Hello
I have found a low priority problem on windows xp 64 bit : boinc is not respecting other applications running at the same time, and takes always 100% of the CPU.
I had this problem with every OS on version 5.10xxx
Now, this problem is resolved on windows 32bit and Linux64bit with version 6.2xx, but still remain with win64, even with the latest 6.2.19 from 22th september.

Has anybody encountered the same problem?

Let me ask the obvious questions: Is BOINC taking up the CPU, or is the science application doing so?
If it's BOINC (boinc.exe), then what is it doing at the time you check? Running benchmarks, perhaps?
If it's the science application, then which one (of which project) and what is its priority according to Task Manager?

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Thanks a lot for your prompt reply.

This is the science application which is taking up the CPU, not BOINC.

The applications are 3X+1 and ABC.

According to the Task Manager, priority of these applications are set to low, while other applications (video, play game, etc..) are set to normal.

I have strictly respected the same actions on both win32 and win64, and win64 really take 100% of the CPU.

You can do the following test :
- set boinc manager preferences to "Only after computer has been idle for 3.00 minutes"
- start to look at an avi video for exemple on the same computer
- after 3 minutes, because you have not touch the mouse or the keybord (just look at your video) boinc manager will restart the calculations
- on win 32, when restarting, it takes only the free cpu (on dual or quad core)
- on win64, when restarting, it takes all the cpu and your video is really slowing down

Hoping that my explanations are clear enough. If not, do not hesitate to require me additionnal informations.

Thanks a lot for your prompt reply.

This is the science application which is taking up the CPU, not BOINC.

The applications are 3X+1 and ABC.

According to the Task Manager, priority of these applications are set to low, while other applications (video, play game, etc..) are set to normal.

I have strictly respected the same actions on both win32 and win64, and win64 really take 100% of the CPU.

You can do the following test :
- set boinc manager preferences to "Only after computer has been idle for 3.00 minutes"
- start to look at an avi video for exemple on the same computer
- after 3 minutes, because you have not touch the mouse or the keybord (just look at your video) boinc manager will restart the calculations
- on win 32, when restarting, it takes only the free cpu (on dual or quad core)
- on win64, when restarting, it takes all the cpu and your video is really slowing down

Hoping that my explanations are clear enough. If not, do not hesitate to require me additionnal informations.

How much RAM does your computer have?

---

BOINC WIKI

How much RAM does your computer have?

My win32 has got 2Gbytes, and my win64 has got 8Gbytes. In both cases, I have checked the ram used, and it is only a few percent.

How much RAM does your computer have?

My win32 has got 2Gbytes, and my win64 has got 8Gbytes. In both cases, I have checked the ram used, and it is only a few percent.

Hello
Does anybody has an idea about this problem ?

I have double-checked evrything, and it seems to me that it is really a bug.

hello
I have noticed the same behaviour for my computer in win64. I am using the version 6.3.10 of boinc, and my computer is a phenom 9850.

Krest said earlier that the science apps were running at low priority, but is that before, during, or after running the video?
Perhaps the player has altered the priority somehow.

Thanks to have taken time to look at this problem.

To answer to your different points :
- this is only related to win64.
- I have tested not a text editor, but an application taking a lot of CPU for a long time.

Please let me explain more in details:

1- on boinc v5.10, all the OS had the problem : win32, win64 and Linux64, for any project I have tested (3X+1, ABC, malaria, milkyway, etc etc)
2 - on boinc 6.2, problem has disappear on win32 and Linux64 . The problem is still here only for win64.

This is why I think it is a boinc problem, not a project problem (abc, malaria or else):
* On win32, I tested on the same day on the same machine number 1 with same project both boinc5.10 and then boinc6.2. Result : 5.10 was not OK, and 6.2 was OK.
* on machine number 2 , same project on Linux 64, and again 5.10 is not OK, 6.2 is OK.
* On machine number 3 on win64, 5.10 is not OK, but 6.2 still not OK. I have installed several version, several projects, and problem is remaining. Other users have found the same behaviour.
There is really a difference of behaviour , it do not depends of the project used, it depends only of the version of boinc used, and of the OS (win64)

Sorry to have insist again.
It will be good if anybody having win64 can test it and confirm to me. Another user has already see the same behaviour for the moment.
Regards

Oooops! Forgot to post the script

script

Awww crap! It removes the indents...

In order to really display unmodified code correctly indented with this crappy (code) implementation, you need to add (pre) tags directly around your code:

<pre style="white-space:pre-wrap; ">(pre)
    your_indented_code;
    another_indented_line;
(/pre)</pre>

Drawback: with additional blank lines, the code looks a bit worse than ugly :-D

Peter

Peter and Dagorath
Thanks for your interest in my problem !

I will test your script and let you know the result.

However, I would like to anwser to this :
"Are you sure the app you are running takes as much CPU time as you think it does? Maybe try the python script I tested. It will take lots of CPU time if you set the delay variable small :)"

In fact, I am sure that my program take a lot of CPU. I have tested it on a one cpu quadcore (so you can launch 4 calculations at the same time). I have performed the test on both quadcore on Linux64 and quadcore on win xp 64.

When I launch 2 of my app on this machine , I have core 1 and 2 at 100%, and core 3 and 4 at 0%.
Then boinc is restarting because I did not touch the screen. Boinc will launch 4 process of abc, for exemple.

- on Linux 64 with boinc 6.2, the 2 app continue to be at 100%, and the 4 process of abc are at 50 % on the 2 remaining cores, so everything is correct.

- on all OS on boinc 5.1 and win64 on boinc6.2, the 4 abc take allmost the 4 cores, and my 2 app are at less than 15%. I am able to monitor the cpu time for my app, and my process are 4 times longer at this moment.

So believe me, the differences are really here, it is an accurate test, not just a rough estimate of the problem :)

- on [...] win64 on boinc6.2, the 4 abc take allmost the 4 cores, and my 2 app are at less than 15%. I am able to monitor the cpu time for my app, and my process are 4 times longer at this moment.

A late peek-in - process' priorities are not as relevant for us in Windows, rather particular threads' priorities.

Let's stay on Win64 and any recent BOINC client version (be it 6.2.19 (or 6.2.21 sometimes in next hours?) or 6.3.14). Please:

• download and start Sysinternals' Process Explorer, no installation is necessary, but you'll need to start it with admin privileges (because it temporarily loads its kernel driver - which will disappear on shutdown, but it is also possible to unload it), then
  
• find busy BOINC applications and these your ones, which should take CPU time (View / Show Process Tree [Ctrl+T] is helpful),
  
• doubleclick on each of them, in the process' Properties dialog go to the Threads tab and select the thread(s), which seems to consume CPU time,
  
• at the bottom, you'll see it's Base and Dynamic Priority. Please let us know all of them.
  

Peter