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SOB is poorly written, looking for a new DC

A

amcdonald

Diamond Member
I'm getting ready to switch over to another DC project...
I can't run SOB on ANY of my computers without it hogging resources and rendering computers useless.
I'm giving up on it.
Any new DC's out there or an anandtech team that needs support?
I want something that can run unnoticed, both ostensibly and in using system resources.
 
Wich I could say that D2OL runs unnoticed, but it doesn't unless you want to load a program that will allow it to run as a service, but I wouldn't recommend that 🙁

Geoff
 
I've not had any problems with SoB on any of my 4 computers, apart from when I set the priority to Low by mistake rather than Idle.

I've got it using about 10mb of RAM, and I've not had any problems with any programs, no games.

There is a program that someone has made to install SoB as a service, check the link in the stats thread for yesterday, or the link that'll be in the stats tonight, if you want to run it un-noticed.

I'm sorry that you've been having problems with it, and hope you solve the problem, but if you wish to move onto another project, then good luck with it 🙂


Garry
 
Yea I've tried running it as a service.
Its not that I mind the systray icon, its the system performance thats unacceptable.
Whenever SOB is running my computers go from acting like high-end workstations to p2 boxes.
I'm just tired of turning it off when I want to browse the internet. Its that bad.
This is a uniform occurance on all the machines I've put it on.
Also the program craps out seemingly at random and won't even restart itself.
I've got high-end servers on a t-1 that quit processing over night when there is no other activity on the system.
I could have at least a constant 1.5m rate if the program was written well.
I don't understand why the program can't be written to not overpower basic system processes.
 
I have a 2GHz AthlonXP, and a 2.93GHz P4, and they feel like those speed, whether SoB, Seti, or nothing is running on them.

Unless of course any systems are overclocked to the point of instability, and the work that SoB does just pushes them over the edge.

As I said, the only time i've had slowdowns on any of these systems while running SoB, is while I have the priority set to Normal or Low. Setting it to Idle, and I can't tell one way or another whether it is running.

Garry
 
Is this the SMP version you're using? Or the Linux or BSD version? I've heard they're substantially buggier than the normal Windows version. For most projects, I'd say you could try running two instances of the single-processor client, but that only works in Linux here.

If all else fails, go complain to the program's creator on this forum. Maybe he can help.
 
I'm running all windows-based systems... server - advanced server - 2000 pro - xp pro
I've brought up stability issues on the forum.
I know most people don't have problems, so maybe I'm just unlucky.
 
If you do change projects, we could do with your help on the Folding@Home team, we're currently dropping in the rankings 🙁
 
I haven't had any problems with SoB hogging resources except when I had the priority set to normal. I now have it set to low and it works fine. I have used the regular and SMP versions of the windows client.

Maybe if we had details about what it is doing and how the configuration is set we could help figure out what is going on. BTW I checked on the SoB forum to try and get details on the problem but couldn't find any posts from you, maybe a different name.
 
I have put SOB on idle and normal and the output was the same when nothing else is running.
I cant play games when set to normal but I can when set to idle.
Running SOB on K6-2/400, Duron 800 and 900 with win98SE, ATHLON 1600+XP with XP PRO and no problems yet.

amcdonald, try different projects and see which one is best for you.
Also, best wishes!!



🙂
 
Baldy, I had posted this thread awhile back.
As for the configuration, there isn't much to configure.
I currently run sob on 5 p1.8 machines, 1 dualxeon, and a 2100+ oc'ed
All of these have the same performance issue.
The issue is that no matter wether they are set to idle or normal, they significantly slow down the computer.
I don't let anything run besides system services (except on the servers), but SOB still insists on taking more resources than what anyone should consider negligible. Without fail, if I leave a system running SOB and come back to it,I abosultely HAVE to stop sob in order to load something into memory. System response time slows to a near hang. This isn't as dynamic when I let it run while using the computer, but its still easily noticed while running simple office apps and performance degrades over time.
What I would like to know is how this program slows down a server running SQL2000, when it is supposed to be on idle. SQL server is about the most demanding program you can put on a machine.
I'll just chalk this up to bad programming and find a new project. For some reason I get to see all the bad sides of this program (idle sucks, can't connect to server, havign to restart the program severaltimes a week)
If the next sob client fixes this, I'd be glad to install it.
 
Sorry to see your current project isn't working out well for you, but if you can't get these issues resolved, and do decide to switch to something else, please consider Folding@Home, as Team AnandTech (#198) is currently dropping in the team rankings rather quickly (we went from 18 not too many months ago to 21 now, and the end of our decrease is not yet in sight). 🙁

More info...
 
Nah, nah, nah....

amcdonald,

How about joining the Muon1 project ? 😉

We've just moved one spot up and gaining on the next team. Youre help would be much in need for a faster rise 🙂🙂🙂
 
My guess is that the problems you are experiencing are due to priority issues.

Mathguy is already implementing the ability to set the client to an even lower priority. Clients such as DF use this low (lower than the default "idle" priority) to avoid interfering with certain types of applications. Outlook's scheduler is a typicaly culprit as are certain types of applications.

Even if you run another project, when Mathguy gets his new version of the service package completed it would be GREAT if you could try it out and switch the priority to the max lowest level and see if that solves your problems. There are several problems with the client that are very intermittent and the only way to really track them down is with good bug reporting.

DF uses an ultra-low priority (we went through the same thing and finally the project manager was convinced to lower the default priority to the extremely low level and it solved people's problems) and has a great native service install. The current client is relatively no-net friendly but the newer, in progress client is a bit less no-net friendly, if that is an issue.

Either way, good luck and hopefully these problems will be ironed out so that SoB can continue to attract new users rather than chasing them off when they tire of client hassles. 🙂

MAD-ness

Team Prime Rib
 
I think the problem is related to the mshtml.dll file and the winiet.dll file
Did a search in MS Knowledgebase for both of those files and
they are known to have issues in situations where a client is used.
they even offer examples of code as to how to write to avoid problems.

Articles : Q266343 ,Q238425 ,Q315466 should offer a good start to "stabilization".
 
Thanks for endulging me amcdonald. Sorry I haven't been able to figure out what is going on with your clients.

A new version of the service from Mathguy with a lower priority setting would surely fix this. I use his current service install and it is magnificent.
 
MathGuy's new Service pack

A quick summary of improvements:

1. ability to automatically restart service at a fixed time each day (principally a workaround for the "socket grabbing" problem)

2. ability to automatically restart any client that crashes (I've never had it happen, but some have)

3. ability to automatically restart any client that stalls or hangs (same comment as #2).

4. ability to run client worker threads at true lowest possible priority (not generally recommended, but some have a need for this).

----------

If this could be useful to you then swing by the official forums at the thread provided and get it straight from the horse's mouth (as well as a link to the package itself).

I will pass along the MS Knowledge Base info, thanks for digging that up.

MAD-ness

Team Prime Rib
 
Wish somebody would come out with a Win9x patch that does these things. I will never touch XP. NT4 and W2K are not really too my liking, but I do not own any of them to install.
 
Originally posted by: SinfulWeeper
Wish somebody would come out with a Win9x patch that does these things. I will never touch XP. NT4 and W2K are not really too my liking, but I do not own any of them to install.
Click to expand...
Please move away from Win9x and go into Win2K. You'll be much happier. It's so much more stable. The only reason to run Win9x is apps that will not run under Win2K+.

PS - It's 2003 😉 😛

 
Yeah I wouldn't touch XP until SP1 came out. Now it is the best Windows OS I've ever used (after getting rid of all the pretty stuff of course🙂).
 
Many of the "problems" or lacking features are addressed by the standard client, when in Win9x.

You don't have multiple users, you don't have the potential for more than two CPUs, etc.

That said, being able to run the Win9x client with a monitoring app that would do some of the newer service package app features would be nice.

Be nicer if the client was simply 'fixed.' 😉
 
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