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BOINC/SETI@home Preferences are ignored
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Drumtroll Send message Joined: 19 Jul 19 Posts: 9 Credit: 2,114 RAC: 0 |
I've tinkered with the "Computing preferences" and "SETI@home preferences" numerous times, but each time I further throttle down the settings, it makes no difference: the settings seem to be ignored, making my laptop hot to the touch and sending its fan whirling at top speed hours beyond the allotted time I've given the program for processing. It will seem to stop doing this when I start using the computer (as I've set it to do), but I now keep the Activity Monitor open and can see multiple SETI@home processes regularly appearing briefly the top of the CPU processing list while I'm using the computer, and sometimes using greater than 100% of the CPU! (This is even after I've turned the CPU settings all the way down to just 5%!!!) Every time I adjust the web settings I "Update" them in the BOINCManager Project Commands right away... seemingly to no avail. BOINC/SETI@home seems to just do what it wants. I don't want to, but I'm nearly ready to uninstall BOINC (which I only installed a few days ago), unless I can find a way to get this program under control. Sure, I want to donate some idle computing time to science, but not at the expense of wearing out my computer components prematurely (or sending my electric bill through the roof). I'm hoping someone can help me fix this! I'm running only SETI@home via BOINCManager 7.14.2 on my Early 2015 13 inch MacBook Pro Retina (250 GB of Storage, 8 GB RAM, 2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor w/ Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz) in macOS Sierra 10.12.6. Here are my current settings: Computing preferences: Computing Usage limits Use at most 5 % of the CPUs Use at most 5 % of CPU time When to suspend Suspend when computer is on battery (checked) Suspend when computer is in use (checked) Suspend GPU computing when computer is in use (checked) 'In use' means mouse/keyboard input in last 3 minutes Suspend when no mouse/keyboard input in last 61 minutes Suspend when non-BOINC CPU usage is above 25 % Compute only between --- Other Store at least 0.1 days of work Store up to an additional 0.5 days of work Switch between tasks every 60 minutes Request tasks to checkpoint at most every 60 seconds Disk Use no more than --- GB Leave at least 30 GB free Use no more than 80 % of total Memory When computer is in use, use at most 25 % When computer is not in use, use at most 50 % Leave non-GPU tasks in memory while suspended (unchecked) Page/swap file: use at most 25 % Network Usage limits Limit download rate to --- KB/second Limit upload rate to --- KB/second Limit usage to --- MB every --- days When to suspend Transfer files only between --- SETI@home preferences: Resource share 5 Use CPU (checked) Use ATI GPU (unchecked) Use NVIDIA GPU (unchecked) Use Intel GPU (unchecked) Default computer location --- Graphics preferences Select Custom to edit individual parameters Minimalist Color preferences: Select Custom to edit individual parameters Rainbow URL of background image (none) This JPEG image will be displayed in the background. URL of logo image (none) This JPEG image will be displayed in the lower corner. Run only the selected applications AstroPulse v7: yes SETI@home v8: yes If no work for selected applications is available, accept work from other applications? no |
rob smith Send message Joined: 7 Mar 03 Posts: 22160 Credit: 416,307,556 RAC: 380 |
Have you made sure you have "use local preferences" set - otherwise you will be using the default (web) preferences, which are very aggressive for a laptop. Bob Smith Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society) Somewhere in the (un)known Universe? |
Jord Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 15184 Credit: 4,362,181 RAC: 3 |
The CPU Usage settings are used in 10 second intervals. They don't use a sustained value. 5% is something like 1 second 100% use, 19 seconds pause and thus totally useless. If you want to use a sustained value to cool the CPUs, use the third party add on TThrottle: https://efmer.com/tthrottle/ |
Drumtroll Send message Joined: 19 Jul 19 Posts: 9 Credit: 2,114 RAC: 0 |
Have you made sure you have "use local preferences" set - otherwise you will be using the default (web) preferences, which are very aggressive for a laptop. The numerous settings I've copy/pasted into my original post above are from the web preferences which, as you can see, I've heavily modified down to almost nothing. They are no longer at default settings. Are you saying that all of the web preferences I've gone through the trouble of setting will be ignored until I toggle another switch called "use local preferences?" If so, can you please direct me to where this toggle is located? I can't find any such toggle in the web preferences and I can't find it the BOINCManager preferences on my machine (which, btw, currently reflect the parameters I've input into the web preferences). |
Drumtroll Send message Joined: 19 Jul 19 Posts: 9 Credit: 2,114 RAC: 0 |
The CPU Usage settings are used in 10 second intervals. They don't use a sustained value. 5% is something like 1 second 100% use, 19 seconds pause and thus totally useless. If you want to use a sustained value to cool the CPUs, use the third party add on TThrottle: https://efmer.com/tthrottle/ So, even though it's also set to only "use at most 5 % of the CPUs" that 1 second every 19 seconds, it completely ignores that additional parameter and runs at 100% each time, no matter what?? |
Jord Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 15184 Credit: 4,362,181 RAC: 3 |
No, then either you are using local preferences (BOINC Manager->Options->Computing preferences) or you have Activity for CPU set to Run Always. That will ignore setting specific preferences. But check that you aren't using the local preferences. It will say on the window which prefs you use: local prefs or web prefs and allow you to change it. |
Drumtroll Send message Joined: 19 Jul 19 Posts: 9 Credit: 2,114 RAC: 0 |
No, then either you are using local preferences (BOINC Manager->Options->Computing preferences) or you have Activity for CPU set to Run Always. That will ignore setting specific preferences. I've checked BOINCManager preferences, and it says it's using web preferences. I cannot find a setting in the local preferences or in the web preferences called "Activity for CPU." |
rob smith Send message Joined: 7 Mar 03 Posts: 22160 Credit: 416,307,556 RAC: 380 |
The following are not set from the web interface, but set locally, and are activated by setting the "use local preferences" option from the BOINC manager (Advanced view, options, read local prefs). One thing, the legend on the button that Jord describes shows what will happen if you press it, not the current state (OK, that is confusing...) Computing preferences: Computing Usage limits Use at most 5 % of the CPUs Use at most 5 % of CPU time When to suspend Suspend when computer is on battery (checked) Suspend when computer is in use (checked) Suspend GPU computing when computer is in use (checked) 'In use' means mouse/keyboard input in last 3 minutes Suspend when no mouse/keyboard input in last 61 minutes Suspend when non-BOINC CPU usage is above 25 % Compute only between --- Other Store at least 0.1 days of work Store up to an additional 0.5 days of work Switch between tasks every 60 minutes Request tasks to checkpoint at most every 60 seconds Use at most 5% of the CPUs means that BOINC will be restricted to using one CPU core out of however many your computer has. Jord describes the way the time-slicing works. Your cache settings are "rather strange" - you are better off having the "store at least" set to a couple of days, and the "store additional days" to a small fraction of a day - this will ensure you get a fairly constant flow of reporting completed work and new work, without the "feast or famine" that can happen with the settings the way round you have them. The suspend when no mouse or keyboard for 61 minutes will stop SETI running after that period of time. The default of zero is in effect "never stop unless the other activity level is reached" Bob Smith Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society) Somewhere in the (un)known Universe? |
Jord Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 15184 Credit: 4,362,181 RAC: 3 |
I cannot find a setting in the local preferences or in the web preferences called "Activity for CPU."Open BOINC Manager->View->Advanced view->top of the menu gives an Activity option. The View menu option may be in a different place for the Mac. One last thing, the web preferences use several different venues/locations. Check that the venue you set the preferences in is used by your computer. You can check the location your computer uses at: Your preferences (Click on your name top right of the screen for this) Computers on this account Click the Details link for your computer Scroll to Location and make a note of what it says (---, home, work or school) Go back to your preferences Check that When and how BOINC uses your computer is set to the same venue as set in the location You can also go to the project preferences and set the default computer location to the location set in Computer details |
Drumtroll Send message Joined: 19 Jul 19 Posts: 9 Credit: 2,114 RAC: 0 |
The following are not set from the web interface, but set locally, and are activated by setting the "use local preferences" option from the BOINC manager (Advanced view, options, read local prefs). I assure you, those settings in my original post are copied/pasted directly from the web preferences interface (as I stated in my original post). Also, as I said in my reply to Jord above, BOINCManager says it is using those web preferences. (Additionally, it appears there is no "Advanced view" in the macOS version of BOINCManager, even though the program refers to it.) One thing, the legend on the button that Jord describes shows what will happen if you press it, not the current state (OK, that is confusing...) Which button? Can you please be more specific? If you're referring to "Activity for CPU," can you please direct me to where this is? As I've already informed Jord, I cannot find this function. Your cache settings are "rather strange" - you are better off having the "store at least" set to a couple of days, and the "store additional days" to a small fraction of a day - this will ensure you get a fairly constant flow of reporting completed work and new work, without the "feast or famine" that can happen with the settings the way round you have them. These were the default settings. I've changed them to better align to what you've suggested... I'll report back whether it helps or has no effect. The suspend when no mouse or keyboard for 61 minutes will stop SETI running after that period of time. Yes, I know. I shortened to this due to the wear/tear the default value was imposing on my computer. It appears it is not obeying this value, though, and running for several hours past this timeframe. The default of zero is in effect "never stop unless the other activity level is reached" Where is this setting? I'm not seeing what you're referring to. |
Jord Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 15184 Credit: 4,362,181 RAC: 3 |
With BOINC Manager open try pressing SHIFT+Command+A simultaneously. That'll open Advanced View. |
rob smith Send message Joined: 7 Mar 03 Posts: 22160 Credit: 416,307,556 RAC: 380 |
Look at the BOINC manager on YOUR computer. Do you see a window with a picture (there are quite a number of different pictures used) - this is the "simple" view. Click on "Options" above the word "BOINC". This will bring up a small menu with just two options - "computing preferences" and "other options" Click on "computing preferences". Another window will pop up - near the top left hand window is a button labelled "use web prefs" or "use local prefs". The legend says what set of preferences will be used if you click the button (and the legend will change). Since you are trying to run a very low demand set of settings you can quite safely increase the checkpoint time by a factor of two or three (240 or 360 seconds). It will have little or no effect on the duration of a task, but will reduce the number of writes performed. When BOINC goes to sleep or the computer is shut down a checkpoint write is done as part of BOINC's house keeping. Bob Smith Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society) Somewhere in the (un)known Universe? |
Jord Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 15184 Credit: 4,362,181 RAC: 3 |
Rob, the Simple view BOINC Manager on a Mac doesn't have the menu bar that Windows and Linux have, it has three little icons top left. But the command I gave should work fine. SHIFT+Command+A. |
Drumtroll Send message Joined: 19 Jul 19 Posts: 9 Credit: 2,114 RAC: 0 |
Well, I just stepped out of the house for several hours, but not before suspending the program before I left so it wouldn't run while I was out. Just got back home and my computer is hot and fan is running like crazy. So, that's it: BOINC will now be uninstalled. So much for helping science. Thank you all for trying to help. Alas, 'twasn't meant to be. |
Richard Haselgrove Send message Joined: 4 Jul 99 Posts: 14649 Credit: 200,643,578 RAC: 874 |
Can you say exactly what you did, so we can fix it? I hope it wasn't "snooze", because that only lasts for one hour (intentionally). |
Drumtroll Send message Joined: 19 Jul 19 Posts: 9 Credit: 2,114 RAC: 0 |
Sure. The program was already displaying that it was "suspended" because the computer was being used (which I've already proven doesn't work as advertised... but I digress). Regardless, before going out I simply hit the suspend button on BOINCManager and the status changed from suspended due to computer being used (or something like that) to suspend by user (I think... I've already uninstalled it so I can't relay to you exactly what the terminology is/was). This was all in the simple view. (I did find the Advanced View, btw. Thank you, Jord, for the clear instructions... I never did try anything else you told me before heading out earlier, unfortunately.) When I came back it was behaving as I described in my last post. When I opened up the computer and saw the BOINCManager, it was displaying that it was suspended because the computer was being used. So, clearly, it was running even though I had suspended it. (In hindsight I wish I had just quit the program.) |
Jord Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 15184 Credit: 4,362,181 RAC: 3 |
Uninstalling BOINC leaves the data directory intact, even on the Mac. So could you go there, find stdoutdae (maybe stdoutdae.txt, but I don't think it shows the .txt extension on MacOS), open it and post the output of the last hour(s) from when you left till the end of the log file? The default folder for the data directory on the Mac is at /Library/Application Support/BOINC Data |
Drumtroll Send message Joined: 19 Jul 19 Posts: 9 Credit: 2,114 RAC: 0 |
Here's the whole day: 21-Jul-2019 00:02:40 [---] Resuming computation 21-Jul-2019 00:02:40 [---] Resuming network activity 21-Jul-2019 00:02:48 [---] Suspending computation - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 00:02:48 [---] Suspending network activity - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 00:07:15 [---] Resuming computation 21-Jul-2019 00:07:15 [---] Resuming network activity 21-Jul-2019 00:07:49 [---] Suspending computation - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 00:07:49 [---] Suspending network activity - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 00:18:21 [---] Resuming computation 21-Jul-2019 00:18:21 [---] Resuming network activity 21-Jul-2019 00:18:26 [---] Suspending computation - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 00:18:26 [---] Suspending network activity - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 00:21:30 [---] Resuming computation 21-Jul-2019 00:21:30 [---] Resuming network activity 21-Jul-2019 00:29:32 [---] Suspending computation - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 00:29:32 [---] Suspending network activity - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 00:32:32 [---] Resuming computation 21-Jul-2019 00:32:32 [---] Resuming network activity 21-Jul-2019 00:55:03 [SETI@home] Computation for task blc45_2bit_guppi_58642_04042_HIP55426_0017.5649.818.22.45.88.vlar_0 finished 21-Jul-2019 00:55:03 [SETI@home] Starting task blc45_2bit_guppi_58642_03722_HIP55210_0016.7445.818.22.45.17.vlar_0 21-Jul-2019 00:55:05 [SETI@home] Started upload of blc45_2bit_guppi_58642_04042_HIP55426_0017.5649.818.22.45.88.vlar_0_r1634583408_0 21-Jul-2019 00:55:09 [SETI@home] Finished upload of blc45_2bit_guppi_58642_04042_HIP55426_0017.5649.818.22.45.88.vlar_0_r1634583408_0 21-Jul-2019 00:59:32 [---] Suspending computation - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 00:59:32 [---] Suspending network activity - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 01:02:32 [---] Resuming computation 21-Jul-2019 01:02:32 [---] Resuming network activity 21-Jul-2019 01:46:08 [SETI@home] Computation for task blc42_2bit_guppi_58642_03113_PSR_B1133+16_0015.22281.0.21.44.204.vlar_0 finished 21-Jul-2019 01:46:08 [SETI@home] Starting task blc45_2bit_guppi_58642_03722_HIP55210_0016.20943.409.22.45.160.vlar_0 21-Jul-2019 01:46:10 [SETI@home] Started upload of blc42_2bit_guppi_58642_03113_PSR_B1133+16_0015.22281.0.21.44.204.vlar_0_r274173953_0 21-Jul-2019 01:46:14 [SETI@home] Finished upload of blc42_2bit_guppi_58642_03113_PSR_B1133+16_0015.22281.0.21.44.204.vlar_0_r274173953_0 21-Jul-2019 01:55:22 [SETI@home] Sending scheduler request: To report completed tasks. 21-Jul-2019 01:55:22 [SETI@home] Reporting 2 completed tasks 21-Jul-2019 01:55:22 [SETI@home] Not requesting tasks: don't need (CPU: job cache full; Intel GPU: job cache full) 21-Jul-2019 01:55:24 [SETI@home] Scheduler request completed 21-Jul-2019 01:58:27 [SETI@home] Computation for task blc45_2bit_guppi_58642_03722_HIP55210_0016.7445.818.22.45.17.vlar_0 finished 21-Jul-2019 01:58:27 [SETI@home] Starting task 17jl19ab.5939.346141.16.43.5_0 21-Jul-2019 01:58:29 [SETI@home] Started upload of blc45_2bit_guppi_58642_03722_HIP55210_0016.7445.818.22.45.17.vlar_0_r1889100430_0 21-Jul-2019 01:58:33 [SETI@home] Finished upload of blc45_2bit_guppi_58642_03722_HIP55210_0016.7445.818.22.45.17.vlar_0_r1889100430_0 21-Jul-2019 01:58:52 [SETI@home] Computation for task 17jl19ab.5939.346141.16.43.5_0 finished 21-Jul-2019 01:58:52 [SETI@home] Starting task 17jl19ac.16870.19704.7.34.204.vlar_1 21-Jul-2019 01:58:54 [SETI@home] Started upload of 17jl19ab.5939.346141.16.43.5_0_r942795129_0 21-Jul-2019 01:58:58 [SETI@home] Finished upload of 17jl19ab.5939.346141.16.43.5_0_r942795129_0 21-Jul-2019 02:00:33 [---] Suspending computation - no recent user activity 21-Jul-2019 02:59:19 [SETI@home] Sending scheduler request: To report completed tasks. 21-Jul-2019 02:59:19 [SETI@home] Reporting 2 completed tasks 21-Jul-2019 02:59:19 [SETI@home] Not requesting tasks: don't need (CPU: job cache full; Intel GPU: job cache full) 21-Jul-2019 02:59:21 [SETI@home] Scheduler request completed 21-Jul-2019 10:31:41 [---] Suspending network activity - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 10:34:41 [---] Resuming computation 21-Jul-2019 10:34:42 [---] Resuming network activity 21-Jul-2019 10:44:45 [---] Suspending computation - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 10:44:45 [---] Suspending network activity - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 10:48:39 [---] Resuming computation 21-Jul-2019 10:48:39 [---] Resuming network activity 21-Jul-2019 10:49:11 [---] Suspending computation - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 10:49:11 [---] Suspending network activity - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 10:52:11 [---] Resuming computation 21-Jul-2019 10:52:11 [---] Resuming network activity 21-Jul-2019 10:55:22 [---] Suspending computation - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 10:55:22 [---] Suspending network activity - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 10:56:16 [SETI@home] update requested by user 21-Jul-2019 10:56:16 [SETI@home] Sending scheduler request: Requested by user. 21-Jul-2019 10:56:16 [SETI@home] Not requesting tasks: don't need (CPU: job cache full; Intel GPU: job cache full) 21-Jul-2019 10:56:18 [SETI@home] Scheduler request completed 21-Jul-2019 11:02:26 [---] Resuming computation 21-Jul-2019 11:02:26 [---] Resuming network activity 21-Jul-2019 11:40:11 [---] Suspending computation - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 11:40:11 [---] Suspending network activity - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 13:51:07 [---] Resuming computation 21-Jul-2019 13:51:07 [---] Resuming network activity 21-Jul-2019 13:53:05 [---] Suspending computation - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 13:53:05 [---] Suspending network activity - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 13:58:33 [SETI@home] update requested by user 21-Jul-2019 13:58:33 [SETI@home] Sending scheduler request: Requested by user. 21-Jul-2019 13:58:33 [SETI@home] Not requesting tasks: don't need (CPU: job cache full; Intel GPU: job cache full) 21-Jul-2019 13:58:35 [SETI@home] Scheduler request completed 21-Jul-2019 13:58:35 [SETI@home] General prefs: from SETI@home (last modified 21-Jul-2019 13:58:26) 21-Jul-2019 13:58:35 [SETI@home] Host location: none 21-Jul-2019 13:58:35 [SETI@home] General prefs: using your defaults 21-Jul-2019 13:58:35 [---] Preferences: 21-Jul-2019 13:58:35 [---] max memory usage when active: 2048.00 MB 21-Jul-2019 13:58:35 [---] max memory usage when idle: 4096.00 MB 21-Jul-2019 13:58:35 [---] max disk usage: 22.08 GB 21-Jul-2019 13:58:35 [---] max CPUs used: 1 21-Jul-2019 13:58:35 [---] don't compute while active 21-Jul-2019 13:58:35 [---] don't use GPU while active 21-Jul-2019 13:58:35 [---] suspend work if non-BOINC CPU load exceeds 25% 21-Jul-2019 13:58:35 [---] (to change preferences, visit a project web site or select Preferences in the Manager) 21-Jul-2019 14:29:31 [---] Resuming computation 21-Jul-2019 14:29:31 [---] Resuming network activity 21-Jul-2019 15:09:34 [---] Suspending computation - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 15:09:34 [---] Suspending network activity - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 15:13:36 [---] Resuming network activity 21-Jul-2019 16:10:12 [---] Resuming computation 21-Jul-2019 16:11:37 [---] Suspending computation - no recent user activity 21-Jul-2019 20:29:33 [---] Suspending network activity - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 20:32:33 [---] Resuming computation 21-Jul-2019 20:32:33 [---] Resuming network activity 21-Jul-2019 20:45:06 [SETI@home] Computation for task 17jl19ac.16870.19704.7.34.204.vlar_1 finished 21-Jul-2019 20:45:06 [SETI@home] Starting task blc42_2bit_guppi_58642_03722_HIP55210_0016.21892.818.21.44.16.vlar_0 21-Jul-2019 20:45:08 [SETI@home] Started upload of 17jl19ac.16870.19704.7.34.204.vlar_1_r70171623_0 21-Jul-2019 20:45:12 [SETI@home] Finished upload of 17jl19ac.16870.19704.7.34.204.vlar_1_r70171623_0 21-Jul-2019 20:59:32 [---] Suspending computation - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 20:59:32 [---] Suspending network activity - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 21:02:32 [---] Resuming computation 21-Jul-2019 21:02:32 [---] Resuming network activity 21-Jul-2019 21:13:20 [---] Suspending computation - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 21:13:20 [---] Suspending network activity - computer is in use 21-Jul-2019 21:20:36 [---] Exiting |
Jord Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 15184 Credit: 4,362,181 RAC: 3 |
21-Jul-2019 00:02:40 [---] Resuming computationThe log shows that BOINC is following your preferences for not computing when the system is in use and doing calculations when it's idle. 21-Jul-2019 02:00:33 [---] Suspending computation - no recent user activityThis preference set by Suspend when no mouse/keyboard input in last N minutes is predominantly used on systems that automatically go to sleep or shut down at a certain time. Which leaves: I simply hit the suspend button on BOINCManager and the status changed from suspended due to computer being used (or something like that) to suspend by userI suspect you paused it via the BOINC Manager icon in the dock/the system tray. This is the Snooze function, which pauses BOINC for an hour at most, then allows it to continue. Then again, both using Suspend and Snooze gives this message: 01/08/2019 16:40:05 | | Suspending computation - user requestSomething I miss in your messages. |
Drumtroll Send message Joined: 19 Jul 19 Posts: 9 Credit: 2,114 RAC: 0 |
The program was running, yes, so the icon was showing in the dock, but I didn't use any controls in the dock (which I didn't know was possible). I used the "suspend" button in the program itself which was opened on my screen. I didn't know the "suspend" button only meant "snooze" for a limited amount of time. I would say calling that button "suspend" is misleading. The programmers should rename it "snooze" to more accurately reflect what the button actually does. This does explain *some* of what happened, thank you, but not everything, though, since the fan going crazy for hours on end would seem to indicate it was not shutting down after an hour of inactivity (as I had set it to). Nothing of the sort has happened since I uninstalled the program, so I'm very happy I uninstalled it (unfortunately). |
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