WOW!!! Thanks Ned and all of the Linux guru's here.

Running on an AMD 64 3200+ (SUSE Linux 64) with the regular client
2004-11-20 02:09:12 [---] 1060 double precision MIPS (Whetstone) per CPU
2004-11-20 02:09:12 [---] 2635 integer MIPS (Dhrystone) per CPU

Running with Ned's "new" optimized client.
2004-11-20 17:45:34 [---] 2084 double precision MIPS (Whetstone) per CPU
2004-11-20 17:45:34 [---] 4788 integer MIPS (Dhrystone) per CPU

If this delivers error free results, I will be thrilled (and free of Windows).

---

Team MacNN - The best Macintosh team ever.

Hi Ned

Thank you for the optimized boinc clients, works nicely on both my Linux boxes one with AMD Athlon MP's and one with an older P3. Both systems show much higher benchmark results with the new clients. BTW I am running FC2 and FC3.

Did you already try to recompile the seti client with the new GCC version?
How is the outcome?
I know the recompile of the seti client with the older GCC version did not show alot of improvement.

---

Chris Bosshard
Visit my homepage
astroinfo SETI page

> Hi Ned
>
>
> Did you already try to recompile the seti client with the new GCC version?
> How is the outcome?
> I know the recompile of the seti client with the older GCC version did not
> show alot of improvement.
>
>

Yes Chris, I also tried recompiling the seti client. It only showed a 2% improvement (up from 1% with gcc-3.3.3) over the standard downloaded seti client. It's just not worth the effor in my opinion.

Ned

---

*** My Guide to Compiling Optimised BOINC and SETI Clients ***
*** Download Optimised BOINC and SETI Clients for Linux Here ***

Hi Ned,

Great job on the documentation for compiling Boinc on Linux, using your instructions and alot of time over the last few days I learned alot. I compiled boinc so many times I could do it in my sleep now, but it finally paid off because I found another small improvement. Instead of using '-fomit-frame-pointer' I tried '-momit-leaf-frame-pointer' and managed to pick up only about 4 whetstones but gained over 60 dhrystone marks. I don't think there is really anymore improvement to be had now, I must have tried everything possible your Boinc client was so good I really thought most of my time was wasted.

My machine now scores 2028,4359 in benchmarks, compared with the original client it was only 1025,2351. Plus it finally claims credit on par with(maybe even more) when I ran Windoze.

Thanks again for all your hard work compiling and documenting everything so well.

---

Brilliant stuff Troy :)

That's what it's all about - you've learned something, and increased your linux benchmark scores too.

Sooner or later we'll work out how to make some improvements on the seti client too. The group on SourceForge.net are doing some good work with SIMD optimisations on the seti client source code

Ned

---

*** My Guide to Compiling Optimised BOINC and SETI Clients ***
*** Download Optimised BOINC and SETI Clients for Linux Here ***

Has anyone tried any of Neds optimised clients on fedora core 1, do they work OK? I'm upgrading to this from rh7.3 coz none of Neds clients would run on my rh7.3, due to loads of gcc library problems, the more I tried to upgrade it the more broken it got :-(
My intended machine is an ancient AMD k6-500, with 4 gb hd, and 96mb of ram, not much better than a doorstop really, I'm fairly certain that FC2 or 3 will give major problems due to lack of resources, So I'm starting anew with FC1 (downloading install disk 3 now, after accidently downloading 3 cd's of nothing but rpms - oops!!), I've got to try and learn this linux thingie sometime without just swearing at it and feeling stupid (nothing new :-)), and 7.3 is just too old.

Thanks

---

Ken Phillips

BOINC question? Look here



"The beginning is the most important part of the work." - Plato

Hi Ken,

Yes, they will work on FC1 - I've tested that myself as I currently have a copy of FC1 running.

Have you tried the latest clients as posted? I removed the dynamically linked ones and replaced with static versions to help compatability for people like yourself.

Do you still have RH 7.3 or have you wiped it? I can try compiling a special client for you to see if we can get it working. Also, I can do you an optimised version for your K6-500 processor if you're interested. (let me know here and post your e-mail so I can contact you, if interested).

Ned

---

*** My Guide to Compiling Optimised BOINC and SETI Clients ***
*** Download Optimised BOINC and SETI Clients for Linux Here ***

> Hi Ken,
>
> Yes, they will work on FC1 - I've tested that myself as I currently have a
> copy of FC1 running.

Marvelous, I'm looking forward to trying it.

> Have you tried the latest clients as posted? I removed the dynamically linked
> ones and replaced with static versions to help compatability for people like
> yourself.

Yes, I tried the dynamic one, couldn't make it due to libraries being too old, updates to libraries wouldn't 'stick' for some reason, then found the static clients you'd posted, but, the 686 client crashed out with a 'sigkill' error of some sort, perhaps my system was too broken already.

> Do you still have RH 7.3 or have you wiped it? I can try compiling a special
> client for you to see if we can get it working.

Yes and no, I tried to update the 7.3 to FC1 off the web, silly idea, should have known better, so now it boots, and I can log in, but the poor thing is very, very broken, with broken dependancies everywhere, and I can't even even start up the nic :-( Hence the fresh install I've got planned if this disk three ever downloads.

> Also, I can do you an optimised version for your K6-500 processor if you're interested. (let me know here and post your e-mail so I can contact you, if interested).

That would be excellent! I wish I knew enough to try it myself, but, I'm frustrated enough with linux as it is. I just find myself unable to learn anything because it seems I'm always fighting it! My poor little processor is an AMD k6-2 500 with 3d now technology, Wow, doesn't it sound good, I wish it was!!!

Cheers muchly

---

Ken Phillips

BOINC question? Look here



"The beginning is the most important part of the work." - Plato

I still have a K6-2 450 running strong :)

OK Ken, I'll compile you one tomorrow and e-mail you - got your e-mail addy if you want to edit and remove it :)

I suspect my current clients are incompatable with your older processor, I'm not sure. Anyway, I'll compile you a statically linked version optimised for your K6-2.

I don't mind doing additional clients if folks want them, just didn't want to potentially waste my time compiling for every architecture under the sun if the demand is not there, hence why I posted for common architectures first.

Ned

---

*** My Guide to Compiling Optimised BOINC and SETI Clients ***
*** Download Optimised BOINC and SETI Clients for Linux Here ***

> I still have a K6-2 450 running strong :)
>
> OK Ken, I'll compile you one tomorrow and e-mail you - got your e-mail addy if
> you want to edit and remove it :)
>
> I suspect my current clients are incompatable with your older processor, I'm
> not sure. Anyway, I'll compile you a statically linked version optimised for
> your K6-2.
>
> I don't mind doing additional clients if folks want them, just didn't want to
> potentially waste my time compiling for every architecture under the sun if
> the demand is not there, hence why I posted for common architectures first.
>
> Ned
>
>

I'm also running the same processor, could you make it public avaible thanks william.

---

It's Out there........

Running extremely well on some amd xp 64 machines :)
nice piece of programming and keep up the good work :)
will you be compiling a 64 bit client also ? (sure hope so ;))
thanx

---

Kind regards,
Frank Uittenbosch (www.uittenbosch.nu)

> > I still have a K6-2 450 running strong :)
> >
> > OK Ken, I'll compile you one tomorrow and e-mail you - got your e-mail
> addy if
> > you want to edit and remove it :)
> >
> > I suspect my current clients are incompatable with your older processor,
> I'm
> > not sure. Anyway, I'll compile you a statically linked version optimised
> for
> > your K6-2.
> >
> > I don't mind doing additional clients if folks want them, just didn't
> want to
> > potentially waste my time compiling for every architecture under the sun
> if
> > the demand is not there, hence why I posted for common architectures
> first.
> >
> > Ned
> >
> >
>
> I'm also running the same processor, could you make it public avaible thanks
> william.
>
>

Hi William,

Sure, yes I'll put that client up on my site now - check in about an hour and it should be up. The link is in my Signiture :)

Ned

---

*** My Guide to Compiling Optimised BOINC and SETI Clients ***
*** Download Optimised BOINC and SETI Clients for Linux Here ***

> Running extremely well on some amd xp 64 machines :)
> nice piece of programming and keep up the good work :)
> will you be compiling a 64 bit client also ? (sure hope so ;))
> thanx
>
>

Frank,


I'm not currently running any 64-bit distro's and I suspect these would be better compiled yourself on a 64-bit distro (see the guide in my sig - it's not that difficult) or from someone who is.

Also, Aki already has 64-bit clients on his site here:

http://boinc.us.tt/

There's not much point me duplicating his work so I'll let you get 64-bit clients from him.

Ned

---

*** My Guide to Compiling Optimised BOINC and SETI Clients ***
*** Download Optimised BOINC and SETI Clients for Linux Here ***

Thankyou ned.

---

It's Out there........

> Thankyou ned.
>

You're welcome

Does is work OK, and what are your benchmark scores like before and after?

Ned

---

*** My Guide to Compiling Optimised BOINC and SETI Clients ***
*** Download Optimised BOINC and SETI Clients for Linux Here ***

> > Thankyou ned.
> >
>
> You're welcome
>
> Does is work OK, and what are your benchmark scores like before and after?
>
> Ned
>
>

I tried them too here, and I think sometime is amiss as my Measured integer speed went from 2500ish to 7105. That is for an AMD 2200+. I will retry to run the benchmarks tonight.

Kin

---

> > > Thankyou ned.
> > >
> >
> > You're welcome
> >
> > Does is work OK, and what are your benchmark scores like before and
> after?
> >
> > Ned
> >
> >
>
> I tried them too here, and I think sometime is amiss as my Measured integer
> speed went from 2500ish to 7105. That is for an AMD 2200+. I will retry to
> run the benchmarks tonight.
>
> Kin
>

WOW - I think you could be right!!

Which client was that you tried, the AthlonXP client presumably?

I would have expected a result in the low 4000's or there about.

Ned

---

*** My Guide to Compiling Optimised BOINC and SETI Clients ***
*** Download Optimised BOINC and SETI Clients for Linux Here ***

Ned,

Consider me amazed!

The boinc client that you optimized for my Amdk6-2 500mhz, has dramatically increased the cpu benchmarks from 187 whetstone, 487 dhrystone up to 514 whetstone, 934 dhrystone, theoretically more than doubling it's meagre crunching speed, so, it's seen fit to download twice as many WU's, let's hope it can live up to it.

BTW - I owe you a double thanks for an indirect pointer on getting VNC to work properly on RH FC1, my googling for a solution, found me on PC perspectives linux forum, where you maintain a very capable presence, suffice to say you had posted a link to a very clear concise set of directions, that 'did just what it said on the can', cheers! I can now shove my revamped linux box back into the cupboard where it normally lives.

I just wish linux was easier to learn, because it has so much going for it! For instance 'Squid'; everyone that has networked PC's should have a 'Squid server', before now I'd only ever seen instantaneously appearing webpages on very fast broadband, Squid doesn't dramatically speed up dynamic pages, but once it's cached any static content requested by any single LAN machine, it's resent very rapidly, to any other LAN machine without having to waste bandwidth, downloading it again, marvellous.

TTFN

---

Ken Phillips

BOINC question? Look here



"The beginning is the most important part of the work." - Plato

> >
>
> Hi William,
>
> Sure, yes I'll put that client up on my site now - check in about an hour and
> it should be up. The link is in my Signiture :)
>
> Ned
>
>
>

Any change of putting up a statically linked i386 seti client up too? I can't get the standard one to run on my box, and i can't install the compiler tools to compile one. Please :)

---

> >
>
> Hi William,
>
> Sure, yes I'll put that client up on my site now - check in about an hour and
> it should be up. The link is in my Signiture :)
>
> Ned
>
>
>

Any chance of putting up a statically linked i386 seti client up too? I can't get the standard one to run on my box, and i can't install the compiler tools to compile one. Please :)

---