Posts by Steven Gaber

InfoMessage
1) Message boards : Projects : News on Project Outages
Message 113921
Posted 21 Apr 2024 by Steven Gaber
Rosetta@home website unreachable for at least 3.5 hours now.

Same here. Can't even access my account.

Although after almost two weeks, I finally got 12 Rosetta tasks, 6 of which are completed and hanging in Transfer since this morning.

S. Gaber
2) Message boards : Questions and problems : Only 1 out of seven projects reporting work
Message 113381
Posted 17 Jan 2024 by Steven Gaber
I am attached to seven projects:
Asteroids@home
Climateprediction.net
Einstein@home
GPUGrid.net
LHC@home
Milkyway@home
Rosetta@home

All projects have default Computer Preferences.
I confirmed the attachments and Computer Preferences several times.

Only Asteroids@home is showing work in the BOINC screensaver.

This is not what I signed up for. I want to see work in the other projects. They all have work available.

What is wrong here? What do I need to do?



What happens if you disable the screen saver and only show work in progress?

Can you remove the offending projects and then add them? I've had to do that several times with other computers.

Four of my projects have been behaving strangely.

Rosetta has not sent any tasks for over a month.

Milky Way now only sends N-Body simulations that run 9 PUs. These tasks force all my other projects to hold, waiting to run.

In addition to normal Binary Radio Pulse search tasks, Einstein also sends All-Sky Gravitational Wave 03.1.07 tasks every day which run 0.9 CPUs+1AMD/ATI GPU. Sometimes these indicate extraordinarily long times for completion, as much as 330 days. I delete those.

Every day, in addition to regular Period Search Application tasks, Asteroids sends at least one task that runs 0.1 CPUs + 1 AMD/API GPU. Normally, this machine can run up to 10 tasks at once. But if one of these Asteroid CPU/GPU tasks is running, it will make my compute overheat and shut down. It will run the Milky Way and Asteroids CPU/GPU tasks simultaneously, but nothing else when they are running.

And FreeDC Has not been working for over a week.

I don't know about your other projects.
3) Message boards : Projects : Anything and Everything to do with (WCG) World Community Grid
Message 113215
Posted 3 Dec 2023 by Steven Gaber
WCG website is down since a couple of hours.

The usual:

"System error
World Community Grid is currently experiencing an unexpected error. Please check Facebook or Twitter for more information."

So far nothing on FB from the WCG team.


I have nine MCM tasks that have been ready to report for three days.
4) Message boards : Projects : News on Project Outages
Message 113185
Posted 28 Nov 2023 by Steven Gaber
Milky Way down and out?



Updates and project page are not available as of 27-28 Nov 2023.

S. Gaber
5) Message boards : BOINC Manager : 7.22.2 (win64) Check for new BOINC version reported no new version but 7.24.1 was posted in Notices tab
Message 112686
Posted 14 Sep 2023 by Steven Gaber
I see on the download page, 7.24.1 has changed from development version to recommended version since I downloaded it.


How stable is it?

Will it result in faster processing?

Does it require Virtual Box?

S. Gaber
6) Message boards : Projects : News on Project Outages
Message 112653
Posted 8 Sep 2023 by Steven Gaber
Asteroids@home had been unreachable for over at least 8 hours now.


YEs, web site, message board inaccessible. I also have a bunch of Asteroids tasks ready to send that are hung up or in transfers.


They are repeating their old tactics. Going incommunicado for days without notice, web site unreachable, no guidance from administrators.

Or maybe they just had a crash? A lightning strike on the university building?

Steven Gaber
Oldsmar, FL
7) Message boards : Projects : Universe Certification date not valid
Message 112075
Posted 18 Jun 2023 by Steven Gaber
When I log into my Universe account or onto the main page, I get the persistent warnings, "Your Universe connection is not private" and "Universe Certification date not valid."

Won't let me proceed.

Plus there are 55 or more completed Universe tasks stuck in Transfers for two days.

What's going on there?

SGaber
8) Message boards : Projects : News on Project Outages
Message 111347
Posted 19 Mar 2023 by Steven Gaber
Here is a update/message from Jurisica at Krembil
https://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/forums/wcg/viewpostinthread?post=682959 trying to explain the convoluted ownership of WCG and "why things have not been going smoothly."

Appears Krembil is WAY OVER THEIR HEAD in trying to keep the ship afloat -- lack of money, experience and manpower are obvious.



WCG should hit up pharmaceutical companies. They are the ones that will benefit from this research. Plus, they have most of the money in the world, aside from oil and gas companies.
9) Message boards : Projects : News on Project Outages
Message 111274
Posted 13 Mar 2023 by Steven Gaber
Asteroids@home is back online.


Maybe.

But I Ihave tasks stuck in uploading, can't access my account, can't get to their message boards or the Home Page.

S. Gaber
Oldsmar, FL

I have not had any problems accessing the website from DFW Metro area in Texas nor server access to send/receive tasks since the new certificate was installed.

Restart your web browser and/or empty the browser cache to clean out old information it might contain. Then try accessing the forums.

For stuck tasks in BOINC go to the transfers tab in advanced view and select 4 to 6 Asteroids tasks and retry upload until you have successfully transferred all.


Still getting downloads from Universe. But all 26 or my tasks in Transfer say "Upload pennding: project backoff."
10) Message boards : Projects : News on Project Outages
Message 111272
Posted 13 Mar 2023 by Steven Gaber
Asteroids@home is back online.


Maybe.

But I Ihave tasks stuck in uploading, can't access my account, can't get to their message boards or the Home Page.

S. Gaber
Oldsmar, FL
11) Message boards : Questions and problems : Asteroids@home
Message 110556
Posted 25 Nov 2022 by Steven Gaber
[/quote]As soon as the Asteroids@home server was up and running again, all seemed fine.
This week 11/14/2022 my PC started shutting down high CPU temp. [/quote]

I have the same problem, but with Einstein and some Milky Way tasks.

Einstein caused my computer to shut down five times in the past two days.

Milky Way N-Body Simulations sometimes do the same thing. Other times they take multiple days to complete.

The computer will run one or two Asteroids, Universe, Rosetta or WCG tasks simultaneously with no problem finishing, both within 2-3 hours. Right now, CoreTemp says it's running two Universe tasks, 100% load at 157 degrees F. but an estimated 6 hours total to complete both.

I have more or less given up on Einstein and Milky Way until i can get a newer, more capable computer.
12) Message boards : Projects : Einstein Shuts Down My Computer
Message 110347
Posted 7 Nov 2022 by Steven Gaber
You can check in Task Scheduler if there's something there that shuts down the computer.


Thank you. I did check the Task Scheduler, but found nothing to indicate anything that would order a shut-sown.


[quote] Windows (7 and newer versions as well) do have an auto-update software running in the background. But they don't just shutdown the computer, they reboot it after installing the updates. Furthermore Windows 7 is so old that it does not get anymore operating system updates. But it does get updates for the Windows inbuilt antivirus software and a monthly update and run of Malicious Software Removal Tool. [quote]

Yes. Microsoft abandoned us users of Windows 7. Now, those bastards even plan to do away with Windows 10 in favor of Windows 11. Windows 7 does updates every few days for Windows Security Essentials and Malicious Software Removal. I also scan regularly with Malwarebytes, but almost never find anything malicious.

Today I did an experiment. I suspended all projects except Einstein. I resumed the two Einstein tasks that I suspended earlier, a Gamma-ray pulsar binary search and a Binary Radio pulsar search. The computer shut down in 35 minutes.

Thinking that two Einstein tasks overwhelmed the computer, I suspended the Gamma-ray pulsar binary search and resumed the Binary Radio pulsar search, which indicated 9.04% progress, 01:43:00 elapsed and estimated 1d:10:18:35 remaining. The compute shut down shortly thereafter.

After restarting and logging into BOINC Manager, I suspended the Binary Radio pulsar search and resumed the Gamma-ray pulsar binary search. The computer has been running for about 90 minutes, showing 34,633% progress, 01:50:45 elapsed and 03:27:38 remaining.

Next, I will let the Gamma-ray pulsar binary search task run to completion (if it goes that far), download the next one and resume either the suspended Universe task or World Community Grid and see if the machine shuts down.

Results of this experiment will be announced later.

Thanks for hanging in there with me.

S. Gaber
13) Message boards : Projects : Einstein Shuts Down My Computer
Message 110327
Posted 6 Nov 2022 by Steven Gaber
You all know that I am a computer moron.

At the risk of looking even more moronic. I am going to ask a possibly stupid question:

In Windows 7 or elsewhere, is there a hidden program or utility that calls for the computer to update, then shut down?

I can't think of anything else that would make this machine shut down of its own accord.

Is that a stupid question? If so, I apologize.

S. Gaber
14) Message boards : Projects : Einstein Shuts Down My Computer
Message 110322
Posted 4 Nov 2022 by Steven Gaber
...apply more thermal paste

More does not mean better.
If you apply too much thermal paste it could increase the CPU temp.

If you touch this part of your computer, thoroughly remove the old thermal paste, then apply a thin layer of fresh thermal paste evenly.
The sense of thermal paste is to close those very small gaps between the CPU and the cooler.


Right. I knew that. Shoulda said I would remove the old paste.

Thanks for that reminder.
S. Gaber
15) Message boards : Projects : Einstein Shuts Down My Computer
Message 110316
Posted 4 Nov 2022 by Steven Gaber
And if not overheating, possibly a load problem with the PSU.
How old is the PSU? What make and model? Checked all the cables, that they're still seated correctly? No breaks in the cables or loose ends?


Thanks for your thoughtful reply.

This computer is about almost ten years old. It has been crunching BOINC tasks 24/7/365 for most of that time. I put it together as a bare bones kit with parts from Tiger Direct.
I am certainly no computer expert, but it wasn't difficult. At the time, I knew it wasn't the fastest or most powerful computer, but at 3.9MHz, it was a lot faster than my previous BOINC machines. I thought it would be sufficient. It has held up fairly well until now. But after ten years, maybe it's just tired.
.
AuthenticAMD AMD A6-6400K APU with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics [Family 21 Model 19 Stepping 1]
(2 processors) AMD AMD Radeon HD 7400/7500/8300/8400 series (Scrapper) (768MB) driver: 1.4.1848 OpenCL: 1.2 8MB of RAM, 1 TB hard drive, Microsoft Windows 7
Home Premium x64 Edition, Service Pack 1, (06.01.7601.00)

Currently running WCG and Universe at 156 degrees F.

I checked the cables and connectors when I installed the new fans six months ago. All looked secure with no breaks.

[quote]Perhaps a seating / thermal paste issue?[quote]
I had not considered the issue the CPU seating or thermal paste. But if that were the case, wouldn't it cause other projects to shut down right away? It does shut down spontaneously about twice per week. Einstein shut it down within a half-hour multiple times. I will check the CPU and apply more thermal paste.

Thank for your thoughtful and helpful suggestions.

Obviously, it is time to consider purchasing a newer, more up-to-date computer. But I doubt I would obtain permission from my CEO/CFO for such a purchase during this period of financial instability. She is money- stressed already. Perhaps in six months she will be more inclined to approve it.

Cheers.
S. Gaber
16) Message boards : Projects : Einstein Shuts Down My Computer
Message 110303
Posted 3 Nov 2022 by Steven Gaber
Older AMD computer can't seem to handle Einstein@Home.

It shut down shortly after running its first Einstein task. Additional attempts resulted in shut-downs.

The machine shuts down spontaneously once or twice per week, but not within a half-hour of starting a task, multiple times.
... [snip]

It doesn't like Virtual Box, nor Milky Way N-Body Simulation tasks, but runs Milky Way@Home Separation tasks, as well as Universe, Rosetta and WCG just fine.

Any help?

S. Gaber

Possibly overheating/thermal overload.

When was the last time the computer had a good cleaning, removing the grime dust, etc that builds up inside on heat sink, CPU, GPU, fans, et ?


Thanks for your reply.

I vacuum it regularly to remove dust and cat hair. I thought it might be overheating, so I drilled two grids of small holes in the case sides and added two large fans to help with cooling.
Also, I have CoreTemp, a utility which shows the operating temperature of the CPU. It usually runs between 154F to168F. The max temperature rating is 176F.

Right now, it's fluctuating from 155 to at 164F while crunching Universe and WCG..
I've had the case side open all day, with no change in temperature readings.

So maybe it it overheating, but just doesn't show it?

I dunno.

S. Gaber
17) Message boards : Projects : Einstein Shuts Down My Computer
Message 110281
Posted 1 Nov 2022 by Steven Gaber
Older AMD computer can't seem to handle Einstein@Home.

It shut down shortly after running its first Einstein task. Additional attempts resulted in shut-downs.

The machine shuts down spontaneously once or twice per week, but not within a half-hour of starting a task, multiple times.

AMD A6-6400 APU with Radeon HD Graphics 3.90 GHz, 8GB RAM, Windows 7, 64-bit OS, 1 TB HD

It doesn't like Virtual Box, nor Milky Way N-Body Simulation tasks, but runs Milky Way@Home Separation tasks, as well as Universe, Rosetta and WCG just fine.

Any help?

S. Gaber
18) Message boards : Questions and problems : Incorrect Password
Message 109839
Posted 17 Sep 2022 by Steven Gaber
When trying to log into my Milky Way account, I keep getting a "Password Incorrect" message.

I've been running Milky Way for quite a while and did not make any changes. The project seems to be working OK.

But I can't get into my account. This is an old computer running Windows 7.

I have no problems logging into my other BOINC project accounts.

I don't know how this happened. The only apparent option is to start a new account?? I'd rather not do that.

Suggestions?

Steven Gaber
19) Message boards : Questions and problems : Now that WCG is down, looking for Android 10/11 projects; Still no asteroids?
Message 107879
Posted 16 Apr 2022 by Steven Gaber
It's now April, well past the time when Asteroids was supposed to be fixed.


However getting close to when WCG is due to return?


They said it would resume April 22, 2022.
20) Message boards : Questions and problems : Now that WCG is down, looking for Android 10/11 projects; Still no asteroids?
Message 107872
Posted 15 Apr 2022 by Steven Gaber
It's now April, well past the time when Asteroids was supposed to be fixed.

We got nada, Zip. Zero.

You think the project is dead and gone?

I don't have Virtual Box, but I get a Rosetta task now and then.

Milky Way is doing OK and Universe is going bonkers.

WCG is supposed to come back this month.

S. Gaber
Oldsmar, FL
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