Hi - I recently added SETI to my BOINC manager. Unfortunately, when SETI starts to run, including the GPU tasks, a kernel_task in my system goes crazy, using all the CPUs and leaving SETI with next to nothing. I also run Asteroids and it does not do the same thing - it uses over 90% of the CPUs. Any ideas out there?

Thank you, in advance.

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By default BOINC (and thus SETI) will attempt to use all your CPU cores and GPUs.
You can restrict the number of CPU cores BOINC uses fairly simply:
In the manager go to "advanced" view, then select "computing preferences" and reduce the % to give a whole number of cores used - for example if you have a 4 core CPU and only want BOINC to use 2 of them set to 50%. This can get a bit tricky when trying to drop say 1 core on a 12 core CPU - a bit "guess and tune" may be required to work out exactly what the rounding is doing (we all know what it should be doing but....)
By default a single GPU task will attempt to use 100% of a GPU's compute capability. It is much harder (almost impossible) to effectively reduce this from the user interface but it can be controlled using various configuration files - not for the "novice".

In my experience Asteroids is not as demanding on processors as SETI, so your observations don't come as a surprise.

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

Hey Bob - Thank you for that. I don't use my computer much, so I like to let BOINC use as much as possible, and when when I want to use the computer, I suspend the projects. But that doesn't seem to help. Seeing as how I want to let the projects use as much of the CPUs as possible, do you have an recommendation on settings? Btw - I am on Mac 10.11.6.

I just changed my Preferences to "Suspend when computer is in use" but that doesn't seem to have much effect.

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Hey Bob - Thank you for that. I don't use my computer much, so I like to let BOINC use as much as possible, and when when I want to use the computer, I suspend the projects. But that doesn't seem to help. Seeing as how I want to let the projects use as much of the CPUs as possible, do you have an recommendation on settings? Btw - I am on Mac 10.11.6.

I just changed my Preferences to "Suspend when computer is in use" but that doesn't seem to have much effect.

After you changed the preference setting, did you go to the Activity menu and select the "Use X based on preferences" setting for the CPU and GPU?

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... and still I fear, and still I dare not laugh at the Mad Man!

Queen - The Prophet's Song

I had them both set to "run always." Made the change you suggested and that seems to do the trick! Thank you.

I see that you're Queen fan - go to www.MichaelMastro.com and go to the Music Photography Gallery. There might be somethings there you enjoy.

Thanks, again.

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:) Looks to be photos from the "Day at the Races" tour. Thanks

Nope. We Are The Champions.

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