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  Thread: Server only presenting 32 cores to BOINC, not 64 cores.

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liontaur
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Server only presenting 32 cores to BOINC, not 64 cores.
I'm stress testing a couple of servers before deploying them. I did the same thing a couple of weeks ago with some similar but different servers (The ones from a few weeks ago were Poweredge R720 and the ones now are Poweredge R640). All of the servers have the same CPU config - dual Xeon Gold 6226R. All the severs are/were running a fresh install of Server 2019 standard with all Windows updates.

The servers i'm doing now only show 32 total cores in BOINC but Windows sees all 64 cores so half the cores are running tasks and the other half are doing nothing, hardly stress testing!

The servers I did a couple weeks ago showed all 64 cores in BOINC and ran tasks on all cores.

I'm struggling to find the issue. The only thing that I can see is that the servers from a couple weeks back showed the following in the detailed stats in BOINC Stats:
Number of CPU's (number of (virtual) cores) 32(64)
Coprocessor 7.16.11, (BOINC)
whereas the servers i'm doing now, show the following:
Number of CPU's (number of (virtual) cores) 16(32)
Coprocessor 7.14.3, (BOINC)

I'm not sure if this difference is because I had updated the firmware on the servers from a couple of weeks ago before running WCG and I didn't initially do the firmware upgrades on the the more recent servers before running WCG, but I have upgraded the firmware on one of the servers, reinstalled Windows Server 2019 and Windows updates, re-downloaded WCG and installed and it's still only running 32 cores in BOINC.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Mark
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Falconet
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Re: Server only presenting 32 cores to BOINC, not 64 cores.
Hmm I don't really know what is causing this but could you post the first 60 lines or so of the BOINC Event Log?
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- AMD Ryzen 5 1600AF 6C/12T 3.2 GHz - 85W
- AMD Ryzen 5 2500U 4C/8T 2.0 GHz - 28W
- AMD Ryzen 7 7730U 8C/16T 3.0 GHz
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[Edit 1 times, last edit by Falconet at Feb 22, 2021 11:00:37 PM]
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DrMason
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Re: Server only presenting 32 cores to BOINC, not 64 cores.
Probably a dumb question, but did the new firmware perhaps turn SMT (hyperthreading) off?
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Bryn Mawr
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Re: Server only presenting 32 cores to BOINC, not 64 cores.
Probably a dumb question, but did the new firmware perhaps turn SMT (hyperthreading) off?


Wouldn’t it show 32(32) in that case instead of 16(32)?
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PMH_UK
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Re: Server only presenting 32 cores to BOINC, not 64 cores.
Some docs found via google refer to 32 core llimit in 32 bit BOINC and/or need to force limit to 64 cores in profile rather than auto.

Paul.
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Paul.
[Feb 23, 2021 12:21:29 PM]   Link   Report threatening or abusive post: please login first  Go to top 
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Re: Server only presenting 32 cores to BOINC, not 64 cores.
In the cc_config.xml file you can force the hand by adding the line <ncpus>N</ncpus> in the <options> section.

wiki: https://boinc.berkeley.edu/wiki/Client_configuration

This seems to come back time and again. Make sure the device manager profile is set to use 100% of CPU's and no languishing default of max 32 is obstructing. For sure the local config overrides and will get you to run 64 threads (you have to reread the config in the BOINC manager menu or restart the client.)
[Feb 23, 2021 1:51:03 PM]   Link   Report threatening or abusive post: please login first  Go to top 
liontaur
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Re: Server only presenting 32 cores to BOINC, not 64 cores.
Thanks for the suggestions and help everyone!

I ended up following the suggestion from lavaflow and editing the cc_config.xml and now the servers are happily running at 100%

I had made sure that the max cpus setting in my profiles were all set to 64 so I don't think that's the culprit.

I've attached pic showing the first bit of the event log as well but i'm good with the fix from lavaflow.

Thanks again!

Mark


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