1) Message boards : ATLAS application : Event nr. questions (Message 38168)
Posted 8 Mar 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
Thanks. I'll try that.
2) Message boards : ATLAS application : Event nr. questions (Message 38145)
Posted 7 Mar 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
Thanks for the insight, Computezrmie.
3) Message boards : ATLAS application : Event nr. questions (Message 38134)
Posted 7 Mar 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
I've just started using the VM Remote Console, and I have a number of questions:

I've crunched a lot of 3 CPU WUs, but I don't have any Remote Console data for them. Today I crunched a lot of 2 CPU WUs and one 1 CPU WU. The Event nrs. for the 1 CPU WU were sequential, 1,2,3,4..., and each Event nr. occurred only once.

For the 2 CPU WUs the Event nrs. were e.g. 85,80,81,86,87,82,88,83,89,84,85,86,90,91,87,92,88,89,93,94,95,90,96,91. Each Event nr. occurred twice. Was the jumbling of Event nrs. due merely to processor scheduling factors, or something like that?

Would 3 CPU WUs show Event nrs. 3 times?

The 1 CPU WU had 200 events. What are the events? Were they detected in the ATLAS detector, or are they computational events?

A 2 CPU WU had 102 events, but Event nrs. 99-102 only occurred once, as the WU was ending. What is the significance of that? Was the computation short of completion?

Why would Event nr. 97 take 371.4s the 1st time and 57.02s the second time?

What is being averaged?

Where does the uncertainty (+-) arise?

I know this is a lot. Maybe these have been answered in a thread I couldn't find. I sure would appreciate help.
4) Message boards : ATLAS application : Help with # (Message 38043)
Posted 20 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
Thanks for taking the time to provide the clarifications, computezrmie, and for the link to Yeti's checklist. I guess I should also be thanking Yeti. I read it once and I'll read it (and apply it where possible) again. It looks like the biggest problem may be with regard to allowing certain ports in my firewall. Last night I entered the local and remote IP addresses and ports for boinc.exe and I got an error message. I don't understand that, since I got my information from Resource Monitor. But not to worry...boinc.exe was already being allowed. I think my AV software allows all installed apps bidirectionally by default. But it does provide a list of executable files that have been allowed, so the user can change the rules on a case by case basis. I can except executable files so they won't be scanned for viruses. Thanks again.
5) Message boards : ATLAS application : Help with # (Message 38036)
Posted 19 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
Hi again computezrmle

LHC VMs are distributed as ready-to-use images.

That's certainly true for Theory. But for ATLAS, after I allow the task to run, it creates a VM, I click on Show VM console and the only script is:

IPaddress of this VM: 10.0.2.15
In order to apply cernvm-online context, use #<PIN> as user neme.
localhost login: _

There is no need to login as a normal volunteer.
Thus you will not get any password.

This isn't just about passwords, it's about a PIN. The only time it then asked for a password was after I entered my email address. And whereas I could type my email address (or probably anything else) after it asked for my PIN, nothing I typed when it asked for a password got entered into the VM console. Not even asterisks.

What you can do is to watch the different consoles.
Use ALT + Fn or Host + Fn or Right-Ctrl + Fn to switch between them.
It depends on your VirtualBox configuration whitch key combination works on your host.

Now I am confused, for three reasons. Are you saying there are more than one console? And if there are, which Fn button do you mean? There are 12 of them. Will any Fn button work? And what do you mean by Host + Fn? The only key that starts with H is Home, not Host.

One other thing. After 24 minutes of elapsed time there were just a few minutes of CPU time, and that was with 3 CPUs. And although according to the Task Manager Performance tab CPU Usage would occasionally go as high as ~50% for a short time, it was usually more like watching grass grow. Well, maybe not that bad, but nothing like the first 24 minutes of a Theory task.
6) Message boards : ATLAS application : Help with # (Message 38032)
Posted 19 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
I've been doing Theory tasks and one sixtrack. Now I'm trying to start ATLAS, but I can't get very far into creating/configuring the VM. The VM console says:

IPaddress of this VM: 10.0.2.15
In order to apply cernvm-online context, use #<PIN> as user name.
localhost login: _

Although not a PIN, I once entered my email address. I was then asked for a password. But if I remember correctly I couldn't even enter my password (probably because I hadn't entered a number for localhost login).

Where and how do I get a PIN, and what password do I use? Do I have to create an account somewhere? I'm at a total loss. I've gone so far as emailing service-desk@cern.ch, but all they could do was give me a link to two other cern email addresses. I sent email to them, but they both came back with the statement:

Delivery has failed to these recipients or groups:
cernvm-talk@cern.ch (cernvm-talk@cern.ch)
Your message can't be delivered because delivery to this address is restricted.

and

Delivery has failed to these recipients or groups:
cvmfs-talk@cern.ch (cvmfs-talk@cern.ch)
Your message can't be delivered because delivery to this address is restricted.

I'm at wits end. Please help.
7) Message boards : Number crunching : Can't get tasks or reset project (Message 38031)
Posted 19 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
I have the CPU's set at 100% also but as I said that does not mean these Theory tasks will use 100% but it sure does make these tasks run without Invalid tasks

My problem now is not that I can't get tasks. Now Theory tasks always run at 25%, even when max # CPUs=3, and whenever I start an Einstein task Theory immediately goes into Waiting to run. I changed my memory settings to 100% earlier. And I already had LHC preferences set at use 100% of processors 100% of the time. But I just now changed Einstein preferences from use at most 25% of the processors 100% of the time to 100% of the processors 100% of the time. When I resumed E@H, no problem, they're both running!

I'll restore my LHC project preferences to use 3 CPUs, but I'm not expecting a new download until 2:30 AM, so I probably won't see what happens with Theory. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks!
8) Message boards : Sixtrack Application : Memory requirement and VB vs. native (Message 38028)
Posted 18 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
Thanks Veronica. I now have 12 GB of memory, so I think I could run Atlas tasks again when it comes back online. So does the sixtracktest application run the developer versions?
9) Message boards : Number crunching : All my tasks use just 1 CPU (Message 38020)
Posted 15 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
What are you Max # jobs & Max # CPUs, settings in the preferences?

The maximum # jobs was 1 and the maximum # CPUs didn't matter. I could config it for 2,3, or unlimited, but I still just got one CPU tasks.

But apparently that has changed. I won't be able to download another LHC task until this evening. But this morning when I resumed an E@H 1 CPU task the CPU Usage reported by Task Manager jumped up to 50% and the LHC task didn't go to Waiting to run as it had been doing. So something clearly has changed. I've configured LHC project preferences to use 3 CPUs. I'll keep all but one E@H task in a paused state, and I'll pause the one that is running when I need to use a browser or do anything else.

The extra memory I ordered should be here by 2/20/2019. That along with two 2 GB DIMMs I'll leave in the other channel will eliminate all memory problems.
10) Message boards : Number crunching : All my tasks use just 1 CPU (Message 38016)
Posted 15 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
There was no way I could edit my first post, so I had to reply to it to add information.

As I said, never before when I ran BOINC CPU benchmarks did all four CPUs get tested, for a total of 100% of processor capability. And when I was only able to get 1 CPU tasks the benchmark test reported just one CPU.

The one thing that I did differently last night was to run Memtest64 for ~3.5 hours. Maybe the processor memory manager wasn't working correctly, and somehow Memtest64, which used every bit of processor power retrained it. Don't ask me how...it's just a guess anyway.

It will be interesting to see what happens next time I download a task. I'll keep everybody posted.
11) Message boards : Number crunching : All my tasks use just 1 CPU (Message 38015)
Posted 15 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
For a while I couldn't get any Theory tasks (Message 37971). That problem eventually resolved itself. Now I do get tasks, but it doesn't matter how I configure project preferences...they all just use one CPU of my quad core.

At one time I used all four CPUs for a couple of days. Now it doesn't matter if I configure preferences to use 2, 3, or no limit CPUs.

I also run Einstein@Home GPU tasks, which use one CPU per task to feed the GPU. So I could run an E@H task and a two CPU LHC task concurrently. Now after starting a Theory task using one CPU and it's established at 25% of processor potential, if I start one E@H task, the LHC task immediately goes into Waiting to run.

I only have 6 GB of memory (8 GB is on order), and now I commonly see just a few MB free. But if I use a browser, then close it, there is more than enough free memory to run the E@H task. Their working set is no more than ~158 MB. But even forgoing E@H for now, there is no way I can download a LHC task that uses more than one CPU.

I have had a few computation errors and some tasks that self-aborted due to memory issues. The memory issues will be eliminated when I have 12 GB, But I don't understand what changed.

I can also mention that BOINC CPU benchmarks used to test two CPUs followed by a single CPU, but recently changed to using just one CPU for the duration of the task At that time BOINC Event Log reported just one CPU. But that has changed too. Now CPU benchmark uses all four CPUs followed by one CPU, and Event Log reports four CPUs. I also can't explain that, and unfortunately I don't remember if I ran the benchmark before or after I started another LHC task. I'm just 2:27:xx into the new task, so I won't be able to download another task until this evening.

Given that CPU benchmark now reports four CPUs instead of one, it will be interesting to see if I now can get a multiple CPU task. But I wanted to report this unusual behavior, and get the opinions of people more knowledgeable than me. I welcome all replies and I will keep you posted.
12) Message boards : Number crunching : Can't get tasks or reset project (Message 38012)
Posted 14 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
Thanks for the link and the message bronco. I'll have to ponder that some more. :-)
13) Message boards : Sixtrack Application : Memory requirement and VB vs. native (Message 37996)
Posted 12 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
I've been running Theory, since I currently only have 6 GB of memory. I have more on order, so that will soon be 12 GB.

But I'm also interested in Sixtrack. How much memory is needed?

A user who uses Linux directed me to a post from 2018 that says the Linux app itself uses ~7 MB, and Sixtrack tasks have a peak working set of ~350 MB each.

I also don't know whether it's best to run Sixtrack natively or in a VM.
14) Message boards : Number crunching : Can't get tasks or reset project (Message 37995)
Posted 12 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
It's there. Use your browser's search function(CTRL-F) to search for sixtrack.

Thanks again. I guess I glossed over those mentions of Sixtrack.
15) Message boards : Number crunching : Can't get tasks or reset project (Message 37990)
Posted 12 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
I wanted to thank everybody for all the help. At ~00:15 UTC I tried to download a 2 CPU Theory task and it worked, using 50%+ of total processor capability (I have a core-i5, meaning 4 cores).

Then I downloaded two Einstein tasks. In Einstein preferences I specified use at most 25% of processors, which feeds the GPU. So I expected to see 75% of total processor usage. But free memory at that time was just a few MB, although available memory was ~2900 MB. One of the Einstein tasks started, but the Theory task dropped, first to 25% then 0%, with Waiting to run. I scrambled to abort both Einstein tasks (I don't know why I didn't go for pause), and the Theory task started up again at 50%. I know LHC tasks don't like to be interrupted, so I guess until my additional 8 GB of memory arrives I'll forget about Einstein and use 3 CPUs for LHC. I used 4 cores for a couple of days, but this is the only computer I have, and I have to use it for other purposes.

"Remember, nothing that's good works by itself, just to please you. You have to make the damn thing work."
Thomas A. Edison
16) Message boards : Number crunching : Can't get tasks or reset project (Message 37989)
Posted 12 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
Log entries from the previous session might appear in the log saved on disk. That log might go back several days.

I can't find it in Program Files\BOINC. Can you tell me where it is?
There is a setting that allows you to control how many entries are retained in the log. Think it's in your personal prefs?

I can't find that either. I started out with SETI years ago. One would think I might know more about it.
17) Message boards : Number crunching : Can't get tasks or reset project (Message 37988)
Posted 12 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
Link to that thread with the formulae for RAM requirements for LHC tasks... https://lhcathome.cern.ch/lhcathome/forum_thread.php?id=4875

Thanks bronco. I was also interested in Sixtrack, but that's not included in the link. Have any idea about that?
Also, when I access the project preferences ALICE and LHCb have disappeared from the list. At first I thought it might be because in my quandary I tried to download everything, but they had disappeared because I don't have enough memory yet. But then I realized that since ATLAS is well known for needing a lot of memory, and it's still on the list, that couldn't be the reason. Maybe there just aren't any tasks now or expected in the near future for those applications.
18) Message boards : Number crunching : Can't get tasks or reset project (Message 37985)
Posted 12 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
Sorry, Jonathan,. When I first accessed BOINC Event Log it had data from 2/10/19 US Pacific time. But I've since rebooted the system several times, and now it only covers today starting at 3:56 PM. Does the log reset whenever BOINC is shut down?

Edit: The first Event Log did say that there were Theory tasks for ATI GPUs, but my preferences did not indicate I wanted that. I've since corrected that. Later entries all said that there are no Theory WUs.
19) Message boards : Number crunching : Can't get tasks or reset project (Message 37983)
Posted 12 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
https://lhcathome.cern.ch/lhcathome/result.php?resultid=215698053

As you can see from the ratio of CPU time to Run time of ~2 I was only using 2 CPUs when this failure occured. When I was using 4 CPUs I wasn't running Einstein, just Theory.

you have to set your Boinc Manager Options- computer preferences-disk and memory settings so that you allow it to use your memory

Per your advice I have changed memory usage to 100%, but I did it on the website, not in BOINC.
And you are set to run all 4 CPU's in your LHC preferences so you were running a 4 CPU task with not enough Memory.

Are you saying that running a 4 CPU task uses more memory than a 2 CPU task? I thought it just meant that the task of a given size was divided up into however many CPUs are available?
Einstein GPU's are not the problem........it uses memory from your GeForce 750 card.

Einstein tasks do use a small amount of system memory...~158 MB if memory serves, as well as virtual memory.
I have been running both for the last 8 years and a pc similar to yours with only 12GB ram running 2 GPU tasks and 2 of the 2-core Theory tasks 24/7 and they never fail set with 100% memory available.

I appreciate all the help you gave me in PMs.
20) Message boards : Number crunching : Can't get tasks or reset project (Message 37971)
Posted 11 Feb 2019 by Steveplanetary
Post:
My last theory task resulted in computation error because of a lack of memory (I've since ordered more DRAM to double my 6GB). I've been unable to download a new task. I reset the project, since I had nothing to lose. Last time I did that it resulted in a long download. This time no download, and the Program Data\BOINC\Projects\lhcathome folder is empty. I even removed the project and rejoined. I tried downloading every application, but no luck. I don't know what to make of it, or what to do.

Edit: I forgot to mention that I'm also running two Einstein@Home GPU tasks. Each uses 1 CPU of my quadcore, and has a working set of ~168 MB in system memory. They each consume 25% of total processor capability.


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