How to start (for newbes on this project)

[the-mk]

Hi there!

I decided to give this project a try (just on a P3 1000 MHz at the moment; If I like it I'll start it on my other 'puters too). So I have a lot of questions:

1. Client download: OK, I think I've downloaded one (from http://stephenbrooks.org/muon1/).
2. Any configuration required? Where do I set my username (and probably the Teamname I want to join)?

3. Any registration required (like at DF) or just send WUs (like on distributed.net) and you'll show up in the stats? Where do I have to register if it is necessary?

4. Where do I join Team Free-DC?

5. Are there other (especially official) stats than http://stats.free-dc.org/new/projpage.php?proj=dpad

6. How long does it take to get "uploadable" results from my client and how long will it take to show up in the stats? And how often are stats updated?

7. Any possibilities to run the client as a service?

I think that is the information a newbe needs

If everything is answered well, could we make that thread sticky to ease the entry for newbes to this project?

Thanks, much appreciated

[wirthi]

1: correct, although I don't know the correct link. Just take the one from the page

2: IIRC make a user.txt and put your username inside; the teamname must be in brackets and has to be added to your username: "the-mk[Free-dc.org]" for example.

3: non required. Just upload work!

4: see 2;

5: see the other current thread

6: depends on the precalculated results you have in results.dat; if you start with a fresh installation (and thus results.dat is empty) new results should pop out after 10 minutes or so. Later it could take hours to finish a workunit. The points you get are calculated based on the quality of the result (the muon-yield), and so if it takes longer to calculate you get more points. Don't worry if it takes ages, you'll get even more points for that!

7: Only Firedeamon (or Firedemon?) AFAIK ....

Be sure not to use the graphical version but the textclient ... you know why (=> speed) .... although the graphical client has very cute graphics ...

Greets,
Wirthi

PS: all the data refers to older version of the client. Haven't used it for say half a year. Should still be valid though.

[the-mk]

OK, found out that moun1.exe double-clicked in windows-explorer starts that graphical thing! Looks cute! And I can stop it with pressing "Q"

Then I've found out that moun1_background.exe will be started and runs in background, BUT how do I stop it? Can I kill it via Taskmanager or are there special procedures? Do I lose WUs when I just kill it via Taskmanager?

And what about the moun1_cmdline.bat, can I close the commandline-window without losing results?

That's it for a while...

[wirthi]

If you "kill" the client (which one ever) you will lose at max (unless there is a bug) the currently processed workunit. You can configure the client to write a checkpoint file though. Just change the corresponding value in the config file (config.txt?). It is set to 180 (seconds) IIRC, I you have a stable computer runing 24/7 you should increase that value .... on systems that get switched on and off (notebooks, etc) I would let it at 180 ...

Wirthi

[magnav0x]

What is a Muon?

A muon is a fundamental particle, produced in weak radioactive decays of pions; symbol u; mass 106 MeV; charge -1; spin 1/2. It behaves like a heavy electron, but decays to an electron and neutrinos. It was discovered in 1937 by Carl Anderson in cosmic ray experiments.

What does the new version do?
-This program simulates the pion-to-muon decay channel (grey cylinders surrounding a straight blue path) of the RAL Neutrino Factory front end design. This is different to the previous versions of the solenoid-channel-only optimisation because it varies all parameters of the solenoids independently of one another. The bending chicane featured in versions 4.0-4.2x will be replaced by a linear accelerator and a muon 'cooling ring' in version 5.

What does the Project hope to Achieve?

The experiment is called the Neutrino Factory, scheduled for construction some time around 2015. Its primary aim is to fire beams of neutrinos (fundamental particles) through the Earth's interior to detector stations on different continents. They're doing this to measure whether they change type en route (there are 3 types of neutrino) and data from this in turn will allow them to determine the neutrino's mass (and whether it even has mass).

The reason they want to do this is that the neutrino is just about the most common particle in the universe (billions pass through your body every second) and if it has mass, this could cause the universe to eventually recollapse on itself. Knowing the mass will also allow scientists to make better models of how the universe began.

Actually the machine that's being built (costing at least $1.9bn) has several scientific aims. The neutrinos are used for fundamental physics experiments, but the proton beam that is produced at the start (this hits the target rod at the beginning of the simulation you download) is also going to be used in experiments for neutralising radioactive waste by transmuting the radioactive elements into stable ones.


What is the Reason for my Input?

You are simulating the part of the process where the protons hit a target rod and cause pions to be emitted, which decay into muons, which then proceed to a storage ring and decay into electrons and neutrinos. This is a fairly critical part of the apparatus, which catches the pions and confines some of them into a beam while they decay into muons. The efficiency of this dictates that of the entire machine. If the R&D says it isn't efficient enough it may not get funded to be built, but users of this program have already doubled the estimated efficiency, so it probably will.


How do I get Started?

To get started simply follow the guide in the Join Muon section of this website.
For more information on the project and current developments head over to www.stephenbrooks.org


How long do the work units take to process?

The time taken to process work units varies with the amount of particles and the parcentage of particles transferred. The results.dat file conaints all completed results you have computed. As you progress your percentage transfered (muon yield) will slightly increase. The larger the percentage transferred the more time the work units will take. As your work units increase you will recieve larger Mpts per work unit. Like most distributed computing projects Athlon XP processors are faster than the Pentium 4s. It will work fine on any system though due to the no time limit factor.


Are there any downloads or time limits for the work units?

No, there is no download of work units or time limit. The client produces its own work units using the results.dat file. By using the Best 250 file better results can be obtained.


How do I send my results?

If the computer is connected to the internet permenately then use the auto send feature, which will automaticaly send the results aftert he results.txt file grows larger than 100kb (about 99 or 100 results).
If the computer is on a limited internet basis then use the manual send feature when online.
If the computer has no internet access copy the results.txt file to a computer with interent access and send it using the manual send feature. (Warning! do not overwrite the other results.txt file)


How is work unit's score calculated? (see below for v4.3 and above)

Here is the how the score is allocated for each work unit:
score = No of particles if less than 1% transfer
score = No of particles * 5 * floor(transfer %) if more than 1%

floor(x) = x rounded down to next integer

What does the unit Mpts stands for?
-Mpts stands for Mega-particle-timesteps. In other words it is the number of times the simulation has had to shift a particle forward one timestep, divided by 10^6.

How do I join a team?

To join a team simply put their tag before or after your name and and you will be added to the team. For example to join the Free-DC.org team put '[Free-DC.org]' after your name (ie magnav0x[Free-DC.org]). Your username can be edited/changed at any time in the User.txt file.


How often are the stats updated?

The stats are updated approximately every 2 hours.

Official stats are located at:
http://www.stephenbrooks.org/muon1/v...hide=1&teams=1

Other stats are at:
http://www.stephenbrooks.org/muon1/ (scroll to the bottom)

[wirthi]

Are you trying to improve your rank at TCK ;-)

Great description!

[magnav0x]

LOL, no actualy I grabbed that from the OCAU site, and added a couple of extra things. It's a great FAQ, figured it would do it's purpose here.

[magnav0x]

Ruro, it does appear that good ol' Beyond has thrown his hat back into this project

[magnav0x]

Welcome to the team MK, just noticed your name in the official stats

[IronBits]

Something to run Muon1 client hidden and in the Icon tray

http://magmarmaxi.no-ip.info/users/a...ot/muoncmd.htm

[IronBits]

I guess the magmarmaxi... link is no longer valid!

This looks like it has some useful tools.
http://files.navalistics.com/dpad/?sort=name

Here are two utils from the above link that I snagged a while back before it went dead...
MuonCMD0.45.exe - Allows one to start client automatically and in the tray
MuonResults.exe - counts how many points you have in your results.txt file.

Hope it helps.

[IronBits]

For some reason the file can't be downloaded from the Author's site.
So I've placed it here for you to DL.
http://www.dbestern.com/files/MuonCockpitSetup102.exe

[Digital Parasite]

Ok guys, I found 1 box I can put on this project to help out, its only a P4 1.4GHz machine but its better than nothing. Since its offline, I have configured the client not to download Sample Results and not to update lattice files.

Do I or should I update those files manually? If yes, how often?

[Darkness Productions]

2 Questions:

1) Will running manualsend.bat, while the client is running, cause any problems?

2) Is there any way to shorten the amount of time between sends to the server? I seem to get a lot of results queued up, and it's only sending about every 4 days...

[PY 222]

2 Questions:

1) Will running manualsend.bat, while the client is running, cause any problems?

2) Is there any way to shorten the amount of time between sends to the server? I seem to get a lot of results queued up, and it's only sending about every 4 days...

DP,

I've never done the manualsend.bat while the client is running so I don't know. I would definitely recommend that you kill the muon.exe client first and then do the manualsend.bat.

The client usually send after your result.txt file reach 100K. It will not send any earlier unless you use the manualsend.bat batch file.

[em99010pepe]

1) Will running manualsend.bat, while the client is running, cause any problems?

No problem.

Carlos

[Darkness Productions]

Next question, what's the best processor setup for this project?

[em99010pepe]

Next question, what's the best processor setup for this project?

Between an AMD 64 3000+ and a P4 3.0 GHz, the intel is better.
Next question.


Carlos

[Darkness Productions]

Any ways to speed up the client? What does it like? Pure clock/fsb/multiplier/lotsa ram?

[em99010pepe]

Any ways to speed up the client? What does it like? Pure clock/fsb/multiplier/lotsa ram?

I don't know of anyway to speed up the client. I think it needs pure GHz's, might be wrong.

Carlos

[room101]

Amd alot quicker than Intel, think due to FPU.....?

[DragonOrta]

I start the muon1.exe, the cmd window comes up and just sits saying

Muon1 started: configuring...

And it just sits there, doing nothing after that. What's up?

[em99010pepe]

I start the muon1.exe, the cmd window comes up and just sits saying

Muon1 started: configuring...

And it just sits there, doing nothing after that. What's up?

Go here:

http://www.free-dc.org/forum/showthread.php?t=10975

Carlos