deleted duplicate post

Edit your post and change it to two spaces. It will magically vanish. Not sure why the forum software doesn't just have a delete button.

Every time I check server status it always says around 10,000, so I'm not sure how it's ever running out.

There are usually 10k WUs inthe database waiting to go out, but users don't talk directly to the DB. Instead, when you request work, you ask the scheduler/feeder system, which contains a buffer pool of WUs that it keeps in shared memory waiting to go out. So this pool can be empty, but there are still plenty of jobs in the DB, and you won't be able to get work until that pool fills back up.

Seems like the feeder is sleeping too long to feed the buffer. I would suggest reducing the amount of time the feeder sleeps for.

I remember seeing this setting somewhere in the server code, but can't remember where. I might try to dig around for it tomorrow.

Just installed an R9 280X last night, and it has run dry several times already!

Those cards are wonderful, I have 6. Not sure what MW is going to do when they've all expired and everyone uses the modern pitiful ones without much DP.

yep

I just bought two R9 Nanos at a stupidly low price (auctions on Ebay are very cheap compared to Buy It Now). Twice the speed for everything else, half the speed for MW. So my 6 280X cards are going to be on MW permanently (well until they go bang - I had one a long time ago that managed to explode a surface mount capacitor. That made quite a stench).

Every time I check server status it always says around 10,000, so I'm not sure how it's ever running out.

There are usually 10k WUs inthe database waiting to go out, but users don't talk directly to the DB. Instead, when you request work, you ask the scheduler/feeder system, which contains a buffer pool of WUs that it keeps in shared memory waiting to go out. So this pool can be empty, but there are still plenty of jobs in the DB, and you won't be able to get work until that pool fills back up.

Is it possible to make this buffer bigger? Maybe a RAM upgrade or a change of the server settings? If you need cash, we're willing to donate, please put the donation request on the home page. A lot of people don't know about it.

Seems like the feeder is sleeping too long to feed the buffer. I would suggest reducing the amount of time the feeder sleeps for.

I remember seeing this setting somewhere in the server code, but can't remember where. I might try to dig around for it tomorrow.

You'd likely find this in the config.xml file: https://boinc.berkeley.edu/trac/wiki/ProjectConfigFile

Documentation is here if you need it: https://boinc.berkeley.edu/trac/wiki/ProjectOptions and here https://boinc.berkeley.edu/trac/wiki/ProjectDaemons

Or the other place you'd find it is in the service files for the project, command line switch documentation is here: https://boinc.berkeley.edu/trac/wiki/BackendPrograms

?????

The server is broken, nobody knows why, sometimes it can't be bothered giving you tasks even though they're there in the queue. For some reason you hid your computers so I can't tell what OS to advise you on.


Are you sure you can't view my computers??? I thought I sat it up so everyone could see them a long time ago. Now I can't figure out where to look to make sure it's set that way.

Just installed an R9 280X last night, and it has run dry several times already!

Those cards are wonderful, I have 6. Not sure what MW is going to do when they've all expired and everyone uses the modern pitiful ones without much DP.

yep

I just bought two R9 Nanos at a stupidly low price (auctions on Ebay are very cheap compared to Buy It Now). Twice the speed for everything else, half the speed for MW. So my 6 280X cards are going to be on MW permanently (well until they go bang - I had one a long time ago that managed to explode a surface mount capacitor. That made quite a stench).

Yep. R9 nano is 512 Gflops, while R9 280x is 1024. Strangely enough, tech power up GPU data base shows the 280x at 60% of the performance of the R9 nano. I've blown up radial lead and axial lead caps before, but never surface mount. That would be a personal best for me!

?????

The server is broken, nobody knows why, sometimes it can't be bothered giving you tasks even though they're there in the queue. For some reason you hid your computers so I can't tell what OS to advise you on.


Are you sure you can't view my computers??? I thought I sat it up so everyone could see them a long time ago. Now I can't figure out where to look to make sure it's set that way.

I think the person who posted that had tried to look at the computers of the person (spatzthecat, whose computers are hidden) who added the row of question-marks, and to whom he replied. I can see your computers if I go via the account link in your profile, so you're o.k. as is...

Cheers - Al.

?????

The server is broken, nobody knows why, sometimes it can't be bothered giving you tasks even though they're there in the queue. For some reason you hid your computers so I can't tell what OS to advise you on.


Are you sure you can't view my computers??? I thought I sat it up so everyone could see them a long time ago. Now I can't figure out where to look to make sure it's set that way.

go to project>preferences. it's the 5th check box down. I can see your computers. This question is now a candidate for the(hopefully upcoming) MW user guide.

I haven't been getting any work for hours. Run dry.

ps.... could someone please confirm this app config is still correct? I'm unsure about the modified fit part.

<app_config>
<app>
<name>milkyway</name>
<max_concurrent>16</max_concurrent>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>0.33</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.2</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
<app>
<name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit</name>
<max_concurrent>16</max_concurrent>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>0.33</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.2</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
</app_config>

---

Check your "Event log ..." in "Tools" !
And look in "Notices" !

It seems, to me, that there is no ".....modified_fit" application.

You are probably not getting any GPU-Separation tasks because the are none to be sent.
Keep on trying.
Do update or re-start Boinc - but wait a while after each action.

Hi!
Yes, its an old config and might not be relevant anymore. I'm not 100% sure.
Log shows no work retrieved. It is asking for work though.
Restart of pc made no difference. No work on all pc's now. I'm sending 1 gpu over where it excels best.... Primegrid.
I'll just maintain some patience :)

---

My current app_configs:

<!-- Z600 milkyway -->
<app_config>
<app>
<name>milkyway</name>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>1.0</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>1.0</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
<max_concurrent>11</max_concurrent>
</app>

<app_version>
<app_name>milkyway</app_name>
</app_version>

<app_version>
<app_name>milkyway</app_name>
<plan_class>opencl_nvidia_101</plan_class>
</app_version>

</app_config>

<!-- Z600B milkyway -->
<app_config>
<app>
<name>milkyway</name>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>1.0</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.5</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
<project_max_concurrent>5</project_max_concurrent>
</app_config>

---

The server is broken, nobody knows why, sometimes it can't be bothered giving you tasks even though they're there in the queue. For some reason you hid your computers so I can't tell what OS to advise you on.

Are you sure you can't view my computers??? I thought I sat it up so everyone could see them a long time ago. Now I can't figure out where to look to make sure it's set that way.

I can see yours, it was spatzthecat I couldn't see.

Yep. R9 nano is 512 Gflops, while R9 280x is 1024. Strangely enough, tech power up GPU data base shows the 280x at 60% of the performance of the R9 nano. I've blown up radial lead and axial lead caps before, but never surface mount. That would be a personal best for me!

Not sure where you got 60% from (an average they took of DP/SP with a benchmark?), but I checked the 32 and 64 bit speeds on techpowerup (the site I always use, and have made a spreadsheet from the info for many cards) and got:
280X: 4096/1024 Gflops
Nano: 8192/512 Gflops
So exactly double/half speed. Which is very odd considering it uses half the electricity and has the same nm die. Maybe the higher power usage for 280X is only on DP mode (they do get louder on MW)

It was a lot of dust on some surface mount caps, on the back side of the card, no cooling whatsoever, not even a draught from a case fan. There was a loud pop and dust and cap flew everywhere. It refused to be recognised by the computer after that. I remember posting pictures of it, maybe in an electronics forum, trying to work out how to repair it. The caps were near the power input. I can't remember if I fixed it or not, I think I managed to bypass something or just shove a large cap in there (since I couldn't find out what size it should be).

I used to blow up big caps for a laugh as a teenager, outside, using a variac and diode to charge them to too high a voltage. Got one to fly up above roof height. If you seal any safety valve, it's more spectacular.

Now this is how to blow up a cap (using a very fast camera): https://youtu.be/6WUxgmMDts4

I haven't been getting any work for hours. Run dry.

ps.... could someone please confirm this app config is still correct? I'm unsure about the modified fit part.

<app_config>
<app>
<name>milkyway</name>
<max_concurrent>16</max_concurrent>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>0.33</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.2</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
<app>
<name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit</name>
<max_concurrent>16</max_concurrent>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>0.33</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.2</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
</app_config>

There are only two app names, "milkyway" (the seperation (also called modfit) one), and "milkyway_nbody" (the multicore nbody one for CPU only).

Remove all this, it doesn't do anything but won't be causing a problem:

<app>
<name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit</name>
<max_concurrent>16</max_concurrent>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>0.33</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>0.2</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>

The rest is correct, you're allowing up to 16 at once on the whole machine, three per GPU, and allocating a fifth of a CPU core per task.

Seems like the feeder is sleeping too long to feed the buffer. I would suggest reducing the amount of time the feeder sleeps for.

Either that or someone has just dumped a ton of tasks onto the server, and its working through validating all of them

The Boinc server software needs a complete rewrite. Looks like at the moment you have to fiddle with lots of numbers to make it work right. Kinda like a machine from the 50s. Please use your expertise and go to github and kick those "programmers" where the sun doesn't shine.

Part of it is still 32bit, just like the client, which doesn't help either!!

Seems like the feeder is sleeping too long to feed the buffer. I would suggest reducing the amount of time the feeder sleeps for.

Either that or someone has just dumped a ton of tasks onto the server, and its working through validating all of them

The Boinc server software needs a complete rewrite. Looks like at the moment you have to fiddle with lots of numbers to make it work right. Kinda like a machine from the 50s. Please use your expertise and go to github and kick those "programmers" where the sun doesn't shine.

Part of it is still 32bit, just like the client, which doesn't help either!!

... even having 64-bit, one can code sh*t ...

... or even better, having "only" 32-bit doesn't mean you are obliged to code sh*t !

Yep. R9 nano is 512 Gflops, while R9 280x is 1024. Strangely enough, tech power up GPU data base shows the 280x at 60% of the performance of the R9 nano. I've blown up radial lead and axial lead caps before, but never surface mount. That would be a personal best for me!

Not sure where you got 60% from (an average they took of DP/SP with a benchmark?), but I checked the 32 and 64 bit speeds on techpowerup (the site I always use, and have made a spreadsheet from the info for many cards) and got:
280X: 4096/1024 Gflops
Nano: 8192/512 Gflops
So exactly double/half speed. Which is very odd considering it uses half the electricity and has the same nm die. Maybe the higher power usage for 280X is only on DP mode (they do get louder on MW)

It was a lot of dust on some surface mount caps, on the back side of the card, no cooling whatsoever, not even a draught from a case fan. There was a loud pop and dust and cap flew everywhere. It refused to be recognised by the computer after that. I remember posting pictures of it, maybe in an electronics forum, trying to work out how to repair it. The caps were near the power input. I can't remember if I fixed it or not, I think I managed to bypass something or just shove a large cap in there (since I couldn't find out what size it should be).

I used to blow up big caps for a laugh as a teenager, outside, using a variac and diode to charge them to too high a voltage. Got one to fly up above roof height. If you seal any safety valve, it's more spectacular.

Now this is how to blow up a cap (using a very fast camera): https://youtu.be/6WUxgmMDts4

If you go to https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/radeon-r9-nano.c2735 and scroll up about 30 devices in the relative performance chart, you will see it.
Those boys with the very fast camera were having waaaay to much fun.