Any problem with overwriting buff-in.rc5?

[bigjon]

I'm going to run the DOS RC5 client on a bunch of (well, 5) old Pentiums w/o monitors, keyboards, or network connections. To update buff-in.rc5 and buff-out.rc5, every so often I'll insert a boot disk with a couple copy commands in the autoexec.bat file and reboot the computer. I know that rebooting will cause the current work unit to be lost, but I'll be using large enough buffers that I'll only have to update once a week or less. Upon rebooting, the autoexec.bat file will load and proceed to move the buff-out.rc5 file from the hard disk to the floppy (so I can upload it through another client), and overwrite the remainder of the buff-in.rc5 with a fresh chunk of work. Then autoexec.bat will re-launch the client and I can remove the diskette.

My question is, since I'll be updating the buff-in.rc5 (overwriting the old one), will this cause any undesireable effects? According to Distributed.net, they will reissue any keys that are not processed after 90 days, but are there any side effects?

I don't suppose there are any problems with moving the buff-out.rc5 from each Pentium (leaving no buff-out.rc5 in the client directory)?

 

[RaySun2Be]

Bigjon,
You don't have to overwrite the in buffers. Rename the new in buffer to buff-ina.rc5 or something different than the regular name, copy it to the distributed.net folder, then type in:

DNETC.EXE -IMPORT BUFF-INA.RC5

This will import the new buff-in blocks to the buff-in.rc5 file without having to overwrite the buffer file and potentially lose blocks.

 

[bigjon]

Cool - I'll check to make sure the DOS client supports -import.

 

[bigjon]

Thanks, it worked!

Now, is there a way to merge output buffers? It seems there should be since I've heard so much talk about local proxies collecting and uploading a networks' worth of work.

 

[xrayman]

bigjon,
All I do is create a pair of folders on a floppy called 'inbuff' and 'outbuff'. Then I configure each client (machine) to fetch/flush to A:\inbuff or outbuff. I also have additional folders for extra inbuffs as spares to use when Dnet keyservers go down - this doesn't happen as often as it used too. It works for me ...
I think Polo has a neat way of doing this stuff with a special sneakernetting config he wrote, but I haven't tried it. I'm sure someone here can give you the link to his page if you want to try that.


Geoff

 

[sciencewhiz]

here is the link to Polo's program. I haven't used it either, but it doesn't look like it will run for you because it runs in windows.

 

[Joe O]

bigjon, Yes there is a way to merge ouput buffers. Instead of moving the output buffer to the floppy, run the client on the floppy, and import the buff-out file. eg A:\DNETC.EXE -import C:\DNET\buff-out.RC5 to the floppy. If your directory on the hard drive is not C:\DNET then substitute whatever it is in the above line.
Then on your computer with the internet access you can run (in the client directory) DNETC.EXE A:\buff-out.RC5 to get the output buffer from the floppy to the computer. Good Luck!

 

[bigjon]

xrayman I like that idea - I wouldn't have to reboot the computer to freshen buffers either! Just pop it out and stick in a fresh disk every so often. Then from my main computer I could import the buff-in.rc5 back into my main client's buff-in.rc5, and I could update the buff-out.rc5 easily enough.

That makes a lot more sense than using a batch file to do all the work

Joe O, I'm not sure I follow you - what is the difference between A:\DNETC.EXE -import C:\DNET\buff-out.RC5 and c:\rc5\DNETC.EXE A:\buff-out.rc5? Does the first command add the A:\buff-out.rc5 to the c:\rc5\buff-out.rc5 file and exit? Does the second command actually move the buffer, or does it just send its output to A:\buff-out.rc5 instead of C:\rc5?

 

[Joe O]

I knew that I should have put it in two messages. The first command actually takes the C:\DNET\buff-out.RC5 and merges it to the A:\buff-out.RC5 file. You do this on each machine that you are harvesting the buff-out files from. Then you go the the machine that will actually connect to the internet and run the second command. This will take the A:\buff-out.RC5 file on the floppy and merge it to its own buff-out.RC5 file.

This was just to let you know that the -import command will also work on buff-out.RC5 files, as well as on buff-in.RC5 files. It was in answer to your question "is there a way to merge output buffers?"

The -import command will take the target file, figure out what it is, and merge it with its own file of the same type.