Posts by Bill Walker

1) Message boards : Number crunching : Congrats to Travis on his new job!!! (Message 49582) Posted 26 Jun 2011 by Bill Walker Post: Congrats Travis. Hope you remember all us little people in the future.
2) Message boards : Number crunching : Antivirus Issue (Message 49470) Posted 21 Jun 2011 by Bill Walker Post: Interesting thread. I have been using Norton for about 11 years now, on all my machines running BOINC. I've never had any BOINC files flagged, and I never set anything in Norton to allow this. I wonder what the difference is?
3) Message boards : Number crunching : Questionable Cruncher Discussion Thread (Message 49462) Posted 20 Jun 2011 by Bill Walker Post: As to data traffic..we're streaming HD movies these days..are you seriously gonna tell me data traffic of this nature is still an issue? LOL Server load? come ON If this project had Netflix' or Youtube's hardware budget I expect things would be smoother. Don't hold your breath though. ;) ..computing power is so dirt cheap these days it's pretty much made BOINC obsolete altogether. I really don't follow that one. BOINC exists because little projects like MW can't afford computing power. They solicit it from us.
4) Message boards : News : Nbody updated to 0.60 (Message 49436) Posted 20 Jun 2011 by Bill Walker Post: 2 Nbody completed and validated. Life is good.
5) Message boards : News : Nbody updated to 0.60 (Message 49408) Posted 18 Jun 2011 by Bill Walker Post: Thanks Matt. I now have an Nbody WU that has made it to 18:50 run time, 34% progress, without crashing. I haven't had one go this far for weeks.
6) Message boards : Number crunching : Is Anyone Addressing This Constant Computation Error Problem? (Message 49314) Posted 15 Jun 2011 by Bill Walker Post: The new 0.82 is running fine on my Windows Vista CPU, but N-Body continues to error out within minutes. I wish I could de-select N-Body WUs. Is there any way to do this?
7) Message boards : Number crunching : Still have probelms with n-body WUs (Message 49191) Posted 10 Jun 2011 by Bill Walker Post: Here is the database info for that WU: http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/result.php?resultid=45875226
8) Message boards : Number crunching : Still have probelms with n-body WUs (Message 49190) Posted 10 Jun 2011 by Bill Walker Post: OK, here is the windows message I receive: "milkyway_nbody_0.40_windows_x86_64_mt... has stopped working A problem has caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is avialable." I have 20 of these right now. 21 by the time I had typed that. Up to 23 just before I sent this. Here are the associated BOINC messages: 09/06/2011 6:49:34 PM Milkyway@home Computation for task de_separation_10_3s_fix20_2_188437_1307510342_0 finished 09/06/2011 6:49:34 PM Milkyway@home Starting de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 09/06/2011 6:49:34 PM Milkyway@home Starting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 6:52:36 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 6:55:39 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 6:58:44 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:01:55 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:04:57 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:08:00 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:11:03 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:14:07 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:17:09 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:20:15 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:23:18 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:26:20 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:29:23 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:32:26 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:35:28 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:38:31 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:41:33 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:44:36 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:47:39 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 09/06/2011 7:50:41 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 using milkyway_nbody version 40 According to the BOINC tasks tab the WU has been running for 44 seconds. I expect it to die shortly. WU died at 01:08 cpu time. BOINC task tab says "computation error" but messages tab just says 09/06/2011 7:58:14 PM Milkyway@home Computation for task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_31278_1307524107_0 finished
9) Message boards : Number crunching : Still have probelms with n-body WUs (Message 49182) Posted 8 Jun 2011 by Bill Walker Post: Every time the n-body task restarts in BOINC I get a Windows error message, "Task ended in error". I sometimes get 30 or 40 of these before the WU gives up with about 10 or 20 minutes of actual CPU time (compared to 300+ hours estimated run time when it downloads). BOINC task list shows "computation error" for the task at that time. All my n-body WUs have had this behaviour for several weeks now. Just an observation: the BOINC message list shows the task restarting, but doesn't ever show it stopping. It appears to be Windows that kills it. Also note that no other tasks are show starting in between the MW restarts (this machine has 2 CPUs, and usually runs 3 or 4 different projects). I've tried reloaded the C++ library, as suggested in another thread. Just got another n-body WU, waiting to see what happens with this one.
10) Message boards : Number crunching : Still have probelms with n-body WUs (Message 49155) Posted 6 Jun 2011 by Bill Walker Post: Glad the project is back, but my first new WU was another N-Body task that failed within a few minutes. The task is gone now, but here is the message log for its brief existance. Anybody know what is up with these? 06/06/2011 2:55:57 PM Milkyway@home Starting de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 06/06/2011 2:55:58 PM Milkyway@home Starting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 2:59:03 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:02:06 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:05:08 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:08:11 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:11:13 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:14:16 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:17:19 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:20:21 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:23:24 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:26:26 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:29:29 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:32:32 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:35:34 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:38:37 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:41:40 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:44:42 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:47:45 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:50:48 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:53:50 PM Milkyway@home Restarting task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 using milkyway_nbody version 40 06/06/2011 3:54:02 PM Milkyway@home Computation for task de_nbody_orphan_test_2model_4_144_1306331281_1 finished
11) Message boards : News : maximum time limit elapsed bug (Message 48721) Posted 12 May 2011 by Bill Walker Post: nbody WUs continue to error out in a few seconds on my CPU.
12) Message boards : News : N-body updated to 0.40 (Message 48495) Posted 5 May 2011 by Bill Walker Post: 2 n-body WUs errored out within a few seconds. Also getting a Windows error message that the program has stopped working.
13) Message boards : Number crunching : How are you guys able to run so many diff project at once effectively? (Message 47531) Posted 11 Apr 2011 by Bill Walker Post: This has been discussed several times before here and over at S@H, but when you add a new project the BOINC scheduler appears to go bananas for a few days. I think it is trying to bring the new project up to its assigned percentage, and it will not run other projects that are closer to their assigned share than the new projects (which starts out with a history of zero % actual share). When you add a new project without adjusting the numeric value of the resource share of existing projects their % share goes down, so the scheduler thinks they are all over done at the moment (actual % will be over the new target %). Emergency mode keeps you from timing out on anything (at least in my experience), and it will all settle out in a few weeks. Added in edit: you will also see this if a project goes down for a long time, and then comes back. Historical share has dropped, but target % remains, and the scheduler gives preference to whatever project is most out of whack.
14) Message boards : Number crunching : How are you guys able to run so many diff project at once effectively? (Message 47156) Posted 7 Apr 2011 by Bill Walker Post: Since my GPU machine went wonky, I'm only running a dual core laptop, with 4 projects (MW, S@H, WCG and Rosetta). Partly because I'm interested in lots of different projects, partly because I've seen two or even three projects run out of work at the same time. RAC per project is low, total RAC is relatively low (WCG and Rosetta aren't as good as MW in credits/hour), but who cares?
15) Message boards : News : bypassing server set cache limits (Message 46223) Posted 13 Feb 2011 by Bill Walker Post: Docter, if you post this question in Number Crunching at SET@Home they will probably remind you that when servers are down (like now) that expired tasks can still get credit once the servers are fixed. If it is stuck in download, don't worry, S@H will sort things out.
16) Message boards : Number crunching : Error while computing again and again (Message 45868) Posted 29 Jan 2011 by Bill Walker Post: I've recently started N-body work on a CPU, after upgrading from an optimized ap. I'm seeing lots of computing errors as well, some after a long time crunching. Anyone have any ideas? http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/workunit.php?wuid=226730964 http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/workunit.php?wuid=226593122 http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/workunit.php?wuid=225091853
17) Message boards : Number crunching : Very long N-Body WU (Message 45797) Posted 26 Jan 2011 by Bill Walker Post: Thanks Matt.
18) Message boards : Number crunching : Very long N-Body WU (Message 45788) Posted 26 Jan 2011 by Bill Walker Post: Just noticed I have an N-Body WU that has taken over 33 hours to reach less than 50%. These normally take about 20 hours on this machine. Any cause for concern?
19) Message boards : Number crunching : No Progress Bar (Message 44421) Posted 29 Nov 2010 by Bill Walker Post: I updated to the latest optimized app, and that seems to have solved it. What app is that, and where can I get it? I'm running 0.19 and sometimes get the same behaviour.
20) Message boards : News : Failing workunits (Message 43414) Posted 2 Nov 2010 by Bill Walker Post: Ski King, it can takes weeks for BOINC to even out the work history of all projects when you add a new project. In effect, BOINC is looking at the long term average CPU useage of all your projects, and trying to even them out. If you just added MW, its long term average is very low, and probably much lower than the projects you have been running. Right now, BOINC is using all your CPUs on MW, so its average goes up some every day, while the long term averages of the other projects goes down some every day. Once the averages are roughly equal, BOINC will start sharing the CPUs between all the projects.

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