Win 8 & DC discussion thread

[petrusbroder]

Let us use this thread to discuss problems, features, speed, RAM-requirements and what-ever comes to mind when crunching DC-projects using computers with Win 8.

I have today downloaded and installed Win 8 Pro on one of my crunchers. I am using the latest BOINC-version (7.0.28, 64-bit) and running WCG, Einstein@home, LHC, Seti and Collatz.
The computer is an i7-860 running @ 3.4 GHz on an ASUS-mobo (forget which ... ), 6 GByte of RAM and two Radeon 7850 GPUs. A standard 1.5TB HDD and DVD-RW.
As of the last 3 hours no problems at all; all WUs have gone through well and I have the impression that the crunching time for each WU is not so much different.

 

[Rattledagger]

Hmm, was under the impression you'll need atleast BOINC v7.0.31 to not run into problems with win8, and personally I would recommend to use v7.0.36 until something better is released.

 

[petrusbroder]

Well, it may be so ... but for the past 12 hours no problems yet ...
I'll update the BOINC probably later today.

 

[petrusbroder]

OK, I have run BOINC version 7.0.28 without any problems for 28 hours. MilkyWay, LHC, WCG all worked. I have noted the following:
I have had more errors than usually om MilkyWay - usually I have none - now I have had som 50 WUs with errors. OTOH more WUs than that have completed correctly.
I have had no errors on WCG, and LHC, both of which have completed a number WUs.
The computer has not yet reported any Seti-WUs, but that will come in time ...

I have now upgraded to version 7.0.31 and will run that for a time ...

 

[Plimogz]

when was the last time you checked up your MW@H WUs and errors? because they've been generating quite a few errors for a while now -- upwards of a couple of weeks, iirc. Before this I virtually never had erroneous WUs, but for a little while there have been regular errors.

Sunny129 has a thread about it on the first page of the DC forum.

 

[Sunny129]

yep...no worries Peter - your Milkyway errors are not Windows 8 related, nor are they unique to you. if you look closely at your errors, you'll note that all your wingmen's tasks are erroring out too.

 

[petrusbroder]

I am aware of the MW-errors, but statistically looking, the errors seem to be more frequent in the Win8-computer. OTOH, that may have been a random variation too ...

Anyhow, all other projects show no problems at all ... as it should be, I think.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

I have a general question, of which I have not been able to find out otherwise. Is there any reason for WIndows 8, sans touch-screen setups? It is incompatible with VMware, so I haven't been able to setup a VM with it, and I refuse to replace my desktop config (win7) just to try it. I do have Hyper-V running on my server now though, so I might try it on there. But so far, Windows 8 seems rather pointless, unless I am missing something.

 

[biodoc]

I have a general question, of which I have not been able to find out otherwise. Is there any reason for WIndows 8, sans touch-screen setups? It is incompatible with VMware, so I haven't been able to setup a VM with it, and I refuse to replace my desktop config (win7) just to try it. I do have Hyper-V running on my server now though, so I might try it on there. But so far, Windows 8 seems rather pointless, unless I am missing something.

There have been some changes "under the hood".

http://www.extremetech.com/computin...y-desktop-users-should-upgrade-from-windows-7

If you don't like the tablet style desktop, you can install this app: http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

Works great as it bypasses the "tablet desktop" to a "normal" desktop and adds a classic start menu which can be customized.

 

[Philippart]

There have been some changes "under the hood".

http://www.extremetech.com/computin...y-desktop-users-should-upgrade-from-windows-7

If you don't like the tablet style desktop, you can install this app: http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

Works great as it bypasses the "tablet desktop" to a "normal" desktop and adds a classic start menu which can be customized.

I am using Start8 for a few weeks now and I can really recommend it http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/

And yes, even though my laptop is non-touch and I don't like the new interface, windows 8 has benefits. I really like the fast wakeup/start, the new taskmanager and the battery life improved by a lot.

I am however still batteling with their apps, skype, web browsers, weather app on permanent full screen does not allow multitasking. I have uninstalled almost all of them...

 

[biodoc]

Win 8 and Hyper-V: anyone tried this? Since the F@H holiday race is coming up, I may set up an Ubuntu VM for smp folding.

http://www.servethehome.com/install-windows-8-hyper-v-3-minutes/

http://www.servethehome.com/run-ubuntu-windows-8-hyper-v-quickly/

 

[biodoc]

Win 8 and Hyper-V: anyone tried this? Since the F@H holiday race is coming up, I may set up an Ubuntu VM for smp folding.

http://www.servethehome.com/install-windows-8-hyper-v-3-minutes/

http://www.servethehome.com/run-ubuntu-windows-8-hyper-v-quickly/

Couldn't get the VM and host to share ethernet connection so I gave up and installed Virtualbox which works fine (Ubuntu 12.04 LTS 64-bit).