BOINC Pentathlon 2024

[leadeater]

4 minutes ago, Rbakker02 said:

I currently have set Boinc to use 99% as I won't be using the computer for anything else during the event. I'm currently doing prime grid tasks while I wait for tasks for city run. 

ok for that it's probably best to just run one task and make sure on the website preferences you've told it the correct number of threads to use (not the BOINC client app)

[Rbakker02]

39 minutes ago, leadeater said:

ok for that it's probably best to just run one task and make sure on the website preferences you've told it the correct number of threads to use (not the BOINC client app)

Thanks great tip, changing threads on primegrid quartered the remaining time! 

[Kilrah]

6 hours ago, SkillzTA said:

Then again, perhaps SG is keeping GPU mostly out of the Pent this year due to rising power costs around the world.

Nah, CPUs draw power too, and even with higher power consumption GPUs are so much more efficient at doing calculations per watt.

 

RNMA is now finally giving WUs normally here, laptop got at least a day's worth of work in the queue.

 

Not sure my "simplified bunkering" technique will work for NFS so I'm now running PG on desktop and RNMA on laptop.

[dogwitch]

am trying to make sure pc get feed . while me dealing with getting badly dehydrated (some how last weekend)and recovering from it.

[leadeater]

20 minutes ago, Kilrah said:

RNMA is now finally giving WUs normally here, laptop got at least a day's worth of work in the queue.

I have more tasks pending waiting quorum validation than our current total for the event so far 

 

[will0hlep]

My machine still can't find any work for RNMA. I guess I'll have to focus on Cullen till it does.

 

Finally managed to get some RNMA work

[AamirA]

Is there a specific project I should run for NFS@Home? Should I just choose the one which uses the most memory?

[leadeater]

19 minutes ago, AamirA said:

Is there a specific project I should run for NFS@Home? Should I just choose the one which uses the most memory?

I'm doing them all but 15e small numbers and 16e small numbers give the best points for run time. 16e small being the better of those two, not had any 16e V5 task so can't comment on that one.

[dogwitch]

1 hour ago, leadeater said:

I'm doing them all but 15e small numbers and 16e small numbers give the best points for run time. 16e small being the better of those two, not had any 16e V5 task so can't comment on that one.

am only aiming at 2 type of wu atm.

prime cpu and the gpu numbers.

 

also we need to cough make sure lead rigs are unplug... cough.

must be all the  lead in the server room.

[leadeater]

9 minutes ago, dogwitch said:

and the gpu numbers.

The Numbers event has finished so I'd save your power bill and tell that project not not accept new tasks

[leadeater]

We're starting to pick up speed in City Run, maybe we can gain a few places

 

[dogwitch]

2 hours ago, leadeater said:

The Numbers event has finished so I'd save your power bill and tell that project not not accept new tasks

good to know. thank you.

[will0hlep]

1 hour ago, leadeater said:

We're starting to pick up speed in City Run, maybe we can gain a few places

 

If everyones hourly work done remains the same (as it has been over the last hour) we'll get up to 5th place in the City Run. However, with another 2100 an hour we could chase down 3rd. Of course that dosn't account for the ramping up that others will be doing.

[mrtwonavels]

On 4/23/2024 at 8:08 AM, leadeater said:

Dates: 05 May 2024 00:00 UTC - 19 May 2023 00:00 UTC

https://www.seti-germany.de/boinc_pentathlon/start.php

 

The Pentathlon is an annual event for several BOINC teams to compete across five disciplines (five different BOINC projects) to gain points and win medals.  Several teams, but only one team comes out as the winner.  The event last for over two weeks.  If you up to the challenge, come on and join the team in competing in the pentathlon and see if your hardware can handle the heat.

 

 

Team Name: LinusTechTips_Team

Contacts: TBA

What is BOINC?: https://linustechtips.com/topic/151235-official-ltt-boinc-faq-guide/

 

 

Events:

 

 

Marathon

• Project:  PrimeGrid: only subproject Cullen Prime Search LLR (CUL)
• Website: https://www.primegrid.com/
• Resource Usage: CPU
• Start:  05 May 2023 00:00 UTC
• End:  19 May 2023 00:00 UTC
• User Provided Setup Guide:  TBA

 

Sprint - Finished 4th

• Project: NumberFields@home
• Website: https://numberfields.asu.edu/NumberFields/
• Resource Usage: GPU
• Start:  05 May 2023 00:00 UTC
• End:  08 May 2023 00:00 UTC
• User Provided Setup Guide:  TBA

 

City Run

• Project: The Ramanujan Machine on BOINC
• Website: https://rnma.xyz/boinc/
• Resource Usage: CPU
• Start:  07 May 2024 00:00 UTC
• End:  12 May 2024 00:00 UTC
• User Provided Setup Guide: TBA

 

Steeplechase

• Project: TBA
• Website: TBA
• Resource Usage: TBA
• Start: TBA
• End: TBA

 

Javelin Throw

• Project: NFS@Home
• Website: https://escatter11.fullerton.edu/nfs/
• Resource Usage:  CPU
• Throw #1: 10-11 May 2024 00:00 UTC

 

Bunker Technique

An advance technique used during the Pentathlon to hold a large amount of WUs (Work Units) before a discipline start date.

 

Windows 7/8/10

  Reveal hidden contents

How to setup multiple instances of BOINC

Advance BOINC Pent bunker technique

 

The following is a technique referred to as bunkering in the Pent.  The advantage of this technique is to hold many WUs that are crunch ahead of time before a discipline (BOINC project) start date occurs.  Once the discipline start date hits, the WUs are then off loaded from the client allowing a large amount of points to be gained at the start.

 

The technique is even used near the end of discipline dates to gain last minute advantages as well.  Usually can be seen when a team shows low output in one or two disciplines then all of a sudden a large amount of points are dumped on one project as the end date nears.  This can allow a team to take a higher spot at the end before other teams can react.

 

Note: this technique is not useful on projects with quorum 2.

 

Steps to setup another instance of BOINC for bunker technique:

 

Windows Method

 

1. First, create a new folder in C:\ProgramData
   • Example:  

     C:\ProgramData\BOINC2

      

2. Edit the cc_config.xml file to include the allow_multiple_clients option.
   • Example: 

     <cc_config>   
      	<options>    
       		<use_all_gpus>1</use_all_gpus>    
       		<allow_multiple_clients>1</allow_multiple_clients>   
      	</options> 
     </cc_config>  
     

      

3. Next, creat a batch file in the new BOINC folder.
   • Example: 

     "c:\Program Files\BOINC\boinc.exe" --allow_multiple_clients --redirectio --detach_console --gui_rpc_port 31418 --dir C:\ProgramData\BOINC2 
     exit  
     

     Note: Default port for BOINC is 31416.  Each instance requires its own port.  This is what the --gui_rpc_port sets.

   •  

4. Run the batch file.  This will start another instance of BOINC which can now be setup to download and run more WUs to bunker with.

 

Now, you have another instance of BOINC running.  Next is to hook this instance to the BOINC Manager.

 

Connecting BOINC Manager to the new instance:

 

1. Create a new shortcut.
   • Rename this to the instance of BOINC made.  Example: BOINC2
2. Copy the random letters and numbers from gui_rpc_auth.cfg.  This is the password.
3. Edit the 'Target' line of the BOINC2 Shortcut to include the new port # and new password (this the random letters and numbers).
   • Example: 

     "C:\Program Files\BOINC\boincmgr.exe" /m /n 127.0.0.1 /g 31418 /p 37cf632b718387f4675342371b4055cc  

     

   • /g is for the port number you set for the new instance.  /p is for the random letters and numbers from the gui_rpc_auth.cfg file.

 

 

If requested, I will add the method for Linux.

 

 

 

 

Linux (conformed for Ubuntu and Mint) - if anyone else manage to get this to work on other Linux branches, please ping me or Ben so those can be added to the list.

  Reveal hidden contents

NOTE:  Linux is case sensitive

 

All steps below are done within the terminal (Bash shell).  Shortcut for terminal:  Control+Shift+T

 

1. Create data directory for extra instances of BOINC.

   • sudo mkdir /var/lib/boinc2

     For those not fully familiar with the Bash shell,  sudo - gives super user permission; mkdir - make directory (or as others refer, a folder), /var/lib/boinc2  -  path and directory name

2. Create cc_config.xml file.

   • sudo gedit /var/lib/boinc2/cc_config.xml

     gedit - text editor; if you don't have this, you can use nano or vi or other text editors avaliable to Linux

3. Past text info cc_config.xml

   • <cc_config>         
      <options>                 
       <use_all_gpus>1</use_all_gpus>                 
       <allow_multiple_clients>1</allow_multiple_clients>         
      </options> 
     </cc_config>  

     This is to allow GPU usage and multiple clients to run.

4. Create a blank gui_rpc_auth.cfg

   • sudo gedit /var/lib/gui_rpc_auth.cfg

     nano or vi or other text editors can be used here

5. Start BOINC Client Instance

   • sudo /usr/bin/boinc --daemon --allow_multiple_clients --gui_rpc_port 31422 --dir /var/lib/boinc2

     --gui_rpc_port sets the port for the client instance.  --dir is the directory you made for the new instance in step 1.

 

 

To add to the BOINC Manager

 

1. Start BOINC
2. Start your newly created BOINC instance.
3. Go to "File" -> "Select computer..."
4. For the hostname, enter 127.0.0.1:31422 (the number after the colon is the port number you set the new instance to)

 

Note: each new instance requires a different port.

 

 

How do I set up boinc for my computer. Also when is the next f@h event?

[HoldSquat]

27 minutes ago, will0hlep said:

If everyones hourly work done remains the same (as it has been over the last hour) we'll get up to 5th place in the City Run. However, with another 2100 an hour we could chase down 3rd. Of course that dosn't account for the ramping up that others will be doing.

So what you're saying in it's time to deploy even my wife's laptop

[TheLANguy]

19 minutes ago, mrtwonavels said:

How do I set up boinc for my computer. Also when is the next f@h event?

BOINC Guide:

 

The next folding event will be the summer sprint. Make sure to follow the Folding Community Board for announcements.

 

[GOTSpectrum]

49 minutes ago, will0hlep said:

If everyones hourly work done remains the same (as it has been over the last hour) we'll get up to 5th place in the City Run. However, with another 2100 an hour we could chase down 3rd. Of course that dosn't account for the ramping up that others will be doing.

I've not been involved due to power issues, both systems have joined the city run 

[GOTSpectrum]

2 minutes ago, GOTSpectrum said:

I've not been involved due to power issues, both systems have joined the city run 

76 threads now crunching 

[Kilrah]

Okay, moved my desktop to RNMA now that it works, it also estimates things correctly now (used to think a WU would take 3h30 when it finished in ~18mins), so 48 threads on it

 

I hate those 8+ hour PG WUs. 3.5min NF was way cooler to see zip by.

[kiska3]

 

Very log2(x) like. But you can see when they fixed their feeder issue

[GOTSpectrum]

Looks good 

[HoldSquat]

3 minutes ago, GOTSpectrum said:

Looks good 

 

It's so beautiful

[GOTSpectrum]

Someone ping me when you need my GPUs for something 

[will0hlep]

52 minutes ago, GOTSpectrum said:

I've not been involved due to power issues, both systems have joined the city run 

Now we are getting somewhere

 

Between 18:00 and 19:00 (UTC) we pulled 31,429. If we could keep that up until the end of the City Run we'd get 2,737,848. That is only about 93k ahead of where the same formulas say [H]ard|OCP will be though.

I'm going to go looking for a bit more processing power to turn to this goal...

[Kilrah]

What sucks is that while they fixed supply validation is still extremely long. Feels like when it ends there'll be a day's worth of units that were submitted but won't have been validated. Same for everyone but still... poor project choice