Question to 4P board owners (not utilising 32+ cores)

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Message 1570963 - Posted: 12 Sep 2014, 14:23:11 UTC

Hello, After installing seti@home on the old folding@home server (was banned for a month because majestic12 decided to crawl their homepage), I noticed that only 32 out of my available 48 cores are being utilised to their maximum. The OS I am running is windows server 2012 R2. I am not sure what is causing this, all the system settings permit maximum usage. I have also permitted usage of the service CPU in the BIOS. Would anyone have any idea what on earth is going on inside that space heater? Thanks.

p.s. Not sure if right place to post.
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Message 1570995 - Posted: 12 Sep 2014, 15:25:47 UTC - in response to Message 1570963.  
Last modified: 12 Sep 2014, 15:26:15 UTC

In the computing preferences what are these preferences set to?
On multiprocessors, use at most N processors
On multiprocessors, use at most
X% of the processors


Did you set local preferences as well ?
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Message 1571233 - Posted: 12 Sep 2014, 23:39:27 UTC - in response to Message 1570995.  

Yes, I have configured the thingo to allow usage of all processors. Not sure about local preferences though.
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Message 1571236 - Posted: 12 Sep 2014, 23:44:32 UTC - in response to Message 1571233.  

Yes, I have configured the thingo to allow usage of all processors.

Which one?

Look, the first preference with N processors is a minimum value that BOINC will use. The X% value sets the amount of processors of those N.

Which is why I asked for the actual numbers, not expecting just a "yes, I set those", as that wasn't exactly an answer to my question. By not answering simple questions like that, you make it look like you don't actually need help. Shrug.
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Message 1571470 - Posted: 13 Sep 2014, 14:34:54 UTC - in response to Message 1571236.  

On multiprocessor systems use at most 0.00%
Use at most 100% cpu time.

They are the current settings.

Was on bus, could not remote desktop at the time of last post
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Message 1571730 - Posted: 14 Sep 2014, 1:12:56 UTC - in response to Message 1571470.  
Last modified: 14 Sep 2014, 1:18:39 UTC

On multiprocessor systems use at most 0.00%

Make this 100%

In fact the wording on the web Computing preferences is:
On multiprocessors, use at most 64 processors
On multiprocessors, use at most 100% of the processors

In Local preferences it is:
On multiprocessor systems, use at most X % of the processors
 


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Message 1571855 - Posted: 14 Sep 2014, 12:50:04 UTC - in response to Message 1571730.  

Sweet, I'll have to wait for rosetta@home to stop using 110% of my RAM and give it a shot. Thanks.
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Message 1572097 - Posted: 15 Sep 2014, 6:01:47 UTC - in response to Message 1571855.  

Sweet, I'll have to wait for rosetta@home to stop using 110% of my RAM and give it a shot. Thanks.


Unfortunately, upon changing that value to 48 processors does not seem to changed much.
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Message 1572101 - Posted: 15 Sep 2014, 6:07:44 UTC - in response to Message 1572097.  
Last modified: 15 Sep 2014, 6:21:14 UTC

Which "value" to 48 processors?

We were talking to first change:
On multiprocessor systems, use at most 100 % of the processors


And will be good to supply more tech info when asking tech questions
The usual procedure is to Restart BOINC and then Copy and post the first 30-40 lines from Event Log (Ctrl+Shift+E)
 


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Message 1572148 - Posted: 15 Sep 2014, 10:00:49 UTC - in response to Message 1572101.  

9/15/2014 9:58:11 AM |  | cc_config.xml not found - using defaults
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | Starting BOINC client version 7.2.42 for windows_x86_64
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | log flags: file_xfer, sched_ops, task
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | Libraries: libcurl/7.25.0 OpenSSL/1.0.1 zlib/1.2.6
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | Data directory: C:\ProgramData\BOINC
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | Running under account Administrator
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | No usable GPUs found
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | Host name: WIN-QRESLVHN93A
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | Processor: 32 AuthenticAMD AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 6176 SE [Family 16 Model 9 Stepping 1]
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | Processor features: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 htt pni cx16 popcnt syscall nx lm svm sse4a osvw ibs skinit wdt page1gb rdtscp 3dnowext 3dnow
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | OS: Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2: Datacenter x64 Edition, (06.03.9600.00)
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | Memory: 12.00 GB physical, 24.00 GB virtual
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | Disk: 298.09 GB total, 273.32 GB free
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | Local time is UTC -7 hours
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM | SETI@home | URL http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/; Computer ID 7381720; resource share 100
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM | SETI@home | General prefs: from SETI@home (last modified 15-Sep-2014 02:26:43)
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM | SETI@home | Computer location: home
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM | SETI@home | General prefs: no separate prefs for home; using your defaults
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | Reading preferences override file
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | Preferences:
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | max memory usage when active: 12285.98MB
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | max memory usage when idle: 12285.98MB
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | max disk usage: 268.28GB
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | (to change preferences, visit a project web site or select Preferences in the Manager)
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM |  | Not using a proxy
9/15/2014 9:58:15 AM |  | Remote desktop in use; disabling GPU tasks

These are the log entries which are shown when BOINC is started. The preferences in 'Computing Preferences' are as follows:

Suspend on battery? no
Suspend while in use? no
Suspend GPU in use? no
Suspend work if no kb/ms mins? ---
Suspend work when non BOINC CPU is x%? ---
Do work only between hours? ---
Leave tasks in memory? no
Switch between tasks every 60 minutes.
On multiprocessor systems use at most 48 CPUs.
On multiprocessor systems use at most 100% of the processors.
Use at most 100% CPU time.
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Message 1572161 - Posted: 15 Sep 2014, 11:12:20 UTC - in response to Message 1572148.  
Last modified: 15 Sep 2014, 11:12:51 UTC

9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM | | Reading preferences override file


You are using preferences override, meaning local preferences. Everything set on the web will be ignored. You must change all settings locally or clear the local preferences.

On multiprocessor systems use at most 48 CPUs.
On multiprocessor systems use at most 100% of the processors.
Use at most 100% CPU time.


The first option here is only used pre-BOINC v6.1. Later versions of BOINC ignore it. The second option is the one we're concerned with, however, since you're using local preferences, the question becomes: what have you set there?
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Message 1572596 - Posted: 16 Sep 2014, 8:11:06 UTC - in response to Message 1572148.  
Last modified: 16 Sep 2014, 8:56:11 UTC

 
If/when Local preferences are set to:
On multiprocessor systems, use at most 100 % of the processors

... and BOINC still see 32 CPUs:

- I'm interested to know what other programs see:
SIV - System Information Viewer (get siv.zip uncompress it and run SIV64X.exe)
http://rh-software.com/


- You may be interested to check if this is fixed/different in the 'Development version' of BOINC (currently 7.4.21)
http://boinc.berkeley.edu/download_all.php

***

I'm not familiar with Windows Server 2012 R2: Datacenter x64 Edition
Is it possible that it have somewhere a setting to "Limit number of CPUs available to a program/process"?
Or CPU affinity mask is set for boinc.exe

To check affinity (which CPUs are allowed by OS for use by boinc.exe):
in Windows Task Manager Right-Click boinc.exe and: Set Affinity ...


P.S.
When you say "Computing Preferences" it is not clear where:
They are "Computing preferences" on the web Computing preferences
They are "Computing preferences ..." in BOINC Manager Menu





Your wording seems to be from the web but you already use Local preferences
And "Settings override the same preferences set on the project's web page preferences"

If those Preferences you listed are from the web page Computing preferences it's very strange you typed the text instead of Copy/Paste


Local preferences tab you need to look:




 
 


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Message 1573006 - Posted: 16 Sep 2014, 23:48:35 UTC - in response to Message 1572596.  
Last modified: 16 Sep 2014, 23:54:18 UTC

I have located the problem. It was such a stupid problem but I had no idea why it would affect computing. Switched from x86 to x64 and now all 48 cores are working fine. Thanks a heap you guys c:

The computing preferences that I was talking about was from BOINC manager itself. The settings look exactly like yours. I don't think that windows server 2012 forces restrictions on max CPU usage, as BOINC spawns child threads.

The preferences were typed, due to the fact that copying and pasting messed up the formatting and it looked horrible. c:
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Message 1573014 - Posted: 17 Sep 2014, 0:21:29 UTC - in response to Message 1573006.  

Switched from x86 to x64 and now all 48 cores are working fine.

I don't know what you "Switched from x86 to x64"
I already read your previous log and it show x64 OS and BOINC - but still 32 CPUs:

9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM | | Starting BOINC client version 7.2.42 for windows_x86_64
...
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM | | Processor: 32 AuthenticAMD AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 6176 SE [Family 16 Model 9 Stepping 1]
...
9/15/2014 9:58:12 AM | | OS: Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2: Datacenter x64 Edition, (06.03.9600.00)


I don't think that windows server 2012 forces restrictions on max CPU usage, as BOINC spawns child threads.

BOINC spawns child processes, not threads (I mean the apps from projects are separate processes)
And it starts so many CPU processes as many CPUs it detects (if Preferences are set for "use at most 100% of the processors")

There is an Option that can be put in cc_config.xml that can make BOINC start more (or less) processes than the number of CPUs it detects
(I was about to suggest that as last resort - if you didn't manage to find a 'normal' fix)
 


- ALF - "Find out what you don't do well ..... then don't do it!" :)
 
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Questions and Answers : Windows : Question to 4P board owners (not utilising 32+ cores)


 
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