F@H: Some huge Animals in the wild

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: GLeeM
Edit: Oops, Insidious got in before me. This should have been before his.

Before rebooting, shut the console client down with control + c, this will save a checkpoint and close the client nicely.

If the FAHlog.txt file is over 50KB at restart of client it is saved as FAHlog-Prev.txt and a new FAHlog.txt file is created.

If a WU early ends, what is there is sent in and you get credit for what is done!

I'm running the gui, though when version 5 comes up and setting up services is easier I may switch it. The GUI is nice and easy to have load on startup for machines that I never visit. I quit F@H before I rebooted the machine, so I assumed that would be okay - any special precautions for shutting down the GUI version? If it's configured as a service will it shut down properly when the machine does? It didn't send anything in when it couldn't continue - it just deleted the work unit and 'called in' for a new one.

I'll see if I can find the old log - does it only keep 2 (current plus one old one)?

I'm using the -forcesse flag only on my AXP machines (and -forceasm on my P3) - do I need to use forceasm for AXP as well?

 

[GLeeM]

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie

I'm running the gui, though when version 5 comes up and setting up services is easier I may switch it. The GUI is nice and easy to have load on startup for machines that I never visit. I quit F@H before I rebooted the machine, so I assumed that would be okay - any special precautions for shutting down the GUI version?

No, it should've played nice!

If it's configured as a service will it shut down properly when the machine does?

I don't know, sorry.

It didn't send anything in when it couldn't continue - it just deleted the work unit and 'called in' for a new one.
I'll see if I can find the old log - does it only keep 2 (current plus one old one)?

It only keeps two and no way of changing size. I think I remember reading about another file that keeps track of the last ten WUs.

I'm using the -forcesse flag only on my AXP machines (and -forceasm on my P3) - do I need to use forceasm for AXP as well?

Not for v4.

Looks like you are doing everything right. It irks me when you do everything right and you still lose work. It happens to everybody eventually. I don't even check WUs anymore, crunch 'em, send 'em, crunch some more!

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: GLeeM

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie
If it's configured as a service will it shut down properly when the machine does?

I don't know, sorry.

Yes, it will (should) save work properly when closed down, whether GUI, CLI, or CLI-as-a-service. I've not had any troubles that way when not overclocked to an extreme. The only time I've lost work due to shutdown is during power outages where something got corrupted.

 

[GLeeM]

Originally posted by: Insidious
I was kind of surprised too! Here is the beginning of the logfile for the slow machine:

--- Opening Log file [July 31 13:15:24]
[13:15:57] Completed 648610 out of 1000000 steps (64)

I wish you had included the next line, it should read: "Extra SSE boost OK."
You've forced it on so it should be there.

I checked some timings I made and I had a couple p736: 132 & 134 ppd
Other WUs from same server:
p724 - 142 ppd
p729 - 160
p731 - 181
p724 - 144
p730 - 163
p731 - 160
p730 - 158

They do vary.

Once I had a WU that took more than twice as long than others of the same p*** number. Someone suggested it was an "event".

Thanks

 

[dawks]

Is the CLI client much faster then the GUI one? Even when the GUI is always in the tray and never maximized?

Whats the program that will allow me to install the CLI as a service, Firedaemon?

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: DaZ
Is the CLI client much faster then the GUI one? Even when the GUI is always in the tray and never maximized?

Whats the program that will allow me to install the CLI as a service, Firedaemon?

Not really; as long as the GUI is minimized, there will hardly be a noticeable difference.

FireDaemon can install the CLI as a service, at least for a few days until the v5 client is out, which can install itself as a service with no helper programs required.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: GLeeM
It happens to everybody eventually. I don't even check WUs anymore, crunch 'em, send 'em, crunch some more!

Thanks for the help - I wonder if the hdd is the problem - it's a little on the old side. Still, I've restarted the computer several times and never had a problem. Oh well.

 

[Insidious]

Originally posted by: GLeeM

Originally posted by: Insidious
I was kind of surprised too! Here is the beginning of the logfile for the slow machine:

--- Opening Log file [July 31 13:15:24]
[13:15:57] Completed 648610 out of 1000000 steps (64)

I wish you had included the next line, it should read: "Extra SSE boost OK."
You've forced it on so it should be there.

I checked some timings I made and I had a couple p736: 132 & 134 ppd
Other WUs from same server:
p724 - 142 ppd
p729 - 160
p731 - 181
p724 - 144
p730 - 163
p731 - 160
p730 - 158

They do vary.

Once I had a WU that took more than twice as long than others of the same p*** number. Someone suggested it was an "event".

Thanks

Sorry for the delayed reply:... the Extra SSE boost OK line was not present for this work unit.

As a side note, the next WU is working at a speed (PPD) that is very similar to my other machine. I would tend to chalk this one up to an *event* as well as mentioned earlier in this thread. Overall, I have very similar PPDs from most of the WUs... I just mentioned that one because it was sooooo far out of whack.

I really appreciate everyone's time trying to understand this.... it certainly was a "no biggie" but I was curious.

-Sid

 

[GLeeM]

Originally posted by: DaZ
Is the CLI client much faster then the GUI one? Even when the GUI is always in the tray and never maximized?

Whats the program that will allow me to install the CLI as a service, Firedaemon?

Welcome, DaZ, to TA Folding@Home!

They both use the same core to do the work. If the GUI is showing with animations, that will use some cycles that will not then be available to the core.

If you need help or have any other questions, please ask.

@3chordcharlie
Have you had bad clusters (or whatever) on the hard drive?
If you keep having problems, please let us know, surely someone here could help troubleshoot!

@Insidious
Was the Extra SSE boost OK line in the faster WU? I thought it was standard for Gromacs.
Thanks for posting about this, it shows newer people that this happens sometimes.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: GLeeM

@3chordcharlie
Have you had bad clusters (or whatever) on the hard drive?
If you keep having problems, please let us know, surely someone here could help troubleshoot!

thanks - this would be the first occurence of actual data loss with the drive, but I'm pretty sure I should replace it. I'm thinking now it may not have been the f@h client's fault at all.

 

[GLeeM]

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie

Originally posted by: GLeeM

@3chordcharlie
Have you had bad clusters (or whatever) on the hard drive?
If you keep having problems, please let us know, surely someone here could help troubleshoot!

thanks - this would be the first occurence of actual data loss with the drive, but I'm pretty sure I should replace it. I'm thinking now it may not have been the f@h client's fault at all.

I don't know if I would give up on the drive yet. Give it a little more time. (If you have valuable data on it I would back it up though). I've seen where bad spots on a disk cascade across it, hitting all kinds of files. If you only have problem with F@H then it is probably certain WUs.

Do you overclock at all? There have been WUs that don't do well on an overclocked system.

 

[dawks]

Originally posted by: jliechty

Originally posted by: DaZ
Is the CLI client much faster then the GUI one? Even when the GUI is always in the tray and never maximized?

Whats the program that will allow me to install the CLI as a service, Firedaemon?

Not really; as long as the GUI is minimized, there will hardly be a noticeable difference.

FireDaemon can install the CLI as a service, at least for a few days until the v5 client is out, which can install itself as a service with no helper programs required.

Yes, I just noticed about the new client shortly after making my post here.

I look forward to that feature! Services are so much fun.

 

[dawks]

Originally posted by: GLeeM

Originally posted by: DaZ
Is the CLI client much faster then the GUI one? Even when the GUI is always in the tray and never maximized?

Whats the program that will allow me to install the CLI as a service, Firedaemon?

Welcome, DaZ, to TA Folding@Home!

They both use the same core to do the work. If the GUI is showing with animations, that will use some cycles that will not then be available to the core.

If you need help or have any other questions, please ask.

@3chordcharlie
Have you had bad clusters (or whatever) on the hard drive?
If you keep having problems, please let us know, surely someone here could help troubleshoot!

@Insidious
Was the Extra SSE boost OK line in the faster WU? I thought it was standard for Gromacs.
Thanks for posting about this, it shows newer people that this happens sometimes.

Danke.

My F@H thread in OT needs some support though!

linked

 

[3chordcharlie]

The system was previously OC'd (Athlon MP 1.2ghz) but was running at stock speed for several days when the problem happened.

It's an factory unlocked palomino core that should probably be good for 1.5ghz or so, but doesn't seem to like more than 1.3ghz. Maybe it's reluctance to OC has something to do with the $5 speeze fan I put on it!!! (It runs fairly cool at stock speeds though)

 

[trevinom]

The only time I ever lose the data, it seems, is when the checkpoint is saved with funky data. It writes funky data into the log and then it feezes. I have no choice but to reboot the machine and when it comes up, it says there was a problem with the data and restarts the WU.

 

[JoeKing]

Wow guys my laptop with an Athlon 64 3000+ has been working on a p693_L939_WT_Nat TINKER unit the last few days. It's taking about 30-40 mins to do one frame! Oh well at least it's worth 244 points, and the simulation seems to be very interesting.

 

[GLeeM]

Originally posted by: JoeKing
Wow guys my laptop with an Athlon 64 3000+ has been working on a p693_L939_WT_Nat TINKER unit the last few days. It's taking about 30-40 mins to do one frame! Oh well at least it's worth 244 points, and the simulation seems to be very interesting.

Hello JoeKing
Your Athlon64 should do better than that on that Tinker (I think)
Leaving the animated simulation running will slow it down some, but not that much!
Check Task Manager to see what percent of your processor FahCore_65.exe is using. If you aren't running anything else, it should be using about 99%.

I would guess Athlon64 3000+ should finish that WU in less than two days, probably much less.

Thanks

 

[JoeKing]

I think I may have been exagerating, it looks as though it takes about 10 min to do a frame. I've been splitting my efforts with this machine between folding and lifemappers, so I've been seeing the same unit for a few days. Just not putting in the processing time. I should be finishing up this unit somtime tonight. I'm just not use to it taking so long