Troubleshooting Performance Related Problems With The BOINC Client Software
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Contents |
[edit] General
For most people, the installation of the BOINC Client Software there are few, if any, problems. Unfortunately, that is not the universal experience. For that reason, this BOINC "How-To" Guide will outline some of the things you can try.
If problems persist, you can use the BOINC "How-To" Guide: "Collecting Information Before Reporting a Problem With the BOINC Client Software", before going On-Line to obtain help from other Participants.
[edit] Preconditions
In order to complete the procedure outlined in this guide, you must meet the following preconditions:
- A problem where your computer does not seem to be quite working right after an initial installation of the BOINC Client Software or an upgrade to the BOINC Client Software.
- A willingness to attempt to isolate the problem following the suggestions within this guide without ruling them out because "it can't be that!"
[edit] Things To Try
[edit] Explanation
Each step suggested should be tried and the results of that trial recorded. This can take some considerable time because each attempt will be followed by a test that can take a considerable amount of time to complete. For example, some of the problems may only surface as a result of the exchange of a Work Unit/Result on the CPU, and that exchange may only occur once or twice a day.
In those conditions, you have to make the change to the system, and then wait for the system to reach the point where the problem occurs.
[edit] Suggestions
- do not stare at BOINC manager.
- Run multiple BOINC Powered Projects
- Keep the Work Buffer (cache) setting "relatively" low
- try to use latest recommended version
- check task manager (or similar utility) to find out what processes are using CPU cycles
- test using only one CPU for the BOINC Client Software (on multiple CPU machines)
- particular project Science Application creating problems?
- performance of hardware (motherboard, memory, CPU, video, etc)
- any of the above items going bad? (there are some utilities out there to help diagnose some of these problems. I know some people have mentioned running an utility to check for defective memory)
- all using latest drivers?
- Temperature of CPU, case, memory, etc?
- roll back to an earlier version of boinc???
- spyware / virus scans using latest updates
- defrag
- scan disk
- what other operations / programs are running at the same time (I guess that kinda goes with the one that says what is getting the CPU cycles)
- try running without the Screensaver
- if memory is a problem, is the user leaving the project in memory when preempted?
- over-clocking CPU / memory?
- BOINC settings for disk space
- page file size? and is there enough room on the disk for it?
- what kind of installation? (service, single user mode, shared mode)
- Run memory tests: name of test
- run FPU test I downloaded (I have it and will add it)
- Run Prime test for stability check ...
- run mfgrs diagnostic utility (add location of dells if I can find it again)
- ATI video cards used to have diagnostic on drivers, still there?
