Frequent screensaver crashes/restarts
17 Oct 2011 8:24:19 UTC
Topic 196020
(moderation:
I've noticed a minor problem with the current screensaver for the GPU version of BRP4:
If the user goes into the advanced view, then at some time after the workunit has started, clicks on Activity, then Suspend GPU, then waits for the BOINC screensaver to select the BRP4 screensaver, the screensaver starts flickering rapidly on and off the screen. My laptop requires often using these settings to allow it to complete CPU workunits within a reasonable time without overheating, so just avoiding this combination isn't a usable solution.
This looks like the screensaver program crashes within a second if it cannot get some data from the application program, then BOINC restarts it - over and over. Could it be changed to detect this condition, and if it happens, leave out the portions of the display that depend on data from the application if they are small enough, and substitute a dummy set of data from the application program if enough portions depend on this data?
I've read the earlier posts in this thread and they look like I'd need to learn several more computer languages to be able to fix it myself; otherwise I might try to fix it instead of asking.
On another screensaver-related topic:
This software looks close enough to what the Einstein@Home screensaver does that I thought you MIGHT have some use for it:
http://www.killetsoft.de/p_gdla_e.htm
Einstein@Home Project
RE: As for the GPU
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You might want to read my description again - it happens only when BOINC use of the GPU is suspended, and therefore the science app is not allowed to run.
Robert
RE: This looks like the
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This is most likely not the case. The screensaver also runs without, hence completely independent of BOINC.
1) Which OS are you using?
2) Which version of the BOINC client are you using?
3) Which other BOINC projects are you running?
Also: please provide the file "stderrgfx.txt" from a slot directory where you observed this issue (please use a service like pastebin.com).
Thanks,
Oliver
Einstein@Home Project
64-bit Windows Vista Home
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64-bit Windows Vista Home Premium SP2
6.12.34
on that laptop, only CPU workunits:
Milkyway@Home
CAS@Home
RALPH@Home
a few more that haven't had any workunits available lately
It will take longer to send that file.
From your original
)
From your original post:
Ah, interesting. How about other BOINC screensavers on your system? Do they run normally when GPUs are suspended? Also: can you run the graphics by choosing "Show graphics" (for an E@H task) or does it fail, too (the same way as the screensaver)?
Oliver
Einstein@Home Project
The others all run normally -
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The others all run normally - but they're all for CPU workunits.
Show Graphics is currently greyed out for BRP4, even if I enable GPU use. I currently don't have any other E@H workunits.
Since I currently have BOINC set not to run on the GPU for several minutes after any action on the keyboard or the mouse, there may be problems doing the test you suggest.
However, there's been some recent change - a screensaver I haven't identified now shows a nearly black screen, with a rotating blue circle near the top right corner, the Tthrottle temperature readings near the bottom right corner, and nothing else. I suspect that this is a new variation of the BRP4 screensaver, since I still see the others at times. It runs for longer than the other screensavers, but with no sign of crashing.
I remember another BOINC project that may have still had a workunit running at the time of the previous problems - a Woodall LLR workunit from PrimeGrid. It was also a CPU workunit.
RE: However, there's been
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That must be something different, since we haven't changed the screensaver for BRP4 for at least five months. Can you please try the following:
1) Go to BOINC's data directory (see "slot directory" link for help) and locate the "einstein.phys.uwm.edu" directory in the "projects" directory.
2) Double-click on "einsteinbinary_BRP3_1.00_graphics_windows_intelx86.exe"
3) Try the above with/without BOINC running in the background
What happens?
Oliver
Einstein@Home Project
RE: It will take longer to
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Any update on this?
Einstein@Home Project
RE: RE: It will take
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I haven't seen the problem since my previous reply, so there there must be something else involved that I haven't recognized. Still watching for it.
RE: RE: However, there's
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Either with or without BOINC in the background, but without a GPU workunit running, I get this:
For einsteinbinary_BRP3_1.00_graphics_windows_intelx86.exe:
A screensaver window open up and runs normally, except that all the BOINC information is either blanks or zeroes, and all the search information is zeroes.
I also saw einsteinbinary_BRP4_1.00_graphics_windows_intelx86.exe and tried similar tests with it. This gives a small window, all black inside, and an error message:
This application has failed to start because cuda32_32_16.dll was not found.
Reinstalling the application may fix this.
I did not find a file named cuda32_32_16.dll in that directory. Also, is it the right DLL for running on 64-bit Windows Vista?
I'm now trying to see if I've spotted a third variation of that problem, so I can get a stderrgfx.txt file.
einsteinbinary_BRP3_1.00_grap
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einsteinbinary_BRP3_1.00_graphics_windows_intelx86.exe is from February.
einsteinbinary_BRP4_1.00_graphics_windows_intelx86.exe is from July.
I saw a third variation of the problem with a BRP4 GPU workunit running - the first window the screensaver open has an error message, but disappears so fast I can't tell what error message. After this variation, stderrgfx.txt is 0 bytes, so I see no point in sending it. A normal screensaver window then comes up, so this variation is a barely noticeable problem.
Could the screensaver program have a problem telling which set of input data it should use if a BRP4 workunit has been started, but BOINC currently isn't allowed to use the GPU? This is a rare situation for most users, and therefore would not be easily spotted by most users.