Got started fine... but woke up to detached boinc

Ben Christy
Ben Christy
Joined: 6 Mar 05
Posts: 40
Credit: 20891
RAC: 0
Topic 188932

(for anyone who can find my computers thru my name its the six digit computer named laptop)

I decided to connect my laptop to my desktop in a poor-mans network. both are using cable modem thru the desktop. with my network stable I downloaded boinc to my laptop

first problem: some sort of ad-ware keeps me from using links to go to ANY website link. the buttons direct me to a countdown screen on IP WWW.xxx345.COM
i partially deleted the ad-ware so now all I get is the countdown screen without redirect

I stopped using IE on the laptop so that isn't bothering me but may have bearing on this problem

second problem: after manually attaching to Einstein@Home I noticed the file that took a long time to download(FAQ's says long download is usual) claimed it needed 70 hours to process (still OK since I'm currently dedicating laptop to E@H)

when I later returned(12 hours later) the work tab of boinc manager now said 3 hours complete with 50 to go and a 5% complete calculation

none of those numbers are close to what they claim/should be

third problem: when I wake up this morning the screen-saver says "BOINC is not running. Please launch BOINC to display graphics." and when I look at boinc manager(which is still in my system tray) there is no project, no work, and worst of all NO MESSAGES so I don't even know what was the last thing that DID work

RECHECK: the ad-ware is no longer interfering with Internet Explorer so I don't want to restart the laptop if I don't have to... until I can get the registry repaired.

-PROGRAMS- -BOINC- only contains BOINC Manager which is already running

laptop has no 3D capabilities so one problem is likely the high CPU consumption of the screen saver --- I will stop using BOINC screen-saver on the laptop

SUPPOSITION: maybe BOINC, BOINC screen-saver and the ad-ware collided

How do I repair my registry?

How do I "restart" BOINC? (remember BOINC manager is running but the screen-saver says BOINC is not)

Will I lose the over three hours of computing time that was there last night?

If the info IS lost, how do I re-request the same download so the project doesn't timeout?

==========================================
a Chicago user who likes to be usefull

Darren
Darren
Joined: 18 Jan 05
Posts: 94
Credit: 69632
RAC: 0

Got started fine... but woke up to detached boinc

> when I later returned(12 hours later) the work tab of boinc manager now said 3
> hours complete with 50 to go and a 5% complete calculation
>
> none of those numbers are close to what they claim/should be

The estimated completion time will tend to change a good bit from what it starts out as, so don't worry about that. 3 hours of cpu time over 12 hours, though, you probably want to try to do something about. The screensaver would be the first probable culprit there. But also make sure you don't have any restrictions in your account settings that would be cutting it down (use only when inactive, etc.).

> third problem: when I wake up this morning the screen-saver says "BOINC is not
> running. Please launch BOINC to display graphics." and when I look at boinc
> manager(which is still in my system tray) there is no project, no work, and
> worst of all NO MESSAGES so I don't even know what was the last thing that DID
> work

Since the boinc manager is completely blank, most likely at some point during the night the system crashed and rebooted. There is a known bug where if boinc is not shut down properly and is reloaded automatically at windows startup, the display doesn't properly connect to the program. This results in the display being totally blank. All you have to do to correct this is choose file | exit from within boinc manager. Give it about 15-20 seconds until the boinc icon disappears from the systray, then restart it from the start menu. When it comes back, it will now connect properly and show you all your info.

> Will I lose the over three hours of computing time that was there last night?
>
> If the info IS lost, how do I re-request the same download so the project
> doesn't timeout?

If the problem was just the boinc manager, nothing will be lost. If it turns out it was something more than that, it may be lost. If it doesn't come back after exiting and restarting, it will at least then generate messages in the message tab to help figure out what the problem is.

Ben Christy
Ben Christy
Joined: 6 Mar 05
Posts: 40
Credit: 20891
RAC: 0

> > when I later returned(12

Message 10384 in response to message 10383

> > when I later returned(12 hours later) the work tab of boinc manager now
> said 3
> > hours complete with 50 to go and a 5% complete calculation
> >
> > none of those numbers are close to what they claim/should be
>
> The estimated completion time will tend to change a good bit from what it
> starts out as, so don't worry about that. 3 hours of cpu time over 12 hours,
> though, you probably want to try to do something about. The screensaver would
> be the first probable culprit there. But also make sure you don't have any
> restrictions in your account settings that would be cutting it down (use only
> when inactive, etc.).

86'd screensaver

I expected both numbers (CPU time and To completion) to always add up to same total time

>
> > third problem: when I wake up this morning the screen-saver says "BOINC
> is not
> > running. Please launch BOINC to display graphics." and when I look at
> boinc
> > manager(which is still in my system tray) there is no project, no work,
> and
> > worst of all NO MESSAGES so I don't even know what was the last thing
> that DID
> > work
>
> Since the boinc manager is completely blank, most likely at some point
> during the night the system crashed and rebooted. There is a known bug where
> if boinc is not shut down properly and is reloaded automatically at
> windows startup, the display doesn't properly connect to the program. This
> results in the display being totally blank. All you have to do to correct
> this is choose file | exit from within boinc manager. Give it about 15-20
> seconds until the boinc icon disappears from the systray, then restart it from
> the start menu. When it comes back, it will now connect properly and show you
> all your info.

Sorry, I did exit+restart and still nothing attached and still no messages

>
> > Will I lose the over three hours of computing time that was there last
> night?
> >
> > If the info IS lost, how do I re-request the same download so the
> project
> > doesn't timeout?
>
> If the problem was just the boinc manager, nothing will be lost. If it turns
> out it was something more than that, it may be lost. If it doesn't come back
> after exiting and restarting, it will at least then generate messages in the
> message tab to help figure out what the problem is.

SORRY no messages still

How do I request reissue of same job after I reattach?
>
>
>

==========================================
a Chicago user who likes to be usefull

Ben Christy
Ben Christy
Joined: 6 Mar 05
Posts: 40
Credit: 20891
RAC: 0

PLEASE.... ANYONE..... I

PLEASE.... ANYONE.....

I don't want to lose my perfect record

How do I get BOINC/E@H to redownload the same job?

Job number is listed in my account
seems it should be easy to rerequest the same WU !!!!

==========================================
a Chicago user who likes to be usefull

Darren
Darren
Joined: 18 Jan 05
Posts: 94
Credit: 69632
RAC: 0

> PLEASE.... ANYONE..... >

Message 10386 in response to message 10385

> PLEASE.... ANYONE.....
>
> I don't want to lose my perfect record
>
> How do I get BOINC/E@H to redownload the same job?
>
> Job number is listed in my account
> seems it should be easy to rerequest the same WU !!!!

There is no way to get the same work unit back again, or any specific work unit at all for that matter.

You're completely at the mercy of the assignment server for what work you get, though the server does give preference by what data file you already have.

Ben Christy
Ben Christy
Joined: 6 Mar 05
Posts: 40
Credit: 20891
RAC: 0

> > There is no way to get

Message 10387 in response to message 10386

>
> There is no way to get the same work unit back again, or any specific work
> unit at all for that matter.
>
>
>
This is crazy. It's too late for me but I knew five days ago that the WU failed. and it appears that another computer also failed leaving two results waiting for reissue and results

Since I knew five days ago that it failed, if I could have reordered the WU I would have had time to complete it.

THIS IS A MAJOR NEED

the capability should be included ASAP (or sooner)

I think it should also allow a brother computer to request to take over a WU

this way if a computer goes down and will be down for some time, a multi computer account can pick up the slack of the downed brother

a makeshift interum possibility is to have a way for a BOINC user to notify project that a WU won't be completing this could be a clickable entry on the results page --perhaps clicking the green deadline or the outcome column's UNKNOWN(perhaps in yellow or amber)[/url]-- popping up a queary that allows transfer and/or invalidation of WU that the user knows will timeout
(This option would of course only be accessable to owner of computer that WU was sent to)

BTW- what is the TRANSFER tab used for?(in BOINC manager)

==========================================
a Chicago user who likes to be usefull

Heffed
Heffed
Joined: 18 Jan 05
Posts: 257
Credit: 12368
RAC: 0

> THIS IS A MAJOR

Message 10388 in response to message 10387

> THIS IS A MAJOR NEED

Why?

> BTW- what is the TRANSFER tab used for?(in BOINC manager)

Transfers... ;)

Seriously, when something is uploading or downloading, take a peek in the tab.

Ben Christy
Ben Christy
Joined: 6 Mar 05
Posts: 40
Credit: 20891
RAC: 0

> > THIS IS A MAJOR NEED > >

Message 10389 in response to message 10388

> > THIS IS A MAJOR NEED
>
> Why?
>

I thought it was obvious.... so if a computer goes down the work unit can be passed on to another computer that will be able to complete it by the deadline. your laissez faire response indicates a lack of dedication (i.e. if it gets done it gets done; if not so what!)

> > BTW- what is the TRANSFER tab used for?(in BOINC manager)
>
> Transfers... ;)
>
> Seriously, when something is uploading or downloading, take a peek in the
> tab.
>
>
I didn't think the tab/page did anything
but
My upload and download are set to one Gigabyte so it is probably so little used that I haven't caught it at work ;)

==========================================
a Chicago user who likes to be usefull

Heffed
Heffed
Joined: 18 Jan 05
Posts: 257
Credit: 12368
RAC: 0

> your laissez faire response

Message 10390 in response to message 10389

> your laissez faire response indicates a lack of dedication (i.e. if
> it gets done it gets done; if not so what!)

HeHe... Yeah, that's why I've been running DC projects for several years, attach to every project I can, and leave my system running 24/7. Lack of dedication all right. ;)

> I didn't think the tab/page did anything
> but
> My upload and download are set to one Gigabyte so it is probably so little
> used that I haven't caught it at work ;)

??? Methinks you don't understand the upload and download rates settings. Those are so you can throttle the bandwidth BOINC utilizes, so as not to slow down net access overmuch for the user with other net applications, such as browsing.

Ben Christy
Ben Christy
Joined: 6 Mar 05
Posts: 40
Credit: 20891
RAC: 0

> > your laissez faire

Message 10391 in response to message 10390

> > your laissez faire response indicates a lack of dedication (i.e. if
> > it gets done it gets done; if not so what!)
>
> HeHe... Yeah, that's why I've been running DC projects for several years,
> attach to every project I can, and leave my system running 24/7. Lack of
> dedication all right. ;)

Do you REALLY care if anything gets done? A person can go to church/temple/cathedrel/whatever every day of their live and still burn in Hell for eternity if they don't get saved (see Revelations 21:8)

likewise a hundred thousand users could run E@H 100% of the time but if none of them uploaded their results no work would actually be "done" despite the millions of hours of CPU time

so if there is something that can speed the full processing of of even one WU it should have priority and a mechanism that allows humans to report early on the failure of their WU's will allow faster reissuing.... and if those users are allowed to transfer the work to a working computer in time for a result to be reported on time (eliminating reissue) even more time will be saved

the reference listed was in response to a laissez faire attitude towards the completion of a BOINC Work Unit and that brings your attitude in question

>
> > I didn't think the tab/page did anything
> > but
> > My upload and download are set to one Gigabyte so it is probably so
> little
> > used that I haven't caught it at work ;)
>
> ??? Methinks you don't understand the upload and download rates settings.
> Those are so you can throttle the bandwidth BOINC utilizes, so as not to slow
> down net access overmuch for the user with other net applications, such as
> browsing.
>
>

??? Methinks you don't understand the upload and download rates settings. I have Comcast cable internet. why throttle back when it can be out of the way in less time than it takes to hit the tab to try to see it up/down load?

I had to turn off my modem to see the transfer page in action. after I turned the modem back on, I hit the retry button and the progress column didn't have time to update... the transfer tab/page went blank again (And by the time I navigated to E@H's results page the results had already been verified and credit recieved)

==========================================
a Chicago user who likes to be usefull

Heffed
Heffed
Joined: 18 Jan 05
Posts: 257
Credit: 12368
RAC: 0

> the reference listed was in

Message 10392 in response to message 10391

> the reference listed was in response to a laissez faire attitude towards the
> completion of a BOINC Work Unit and that brings your attitude in question

HeHe... I like that. :) Who are you to judge my attitude?

> ??? Methinks you don't understand the upload and download rates settings. I
> have Comcast cable internet. why throttle back when it can be out of the way
> in less time than it takes to hit the tab to try to see it up/down load?

You missed my point. No need to 'set' them to anything. (as you stated you had yours 'set' to 1GB) Leave them at the default 'no limit', and you will always utilize the full bandwidth of your connection. And even with cable internet, you will see the input files download...

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.