Posts by BilBg

41) Message boards : Number crunching : New binary to test on beta (Message 1876154)
Posted 1 Jul 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
. . So now the box is running the graphic which seems rather uninformative to me. I guess if something interesting occurs there will be a big spike in the middle of the 3D graph??

From top menu here:
Science -> About SETI@home -> Screensaver graphics explained
http://seticlassic.ssl.berkeley.edu/screensaver/index.html

The graph do not show all the calculations, maybe one in 1000 or 10 000 (?) else the computing will be too slow.
42) Message boards : Number crunching : Why do ATI gpu's have arround 8 variations for GPU processing? (Message 1876147)
Posted 1 Jul 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/apps.php

The applications (.exe variants) are only 3

opencl_ati_ - for all ATI AMD >= HD 4xxx
opencl_ati5_ - "normal" variant for all ATI AMD >= HD 5xxx
opencl_ati5_SoG - SoG variant for all ATI AMD >= HD 5xxx

Every one of those 3 apps have 3 <plan_class>es (for a total of 3*3=9)
http://setiweb.ssl.berkeley.edu/beta/plan_class_spec.xml

Driver version 13.1 is bad so the server have to avoid computers with Catalyst 13.1
http://www.hal6000.com/seti/boinc_ati_gpu_cheat_sheet.htm

The same app (.exe) may be sent to Catalyst 11.12 ... 12.10 (i.e. < 13.1) by <plan_class> ending by _sah or _SoG
and to Catalyst 13.4+ (i.e. > 13.1) by <plan_class> ending by _cat132
This way the bad Catalyst 13.1 is avoided.

<plan_class> ending by _nocal is to detect GPUs or drivers which do not report/support CAL (AMD dropped CAL in favour of OpenCL)

Note:
If BOINC supported something like:
<bad_opencl_driver_revision>108440</bad_opencl_driver_revision>

... the number of <plan_class>es could be reduced
 
43) Message boards : Number crunching : New binary to test on beta (Message 1876127)
Posted 1 Jul 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
We're not testing with the screensaver, but with the standalone graphics window.
From Boinc Manager "Show Graphics" or what it says on the button in English.

. . OK thanks, that settles it for me. There's the rub you see, in my BOINC manager that button is greyed out.

Just select a Running CPU task (isn't that obvious?)


From memory there is an option during install to use BOINC graphics or not and I am rather sure that I chose "not".
So I would guess that the only way to use them now would be to re-run the install. That would be too disruptive :(

BOINC screensaver is always installed. (in BOINC install directory and in Windows directory)
So you can see "BOINC" in the list of Windows screensavers.

The question "during install to use BOINC graphics" only changes (or not) the Setting in Windows about which screensaver to be used.

SETI@home screensaver (setigraphics_X.yy_windows_intelx86.exe) comes with the CPU applications (i.e. is Downloaded automatically by BOINC)
SETI@home screensaver is started directly by "Show Graphics" or the BOINC screensaver starts SETI@home screensaver.
44) Message boards : Number crunching : New binary to test on beta (Message 1876121)
Posted 1 Jul 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
After making the changes, did you do a project update from the manager? Otherwise, they won't take affect until Boinc makes a scheduler contact.

Yup ... still not standing still ... hummmm ...

Those parameters a passed to the app in init_data.xml (which is in 'slots')

<format_preset>Custom</format_preset>
        <text_style>Pillars</text_style>
        <graph_style>Surface</graph_style>
        <max_cpu>10</max_cpu>
        <grow_time>10</grow_time>
        <hold_time>5</hold_time>
        <graph_alpha>0.7</graph_alpha>
        <roll_period>0</roll_period>
        <roll_range>0</roll_range>
        <pitch_period>0</pitch_period>
        <pitch_range>0</pitch_range>
        <starfield_size>0</starfield_size>
        <starfield_speed>0</starfield_speed>
        <color_preset>Rainbow</color_preset>
        <start_hue>0</start_hue>
        <hue_change>1</hue_change>


This means the task/app need to be restarted to know of the change, e.g. by:
- Snooze / unSnooze
- Start another task
- Restart BOINC
45) Message boards : Number crunching : "BOINC portable" for Windows hosts (Message 1875529)
Posted 28 Jun 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
BOINC.exe being started from command prompt doesn't detect GPUs

Try from elevated (admin) command prompt?
46) Message boards : Number crunching : New binary to test on beta (Message 1875527)
Posted 28 Jun 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
. . For what it is worth I am running it now ... but I have BOINC set to NOT use the BOINC screensaver ... :(

You don't need to change anything in BOINC to test the BOINC screensaver.

Just go to the "normal place" in Windows where you choose screensavers.
You probably have selected now "Blank", select "BOINC" instead and set small delay (e.g. 2 minutes) to test it.
47) Questions and Answers : Windows : USER INFO (Message 1875424)
Posted 28 Jun 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
Read:
http://boinc.berkeley.edu/wiki/Computation_credit
48) Questions and Answers : GPU applications : GPU suspended - computer is in use (Stuck on this even when not in use) (Message 1875422)
Posted 28 Jun 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
Try what happens if you set "Use GPU always" from Activity menu

BOINC Manager Menu

49) Questions and Answers : Getting started : Time in Berkeley (What the heck are they doing now?) (Message 1875322)
Posted 27 Jun 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
The link in the first post still works but it is now redirected to the more readable ("usa/berkeley" instead of "city.html?n=791"):

https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/usa/berkeley

 
50) Message boards : Number crunching : Please take a look (Message 1871033)
Posted 4 Jun 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
... whether the percentage specified in the cpu_usage tag applies to the entire CPU or just one core.

<cpu_usage>1</cpu_usage> informs BOINC that the applications will need one (virtual) core.

This is only used by BOINC to calculate how many (virtual) cores remain usable for CPU tasks (i.e. BOINC will start less CPU tasks).
BOINC sums <cpu_usage>x.y</cpu_usage> for all running GPU tasks, then truncates the sum (e.g. 3 * 0.33 = 0.99 = 0 or 2 * 0.77 = 1.54 = 1)

BOINC don't know (and is not interested) in physical CPU configuration - if OS reports "16 CPUs" it doesn't matter to BOINC if this is "2 physical CPUs x 8 real cores" or "1 physical CPU x 8 cores Hyper-Threaded to 16 virtual" or ...

Application itself don't know about or use this value.


Then Boinc is using more than five cores exceeding a limit placed upon it

1. BOINC is not "using" the cores
2. This is not "limit placed upon it"
3. BOINC do not and can't control (or even monitor) the resource usage of already started applications.

Numbers like "Use at most 99 % of the CPUs" and <cpu_usage>1</cpu_usage> only tell BOINC how many applications to start (which is the only "limit").

BOINC assumes that one CPU app will use one CPU (read this as "core") (unless the CPU app is declared as Multi-Threading )
and one GPU app will use what is declared by cpu_usage / gpu_usage
BOINC do not really measure the real "usage".
51) Questions and Answers : Windows : New version of Win10 not running BOINC Screensaver (Message 1869445)
Posted 25 May 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
Linking here some other threads about the same problem:

"Screen saver not working under Windows 10":
https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=81343

"Boinc screensaver & Creators Update (Microsoft, Win10)"
http://boinc.berkeley.edu/dev/forum_thread.php?id=11560

on GitHub:
"Windows 10 Creators Update broke BOINC screen saver"
https://github.com/BOINC/boinc/issues/1859
52) Questions and Answers : Windows : New version of Win10 not running BOINC Screensaver (Message 1869369)
Posted 25 May 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
I see a file was created named stderrgfx.txt. I'm seeing entries like this:
...
shared memory segment missing

That is the problem.
Now someone who makes applications and knows enough about programming in Windows have to figure-out why "shared memory segment missing" on Windows 10 Creators Update.
(is this a bug made by Microsoft or is it some new change in Windows, e.g. "for security"?)

("shared memory" is used so the applications' screensaver can get data from the running application)
53) Questions and Answers : Windows : GPU work only on one project (Message 1868399)
Posted 20 May 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
Go to SETI@home preferences

At bottom:
Add separate preferences for ... (choose any of home, school, work)
Change them the way you want e,g, uncheck "Use CPU"

Then go to the computer page (as your computers are "hidden" I can't give you link) and at bottom change "Location"

Do the same on other projects (but uncheck "Use GPU")

This "Use CPU" / "Use GPU" Settings control what to be Downloaded in the future.
Tasks already in the computer continue to run (finish them or abort them)
54) Questions and Answers : Windows : New version of Win10 not running BOINC Screensaver (Message 1868376)
Posted 20 May 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
Double-clicking on the graphics executable results in a black box (the command prompt) opening and closing immediately.

It is not really "command prompt" but the window of setigraphics itself.

If you want to play a little more (you can do the same on a "bad" and "good" Windows 10 system to see the difference):

For the next test I used v7 files as I have them, as you guess your filenames will be a little different.
I used Process Explorer to monitor and kill processes.

A)
- Snooze BOINC
- Make an empty directory (e.g. ...\projects\setiathome.berkeley.edu\SetiGraphicsTest\)
- Copy in it setigraphics_7.00_windows_intelx86.exe
- Start it (setigraphics*.exe)

On a "good" system (Windows XP) I see this and it stays open until I close it:



- Close setigraphics*.exe (if needed)
File stderrgfx.txt is created (the last 2 lines appear only after I close the window of setigraphics):

14:27:47 (3412): Can't open init data file - running in standalone mode
14:27:47 (3412): Starting graphics application.
Warning: unable to load JPEG file. File size=0
Failed to load 'user_logo'.
Failed to load 'background'.
14:33:03 (3412): Close event (WM_CLOSE) detected, shutting down.
14:33:03 (3412): Shutting down graphics application.


B)
- Copy 3 additional files:
setiathome_7.00_windows_intelx86.exe
libfftw3f-3-3_upx.dll
work_unit.sah         (this is any WU file ~356 KB renamed to work_unit.sah)

- Start setiathome_*.exe
Wait 1-2 minutes and see how some 4-5 files are created.

- Start setigraphics*.exe



- Close setigraphics*.exe (if needed)
- Kill setiathome_*.exe (by Process Explorer)

- UnSnooze BOINC
55) Questions and Answers : Windows : New version of Win10 not running BOINC Screensaver (Message 1868024)
Posted 18 May 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
@All (having this screensaver/Win10 issue and wanting to investigate)

What happens if you manually start SETI@home screensaver?

- While some SETI@home CPU task is running (you see process in memory with name like setiathome_8.00_windows_intelx86.exe)
Go to SETI@home directory (<BOINC_Data>\projects\setiathome.berkeley.edu\) and start the SETI@home screensaver, name like:
setigraphics_8.00_windows_intelx86.exe
56) Questions and Answers : Windows : Merging Accounts (Message 1867372)
Posted 15 May 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
For more info read:
https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=81361
57) Questions and Answers : Getting started : Old Member, Old Problem (I'm sure) (Message 1867370)
Posted 15 May 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
If David Turner had used the email of this account on the link to "Claim your SETI@home Classic workunits" he would have seen:
- Date 19 Mar 2000 on his current account (Date is copied)
- "SETI@home classic workunits 3,764 - SETI@home classic CPU time 36,087 hours" on his current account (these numbers are moved)
- Both accounts will remain existing
- The old account will be with removed classic counts

I have witnessed all this several times in the past years while helping other users do the same as in this thread.
Unfortunately David Turner used the email of another account from 2004 which we were unable to see before the "merge" but I'm sure it looked "the same" as userid=85575 (only with different classic counts)

In the end - if you give me the email of userid=85575 - I can "merge" it with my account ("merge" means: "Date is copied" + "Classic numbers are moved")

Maybe the text from this link is more clear (that all Classic is converted and looks like userid=85575):
https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/sah_classic.php
"When we launched SETI@home/BOINC, we created accounts for all SETI@home Classic users, with their existing email addresses. Each account includes the number of SETI@home Classic workunits completed, the CPU time, and the start date. These accounts were not given passwords (i.e., they can't be accessed using any password)."
58) Questions and Answers : Getting started : Old Member, Old Problem (I'm sure) (Message 1867337)
Posted 14 May 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
I have no idea of the email address

https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/show_user.php?userid=85575

Since that old account (userid=85575) was never used for BOINC you may try to merge it with your current account (userid=10469435) by just guessing your old email address (no need for it to be active or exist)

His Classic points are already added to that account, which is a BOINC account and as you know, BOINC accounts cannot be merged. The account may never have been used for BOINC, but that is a BOINC account. Most probably the OP's original Classic account that got transformed into the BOINC account.

userid=85575 is exactly "original Classic account that got transformed into the BOINC account" and that can be merged.
(No "Real" Classic accounts exist, they are all converted. If never used for BOINC they can be merged. He managed to "hit" another of his Classic-converted accounts from 2004)
59) Questions and Answers : Getting started : Old Member, Old Problem (I'm sure) (Message 1864968)
Posted 1 May 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
I have no idea of the email address

https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/show_user.php?userid=85575

Since that old account (userid=85575) was never used for BOINC you may try to merge it with your current account (userid=10469435) by just guessing your old email address (no need for it to be active or exist)

Just try any old email you can think of on this page (you need to be logged-in your current account while doing this):
https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/sah_classic_link.php

If the email is wrong you will see something like this: "No Classic account exists with the e-mail address: wuiefiowsiofjsdojcoi@ajsdkaskl.ccc"

If successful - your current account will have date 19 Mar 2000 and added list of classic workunits (which will be removed from the old account):
SETI@home classic workunits 3,764
SETI@home classic CPU time 36,087 hours

Note:
The above link is found on this page (under "Claim your SETI@home Classic workunits"):
https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/sah_classic.php

I was unable to find path to it by the menus here. But since I knew it existed I used "Site search" for word Classic and used the second result.
60) Questions and Answers : Windows : New version of Win10 not running BOINC Screensaver (Message 1860322)
Posted 8 Apr 2017 by Profile BilBg
Post:
"BOINC does not start" means "boinc.exe is not in the list of running processes" (as seen in Windows Task Manager, Process Explorer, ...)
"no engaging the screen saver" does not mean BOINC is not running.
BOINC screensaver (boinc.scr + boincscr.exe) only shows some pictures, it is not really needed for the processing
("processing" is done by SETI@home applications which are started by boinc.exe)


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