Hi everyone.
I've been lurking the forums for a while and figured I should say hello to some of the people who helped me along with their knowledge on the forum. So, hello :)

My question is, I'm pretty new to this and I've been crunching since May 18 2015 and have about 334,000 total credits for SETI. The schedule has been 8-10 hrs a day since I started. Are my credits average for my rig or do I need to make some adjustments.

PC Specs:
i7-4790K 4.6ghz @ 1.269v
Gigabyte Z97X SOC Force
GSkill Trident X 32gb @ 2666
MSI GTX 970 Golden Edition SLI
Samsung 840 EVO SSD 256gb OS
Samsung 840 EVO SSD 256gb Storage
Seagate Barracuda 2Tb Storage
Kraken X61
Corsair AX860

Well it's hard to say exactly without knowing your cpu/gpu settings. But I don't see many CPU tasks on your list, with that CPU I would run it.

I have no idea how many tasks you are running on your GTX970 but it should handle 3 or 4 at a time.

Try app_config.xml (in seti folder) something like this:

<app_config>

<app>
<name>setiathome_v7</name>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>0.25</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.25</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>

<app>
<name>astropulse_v7</name>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>0.33</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.5</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>

</app_config>

---

I have no idea how many tasks you are running on your GTX970 but it should handle 3 or 4 at a time.

I'd suggest 2 at a time & see how it goes for several hours, then try 3 & see how it goes.
I'd expect 4 to be too many at once- I'd expect the number crunched per hour would be way down on just doing 2 or 3 at a time.

---

Grant
Darwin NT

Thats odd. I have been giving it 60% since I started.
Which folder should I be looking in? Program Files x86

My install is in "C:\ProgramData\BOINC\projects\setiathome.berkeley.edu\app_config.xml"

and remember ... it's not a real xml file ... EDIT WITH NOTEPAD.

---

While a GTX970 will run four MB work units its optimal performance point is two or three, likewise for APs its optimal performance point is two or three.
So start low, let your system run for a few days (a week at least) to see where it is settling with one task per GPU, then increase it to two, allow it to run for a week or so, then three.
Watch the execution times carefully and work out the number of tasks per hour - you will see it increase, then fall off once you are beyond the sweet-spot for your system.

The line in app_config.xml you change is:
<gpu_usage>0.25</gpu_usage>

The bit you change is the number in the middle:
1 = 1 task per GPU
0.5 = 2 tasks per GPU
0.33 = 3 tasks per GPU
0.25 = 4 tasks per GPU

If you are running a default installation you will need to put the config file in:
C:\ProgramData\BOINC\projects\setiathome.berkeley.edu\

By default this folder is hidden.
Use Notepad to create the file as, despite its name, it is not a "pure" XML file and some editors will screw it up.

Additionally you will need to free up at least two CPU cores - this is done in using BOINC Manager. Use the "advanced" view "tools" tab near the bottom is the line "on multi-processor systems use at most xx% of processors".
Work out the value of xx based on your system (on an 8 core CPU xx=75 will give you 6 cores in use, plus two spares.

---

Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

just my 2 cents.

Yes the folder is hidden, so you will need to unhide it

Yes use notepad to create the .xml file

now how do you do those things?

Ok, lets assume you just want to run 2 at a time without any other modifications.

First stop any work and exit Boinc.

Open Notepad and copy the all the following.

<app_config>
<app>
<name>setiathome_v7</name>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>0.50</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.50</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>

<app>
<name>astropulse_v7</name>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>0.50</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.50</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
</app_config>

Ok, now to save it. click on file and click Save As

This will open up a new box.

In file name type in app_config.xml

This will cause the computer to ask you if you REALLY want to use the ".xml" ending, yes you do.

Just below that is the "Save as type" Click on it and change it to All Files (*.*)

Encoding is the last part at the bottom. Make sure it says ANSI

now you are ready to save

Save it. Next you need to move this file to where it goes.

If you have ever modified seti before then you probably know where the Setiathome folder is.

If you haven't then we need to get you to there.

It should be located in the following unless you specified a different location

Local disk (C:) > ProgramData > Boinc > project > setiathome.berkeley.edu

each of the > means opening a folder in those places. If you don't see ProgramData then it is probably still hidden on your computer.

So we need to Unhide those folders.

1 Open Folder Options by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clicking Folder Options.

2 Click the View tab.

3 Under Advanced settings, click Show hidden files and folders, and then click OK.

Now you should be able to see ProgramData.

Follow the steps listed above to move the just created App_config.xml to the setiathome folder.

After this it is just restarting Boinc and see if it starts to crunch 2 work units at a time on the GPU

I think for now, let just get it up and running multiple instance first. After that we can proceed with these other modifications if you want.


Zalster


Edit..

I did just put this in a text file and on my desktop since it does pop up every couple of weeks, lol

Happy Crunching

Thank you all so much. I appreciate all the help. Great group of people here.
I attached a few screenshot links of the projects I am currently running and temps and load.
Before the update The GPU's were @ about 70% load and the CPU was 60% load (set in advanced computing preferences.)

Is there a way to configure the file for less GPU usage. Im trying to cut down on heat.

Projects http://prntscr.com/7jhc9t

Temp/Load http://prntscr.com/7jhclc


Thank You[/url]

Temperatures look OK - most GPUs are rated for >90C, so running at below 70C is OK

---

Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

TThrottle is a great app for managing heat. Set your max temp and it will back off seti to below that temperature.

---

If you look at my R.A.C it's pushing 19,000 with 2 650 GTx GPU's so yours is 7,000 + sounds about right seeing as your also doing other projects .

Only worry about temps if the GPU is pushing 72+ you can turn the fan up to compensate for this

And you CPU worry at 70 +

If you wish to improve things there is a Program you will here around here called Lunatics with will speed things up and improve your R.A.C

There is a thread called Optimised Applications and Other Binaries - latest: Windows Installer v0.43 and v0.43a witch will point up in the right direction

I run my Cpu at 100% all 8 cores and Both GPU's run 3 units so the GPU is 99% utilization for a comparrison

---

Thanks again for the help.

Currently I have 4 CPU and 4 GPU projects running. Temps are fine.
CPU load is 40% and the GPU load is 98%

CPU-Z and GPU-Z screenshot http://prntscr.com/7k8mx8
Tasks screenshot http://prntscr.com/7k8n9i
Temps screenshot http://prntscr.com/7k8nqs

How do I modify the xml file to change the workloads of the cpu and gpu's ?

Thanks
Danny