My new 6-core AMD computer is crunching SETI and Asteroid WUs 24-7 at a prodigious rate, more than 10 times in 6 weeks than my old box did in a year.

But we will be going away for about a month. I hate to stop this momentum, but is it a good idea to let it run on its own for a month whilst we are away?

Probably not, eh?

So to stop it, should I select "no new tasks" or just shut down the computer?

What will happen to my sixteen "In Progress" WUs that won't be completed before their deadlines?

Steve Gaber
Oldsmar, FL

When I knew I was going to be away more than a day Id just turn the computer off. If I knew I was going to be gone longer I would set NNT let them crunch untill I had an empty cache. That way I didnt hurt any wingman by going over the time limit.

That being said, Sometimes something happens at the last moment and you just have to let the work units fall where they may. An unexpected family emergency on the other side of the country is, Well to bad wingmen but the computers are going to be shut down. If they time out thats the breaks.

---

[/quote]

Old James

Probably better to set "NNT" and let your current cache finish, then shut it down if you are going to be away from it for that long. That way you know they got done and you'll get credit for them.

If you just shut it down, any tasks that have a due date earlier than your expected return will just "time-out" and be resent to another cruncher. You will not get credit for the work, and your original wingmates will be inconvenienced by the delay in receiving credit for their work.

And if you leave it running for the whole time you are away, you risk having it shut down by a power outage and not restart until you get back, if it isn't damaged by the power surge/outage.....

---

Donald
Infernal Optimist / Submariner, retired

But we will be going away for about a month. I hate to stop this momentum, but is it a good idea to let it run on its own for a month whilst we are away?

That depends on if crunching is so important to you that you want to pay for it (electricity, wear out on computer parts). In general computers are (or should be) able to run a month without that anybody needs to watch them.

So to stop it, should I select "no new tasks" or just shut down the computer?

What will happen to my sixteen "In Progress" WUs that won't be completed before their deadlines?

Just make sure to finish all "shorties" and Astropulse WUs, other SETI WUs have a deadline of almost 2 months, so they can wait on your computer till you come back. I also have WUs waiting for me to come back home on my computers 6026392 and 7056514.

---

The longest I've spent away from home was four nights. I left the computers running (one of them runs an audio feed on broadcastify.com; I also have a reason to keep the other one on). However, I use teamviewer to remote in and check on them.

If you don't have any reason other than crunching to leave your box on, then like Link said, it's a question of whether you think it's worth it to burn the electricity while you're gone. If a power outage is a concern, a UPS would be a good idea (but if it's a concern, you probably have one anyway).

---

David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

I wouldn't leave on unattended that long. I'd go No New tasks and just abort any remaining ones that will expire while you are gone, and make sure BOINC does an update to report them so replacement tasks can be issued to someone else well ahead of their expiration dates. Do you have Spring lightning storms in your area? Why worry about it? If this is a pleasure trip, hope you have a great time!

---

Another Fred
Support SETI@home when you search the Web with GoodSearch or shop online with GoodShop.

Thanks for the replies and advice, guys.

I will do the NNT thing this weekend and hope it finishes the tasks already in line before we leave.

And yes, we DO get violent thunderstorms. This is reputed to be the lightning capitol of the world. The NHL hockey team is "The Tampa Bay Lightning" and the indoor football team is "The Tampa Bay Storm." They musta chosen those names for a reason.

MY UPS needs a new battery, which I should replace before the spring/summer season begins.

Thanks a heap.

Steve Gaber
Oldsmar, FL

And yes, we DO get violent thunderstorms. This is reputed to be the lightning capitol of the world

If you're worried about lightning damage, don't just shut down, but unplug from everything that runs to the outside (power especially and network/phone as well.) Systems only "soft off" these days and are drawing trickle power when "off" for wake-on-LAN and other functions.

---

"If you're worried about lightning damage, don't just shut down, but unplug from everything that runs to the outside (power especially and network/phone as well.)"

Good idea, Mr. Kevvy. We haven't left yet, but will disconnect everything before we do.

Steve Gaber
Oldsmar, FL

Even though I have backup power supplies for all of my PC's, since I place the BOINC data folder on a ramdisk, I also use a series lightning protector, to protect the UPS. I have used the Zero Surge for years for all of my high-value stuff, even though I am not in that high risk of lightning area (Pennsylvania). http://www.zerosurge.com/

This is not a metal-oxide varistor (MOV) surge protector, but a series protector that can repeatedly take much higher voltages. It is not cheap, but spread out over 10 years (my oldest is at least 15 years old now), it is not that much.