My setup is posted below. Basically, no matter what I change BOINC/SETI/WCD uses 33% of my CPU(s). This is the exact same problem I had with the client like, years ago.

Please tell me you have a resolution for this. If I can not control the CPU usage I can not use the client.

2/17/2009 1:52:23 AM||Starting BOINC client version 6.4.5 for windows_intelx86
2/17/2009 1:52:23 AM||Processor: 3 AuthenticAMD AMD Phenom(tm) 8650 Triple-Core Processor [x86 Family 16 Model 2 Stepping 3]
2/17/2009 1:52:23 AM||Processor features: fpu tsc pae nx sse sse2 3dnow mmx
2/17/2009 1:52:23 AM||OS: Microsoft Windows XP: Professional x86 Editon, Service Pack 2, (05.01.2600.00)
2/17/2009 1:52:23 AM||Memory: 2.50 GB physical, 3.47 GB virtual
2/17/2009 1:52:23 AM||Disk: 58.59 GB total, 7.62 GB free
2/17/2009 1:52:23 AM||Local time is UTC -6 hours
2/17/2009 1:52:23 AM||Not using a proxy
2/17/2009 1:52:23 AM||CUDA devices found
2/17/2009 1:52:23 AM||Coprocessor: GeForce 8200 (1)

Current settings :

On multiprocessors, use at most : 1 processors

On multiprocessors, use at most : 5 % of the processors

Use at most : 1 percent of CPU time

No matter what I set this to it *ALWAYS* uses 33% of the CPU. I can not emphasize this enough.

Current settings :

On multiprocessors, use at most : 1 processors

On multiprocessors, use at most : 5 % of the processors

Use at most : 1 percent of CPU time

No matter what I set this to it *ALWAYS* uses 33% of the CPU. I can not emphasize this enough.

33% of the triple-core CPU = 1 core, equal to "use at most : 1 processors"
On dual-core processors each fully-assigned core Windows Task Manager indicates with 50% (2 tasks, each 50%), on quad-core - with 25% (4 tasks, each 25%)

IMHO, Your BOINC always uses 33% because 1% of CPU time is too small for crunching. Ever checkpoint can't be created with such small portions of CPU cycles (at period of 100 seconds application can run only 1 second)

You can set 80% (for example) and then will see the CPU-throttling: one second Task Manager indicates 33% for your application, next second - about 20%, then again 33%, again 20% and so on...
I.e. 80%-throttling uses FULL cycles of CPU core at 80% of time

Thanks for the tip. In other similar programs if there is a lower limit on the CPU usage they make you aware of it. Without this information it makes it seem that the client is not acting properly. In my humble opinion they need to revamp the entire usage model as being able to set your options if 13 different places is less than optimal to begin with.

Thanks again

In other similar programs if there is a lower limit on the CPU usage they make you aware of it.

OK, you peeked my interest, give two examples please.
As there is no such comparable option in the Folding@Home program, while I am unaware of any other multi-project distributed computing managers.

In my humble opinion they need to revamp the entire usage model as being able to set your options if 13 different places is less than optimal to begin with.

13? Isn't that a bit exaggerated? How about two? You can set your preferences in the web-settings and in the local preferences, which override the web-settings.

Perhaps three, if you use an account manager. But not 13.

And with all programs, finding out about how it works, reading the documentation available for it is adamant.

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Very funny. This isn't homework so I'm not biting on your "give two examples please". One example is enough and F@H is perfect. F@H's cpu usage controls have always been spot on.

And no, of course it's not actually 13 different places. So far I've counted 3, which is 2 too many.

BTW the problem NOW is that SETI is constantly consuming 33% CPU, no matter what. WCD does fine, but even when I set SETI to the exact same settings as WCD it continues to chew up 33% of the CPU time.

BTW the problem NOW is that SETI is constantly consuming 33% CPU, no matter what...

Which matters did you try? And are you sure to have twisted the right wheels? If your local preferences are set to use 100% of CPU time, you can set the SETI preferences to any value and there will be always a 33% usage nevertheless (when using one core).

Gruß,
Gundolf

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Computer sind nicht alles im Leben. (Kleiner Scherz)

Very funny. This isn't homework so I'm not biting on your "give two examples please". One example is enough and F@H is perfect. F@H's cpu usage controls have always been spot on.

This is because FAH uses the Windows idle time API. BOINC on the other hand can't do this as the basic code is platform independent, meaning that you can download one source code and compile it on any operating system you want, without having to worry about adding extra OS dependent libraries and files.

Therefore, the throttle function under BOINC will use the method of suspending and continuing the computation, not set the maximum amount of CPU cycles your CPU can give to any one task.

And no, of course it's not actually 13 different places. So far I've counted 3, which is 2 too many.

Perhaps so if you use one computer, but not if you use more than one. What if you have 12 different computers, are all using them to crunch for the different projects (90+ and counting atm), are already using all the different venues and want to test something out on one computer, or two? Then your easy option here is to use the local preferences as they work for that computer only and override the web-settings.

Whilst conversely, when you have 12 computers working for you, you really do not want to go by them one by one to change possible preferences all the time. So there the web-preferences are easier to use, be it with or without the use of the different venues.

BTW the problem NOW is that SETI is constantly consuming 33% CPU, no matter what. WCD does fine, but even when I set SETI to the exact same settings as WCD it continues to chew up 33% of the CPU time.

This is a Windows problem. Windows can only show you 100% of all CPUs you have. You have 3 CPUs, so in Task Manager->Processes it'll show that you are using 33% of the CPU. When two CPUs are doing work, it'll show to processes at 33%.

In reality the CPUs are 100% utilized, but Windows will not show you that you are using 100 - 200 - 300%... just 33 - 66 - 99 (100).

Now then, you are using BOINC 6.4.5, which will not use your first setting of "On multiprocessors, use at most : 1 processors", as that's the old method for BOINC 5.10 and before. It'll only use the method of "On multiprocessors, use at most x% of the CPUs", which should be 33% for you.

This number is an integer number, so anything below 33% uses no CPUs, 33-65% uses 1 CPU, 66-99% uses 2 CPUs and 100% uses 3 CPUs.

The Use at most x% of CPU time is the BOINC throttle, which as I explained will use the method of suspend and resume to 'thermal throttle' BOINC. You best only use it on laptops which are prone to overheating and then in combination with a single CPU only as the feature is quite buggy.

If you want to set an amount of CPU cycles for the applications under BOINC to use, then use a 3rd party program such as BES or Threadmaster. Do note that you shouldn't set BOINC as the application to be throttled, as BOINC doesn't do the crunching, but the science applications do.

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This is a Windows problem. Windows can only show you 100% of all CPUs you have. You have 3 CPUs, so in Task Manager->Processes it'll show that you are using 33% of the CPU. When two CPUs are doing work, it'll show to processes at 33%.

No, I don't think so.

1) F@H doesn't have this problem
2) WCG doesn't have this problem
3) Other CPU limiting programs I have used do not have this problem
4) Only SETI at home is now having this problem

Also, Task manager can be configured to show 1 chart for all cores or 1 chart per core.

I think there is some confusion.

WorldCommunityGrid seems very capable of not always using 33% of my cpu, but seti does not. And yes, I've tried disabling CUDA.

Thanks

I'm just curious. Who wants to run only 1% of the time?
On the other hand he has some point. I tried this on 6.45 the latest stable version. And had to reboot because BOINC was no longer responding... and I waited 15 minutes...