I had a P4 1.7Ghz CPU with 512megs DDR aboard. Nothing flash and fabulous but definitely not bad, OK?

So, I recently get a 3.4Ghz CPU, pull out the 1.7Ghz and put the 3.4 in and off I go again, no problems, machine now twice as fast and yes, suddenly the "2 CPU" processing of Boinc/Seti is possible and active.

I try, for days, on 3.4Ghz to get the damned thing to work as easily as it all appeared to work on the 1.7Ghz but every single task appeared as slow as or slower than the 1.7ghz one now. I suspend Boinc/Seti and off everything goes marvellously. So, I try out ONE CPU through prefs at Boinc/Seti and things go well again. OK, figured that much out and went back to using 2 CPUs for a couple of days. Crap with any prog all the time. I have had to forcibly reduce to 1 CPU only so all other progs work reasonably.

Anyone got any idea why with 2 Boinc/Setis on a 3.4ghz with the same ram, things run worse for the rest of my machine that on a 1.7ghz using only 1 CPU?

Got me beat, I have to admit!

Greg.

What OS are you running?

You might get more answers if you unhide your computers :o)

Regards Hans

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If you are running 2 BOINCs then you will most likely be running 2 setis per processor which may be part of the problem. You should run BOINC once per computer and let BOINC handle multiple processors.

I assume you have one real processor that is divided into two logical processors. This can cause problems since the OS thinks they are both real and assigns CPU time accordingly. This in turn can cause lower priority tasks to get too much CPU time due to memory conflicts. This is especially true if using any version of windows prior to XP.

Another idea is that if you are using the same motherboard and memory that you were using with the slower processor they may not be up to it even though they will function. A newer motherboard with dual channel memory can help alot.

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BOINC WIKI

BOINCing since 2002/12/8

First rule, always check to see if the MOBO can handle the CPU, second rule always reload your os and all drivers.... Third rule check BIOS to see if CPU is setup correctly....

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Semper Eadem
So long Paul, it has been a hell of a ride.

Park your ego's, fire up the computers, Science YES, Credits No.

> I had a P4 1.7Ghz CPU with 512megs DDR aboard. Nothing flash and fabulous but
> definitely not bad, OK?
>
> So, I recently get a 3.4Ghz CPU, pull out the 1.7Ghz and put the 3.4 in and
> off I go again, no problems, machine now twice as fast and yes, suddenly the
> "2 CPU" processing of Boinc/Seti is possible and active.
>
> I try, for days, on 3.4Ghz to get the damned thing to work as easily as it all
> appeared to work on the 1.7Ghz but every single task appeared as slow as or
> slower than the 1.7ghz one now. I suspend Boinc/Seti and off everything goes
> marvellously. So, I try out ONE CPU through prefs at Boinc/Seti and things go
> well again. OK, figured that much out and went back to using 2 CPUs for a
> couple of days. Crap with any prog all the time. I have had to forcibly reduce
> to 1 CPU only so all other progs work reasonably.
>
> Anyone got any idea why with 2 Boinc/Setis on a 3.4ghz with the same ram,
> things run worse for the rest of my machine that on a 1.7ghz using only 1
> CPU?
>
> Got me beat, I have to admit!
>
> Greg.
>

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> I had a P4 1.7Ghz CPU with 512megs DDR aboard. Nothing flash and fabulous but
> definitely not bad, OK?
>
> So, I recently get a 3.4Ghz CPU, pull out the 1.7Ghz and put the 3.4 in and
> off I go again, no problems, machine now twice as fast and yes, suddenly the
> "2 CPU" processing of Boinc/Seti is possible and active.
> Greg.
If you are running windows xp; go to programs, accessories, system tools, system info. You will find your processor speed in the middle of the list. I suspect that your motherboard does not support the 3.4 GHz CPU and it defaulted to a lower multiplier.

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> If you are running 2 BOINCs then you will most likely be running 2 setis per
> processor which may be part of the problem. You should run BOINC once per
> computer and let BOINC handle multiple processors.
>

No, as explained, 2 Boinc/Setis not 2 Boinc.

> I assume you have one real processor that is divided into two logical
> processors. This can cause problems since the OS thinks they are both real and
> assigns CPU time accordingly. This in turn can cause lower priority tasks to
> get too much CPU time due to memory conflicts. This is especially true if
> using any version of windows prior to XP.

You wont want to try anything but 2000 or XP on a 3.4Ghz machine. I believe ME works up to 3.0 Ghz but not sure over that.

>
> Another idea is that if you are using the same motherboard and memory that you
> were using with the slower processor they may not be up to it even though they
> will function. A newer motherboard with dual channel memory can help alot.
>

I do have an MB that does that, just dont have the cash to buy that sort of ram.

> What OS are you running?
>
> You might get more answers if you unhide your computers :o)
>
> Regards Hans
>
>

XPSP2.

> First rule, always check to see if the MOBO can handle the CPU, second rule
> always reload your os and all drivers.... Third rule check BIOS to see if CPU
> is setup correctly....
>

Errr....I work doing this sort of thing so I know the MB can handle the CPU.

There is absolutely no need to reload drivers when just changing to another CPU unless the drivers have become corrupted. That is just a waste of time (not trying to be nasty but that is just the truth!).

I do work doing all this, building, rebuilding computers and networks etc so I know how that stuff goes.

Thanks anyway. :)

Greg.

> > I had a P4 1.7Ghz CPU with 512megs DDR aboard. Nothing flash and fabulous
> but
> > definitely not bad, OK?
> >
> > So, I recently get a 3.4Ghz CPU, pull out the 1.7Ghz and put the 3.4 in
> and
> > off I go again, no problems, machine now twice as fast and yes, suddenly
> the
> > "2 CPU" processing of Boinc/Seti is possible and active.
> > Greg.
> If you are running windows xp; go to programs, accessories, system tools,
> system info. You will find your processor speed in the middle of the list. I
> suspect that your motherboard does not support the 3.4 GHz CPU and it
> defaulted to a lower multiplier.
>

If it didnt support the 3.4Ghz CPU, I couldnt post this. I have used exactly the same MB on many occasions on other computers I have built for other people and no problems. No problems with me excepting Boinc/Seti and BoincView so it all points to software.

Post which board you are using and what revision. That might help in helping you. Unless you bought a new board and put an "old" cpu in it (1.7), I'm not sure which of the older chipsets would handle a 3.4..that would have handled a 1.7 back when. You have 512 of DDR...is that 2 x 256 or one 512? Or more directly, does your board have dual channel or single channel memory. If you are using WinXP, you should be using at least 1Gb of memory if you are running in HT mode and want to do other mulitasking events. Please post your M/B, Memory, and Video that you are using and I bet I or others can help you out for sure. Also, what do you have running invisible/visible in the system tray or in the processes?

Alex

> > > I had a P4 1.7Ghz CPU with 512megs DDR aboard. Nothing flash and
> fabulous
> > but
> > > definitely not bad, OK?
> > >
> > > So, I recently get a 3.4Ghz CPU, pull out the 1.7Ghz and put the 3.4
> in
> > and
> > > off I go again, no problems, machine now twice as fast and yes,
> suddenly
> > the
> > > "2 CPU" processing of Boinc/Seti is possible and active.
> > > Greg.
> > If you are running windows xp; go to programs, accessories, system
> tools,
> > system info. You will find your processor speed in the middle of the
> list. I
> > suspect that your motherboard does not support the 3.4 GHz CPU and it
> > defaulted to a lower multiplier.
> >
>
> If it didnt support the 3.4Ghz CPU, I couldnt post this. I have used exactly
> the same MB on many occasions on other computers I have built for other people
> and no problems. No problems with me excepting Boinc/Seti and BoincView so it
> all points to software.
>
>

---

People, get off the hardware kick. He already said he has tons of experience in the field, and he's already done the troubleshooting to narrow down where the problem is. It's obviously a software issue.

---

> Post which board you are using and what revision. That might help in helping
> you.

As posted before, it has nothing to do with that. It is all about the software. I WORK in this field fixing, installing computers, networks etc. I KNOW what I am doing with that and all is OK.

It is Boinc/Seti and also Setiview. They are the ONLY progs which cause a problem.

> > Post which board you are using and what revision. That might help in
> helping
> > you.
>
> As posted before, it has nothing to do with that. It is all about the
> software. I WORK in this field fixing, installing computers, networks etc. I
> KNOW what I am doing with that and all is OK.
>
> It is Boinc/Seti and also Setiview. They are the ONLY progs which cause a
> problem.
>
>
Did you check CPU temperature? When Running 3.4 GHz at full load, you'll need good cooling, or your CPU will be throttled.

This could explain the meager performance.

Try opening the PC case and putting a fan in front of it. (I'm not kidding here..)

Regards Hans

---

> > First rule, always check to see if the MOBO can handle the CPU, second
> rule
> > always reload your os and all drivers.... Third rule check BIOS to see if
> CPU
> > is setup correctly....
> >
>
> Errr....I work doing this sort of thing so I know the MB can handle the CPU.
>
> There is absolutely no need to reload drivers when just changing to another
> CPU unless the drivers have become corrupted. That is just a waste of time
> (not trying to be nasty but that is just the truth!).>
> I do work doing all this, building, rebuilding computers and networks etc so I
> know how that stuff goes.
>
> Thanks anyway. :)
>
> Greg.


I will still follow my big three heh. Which BOINC are you using? I have an intermittent problem with 4.56 not keeping both cpus going, so far I have just had to hit the update button and number 2 starts right up.....>I think this happens when BOINC can not download new WUWUs and it shuts one CPU down, just a guess....

---

Semper Eadem
So long Paul, it has been a hell of a ride.

Park your ego's, fire up the computers, Science YES, Credits No.

I have my doubts about the hardware. I would be willing to bet a memory upgrade is in order. Of course you asked for opinions and then when you get some you suddenly know it all. Also look into the heat issue. If you had xx # of years doing this kind of stuff then you would probably have found an answer by now. Of course not giving any info on your hardware makes it tough to give an honest answer, be it hardware or software! Good luck...

Have you reloaded the OS after putting the new CPU in.

---

Have you checked the priority of seti at home. It should be set to low.

---

> People, get off the hardware kick. He already said he has tons of experience
> in the field, and he's already done the troubleshooting to narrow down where
> the problem is. It's obviously a software issue.
>

First,
I have been doing this for more years than I can remember, and I still get stumped some times and ask for help. He asked for help, we tried to give it.

Second,
It doesn't sound to me like he did enough troubleshooting, or he would have found the problem and not had to post for help.

Third,
If you look at my post, it has some valid points. 512mb Memory with XP doing BOINC in HT Mode and anything else may cause problems. This problem could be compounded if it is single channel vs. dual channel memory. If he was using a rather outdated 1.7ghz processor + mobo and just upgraded the processor to where he did, there is a good chance their is an issue with the board. Only the newest boards have the thermal detection/protection built in and would keep the processor from throttling. This is a large problem and is mentioned in numerous writeups (Tomshardware has a nice one on the subject).

Fourth,
How did you come to the conclusion it is a software issue? There are what, 150k people, many running multiple clients, and they aren't having his problem? There's nothing in his post that would automatically suggest software.

Fifth,
BE NICE! He asked for help and I and others tried to help. Be helpful and productive or be quiet. My 2c's

Alex

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Unless gregh Re-installs XP Pro or what ever OS does support the Hyper Threading Technology of the P4 HT Cpu's the OS won't recognize the the capabilities of the new P4 HT Cpu that he installed ...

I went thru this on a few recent upgrades, I went from none HT Cpu's to HT capable Cpu's and even though I already had Xp Pro installed before making the switch I still had to re-install the XP Pro OS again in order to get it to recognize the HT Capabilities of the new Cpu ...

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