Gauntlet Project

[Bok]

Should we switch the gauntlet to a more stable project ?

This is *unofficial* btw

[Geier]

I vote for DNET (RC5-72). I know there was a recent RC5-72 gauntlet, but I like this project and we have the potential to move up a lot as a team. Free-DC is already at or near the top in the other projects.

[Helix_Von_Smelix]

I have not been running RC5-72, so it would be a bit to short term for me.

[rshepard]

I'd just as soon stay with Eon, mostly because I just got all my boxes set up for it and I'm too lazy to re-tool everything right now :D

[Darkness Productions]

If we go MD5, I'll participate gladly ;)

[Helix_Von_Smelix]

What about Distributed folding. Lots of opsys covered. No change for several weeks. Stats are good. Stable now. Can run off line....... etc..........

Eventhough i voted for MD5

[PCZ]

I vote to stay on EON as planned.

I believe that the gauntlet is now screwed.
Thanks to the minority who couldn't leave well enough alone.

The whole point of this gauntlet was to overtake US'd in EON

[Helix_Von_Smelix]

it's upto magicfan241, as it was his gauntlet.

Just need a start time,,, please.

[Welnic]

Even though I have other OSs, I don't run anything that doesn't support OSX. No Eon for me.

[BrianM]

Eon people Eon let's give it all we got for a while and see if we can at least make it to #2!!!:fight: :fight:

[Bok]

Originally posted by PCZ
I vote to stay on EON as planned.

I believe that the gauntlet is now screwed.
Thanks to the minority who couldn't leave well enough alone.

The whole point of this gauntlet was to overtake US'd in EON

PCZ, you are right, I lost track of the reason for the gauntlet, for which I apologize. <too much coding :spank: >

Eon does have it's outages, but everyone suffers them the same.

It's up to magicfan241 in the end, but I now say we should go ahead and leave as is.

Bok

[magnav0x]

If we're voting then I say stay with EON :D

[Helix_Von_Smelix]

okay, so does it start Tuesday, May 11, 12:00AM EST??? as magicfan241 said.
Or should that be 00:00Hrs or 23:59Hrs or 12:00Hrs.

and we thought Howard had problems organising things.

[offamychain]

I know I'm gonna upset some people by saying this, but I don't mean to do that. I just don't like beating around the bush.

But, saddly, I agree with PCZ. I don't think this gauntlet is gonna help at all now. Half-way through just the planning stage, we already have people suggesting another project, decideing that Eon is not "good enough" for them to run, stuff like that.

The entire reason for suggesting Eon was to retake our lost postition to USD. Is FDC just wanting to give up, like they did a week or so ago on Ubero?? And doesn't appear like we're going to even attempt to pass them in Chess. And this is all about a team that is a TENTH of our size!! I am new to FDC & agree that people should be free to run their own projects, but stats is stats. That's why they're there--for competition.

So what happens now. They can have Ubero, that was the general concensus. Looks like there is a strong interest in not attempting to retake our Eon position. They try harder than we do in Chess. What about the rest of the projects?

What good would switching to another project do? 3rd place in LM is a LONG ways away & DD manages to always produce about as much as we do. USD is almost 100,000 points behind us & is no immediate threat. LM is a project I run every day also. It has as many stability issues as any DC project out there.

RC5 is also another that I run daily. What would a gauntlet do here? We could go from 154th place to 125th in a couple weeks. We could also do that without a gauntlet, simply by all members running RC5 as a secondary project. Kill 2 birds with 1 stone then.

I guess it would be possible to take 1st in MD5. 1st place is over 100,000 DP's away & I have no idea how fast points add up on this project. From the looks of it, we are not immediately threatened from anyone.

Don't mean to get upset guys, & I'm not trying to point fingers or nothing. But as I've stated before, I like WINNING, I DO NOT like looseing. Although not the ONLY reason, one of the MAIN reasons for DC teams is competition. My idea of competition is "beating the other guys." You can't accomplish this by quitting projects, not attempting them because they're too hard, or deciding not to run them because they're not really "doing anything"

Sorry, but just my 2 cents.

[Helix_Von_Smelix]

The reason people suggested another project was because the EON server was on it’s arse. If there is a gauntlet, I will look at the DC project to see if it is one I am interested in running. If not I will not take part. Simple as that, by me saying I am not interested should not have any sway on whether or not it is run, but I can say I am not interested.



So, will the person who suggested the gauntlet (EON) tell us when it starts, 24 hour clock and time zone.
:bang:
:bang:
:bang:

That's all i want a start time and what project.

[TeeJay]

:fireboun:

I will also 're-tool' this weekend for the EON gauntlet...

You can count on 1,000 points per day from IB...
I will make sure he is doing his part for the team. :thumbs:

Let's make it happen, whoever wants in, let's ROCK the stats boat !

Just my .02 worth... plus tax. :rolleyes:

>>TJ

[Bok]

Ok Guys,

the poll was my personal idea only due to my perceiving that people had issues with the Eon server going down occasionally. So the blame for today's uprising lays squarely with me :crazy:

If I could remove it I would, but it's too late.

I'll have to ratify with magicfan241 but the Eon gauntlet goes ahead starting at 00:01AM CDT Tuesday 11th May or 6am GMT on the same day. (I checked that the Yes concert is on monday night and not tuesday night to clarify this )

Feel free to start up earlier if you wish, my stats system will track from the normal Eon database based on a start date for each person. For all the people starting initially, this will be set to May 11 - the server which runs the stats is on Central Time so one hour behind EST which is why I choose that time.

Hope you don't mind magicfan..

So with that out the way, let's get ready to rumble... I have to find more power... perhaps another athlon64 needs building this weekend :p

Bok :)

[Helix_Von_Smelix]

i thank you

:cheers:

:elephant: :drums: :bouncy: :drums: :elephant:

[magicfan241]

Yep! Thanks Bok for getting all this cleared up. I wanted to stick with E0N because the goal was to kick US-D in the ass. If we were to move off this project, then it wouldn't have the same point.

It's fooping staying on Eon. Bok is right on the starting time for the gauntlet. May 11, 12:01AM EST, or 00:01 EST, or 6:01 GMT time. I just need to be back from Yes within the first few hours of the gauntlet. I've been awake at the start of every gauntlet so far, and this won't be the first one I'm asleep for!

magicfan241

[Bok]

Originally posted by magicfan241
Yep! Thanks Bok for getting all this cleared up. I wanted to stick with E0N because the goal was to kick US-D in the ass. If we were to move off this project, then it wouldn't have the same point.

It's fooping staying on Eon. Bok is right on the starting time for the gauntlet. May 11, 12:01AM EST, or 00:01 EST, or 6:01 GMT time. I just need to be back from Yes within the first few hours of the gauntlet. I've been awake at the start of every gauntlet so far, and this won't be the first one I'm asleep for!

magicfan241

I made it 12:01 CDT / 01:01 EST due to the stats server being in Dallas....makes it a LOT easier...

Bok

[magicfan241]

Fine with me, it's one hour. I might be home by then (if the concert dosen't last 3 hours including intermission, then I'll be dissipointed)

So for me:

Concert start 7:30 PM
lasts 3 hours 10:30 PM
Getting out of parking lot 11:15 PM
1 hour ride home 12:15 AM.

I'll be awake and ready to mow the colonials!

magicfan241

[offamychain]

I wasn't directing any of my frustration at you Bok, or any one else. If anybody took offense to anything I said, I apologize. It wasn't meant that way at all. Too many years in the military tends to make a person express his opinion straight out & to the point. Right or wrong, nobody misunderstands it that way.

I run ALL programs, with the exception of DPAD. I'm a team-player with one goal in mind--Help my team be the best in whichever projects I participate with in that team. Let's get Eon back first, as planned, & this IS something FDC can do. After we get a decent "buffer-zone" built up, us regular Eon crunchers can maintain that lead & also help out the guys on the next project get ahead on theirs, & so on.

We have the resources to do this & are close enough on several projects to at least make the top 3 or 4, 1st on a few. With that said, let's get down to business.

And I may have just lost an Eon processor. The system was shut down & I tried powering it back up. It went through about half the "start-up stuff", then froze up. After examination, I noticed the HS fan isn't working anymore. Nothing appears melted & I've got the BIOS set at about a 65 degree auto-shut-down, so maybe it's OK. I'll find out in a couple hours when it cools enough to replace the fan & try it again.

Keep your fingers crossed for me.

[IronBits]

Originally posted by PCZ
I vote to stay on EON as planned.
The whole point of this gauntlet was to overtake US'd in EON Hear! Hear! We should stay on EON as planned.
If the Server goes down, everyone can't get work, so it still remains even.
Just pretend your doing DF ;) :rotfl:

[IronBits]

Ok, so it was a cheap shot at DF :p ;)

offamychain You have some great ideas.
Would you be willing to create an optimal setup for several combinations of
projects you run, under both windoze and *nix, priority settings, 'how-tos' etc.
so we can all gain more output from our boxen to allow us to take advantage
to, so we can squeese every penny of performance out of these boxen, making
sure our hard earned money is being spent as wisely as possible on the much required
use of electricty in this hobby, as well as increase our output in the projects? :)

:notworthy

[Paratima]

"fooping"? :confused: :scratch:

[gopher_yarrowzoo]

Voted Lifemapper but EoN would do except I can't get the thing to bally well link up to the server keeps saying it can't
Im running it on Win98 on a network behind Zone Alarm Pro S/ware Firewall and WinRoute Pro s/ware Router, i've set up packet filtering on port 10204 both in and out on both tcp & udp to map it directly between the eon server (listed in the config file) and that pc on both inbound and outbound sides (rules set up) and port mapped it too both ways...

[excaliber]

/me is fond of DPAD

[offamychain]

Iron..it would tickle me to do that as long as nobody thinks I'm trying to do the "You need to do it my way" thing. That is not the reason I'm here. Don't get me wrong, I HAVE NOT got that idea from anybody here at all. I just tend to be very active in a forum, always offering suggestions, & that has back-fired on me in the past.

But that's IN the past. No bragging, but I believe I've got a pretty good operation going, for only having 11 to 13 machines going. The projects I run for FDC which I KNOW how to optimize well are Eon, LM, Chess, & DNET, on both RedHat9 & WinXP/WinServer set-ups. I can work them really well, though not necessarily better than anyone else.

I'm exactly average on SOB & F@H, but not worth a flip at DPAD or FAD.

Later tonight, or tomorrow, when I figure out which forum, or forums, is the right place to put the stuff, I'll list the details of my machines, their DC-Projects, & the results I usually expect. My set-ups will work on most any machine as long as they meet 3 little "criteria".

1. They must "stay together" most of the time & stay cool. My systems are worked VERY hard 24/7 & usually have a total of 10-15 individual instances running at one time.

2. Lots of memory. All mine have at least 512, most over 600, but this can be worked around by dropping a few instances until it runs OK.

3. They're STRICTLY crunchers, nothing else. With the # of clients they run & the priority settings I use, you might as well leave them alone & let them crunch, 'cause they WILL pretty much ignore everything but the OFF button.

I'll list all the specific client settings, Task Manager priorities, Nice values, etc. Anybody interested in trying them can adjust their's as necessary. If it helps...great--if no ones interested...that's fine too.

[IronBits]

Heck ya! :thumbs:
Now your talking my language :D
It's called pharming the pharm :jester:

If you can get better crops, I want to know how you do it.

I appreciate your sharing, as I'm sure others will.

At least it puts something up as a 'benchmark' standard to achieve.

Who knows, someone might take a look at your setups, give it a whirl, add in their two cents, next thing ya know, we start harvesting more and more.

Who knows, we might be able to get about 1/3 more output from each pharm boxen.
Combined, that would be a huge boost.

Thanks for putting that extra energy into something positve. :smoking:

You were concerned that you might be too active in this Forum?
/me looks around :rotfl:

Excuse me, but, if you were to cross that line, I'm afraid you would be at the mercy of
:scared: A99 :moon: :scared: Fozzie :moon: :scared: Gopher :moon: and ......
:scared: :scared: :scared: Moogie :scared: :scared: :scared:

Do NOT let her catch with your feet on the table, or your holey socks on the back of the couch :crazy:

Otherwise, help yourself to the fridge and have one on me. :cheers:

[offamychain]

I'll get it up soon as I can Iron. Nice to know there's a place where you can actually offer suggestions, that may or may not work, without getting accused of trying to commit mutiny.

I won't mention WHERE this has happened though:D :cool: :D :cool: :D :cool:

!*!*!*!*!*!!*!*!*!*!IMPORTANT!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!***

!*!*!*!*!*Read the newest thread in the EON forum. Para may have solved the firewall/router problem!*!*!*!*!*!*

[IronBits]

What ever you do, don't ever look at my post count :jester:
Race ya to 10,000 :rotfl:

[IronBits]

I hope everyone that is going to be in the gauntlet gets a client up and running quickly so you can get on the Team and show up in the STATS! :Pokes:

[alpha]

How about sticking with eOn as was originally discussed, but running MD5CRK on the side for times when the eOn server stops handing out work, or is down for some reason. Looks like we could use some help over there since Ars snatched 1st place from us recently.

[offamychain]

That would most likely be a good idea. I've never tried MD5, but you can run almost any project secondary to EON. Just go into "Task Manager" on Windows, or "System Monitor" (I think that's what it's called) on Linux, & adjust the priorities & nice-values until Eon is constantly staying at 95% or so. The other will jump to 5 or 6% a couple times a minute...this is fine. Set like this, MD5 will take over automatically when EON quits, & give it back when it starts again....No wasted cycles.

USUALLY, the correct Windows settings are going to be "Normal" for EON & "Below Normal" for MD5, & "Above Normal" for any Chess's you're running, but this can vary. Just make sure both projects are actually doing something at the time & adjust as necessary until you get the 95/5 ratio.

Linux is actually easier. Set EON to a nice value of -15, Chess to -17, & MD5 to 17. Now leave it alone.:D :D :D

[excaliber]

Eek! Don't put any DC project at or above normal!

That means they will get priority with or above other normal programs.

Task Manager sucks, actually. There are about 30 combinations you can make a thread's priority (there is a thread_class value and a thread_value value, and between these two you can come up with a lot of configurations.)

I just might make a simple app that shells other apps at the requested value. Not today though, I'm leaving for Portland. Possibly when I get back :)

[offamychain]

That's the reason my crunchers are ONLY crunchers. I automatically turn ALL unnecessary stuff off in "services.msc", such as Audio, Windows Time, Auto-Updates, Error Reporting Service, Alerter, Help & Support, Messenger, Performance Logs, Print Spooler, Smart Card, System Restore, etc., etc., etc.

What I'm left with is a dedicated cruncher that has no greater purpose in mind other than processing data & spitting out WU's. I believe if DC'ers would actually TRY to max. their computer out, they would be surprised at how well it did these projects.

I have a dozen setting in the spare bedroom right now that have been running 10-15 total clients EACH at an "Above Normal" setting for the Chess clients for a month or more without ever slowing down, except when the electricity goes out.

You definitely wouldn't want to do this on your "main" machine, such as the one I'm typeing on now, or on machines you don't actually own, which I don't mess with. It wouldn't actually HURT them, but you definitely wouldn't get much work done.

There are 2 settings above "Above Normal", High & Real-Time, which the computer uses to actually keep it's critical operations going. An "Above Normal" DC-project will NEVER take priority over these things, at least not on modern computers.

A modern, & well-built, computer is just like a diesel engine. They're designed to run full-blast forever, as long as you keep them cool, happy, & fuelsed up.

No bragging intended, but I believe a look at a couple of my stats shows that this type of set-up works fine. 7th overall in Chess, 29th in Eon, 69th & climbing in Ubero. And all this on a dozen mid-speed computers in about 6-9 months. And I've never lost a cruncher to a catastrophic failure.

No offense taken Excalibur, & I'm not bragging about the stats. But if you buy a good machine, or build a good one, which all of mine but 1 are, they'll take a whole lot more stress than most people put on them.

If it bothers a person too much to max. his rig out, by all means don't. You'll sleep better at night. But if, like me, you want 101% of what the system can ultimately do, you have to make it do that. I push mine hard, 24/7. If they can't take it, I sell it & buy one that can.

If you go with Bills suggestions about how Windows should work, you're not getting all the performance that you paid for. :D :D :D

[IronBits]

Thanks for all the tips on running a quality setup for cranking out work offamychain! :thumbs:

I now run on my winders boxen at least
4-8 CB clients at 'normal'
1 EON at 'below_normal'
1 Backup project, currently FAD :thumbs: at 'low' or unchanged

Some are Servers, some are dedicated crunchers and my personal 'workstation' :D
Performance hit on this xp2600 2.1GHz box is not so bad that I can't put up with it either ;)

:beep: :hifi:

[offamychain]

Not sure how you USED to stand, but right now you're the 5th highest producer in the world...right behind me:D :D :D , so you've got something going good.

Keep it up. Another half-dozen producers like this & we will have 1st place in our sites.:cool: :cool: :cool:

My workstation is also a 2600. It's actually a 333MHZ, converted to a 266, by Fritz. This is my only store-bought computer & won't support OC'ing at all, so I wanted it maxed out. I didn't want to change MOBO's, so 2600 is as high as I can go.

I thought for a while that there were some 266FSB 2700's out there, but after trying to find one for several months, I'm not sure they even exist, although I HAVE found references to them.

Same deal here, the 2600 with it's 1024MEG of DDR266, can handle around 6-8 total DC-processes & still be useable. Matter-of-fact, I can run my DNET-Proxy, a DNET client on Low, & an additional DC-project on Below Normal, & still play Medal Of Honor.:D :D :D

[IronBits]

right now you're the 5th highest producer in the world
:scared:
/me runs around in a panick looking for them Big 1200lb Gorillas, like King Kong,
to squish me any minute with one massive :dump:
:scared:

:rotfl:

Now, if I could only find that 'priority changer' someone just released for winders boxen. :bang:

And maybe something to hide them with? :thumbs:

Then I could add it to my scripts ;)
Hey! I heard that in the back :p

:rotfl:

[magnav0x]

Do a google search for runh.exe IB. It works great for console based apps. Or you could install it as a service. See this thread for manually service setups http://www.free-dc.org/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4965&highlight=windows+service

[IronBits]

Click Here for runh (http://thethin.net/runh.zip)
Run Hidden
written by Steve Seguis offers several freeware GUI utilities. His Run Hidden (runh.exe) utility is especially helpful because it lets you launch scripts or programs in background mode. Background mode is ideal if you want to run a batch file but don't want users to see it run or to accidentally cancel it. Run Hidden is also ideal if you schedule scripts with Task Scheduler but dislike the script windows that pop up and interrupt your work when the scripts execute.

:thumbs:

[excaliber]

Ofmychain: Gotcha. Thought you were talking about full time, normal use computers. I agree, if it's a dedicated cruncher, no need for all that other crap.

[edorajh]

I vote for RC5-72 or OGR-25/OGR-24. :D