Hi, I've a huge N-Body 1.06 run that's taking hours (and is already high priority)

Is there a way to make this task use more than one cpu core? I understand that the N-body tasks are multithreaded, but I haven't been able to get this task to use more than 25% cpu usage (or 1 core). Have tried to suspend all other tasks as well as not getting more work.

Any suggestions? I'm new to Milkyway and BOINC as a whole.

Thanks!

Hi, I've a huge N-Body 1.06 run that's taking hours (and is already high priority)

Is there a way to make this task use more than one cpu core? I understand that the N-body tasks are multithreaded, but I haven't been able to get this task to use more than 25% cpu usage (or 1 core). Have tried to suspend all other tasks as well as not getting more work.

Any suggestions? I'm new to Milkyway and BOINC as a whole.

Thanks!

Unfortunately, it seems as if the administrators here are new to the specific bit of BOINC which controls multi-threaded apps, too. They left it out.

It might be possible to switch it to multi-threaded running, even at this stage - but you would be very much leaping in at the deep end, using BOINC's manual micro-management tools, and with a high risk that you would lose the work you've already done.

Which of your two machines is this on? It will be easier to perform surgery on the machine which isn't doing the other sort of Milkyway task at the same time.

If you think your general computer skills are up to the job, we could try talking you through the process.

Hi Richard!

I'm running this on my newer machine, the i5-2500K.

I'm guessing that by "surgery", you are referring to creating an app_info.xml file? The last time I tried it, it wiped out my tasks in progress. So yes, I'm not too keen to try that again.

Oh well, I'm not really in for the points. Just glad to hear that it's not simply something that I had missed out.

Yes, I was referring to creating an app_info.xml file.

I've got the bits needed to run NBody multi-threaded, and I'm pretty sure I could drop that over the top and keep the task running. I don't run ATI GPUs, so I'd have needed to collect information from you to manufacture the other half of the file. It's perfectly possible to do that, and keep both sets of running work: but it's fiddly and prone to error - I couldn't give a cast-iron guarantee.

Probably best to give it a miss, and let the NBody finish in its own time on the single core. The project doesn't seem to be in any hurry to gather them all back in.

Hi Richard!

I'm running this on my newer machine, the i5-2500K.

I'm guessing that by "surgery", you are referring to creating an app_info.xml file? The last time I tried it, it wiped out my tasks in progress. So yes, I'm not too keen to try that again.

Oh well, I'm not really in for the points. Just glad to hear that it's not simply something that I had missed out.

When you use an app_info file it changes your stats to an anonymous user and that means any existing units you have can't be run because of security reasons, so they MUST be wiped out. Future units will come as okay for the anonymous user to run but if you then wipe out the app_info file, those units too will be deleted. Waaay back when Boinc instituted some security things to keep people from hacking to get tons of points, yet doing no usable work. The deleted units are juts sent to a different pc, on some projects they could even be resent to you, but it isn't really a big deal unless you have a problem and are consistently sending back invalid units.

BTW the new thing is to use an app_config file. you MUST be using Boinc version 7.0.40 or higher, but the new app_config is easier to use. Here is the wiki page for it, it is near the bottom of the page:
http://boinc.berkeley.edu/wiki/Client_configuration#Application_configuration

I've currently using app_config.xml to run 3 units simultaneously on my GPU. But I haven't come across any info that app_config.xml could be used to multithread CPU units. Is it possible?

Hi Richard!

I'm running this on my newer machine, the i5-2500K.

I'm guessing that by "surgery", you are referring to creating an app_info.xml file? The last time I tried it, it wiped out my tasks in progress. So yes, I'm not too keen to try that again.

Oh well, I'm not really in for the points. Just glad to hear that it's not simply something that I had missed out.

When you use an app_info file it changes your stats to an anonymous user and that means any existing units you have can't be run because of security reasons, so they MUST be wiped out. Future units will come as okay for the anonymous user to run but if you then wipe out the app_info file, those units too will be deleted. Waaay back when Boinc instituted some security things to keep people from hacking to get tons of points, yet doing no usable work. The deleted units are juts sent to a different pc, on some projects they could even be resent to you, but it isn't really a big deal unless you have a problem and are consistently sending back invalid units.

BTW the new thing is to use an app_config file. you MUST be using Boinc version 7.0.40 or higher, but the new app_config is easier to use. Here is the wiki page for it, it is near the bottom of the page:
http://boinc.berkeley.edu/wiki/Client_configuration#Application_configuration

Something strange at this project then - I wrote the installer that put app_info in place automatically at SETI, and that didn't trash running tasks.

I've currently using app_config.xml to run 3 units simultaneously on my GPU. But I haven't come across any info that app_config.xml could be used to multithread CPU units. Is it possible?

No - it has to be the full app_info.

Or a properly managed server, of course.

Hi Richard!

I'm running this on my newer machine, the i5-2500K.

I'm guessing that by "surgery", you are referring to creating an app_info.xml file? The last time I tried it, it wiped out my tasks in progress. So yes, I'm not too keen to try that again.

Oh well, I'm not really in for the points. Just glad to hear that it's not simply something that I had missed out.

When you use an app_info file it changes your stats to an anonymous user and that means any existing units you have can't be run because of security reasons, so they MUST be wiped out. Future units will come as okay for the anonymous user to run but if you then wipe out the app_info file, those units too will be deleted. Waaay back when Boinc instituted some security things to keep people from hacking to get tons of points, yet doing no usable work. The deleted units are juts sent to a different pc, on some projects they could even be resent to you, but it isn't really a big deal unless you have a problem and are consistently sending back invalid units.

BTW the new thing is to use an app_config file. you MUST be using Boinc version 7.0.40 or higher, but the new app_config is easier to use. Here is the wiki page for it, it is near the bottom of the page:
http://boinc.berkeley.edu/wiki/Client_configuration#Application_configuration

Something strange at this project then - I wrote the installer that put app_info in place automatically at SETI, and that didn't trash running tasks.

HUH, I now know what I learned new today!