looking for the non-random data for possible (ET) signals. Meanwhile, the random data can look exactly like a virus that your anti-virus will then try to quarantine! Beware those darn false positives!!

Happy crunchin',
Martin
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Message 877722 - Posted: 21 Mar 2009, 4:49:28 UTC

I run AVG (both free ans subscribed) on my boxes and can't recall ever having any issues between it and Boinc.
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Message 877733 - Posted: 21 Mar 2009, 5:15:39 UTC - in response to Message 877722.  

I run AVG (both free ans subscribed) on my boxes and can't recall ever having any issues between it and Boinc.

Me neither, I just have problems with stinkin tracking cookies that like to hide in the sqlite file of Firefox.
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Message 877864 - Posted: 21 Mar 2009, 15:01:24 UTC - in response to Message 877722.  
Last modified: 21 Mar 2009, 15:01:53 UTC

I run AVG (both free ans subscribed) on my boxes and can't recall ever having any issues between it and Boinc.

Your main two 'dangers' are with the anti-virus:

(1:) 'locking out' a file whilst scanning it. If that file is being actively used by Boinc or a Boinc application, then at best you get the system becoming stalled or blocked, at worse you get a crash and a corrupt output file. The vulnerability there is that Boinc is writing out to the state file and it get blocked by the anti-virus seizing control of the file. Boinc then must wait, or fail and fall back to the previous state file;

(2:) falsely identifying a Boinc file as a virus or malware and removing or deleting the file. Boinc data files are likely to generate a false positive at some time.


Hence, exclude the Boinc folders from scanning.

Better still, work such that you do not need any anti-virus in the first place.

Happy crunchin',
Martin
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Message 877970 - Posted: 21 Mar 2009, 18:52:03 UTC - in response to Message 877520.  
Last modified: 21 Mar 2009, 19:00:06 UTC

GREETINGS
<Another message from remedial single cpu land>
Got better AVG, paid kind. [......]
Have run its scan at least twice excluding BOINC, but then i tried to increase the scan to handle things besides what AVG calls the "Desktop" (where there is an excludeable BOINC folder in program files) and suspect it caused this:

[I THINK IT definitely DID, because i hadn't excluded BOINC at all in the ProgramData folder]

Name03ja09ab.2226.890.11.8.185_0
Workunit425691914
Created19 Mar 2009 13:46:14 UTC
Sent19 Mar 2009 15:00:17 UTC
Received20 Mar 2009 10:00:05 UTC
Server stateOver .... OutcomeClient error .... Client stateCompute error
Exit status-226 (0xffffffffffffff1e)
Computer ID4620700
Report deadline11 Apr 2009 10:40:56 UTC
CPU time15706.45 stderr out
<core_client_version>6.2.19</core_client_version>
<![CDATA[
<message>
too many exit(0)s
</message>
<stderr_txt>
setiathome_enhanced 6.02 DevC++/MinGW
libboinc: 6.3.6

Work Unit Info: ...............
WU true angle range is : 0.448012
Optimal function choices:
-----------------------------------------------------
name
-----------------------------------------------------
v_BaseLineSmooth (no other)
v_vGetPowerSpectrumUnrolled 0.00062 0.00000
v_ChirpData 0.02312 0.00000
v_vTranspose4x8ntw 0.00556 0.00000
BH SSE folding 0.00266 0.00000
Can't acquire lockfile - exiting
Can't acquire lockfile - exiting
{{{{{[I have removed 98 subsequent “Can’t acquire lockfile – exiting” messages from this list for simplicity’s sake]}}}}}
</stderr_txt>
]]>
Validate stateInvalid Claimed credit39.9140096428428 Granted credit0 application version6.03
............

IS there a way to tell what time this task was actually running on the computer?
...oops, dumb question: the times are all recorded in the BOINC Messages!

I can't figure out how to properly exclude ALL of BOINC from the scan, and/or ....
i had excluded BOINC in the scan of Program Files but not in the scan of ProgramData folders. Must exclude it in both of them. Hope nowhere else!

THANK YOU

Shall try to cease useless, high-strung over-scanning, i.e. not to do it so often; i do enjoy surfing the web (just music, science and art), so am frequently advised by friends to be cautious; so far quite fortunate.
(I really like AVG.)
THANK YOU
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Message 877976 - Posted: 21 Mar 2009, 19:13:09 UTC

I still do not run any anti virus software on any of my rigs........
They are behind a router firewall......

And mind where you click, Eugene.
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Message boards : Number crunching : Should I Suspend BOINC While Running an AVG Scan


 
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