Can I run SETI on two different computers at once using same account

Questions and Answers : Windows : Can I run SETI on two different computers at once using same account
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Message 1825705 - Posted: 20 Oct 2016, 20:31:14 UTC

As title, two (or more) computers running on entirely different networks (so IP addresses will be different). Both using the same BOINC account.

Is it possible to run SETI on both at the same time?

I've tried, and while sometime it seems to work, other times they both seem to run the same task. For example start task 1 on computer A, start task 2 on slower computer B, when task 1 finished on computer A rather than start task 3 like you would expect it seemed to start task 2 but start it part way through, and you then end up with task 2 running on computer A and B at the same time.
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Message 1825713 - Posted: 20 Oct 2016, 20:50:20 UTC

Yes. You can have as many computers as you like on one account. Set the account up on the first computer and attach to SETI (or which ever project you want to run), then on each successive computer when you join the project do so as a "returning user". Each computer will have its own identity, but will be a member of that first account you set up.
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Message 1825751 - Posted: 20 Oct 2016, 23:38:44 UTC - in response to Message 1825705.  

I think what you try to ask is if it is possible to run the same task on both your computers, to which the answer is no, that cannot be done.

While it is remotely possible that both hosts receive the same task with the same taskID, this happens almost never.

Now, what I think you see is that tasks with the same name run on both your hosts, but it won't be that a task started on system A will continue on system B. Both systems have their own unique hostID number, with their own task queue to run through. These tasks are registered against the hostID of the system, meaning that this hostID must also upload the finished results and report them.

Task names are a complex combination of numbers and letters, like so 16jl16aa.15096.17378.14.41.89_0

This is a Multibeam task recorded at Arecibo, with 16jl16 meaning 16 July 2016 (the recording date), collected on receiver aa, then the numbers that show information about the splitting of the task (someone else fill in those blanks), then if it's a VLAR, it shows .vlar, if it's a VHAR, it'll show .vhar, before at the very end the '_0' shows that you have the original task of the two that make up the work unit.

Each work unit is split in two tasks, named _0 and _1, which are sent to individual hosts. Is the number _3, or _4, then these are resents as previous hosts couldn't complete them correctly, or had problems getting the contents validated.

VLAR and VHAR are Very Low Angle Range and Very High Angle Range tasks that are recorded at the extreme ends of the receiver. These tasks tend to run problematic on Nvidia GPUs, and thus are specifically named so people can quickly see why their system is so darn slow. ;-)

Then there are newer tasks as well, with exotic names such as blc3_2bit_guppi_57451_20939_HIP62472_OFF_0008.19330.416.17.26.212.vlar_1.
This is a Green Bank Telescope task. BLC means Breakthrough Listen Capture, the bits per real sample (4 bit per complex sample), File format (Greenbank Ultimate Pulsar Processing Instrument), then 57451 is a Modified Julian Date, 20939 is Seconds past midnight, HIP62472 is the Object Name, OFF that it's an observation taken off-target, and 008 is the Observation sequence number. In this case it's a VLAR, as above and you have the second of the two tasks that make up a work unit.

There are also Astropulse tasks, recognizable by their name starting with ap*, but that's for another time. I think I have OD'ed you already on information here. ;-)
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Message 1826566 - Posted: 24 Oct 2016, 20:07:08 UTC - in response to Message 1825705.  
Last modified: 24 Oct 2016, 20:08:32 UTC

both seem to run the same task

How do you see that? (it is not possible unless you do manual copy of BOINC Data directory - in which case you will get errors if you run (Report) the same files on 2 computers)
If in BOINC Manager - do you see the full task name?

Some task names are long:
http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/results.php?hostid=8118518&offset=0&show_names=1&state=0&appid=
 


- ALF - "Find out what you don't do well ..... then don't do it!" :)
 
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Questions and Answers : Windows : Can I run SETI on two different computers at once using same account


 
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