App_config.xml info

Allen
Allen
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Topic 229711

Hello:

I am trying to find out how to write an app_config that will allocate all four threads to one work unit.  Is this possible?  This is on the CPU.

Allen

GWGeorge007
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Allen wrote:Hello:I am

Allen wrote:

Hello:

I am trying to find out how to write an app_config that will allocate all four threads to one work unit.  Is this possible?  This is on the CPU.

Allen

Are you trying to write an app_config file for 4 CPUs or 4 threads (2 CPUs)?  You have several computers with 4 CPUs showing.  Which one are you trying to write it for?  And what task are you trying to write it for?

George

Proud member of the Old Farts Association

Allen
Allen
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GWGeorge007 wrote: Allen

GWGeorge007 wrote:

Allen wrote:

Hello:

I am trying to find out how to write an app_config that will allocate all four threads to one work unit.  Is this possible?  This is on the CPU.

Allen

Are you trying to write an app_config file for 4 CPUs or 4 threads (2 CPUs)?  You have several computers with 4 CPUs showing.  Which one are you trying to write it for?  And what task are you trying to write it for?

I am trying to write it for the Laptop.  It's and i-3 8130u.  It says it has 2 cores and 4 threads.  I'm running BRPS (Arecibo GPT long)1.33 BRP4x64.

Thanks!

Gary Roberts
Gary Roberts
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Allen wrote:I am trying to

Allen wrote:
I am trying to write it for the Laptop.  It's and i-3 8130u.  It says it has 2 cores and 4 threads.  I'm running BRPS (Arecibo GPT long)1.33 BRP4x64.

That machine has tasks for a number of different searches - GRP#1, GRP#5 as well as the Arecibo, long.  I guess you're trying to kill that machine as quickly as possible.  Unless it has an incredibly good cooling system, it could easily suffer a heat death in quite a short period of time.

The hardware is a 2C/4T i3 CPU which includes an internal intel GPU.  That iGPU is crunching GRP#1 tasks and that alone is enough to put tremendous stress on a laptop.

Your request for info about app_config.xml does not apply to Arecibo, long tasks.  That file does not combine all CPU cores/threads to crunch one CPU task.  It allows multiple GPU tasks to share a single GPU device.  You don't want to touch app_config.xml, that's for sure.

Your first decision for that machine is to pick the one single search you want to run and opt out of all the others (if you want your machine to be likely to survive for a reasonable amount of time).

If your choice was to use the Intel GPU, just disable all CPU tasks completely and run GRP#1 tasks singly.

If your choice was to run Arecibo, long, disable GRP#1 (and GRP#5) and change your settings for that machine to allow BOINC to use only 25% of the processors.  Abort all other tasks that are in progress except for the Arecibo, long.

This will run just a single task and allow you to see the best possible rate for which these tasks can be crunched.  You will also get to see if the heat load on the machine is acceptable or not.  After you get a good idea of that baseline performance (and if you think your machine is capable of more) try changing the % of processors that BOINC is allowed to use to 50%.  This will allow BOINC to run 2 CPU tasks simultaneously.  You will see a heat increase and you will see the crunch time blow out to somewhat longer (in all probability).  It's up to you to decide if this is acceptable or not.

I would be extremely hesitant to go any more than 2 CPU tasks unless your cooling system is exceptional.  I'm guessing that you should be scared by the heat increase caused by that 2nd task.  You really should be regularly checking temperatures if you want the machine to survive.  The fan will be working hard and the narrow passageways though which the air has to flow will be quite susceptible to becoming clogged.  You will need to consider regular cleaning and removal of dust and fluff.

Good luck with not killing your laptop.

Cheers,
Gary.

Allen
Allen
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Gary, Thank you very much

Gary,

Thank you very much for your great information.  Apparently your work is very demanding.  I was able to run 4 threads on Milkyway previously, with no problem.

I have set my CPU to run only one wu at a time and the GPU to run only one as well.  When the "longs" are done, 3 of them, I have stopped askiing for them and have switched to the #5's.  The longs said they would take about 20 hours to complete and that was very accurate.  I'm thinking I might have tried the #5's before with even worse results, even though they say they should run in about 15 hours, I think they just kept adding on more and more time the longer they ran, until it was a couple of days and then didn't finish.  We'll see.

My processors TJ Max is 100c and it is currently running at about 81c and fan isn't running constantly.  Also, I reduced the "time running" to 75%.

Thanks again for your help.

Allen

Allen
Allen
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Having a bit of a problem

Having a bit of a problem with the Computing section.  I have the cpu run setting at 25% and the max amount set at 100%, expecting to run one cpu at 100 % and let the other 3 just idle, however, I am getting all 4 cpu threads running.  When I reduce the 100 % setting to something lower, it just makes the one cpu that is supposed to be running, run so slowly it seems to never move.

Now, in case you're not following what I am saying, I have also set the YES feature on running the cpu and gpu even during computer use, so as long as I am using the computer, only one cpu will run, but when I stop using the computer, it will revert back to running all 4, until I start using it again.

Please help, if you can.  I've run out of ideas.

Allen

 

 

Allen
Allen
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I made a mistake in my last

I made a mistake in my last post.  It xhould have said NO on the cpu and the gpu to stop during use.

Sorry.

mikey
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Allen wrote: Having a bit of

Allen wrote:

Having a bit of a problem with the Computing section.  I have the cpu run setting at 25% and the max amount set at 100%, expecting to run one cpu at 100 % and let the other 3 just idle, however, I am getting all 4 cpu threads running.  When I reduce the 100 % setting to something lower, it just makes the one cpu that is supposed to be running, run so slowly it seems to never move.

Now, in case you're not following what I am saying, I have also set the YES feature on running the cpu and gpu even during computer use, so as long as I am using the computer, only one cpu will run, but when I stop using the computer, it will revert back to running all 4, until I start using it again.

Please help, if you can.  I've run out of ideas.

Allen 

I think you need someone to explain how those settings work because I think you are misunderstanding what they do, Gary helped me a LONG time ago and was clear about it but I can't find his post or remember how he put it so I could understand it. I'm sure there are others on here that can help you too.

Allen
Allen
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Mikey, I figured a way

Mikey,

I figured a way around the problem.  It seems that the local preferences offers you the choice of using one or more cpus during the "Computer not in use", that doesn't appear in the online preferences section.  I just changed to running local and I have no problem now.  Wonder why the online preferences doesn't have the option.

I sure appreciate you taking an interest in helping me out!

I'm just an old guy trying to keep up with the world.

Allen

GWGeorge007
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Allen wrote:Mikey,I

Allen wrote:

Mikey,

I figured a way around the problem.  It seems that the local preferences offers you the choice of using one or more cpus during the "Computer not in use", that doesn't appear in the online preferences section.  I just changed to running local and I have no problem now.  Wonder why the online preferences doesn't have the option.

I sure appreciate you taking an interest in helping me out!

I'm just an old guy trying to keep up with the world.

Allen

Allen, just for grins, now that you have the system working again, try reverting back to your original selection and see if it still works.  You may need to close out BOINC and then re-open it and make the changes, close out BOINC again, and re-open it.  But that would kind of prove that the local preferences have something that the online preferences don't, or didn't have.

...just a thought...  maybe it will... maybe it won't...  I dunno...

You said:  "I'm just an old guy trying to keep up with the world."

Join the many others in Einstein who are up there with you, like me!   ;*)

George

Proud member of the Old Farts Association

mikey
mikey
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GWGeorge007 wrote: Join the

GWGeorge007 wrote:

Join the many others in Einstein who are up there with you, like me!   ;*) 

And me as well

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