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World Community Grid Forums
Category: Support
Forum: Suggestions / Feedback
Thread: Enhanced Multi Core Support |
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Thread Status: Active Total posts in this thread: 10
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mls001
Cruncher Joined: Nov 6, 2009 Post Count: 2 Status: Offline Project Badges: 
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Hello,
Are there any thoughts about enhancing the processing options regarding multi-core support? Specifically I am wondering if it would be possible that instead of halting WCG processing when the machine user is active, WCG processing continues but is limited to n [some number of] cores. Example, I recently upgraded from a dual core to an eight core machine. When I am not active on the machine, all eight cores all eligible to process WCG work. When I am active on the machine, zero WCG work is processed - even though several of the cores are available. Is it possible to set preferences such that WCG is able to use two or three cores if the machine user is active and all eight cores if not? I have looked through the options, but if there is a way to accomplish this, then I have missed it. Thank you, Mike |
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sk..
Master Cruncher http://s17.rimg.info/ccb5d62bd3e856cc0d1df9b0ee2f7f6a.gif Joined: Mar 22, 2007 Post Count: 2324 Status: Offline Project Badges: 
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I think this has been suggested in the past. Good idea, but it would need to be implemented through the Boinc Manager, so perhaps it would be better to ask at Berkeley.
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
Hi,
It's not possible presently in an automatic way, though this feature has been requested multiple times over at the Berkeley developers. What can be done is scripting this, making use of boinccmd and put them in shortcuts and then run each before and after your ''exclusive'' activity. What BOINC 6.10.58 has as a feature is to make it pause when your non-BOINC activity gets over a certain percentage, so if you do lighter stuff it continues to use all spare cycles, but if you do heavy stuff it just pauses. Let us know what direction would suite you and we'll work something out or point you to the appropriate FAQ. --//-- |
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mls001
Cruncher Joined: Nov 6, 2009 Post Count: 2 Status: Offline Project Badges:
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Hmmm. For me, I was hoping to find an automated way to maximize the WCG usage without needing to resort to any manual scripting activities.
I'm willing to accept your direction on this: If you think it would be benefical, I'd be more than happy to post the question again in a different forum. However, if you think that this option is already on someones list, I'd be happy to wait. Thanks, Mike |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
Hi mls001,
I just let BOINC use 100%. When I am on the computer, my processes have higher priority and supersede the WCG projects, which pauses (but stays in memory - LAIM option). If one of my processes waits for keyboard input, the paused project runs. This automatically uses 100% of my CPU cores. The only problem is this can cause noticeably slower response to the keyboard, but I was used to that with the old single core CPUsw. Lawrence |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
Some dig, there is a change/feature request "without" timetable.
http://boinc.berkeley.edu/trac/wiki/PrefsRemodel As eluded, there are multiple ways to skin this cat, many features there already such as the "suspend BOINC when user needs lots" and scripting this. I can imagine how to put the script into a program startup sequence so it changes cores permission when for instance loading WOW, and it reversing this when WOW is exited. No timetable could mean in past: "come back in a couple of years", but who knows... Watson won and WCG donated a portion of the winnings to Berkeley development of BOINC... based on a grant request, and certainly with a few features to add :D cheers |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
Practically, as I do not seem to find a direct instructing function for boinccmd, a shortcut/launcher that points to a sequence in the rough form:
1. Copy a global_prefs_override.xml with cores % pref over into the BOINC datadir. 2. Let boinccmd read the global_prefs_override.xml to set the cores. 3. Launch %Program% 4. Wait state until %Program% exits 5. Copy another global_prefs_override.xml with 100% processor setting into BOINC Data_dir 6. Let boinccmd read the global_prefs_override.xml to set the cores. 7. Exit. Something similar was worked out in past with another member. --//-- |
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sk..
Master Cruncher http://s17.rimg.info/ccb5d62bd3e856cc0d1df9b0ee2f7f6a.gif Joined: Mar 22, 2007 Post Count: 2324 Status: Offline Project Badges:
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I think if this is done through Boinc it would need to be combined with the option to run some tasks in preference over others. For example CEP2 as default Boinc settings are not favourable to that project (and others such as yoyo and RNA). This might even require that the WCG projects can be handled separately by Boinc (not likely).
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ElrondPA
Cruncher Joined: Apr 27, 2007 Post Count: 10 Status: Offline Project Badges:
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Note that BOINC may be suspending operations because you've set your threshold too low for processor usage in the Device Profile. In the Advanced Settings of the Device Profile, there's a setting:
Suspend work if CPU usage is above % of cpu With an 8-core computer and one fully used, BOINC should keep going as long as this number is above 15%. With fewer cores, you'd need the percentage to be higher. (Windows calculates CPU usage for the whole computer, so if you're fully utilizing one core and the other 7 are idle, your usage is 12.5%.) With my quad-core computer, I can run an app that saturates one core, and BOINC continues on the other 3. (I've set this suspend number to 55%, but also tested it at 25% and BOINC still operated with one core maxed.) With so many cores, I'd think you'd still get good response from your computer with a 75% or higher number. |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
This doesn't address the question directly, but I have all of my settings in device manger and preferences maxed out, so that my pc is crunching 100% of the time 24/7. Partially I wanted to see what the highest results returned and points I could hit in a 24 hour period. I also wanted to see what effect BIONIC running at 100% would have while I am working/playing on the pc. I've been able to play Call of Duty Black Ops on max settings with no problems. I have also been able to use Photoshop for light editing, and again with no problems or delays. According to AIDA 64, all 8 threads are running at 100% all of the time. Core temps stay around 61*C +/-2*
I have an Intel i7-920 oc'd to 3.57ghz(21*170), 12gb ddr1600 ram 8-8-8-22, 2-5870 video cards in crossfire. |
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