Issue w/Seti work, Boinc 7.0.31 (X86)

I have an iMac {GenuineIntel Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2600 CPU @ 3.40GHz [x86 Family 6 Model 42 Stepping 7] (8 processors)} w/16 GB RAM and 1 TB hard drive running Mac OS X 10.8.1.

I have been a SETI member since Dec 2000. My BOINC application shows that I have 1,053,483 work credit. I am currently using BOINC 7.0.31 but have noticed that my avg work has been going down and is currently 0.15 units which is considerably lower than it has been for a long time. I have NO tasks in queue.

This issue was present before I updated to Mountain Lion (10.8) but I thought that there were server issues as noted in the previous messages. I no longer think that. I do have moderate computer skills, am familiar with the command line, and have done some perl (web work) programming experience.

I currently do have two other projects running on BOINC. All three have equal resources. The first two do receive work from their project servers.

I have noticed that the BOINC software does not connect to my local computer projects (the screen saver says the client is not running) even though I can see a version of BOINC is running which I can quit. When I click on the same dock icon, it does connect to my local computer and does show the work being done by it but no SETI.

Do you or anyone have any suggestions?
____________

I currently do have two other projects running on BOINC. All three have equal resources. The first two do receive work from their project servers.

I currently do have two other projects running on BOINC. All three have equal resources. The first two do receive work from their project servers.

Which "first two"?

You only (maybe) have 2 task from:
http://climateapps2.oerc.ox.ac.uk/cpdnboinc/results.php?hostid=909909&offset=0&show_names=0&state=1

1. Yes, I do have Climate Prediction running. I currently have seven tasks, Boinc Manager reports one as "running," five "Running, High Priority,"and one "Ready to Start,"

(No 'In progress' tasks shown for Quake Catcher Network, Rosetta@home, SETI@home)

2. Quake Catcher Network has never shown much progress on the manager screen even though my work done (15857.12) continues to advance AND when the screen saver runs, it shows activity.

I do not participate in Rosetta@home any longer since I was not receiving tasks. I stopped participating several years ago.

Do you allow computation 'while computer is in use'? Yes

At the bottom of this pages:
http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/show_host_detail.php?hostid=4586844
http://climateapps2.oerc.ox.ac.uk/cpdnboinc/show_host_detail.php?hostid=909909

... what are the values for:
% of time BOINC is running 91.1347 %
While BOINC running, % of time host has an Internet connection 99.3118 %
While BOINC running, % of time work is allowed 99.9754 %
Task duration correction factor 1.829205

(the above values are from one of my computers, only you can see yours)

The seti page shows:
% of time BOINC is running 20.7241 %

[Is this calculated time? Or can I control it? Is is a factor of when the computer goes to sleep or ...?]

While BOINC running, % of time work is allowed 99.9725 %

Average CPU efficiency 0.891583 [!!!! Isn't this extremely low?]

Task duration correction factor 1.055866

While the climate page shows:
Average turnaround time 91.31 days
Maximum daily WU quota per CPU 1/day


The quake catcher network preferences page shows:

Suspend work while computer is on battery power?
Matters only for portable computers yes
Suspend work while computer is in use? no
Suspend GPU work while computer is in use?
Enforced by version 6.6.21+ yes
'In use' means mouse/keyboard activity in last 3 minutes
Suspend work if no mouse/keyboard activity in last
Needed to enter low-power mode on some computers --- minutes
Suspend work when non-BOINC CPU usage is above
0 means no restriction
Enforced by version 6.10.30+ --- %
Do work only between the hours of
No restriction if equal ---
Leave tasks in memory while suspended?
Suspended tasks will consume swap space if 'yes' no
Switch between tasks every
Recommended: 60 minutes 60 minutes
On multiprocessors, use at most 7 processors
On multiprocessors, use at most
Enforced by version 6.1+ 100% of the processors
Use at most
Can be used to reduce CPU heat 100% of CPU time
Disk and memory usage
Disk: use at most 200 GB
Disk: leave free at least
Values smaller than 0.001 are ignored 10 GB
Disk: use at most 50% of total
Tasks checkpoint to disk at most every 60 seconds
Swap space: use at most 75% of total
Memory: when computer is in use, use at most 50% of total
Memory: when computer is not in use, use at most 90% of total
Network usage
Computer is connected to the Internet about every
Leave blank or 0 if always connected.
BOINC will try to maintain at least this much work. --- days
Maintain enough work for an additional 0.25 days
Confirm before connecting to Internet?
Matters only if you have a modem, ISDN or VPN connection no
Disconnect when done?
Matters only if you have a modem, ISDN or VPN connection no
Maximum download rate: --- Kbytes/sec
Maximum upload rate: --- Kbytes/sec
Use network only between the hours of ---
Transfer at most
Enforced by version 6.10.46+ --- Mbytes every --- days
Skip image file verification?
Check this ONLY if your Internet provider modifies image files (UMTS does this, for example). Skipping verification reduces the security of BOINC. no

[/i]

1. Yes, I do have Climate Prediction running. I currently have seven tasks, Boinc Manager reports one as "running," five "Running, High Priority,"and one "Ready to Start,"

Average CPU efficiency 0.891583 [!!!! Isn't this extremely low?]

Network usage
Computer is connected to the Internet about every --- days
Leave blank or 0 if always connected.
BOINC will try to maintain at least this much work.

1. Yes, I do have Climate Prediction running. I currently have seven tasks, Boinc Manager reports one as "running," five "Running, High Priority,"and one "Ready to Start,"

'Running, High Priority' is one of the things that can make BOINC not request new tasks.
('High Priority' means 'Run that task first, it is in danger to miss the deadline')
BOINC is in panic mode - it thinks it will not have enough computing time.

Maybe because you changed your habits?

Maybe in the past months you used the computer for 12 hours/day - then BOINC get enough tasks to 'fill' that time (for months ahead (?) since Climate Prediction tasks are long (as I heard, I do not run Climate Prediction))

But now you use the computer (together with the running BOINC) for 5 hours/day (% of time BOINC is running 20.7241 % - this is % of wall clock time, your computer is shutdown/sleeping 80% of the day)

I will check the power manager settings and set to dim monitor and not sleep... Maybe that will help. I will allow the hd to spin down when not needed.

Or maybe BOINC was underestimated the Climate Prediction tasks (e.g. was thinking the task will be computed in 1 month but now realize it will need 5 months)

Now, I am really concerned. I have not set any priority. When I inspect the Tasks in the manager screen, I see this...


The due dates on the projects are what are concerning to me. I also noticed that a lot of my SETI projects timed out due to being late.

Note, I checked my power savings settings, they are and have been

"computer sleep = never"

"display sleep = 45 min"

Put hard drive to sleep when possible = checked

Wake for network access = checked

and the other two checked but I don't see how allowing the power button to put the computer to sleep nor restarting after a power failure would do anything but help production.

So the power settings are not hurting Boinc as I can see it.

I will check with Climate Prediction and see what is up with the tasks that I do have on board.

As I left this post to get to the CP website via the BIONC Manager app and I noticed that the status appeared to be the same as the screen shot that I had taken so to be sure, I opened up the screen shot and compared them. They were identical and despite the dock indicating that it was running, the seconds indicator showing progress was not showing any incremental changes. On a hunch, I quit BOINC Manager and restarted it. Now it is progressing.

What would cause Boinc Manager freeze?
Bob
____________

Now, I am really concerned. I have not set any priority.

The due dates on the projects are what are concerning to me.

I think I posted and edited my post while you were posting. I will suspend the high priority tasks and see what happens.

Thanks,
____________

I did suspend, will about those tasks, while doing that I noticed that I had about a 50 second hold before the Manager was to communicate with SETI after that lapsed, I received 9 tasks from SETI, five of wihich are currently running.

Thank you for your help. Now to figure out what is halting Boinc on my machine.
____________

Suspending high priority tasks only throws BOINC's internal scheduler further off. Since those ClimatePrediction tasks are already past due, you may want to consider aborting them as you likely won't get credit for them.

Suspending high priority tasks only throws BOINC's internal scheduler further off. Since those ClimatePrediction tasks are already past due, you may want to consider aborting them as you likely won't get credit for them.

ClimatePrediction is the exception to the rule, as you'll get credit even if you return a task (far) beyond deadline.

Gruß,
Gundolf