[rboisjoly]

hi all!

Is there a resource page which would help me install the optimized client for my G4 PowerBook and figure out what the "workers" are and how to install that too?

Basically, I want to install a CLI version of seti@home and control it via SetiControl, and make sure I have the fastest configuration... done correctly.

Thanks!
- Renaud

[Lateralus]

There are no optimized versions of SETI Classic. All optimized clients are for SETI BOINC, or SETI II.

[mikkyo]

Basic Boinc clui info is here
http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...hreadid=219776

You can grab the boinc client download and the setiworker you want from the team resources page here:
http://members.dslextreme.com/~reade...eam/boinc.html

Choose your setiworker, the optimized or altivec'd version (at the bottom of the page are javalizards altivec seti workers).
Stick the worker with the app_info.xml file inside your boinc:projects:setiathome.berkeley.edu folder and launch boinc.
Be sure to attach to another project like CP so that when the Seti servers are out of work or go down, you can at least keep crunching on another project for the team.

[beadman]

I found the Team MacNN page for downloading the optimized client, but I'm unable to determine which version to download. I'm running a G4 PowerBook (3.3), 1Ghz, 1GB RAM, 60GB HD with OS X 10.3.6. I assume I'll need the optimized 4.13 BOINC client at the top of the page, plus the Seti Worker portion of the 4.06 clients, but which one - the 7400/7410 or the 7450? I can't find these numbers anywhere in my system profile. Or should I download the Altivec worker, and if so, which one?

Also, what will installing the optimized client do to my CPDN WU that is now finally in Phase 2?

Thanks!
beadman

[Shaktai]

Originally posted by beadman:
I found the Team MacNN page for downloading the optimized client, but I'm unable to determine which version to download. I'm running a G4 PowerBook (3.3), 1Ghz, 1GB RAM, 60GB HD with OS X 10.3.6. I assume I'll need the optimized 4.13 BOINC client at the top of the page, plus the Seti Worker portion of the 4.06 clients, but which one - the 7400/7410 or the 7450? I can't find these numbers anywhere in my system profile. Or should I download the Altivec worker, and if so, which one?

Also, what will installing the optimized client do to my CPDN WU that is now finally in Phase 2?

Thanks!
beadman

Not a problem. You want the latest boinc version 4.13. That is the most stable. Just select the optimized compile for G4. From my experience, it shouldn't have any negative effect on CPDN. For the SETI worker, scroll down the page and try the compile by Java Lizard. You might want to go to his home page, to be sure you get the latest. If you have problems with it, just pull the "seti worker" only, and use the standard boinc. Be sure to read the instructions and follow them exactly. mikkyo's optimized compiles do make a difference on ALL Boinc projects. I think yours will be the 7450 client, but someone can correct me if I am wrong.

[beadman]

I downloaded the 4.30 Seti worker (7450 flavor), put it and the app_info.xml file into my seti project folder, and got the following when I restarted BOINC:

2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] Found app_info.xml; using anonymous platform
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] WU refers to nonexistent app_version: setiathome 402
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] WU refers to nonexistent app_version: setiathome 402
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] Can't link workunit in state file
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] Can't link workunit in state file
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] WU refers to nonexistent app_version: setiathome 402
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] WU refers to nonexistent app_version: setiathome 402
...
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] link_result: nonexistent WU 08mr04aa.19693.23265.217334.250
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] link_result: nonexistent WU 08mr04aa.19693.23265.217334.250
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] Can't link result 08mr04aa.19693.23265.217334.250_2 in state file
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] Can't link result 08mr04aa.19693.23265.217334.250_2 in state file
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] link_result: nonexistent WU 08mr04aa.19693.23265.217334.251
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] link_result: nonexistent WU 08mr04aa.19693.23265.217334.251
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] Can't link result 08mr04aa.19693.23265.217334.251_2 in state file
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] Can't link result 08mr04aa.19693.23265.217334.251_2 in state file
[these WU are in the same folder as the new seti worker and the app-info file]
...
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] ACTIVE_TASK:arse(): result not found [Edit:the smiley is acually a {colon colon P}]
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] ACTIVE_TASK:arse(): result not found
[seti then contacted the server and downloaded some new WU, followed by...]
...
2004-11-22 14:30:26 [SETI@home] Starting result 08ap04aa.750.17872.15892.44_2 using setiathome version 4.30
2004-11-22 14:30:26 [SETI@home] execv(../../projects/setiathome.berkeley.edu/setiathome_4.3_ppcG4.7450.altivec) failed: -1
2004-11-22 14:30:26 [SETI@home] Unrecoverable error for result 08ap04aa.750.17872.15892.44_2 (process exited with code 2 (0x2))
2004-11-22 14:30:26 [SETI@home] Unrecoverable error for result 08ap04aa.750.17872.15892.44_2 (process exited with code 2 (0x2))

Following this, I stopped Boinc, reset the seti client, and restarted it. After restart I received

...
2004-11-22 14:43:05 [SETI@home] Starting result 08ap04aa.750.17970.373564.97_2 using setiathome version 4.30
2004-11-22 14:43:05 [SETI@home] execv(../../projects/setiathome.berkeley.edu/setiathome_4.3_ppcG4.7450.altivec) failed: -1
2004-11-22 14:43:05 [SETI@home] Unrecoverable error for result 08ap04aa.750.17970.373564.97_2 (process exited with code 2 (0x2))
2004-11-22 14:43:05 [SETI@home] Unrecoverable error for result 08ap04aa.750.17970.373564.97_2 (process exited with code 2 (0x2))
...

I have now removed the seti folder from my projects folder so it won't try to run again and I'm continuing with CPDN. Any suggestions would be extremely welcome!

Thanks,
beadman

[virex]

you most likely need to delete the wu's you had in progress and let boinc d/l some new work units for the new seti worker...

[mikkyo]

I downloaded the 4.30 Seti worker
2004-11-22 14:30:22 [SETI@home] WU refers to nonexistent app_version: setiathome 402

This means you had work for the Seti 4.02 worker but are now using the 4.30 worker, so the WUs aren't valid and it dumps them.

execv(../../projects/setiathome.berkeley.edu/setiathome_4.3_ppcG4.7450.altivec) failed: -1

This means your app_info.xml refers to a worker with a different name.
Check that your Worker is actually named "setiathome_4.3_ppcG4.7450.altivec" or that your app_info.xml has the same name of your worker in both places in it.

[beadman]

It now seems to be working...I made sure there was noting in the Seti Project folder except the 4.30 worker and the app_info.xml, then did another -reset, and started up BOINC again. Had to wait an hour for my CPDN to do it's thing, and then SETI started right up and is calculating as I write. Hopefully, the result will be valid when it gets done on my combinatioln of H/W and S/W...

Thanks for all your help, everyone!
beadman

[beadman]

In case anyone is interested...
My Powerbook G4 1Ghz, 1GB, is doing much faster crunching now.

My Original benchmarks, using default BOINC 4.13 and SETI Client 4.02:

2004-11-22 12:10:49 [---] Benchmark results:
2004-11-22 12:10:49 [---] Number of CPUs: 1
2004-11-22 12:10:49 [---] 476 double precision MIPS (Whetstone) per CPU
2004-11-22 12:10:49 [---] 1441 integer MIPS (Dhrystone) per CPU

After I installed the optimize 4.13 for G4, and the SETI worker Altivec for the 7450: I forgot to quit everything and had texteditor, Safari, Eudora, and MS Excel open at the time

2004-11-23 20:50:09 [---] Benchmark results:
2004-11-23 20:50:09 [---] Number of CPUs: 1
2004-11-23 20:50:09 [---] 698 double precision MIPS (Whetstone) per CPU
2004-11-23 20:50:09 [---] 1570 integer MIPS (Dhrystone) per CPU

I then quit all the open applications and re-benchmarked:

2004-11-23 20:52:15 [---] Benchmark results:
2004-11-23 20:52:15 [---] Number of CPUs: 1
2004-11-23 20:52:15 [---] 685 double precision MIPS (Whetstone) per CPU
2004-11-23 20:52:15 [---] 1608 integer MIPS (Dhrystone) per CPU

I next went in to System Preferences and killed my desktop photos which had been set to swith photos every one minute:

2004-11-23 20:55:49 [---] Benchmark results:
2004-11-23 20:55:49 [---] Number of CPUs: 1
2004-11-23 20:55:49 [---] 683 double precision MIPS (Whetstone) per CPU
2004-11-23 20:55:49 [---] 1606 integer MIPS (Dhrystone) per CPU

Interesting...obvious conclusion is that the more stuff I have open, the faster the Dhrystone readings...

[mikkyo]

See the boinc benchmark thread for more info on the benchmarks and other results to compare to.
Basically, there is always some variance in the benchmark results, so 3 runs picking the best is probably the way to go.
ClimatePrediction also interferes with the benchmark as it doesn't stop processing immediately. So since you are attached to seti, if you want to get your real numbers, you might put just the boinc client and your account,setiathome.berkeley,edu_xml file in a temporary folder and run boinc with the -run_cpu_benchmarks flag a few times, then stick the client and account file back in your regular folder and resume work when done.

[beadman]

I did a bit more searching (Google) and found a site that lists which processor each computer has. http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/index.html. Mine is here: http://www.everymac.com/systems/appl...ok_g4_1.0.html so I found out that I have the 7455 type of PoweerPC processor, with the Altivec Velocity Engine built-in.

Mikkyo: do you know if there is a version of the SETI worker optimized for the 7455 processor?

beadman

[virex]

7455 is a low power version of the 7450, so the 7450 optimized client will work great

[mikkyo]

You can find your processor type a lot easier by typing
hostinfo
in Terminal

[beadman]

Thanks, Mikkyo and Virex.

I tried the hostinfo command and find out it's a 7450 type... Where do you learn all these terminal commands?

beadman

[sonofmof]

I have an eMac 1.25 and was just curious to find out if anyone knows what cpu it has.

According to the everymac link it says my cpu type is a 7447a? (G4)

Does this mean I should use the 7450 optimized client ?

I also read somewhere else that the VGA card on the eMac is not too great, is it upgradable? - I have been a pc builder/user for the last 10 years but this recent entrance in Macworld has been a long term ambition made possible by the incredably low price of the eMac.

1 more question, if someone doesn't mind answering,
Do I need to keep my mac clean eg. defrag, etc, like i have always had to do with PC's ? and if yes, which program should i use ?

Many thanks for any answers you can give.

Sonofmof
A new but keen to learn mac enthusiast !

[sonofmof]

here is the link to everymac which details my system.

http://www.everymac.com/systems/appl...emac_1.25.html

I forgot to paste it in my last post !

Sonofmof

[Lateralus]

If your CPU is anything other than a 7400 or 7410, use the 7450 client. Plain and simple.