World Community Grid - View Thread - BOINC: Overclockers Beware!

Whilst there's in principle nothing wrong with overclocking the CPU and other parts of a computer to get more work done, it is the overclocker that has to be aware that the science applications are not equally susceptible to the very exact timing of the different system components, e.g. the data exchange between the CPU and the cache, RAM, and virtual memory.

In a recent case members were incurring a error -195 on the Drug Search for Leishmaniasis (DSFL), and one member discovered [visit this post] and thanked for sharing this finding, that when setting the CPU back to stock / manufacturer default, the results came out perfectly.

This may not be the complete answer to a frequent science specific failure, but it serves to be aware if suddenly that *rock solid* host starts producing bad results. Something could be off or burned. The hotter it gets (and over-clocking does add), the more chance arises that electrons will start to move in unpredictable ways, unimpeded cooling critical, to include that hosts running 24/7 do get their frequent cleaning service on filters, fans, cooling elements and motherboard, in short the whole system. Careful and thoughtful, not using a broom, but a fine painters brush on the delicate electronics, making sure to be statically isolated as when charged, that can damage the microchips. Instructions easily found on the Internet will help to lead the way, reading the friendly manual before being the best advise for the not so experienced in this field.

Related Topics:
TThrottle, automated temperature regulated processing control of BOINC on Windows.

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