I recently changed my CPU from a 2.66 ghz, Northwood core, P4(533fsb). To a 3.0 ghz, P4 (800mhz). Also a Northwood core.

Before the change my BOINC would only run one work unit at a time. Now after the change it runs two at a time. If I suspend all work units except one, the remaining, running work unit only uses 50% of the cpu. To get to 100% cpu usage, I have to allow two work units to run?

I tried changing "# of CPU's", to "One CPU" at Protiens@home and Predictor@home under General prefernces. When I did that, it went back to running One Work Unit at a time. But only at 50% cpu usage. CPU usage is set to 100% at the general preferences page and under the preferences in the BOINC Manager.

Is this normal? Is it because I have a better CPU now? Is there anyway to get it to run one work unit at a time, while using 100% of the CPU?

But when it is reporting 50% usage. I can watch the CPU Temp drop. So I don't think it's actually using 100%.

The new processor is hyperthreaded - in other words, it has 2 processors.
Each is 50% of the total.
You're only using one core, so for THAT core, 50% of the total is all, (or 100%), of THAT core.
If you look at the Task Manager (control-alt-delete), you'll see that the other 50% or so (the system uses some), is used by a process called System Idle Process. In other words, it's just sitting there twidling it's thumbs.

To use 100% of the total computer, you need to run 2 WUS.

Both Les and Sekerob have given correct answers. HT is a means of getting more out of certain CPUs. So either running one or two tasks can be considered using 100% of the processor depending on your point of view. If you run two tasks you will get more done per day, if you run one each task will finish faster. I would run two to get more done in total.

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BOINC WIKI

BOINCing since 2002/12/8

Alrighty then, Thanks Guys.

I thought it may have been something to do with Hyperthreading. But was wondering. I didn't think it would do that unless I had a dual-core CPU. Which is in the future.

Thanks again. ComfortablyNumb

I have a similar problem. I am runnig windows XP and have hyperthreading cpu. I notice that it really uses up my memory when doing two processes at a time. Usually happens while running CPDN Seasional project. If it happens to be running CPDN on both "processors" it really drags my system down and I cannot really use my computer well then. I only have 1 gig ram and I find that my machine needs 1.2-1.5 Gig while running CPDN. The first thing I did was make sure only one side would be working CPDN and the usually have something else run on the other processor side. This became too much management for me so I went into my bios and disabled hyperthreading. That way it only looks like I have 1 cpu. My machine runs much better that way. I suppose if I had more ram I could go back into my bios and re enable hyperthreading. Is there another alternative that I may have over looked?

CPDN Seasonal needs 1 GB per processor. So if you have a HT capable CPU, or 2 or more real CPUs, either not crunch SAS with that little memory or crunch it on one CPU only.

The problem there is that you can't set memory affinity per processor yet in BOINC. I haven't been checking Trac lately, so perhaps you can do so and check if someone asked already and if not, you can ask yourself. Trac does need registration.

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I just upgraded to 5.10.13 and am running a C2D E6600. Now all of a sudden Boinc is only using 1 core. Every test I have run to verify this indicates it is only using the first core no matter what. Each boinc process running is using 25% of my processor power.

I previously had 5.8.16 and it used both cores just fine.

I just upgraded to 5.10.13 and am running a C2D E6600. Now all of a sudden Boinc is only using 1 core. Every test I have run to verify this indicates it is only using the first core no matter what. Each boinc process running is using 25% of my processor power.

I previously had 5.8.16 and it used both cores just fine.

Look in your start up messages at the very top of the message tab. How many CPUs does BOINC think you have?

Make sure your web preferences are still correct. Pick a project and resave your preferences there then update that project in the manager.

Also check the directory for a global_pref_override file. It should be there only if you customized your prefs through the manager. If it is there, shut down BOINC. Then you can drag it to the trash but you'll have to go back and reset any of the prefs you had previously set locally.

Sometimes a restart of BOINC is enough to kick it into gear though. Maybe try that first.

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Kathryn :o)

I just upgraded to 5.10.13 and am running a C2D E6600. Now all of a sudden Boinc is only using 1 core. Every test I have run to verify this indicates it is only using the first core no matter what. Each boinc process running is using 25% of my processor power.

I previously had 5.8.16 and it used both cores just fine.

Look in your start up messages at the very top of the message tab. How many CPUs does BOINC think you have?

Make sure your web preferences are still correct. Pick a project and resave your preferences there then update that project in the manager.

Also check the directory for a global_pref_override file. It should be there only if you customized your prefs through the manager. If it is there, shut down BOINC. Then you can drag it to the trash but you'll have to go back and reset any of the prefs you had previously set locally.

Sometimes a restart of BOINC is enough to kick it into gear though. Maybe try that first.

7/27/2007 8:13:52 PM||Processor: 2 GenuineIntel Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6600 @ 2.40GHz [x86 Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 6]

Ah.. just a plain restart of the program seemed to have fixed it. *smack head*

Sorry to go back to a previous poster's problem (John). Just to clarify the requirements for cpdn Seasonal models. For one SAP model running solo we recommend 1Gb RAM and for two running in tandem, 1.5Gb. If crunchers find that this still interferes with the computer's overall performance, the first thing to do is to disable the screensaver.

There's a summary of all the current cpdn public release (non-beta) models here:

http://www.climateprediction.net/board/viewtopic.php?p=66108#66108

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Please excuse me, I think that I am on the right thread...My climateprediction task crashed recently. Working on the theory that it might be CPU overuse, I tried setting my preferences to Do work after idle for (1 minute). I went into my online preferences at ClimatePre.. and then clicked update in my BOINC client. The update didnt take effect. For testing purposes I then went into my WCG settings and changed those too. Again the change hasnt taken effect. Have I found a Bug? Should I even be worried by this issue?

Andy

Andy...

Make sure you've selected run based on preferences in the activity menu of the manager.

At any point did you set up prefs locally? Look in the BOINC directory for a file called global_prefs _override.xml.

If it's there, shut down BOINC, drag it to the trash and restart BOINC. Then update the project you set your prefs at.

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Kathryn :o)

Kathryn, thank you, that has indeed done the trick.

Kathryn, thank you, that has indeed done the trick.

You're very welcome.

I'm glad it was an easy fix.

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Kathryn :o)

Most of this thread below has to do with hyperthreading and CPU usage, but mine is slightly different. I have a Q6600 quad core processor that only runs Einstein differently than any other project on that host (no other project has this problem): when two or more (especially three or more) Einstien WUs are running simultaneously, processor usage falls dramatically. If I run two E@h WUs, pocessor usage often falls below 90%; If I run three or more simultaneously, processor usage falls down to around 55% or less. Hmmm. What's a cruncher to do?

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(Click for detailed stats)

Sounds like the memory requirements of more than 1 Einstein task exceeds your physical RAM. Probably your computer is spending a lot of time swapping data/code between virtual memory and physical RAM which doesn't work the CPU very hard.

You could try to free up some RAM by excising parts of the OS you don't need, starting fewer services at boot time, starting fewer personal apps while crunching, etc.

Most definitely not the problem: 4 gig of memory, and there are no projects that really use that much memory anyway, at least the ones that I run.

Please don't bump ancient threads.

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Please don't bump ancient threads.

I apologize. The ideas in this thread were so close that I thought I would use it.