954,198 Members — Technology Publication meets Social Media
Username:
Password:
Lost login information?
Have something to say? Contribute New Article Reply to this Article

system idle and seti@home

hi,
i've been looking at the task manager and i see that while running the command line version of seti@home (didn't test the gui ver) it only uses 50% of the cpu, while system idle process uses the other 50%. i have a hyperthreading p4 @ 2997mhz. how do i get 1 instance of seti@home to use most of the cpu? i've tried setting priority. does it have to do with ram speed? is it the hyperthreading? it's a laptop, so i don't want to crank up the bus or any overclocking.
thanks.

Mace
Newbie Poster
3 posts since Jun 2004
Reputation Points: 10
Solved Threads: 0
 
hi, i've been looking at the task manager and i see that while running the command line version of seti@home (didn't test the gui ver) it only uses 50% of the cpu, while system idle process uses the other 50%. i have a hyperthreading p4 @ 2997mhz. how do i get 1 instance of seti@home to use most of the cpu? i've tried setting priority. does it have to do with ram speed? is it the hyperthreading? it's a laptop, so i don't want to crank up the bus or any overclocking. thanks.

i can get 100% cpu usage only by using 2 instances (processes) of seti. could someone with the tech knowledge explain why? my best guess is that seti@home isn't optimized to use 2 cpus, or smp. - edit

Mace
Newbie Poster
3 posts since Jun 2004
Reputation Points: 10
Solved Threads: 0
 

Seti is dumb drop that piece of software time to be more productive.

MAD_DOG
Practically a Master Poster
626 posts since Feb 2002
Reputation Points: 58
Solved Threads: 14
 

That's not much help, Jimmy. It's a person's own choice if they want to contribute to the seti@home project!

Mace, I don't run SETI - I run folding@home myself. But I've had a look at the documentation for SETI and it seems to me like the software can't be configured to use the full capacity of a dual-processor system, and should be 'forced' to use only one processor under those circumstances.

Used on a 'hyper-threaded' processor, I'd imagine it would get even more confused. Perhaps an experienced user of the software might pop up to offer more advice, or perhaps you could chase up more assistance at SETI's bulletin board:

http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/bb/bb2/index.cgi

(Please let us know how you 'fixed' it if you get success from there)

Catweazle
Grandad
Team Colleague
4,335 posts since Mar 2004
Reputation Points: 229
Solved Threads: 149
 

doh! the bulletin board! i must be mental.
i've looked at a few threads and it seems you're right. nobody is running 1 process of seti with a multi cpu system.
thanks.

That's not much help, Jimmy. It's a person's own choice if they want to contribute to the seti@home project!

Mace, I don't run SETI - I run folding@home myself. But I've had a look at the documentation for SETI and it seems to me like the software can't be configured to use the full capacity of a dual-processor system, and should be 'forced' to use only one processor under those circumstances.

Used on a 'hyper-threaded' processor, I'd imagine it would get even more confused. Perhaps an experienced user of the software might pop up to offer more advice, or perhaps you could chase up more assistance at SETI's bulletin board:

http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/bb/bb2/index.cgi

(Please let us know how you 'fixed' it if you get success from there)

Mace
Newbie Poster
3 posts since Jun 2004
Reputation Points: 10
Solved Threads: 0
 

lol Seti, my moms been running that on her extra computer for years now, every day, day in and day out that program runs, its actually quite funny. i think in the several years of her running it shes only got a couple of wopper sized signals. she has lots of awards though for how many things shes done though.

Killer_Typo
Master Poster
781 posts since Apr 2004
Reputation Points: 152
Solved Threads: 39
 

I got a project you should try. It's called SETI2@HOME

Turn off your computer and look out the window you might find aliens that way faster. hahaha

MAD_DOG
Practically a Master Poster
626 posts since Feb 2002
Reputation Points: 58
Solved Threads: 14
 
I got a project you should try. It's called SETI2@HOME Turn off your computer and look out the window you might find aliens that way faster. hahaha


and wow your a real funny guy, i almost laughed then i realized it wasnt funny.

Killer_Typo
Master Poster
781 posts since Apr 2004
Reputation Points: 152
Solved Threads: 39
 
and wow your a real funny guy, i almost laughed then i realized it wasnt funny.


you are right it isn't funny, whats funny is loading a program like SETI on you computer and wasting you rescources !:)

caperjack
I hate 20 Questions
Team Colleague
13,069 posts since Aug 2003
Reputation Points: 1,064
Solved Threads: 812
 
you are right it isn't funny, whats funny is loading a program like SETI on you computer and wasting you rescources !:)


i dont load it on my computer or any computer that i actually use. only computers that are not used any more and are taking up space so i find somthing for them to do. and seit just happend to be one of those things.

Killer_Typo
Master Poster
781 posts since Apr 2004
Reputation Points: 152
Solved Threads: 39
 

This article has been dead for over three months

Post: Markdown Syntax: Formatting Help
You
View similar articles that have also been tagged: