Seti takes CPU priority over RC5?

[MrCadaver]

Decided I'd start running RC5 while Seti was down (didn't have any WU cached), and so I've been running that the past few days. Of course, Seti's back up now, and I decided to switch from the GUI version (which I ran always minimized) to the CLI version, with Seti Driver so I could cache a few days worth of WU. Well I just noticed awhile ago that while Seti is running at about what I'd expect (one WU in around 7.5 to 8.5 hours, depending on how much I'm using the computer), RC5 has slowed down considerably. Does Seti take priority over RC5? Any tricks to get them to share CPU cycles a little more evenly? I'm using Win98 btw, TBird 700@910(6.5x140), 128MB SDRAM@CAS2, etc. blah blah blah.

 

[Gringo]

yeah, i noticed something funky. running OGR (same client), even with the distributed.net client running at "high" priority (second highest priority, next to real-time...and i was not about to try that), it still couldnt get any CPU cycles from SETI, which was running at "low" (lowest priority). In an ideal world, == priorities should get == timeslices (a simplistic view, but should work for this model). Something stinks.

btw, this is on AMD/2k... but I "feel" this is the same on Intel/95/98 as well.

k.

 

[Robor]

That's just because SETI is so much cooler and more powerful!

Okay, maybe that's not the reason... I have read about others who use SETI and RC5 together. Most who do it only run SETI in screensaver mode just because SETI takes priority over RC5. That way, when they're using the PC it's working on RC5 and when it's idle the screensaver kicks in and SETI runs. Why SETI takes priority, I dunno but that's what I've read.

Rob

 

[CurtOien]

SETI used to shut down RC5 all the way.
If you run 3.03 GUI it lets RC5 have about 15%

 

[JWMiddleton]

Yep, SETI is a resource hog! If you run S@H with SetiDriver and set the client priority to "Normal", then RC5 gets about 3% of CPU (with RC5 at default priority). If you switch SETI to "Low" priority then RC5 will get about 11%. Unless you have a high powered PIII the results will be so small that it is hardly worth it. I have two boxes running both, but only to run out the RC5 buffers.

When version 3.03 hit the streets I moved my systems with less then 100 MHz FSB to RC5. That would be Cellies at 300, 366 and 433( some are OC'ed), giving me a total of over 1,750 MHz working on RC5. So, instead of getting 8 WU/day from those boxes I get about 1600 blocks.

 

[Viztech]

I had experimented with running them simultaneously a while back, mostly to have a backup when the Seti server was not reachable. I had similar results as those that have already posted, but I might add that the Seti WU times increased in proportion to the RC5 use.

I settled on using Seti Driver to monitor and cache WUs, Seti Spy to log results, and the Cli client. I am using Orange Kid's proxy instead of going to the seti server directly. The Dnet client is loaded and ready to go if the need arises, but as was proved by the past week's Seti outage, OK's proxy is more reliable.

viz

 

[Poof]

I run RC5 along with a bunch of different distributed computing programs including SETI. If you want RC5 to share equally, just go into your config menu, select #3 "Performance related Options", and #3 again "Priority level to run at", and chose a number > 0. On my 98SE, I've found that using "4" for the value will allow RC5 to share ~50% of the CPU with something like SETI...

 

[MrCadaver]

Yeah, I downloaded WinTop so that I could moniter what app was using how much. I have also set my RC5 priority to 4, and it seems to to get around 45%, Seti around 45%, and whatever else (virus, MBM, etc) using that last 10%. I was hesitant to change the priority rating since they put the big warning in the menu, but after you said you did it, I decided to also and it seems to be fine.

 

[Hellburner]

You guys have nailed it down. RC5 default priority is 2 and S@H is 4, set them equal to get roughly equal shares of CPU time. The normal base priorty is 8, so if you want to keep production up while the kids are playing their non-FPS games run your project at priority 8, works great and the kids never know the difference.

 

[MrCadaver]

LOL, gonna have to try some higher priority settings I guess. After I read what you said, I decided to experiment a bit.
1. Seti running.
2. RC5 running (priority 4).
3. Open Mechwarrior 4.
4. Set resolution to 1600x1200, highest detail options available.
5. Watch slide show.

I didn't really think it'd kill my computer like that, with a Geforce2 GTS 32MB I've not run into too many games that really stressed my pc. Ah well. Guess that means it's time for an upgrade, right?
BTW, I just read my last post and I thought I'd clear something up. I am running an ANTIvirus, not a virus.

 

[Gazoooo]

MrCadaver:

I was getting worried, I was going to prescribe antibiotics.