Holidays

melter65 · Post by **melter65** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:49 pm

As I'm going on my Hols for a fortnight in August (28th July-11th Aug) I need to know the best way of scaling down my projects. I won't be able to leave the 'puter running so I'll have to stop crunching.

Is it better to suspend projects that won't finish before deadline, or is it better to detach and reattach to my projects when I get home from the seaside?

Timby · Post by **Timby** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:26 pm

Hi Melter, I am pondering the same situation as I am away for 2 weeks in August as well!
I plan on running down the PC's at home and switching them off for that period.

melter65 · Post by **melter65** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 12:36 am

It's just that I don't want to start any WU's that won't finish before I go away, or start any WU's that have deadlines which are during my holiday. At the moment I've nothing to worry about, but as the 28th gets closer I'll be keeping a beady eye on the deadlines of new WU's!

EDIT: I've just noticed my latest Rosetta WU's deadline is 27th July, so I've set it to accept no new tasks!

Post by **UBT - bobuk** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 4:32 am

melter65 wrote:I've set it to accept no new tasks!

'no new tasks' on all your projects is the way to go....
then when you have no wu's to crunch a few days before you go away, just do a project that only has small/quick wu's like PG prime grid they only take about 10 mins per wu.
you can then crunch away right to you leaving for your hols.

btw...enjoy your break and i hope the weather is kind for you and yours

b.

Post by **UBT - Timbo** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 8:49 am

UBT - bobuk wrote:'no new tasks' on all your projects is the way to go.........

I concur....!

However, you also may need to keep a careful eye, because if you are only crunching short duration WUs, and you have a large "cache" preference on your preferences, then you may end up with a few hundred 10 minute WUs...

So you need to monitor how much time the total amount of crunching will take, compared to your "cache" setting and at the appropriate time, just set the last "active" project to "no new work"...and then let it empty the cache of WUs - which should empty by say a day or two before you leave.

You can of course adjust your "BOINC Preference" on one of the projects directly (which will filter through to every project) or if you have the latest BOINC Manager - go to "Advanced > Preferences... > network usage" and adjust it there...!

There's no need to detach from the project.

regards,

Tim

melter65 · Post by **melter65** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 1:32 pm

Thanks for all your help, I've been setting the larger projects to no new tasks.

Unfortunately the 'puter suffered a massive crash during the night, throwing up a BSOD with a 'DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL' warning

After reboot I opened BOINC Manager to find that all my running projects were 100% complete, whatever their CPU time was, then BM started uploading them all

I've had to reset all my running projects to download new work for them. Investigating the problem suggests either an overheating problem or an unsigned/out of date driver. Another suggestion was a problem with the ZoneAlarm firewall (paid for version!)

If anyone has any other ideas I'll gladly take them onboard!

Joshrandom · Post by **Joshrandom** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 5:57 pm

Sorry to hear about your crash melter65, I run the ZoneAlarm firewall (free version) without any problems. However, my PC does occasionally crash (don't they all), if its just a one off thing, then its probably just Windows XP, but hey, what do I know. :roll:

UBT - bobuk wrote:'no new tasks' on all your projects is the way to go....
then when you have no WUs to crunch a few days before you go away, just do a project that only has small/quick WUs like PG prime grid they only take about 10 mins per wu.
you can then crunch away right to you leaving for your hols.

UBT - Timbo wrote:However, you also may need to keep a careful eye, because if you are only crunching short duration WUs, and you have a large "cache" preference on your preferences, then you may end up with a few hundred 10 minute WUs...

For the holiday, as has been suggested, when the time approaches just set your projects to no new work and, since you are running a CPDN work unit, your PC ought to remain busy until you want to shut it down.

Regards,

James.

melter65 · Post by **melter65** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 6:14 pm

Thank you for your kind words, Mr Random

:D

I mentioned the ZoneAlarm thingummy because the reason I bought a ZoneAlarm licence was because I've had this same crash twice before, both times when I was using the free version of ZoneAlarm!

Thinking back to last night, I'm sure I started utorrent, without exiting BOINC, before I went to bed

Could that be the cause of overheating, running two CPU intensive programs at once?

Post by **UBT - Timbo** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 6:32 pm

melter65 wrote:.....Thinking back to last night, I'm sure I started utorrent, without exiting BOINC, before I went to bed

Could that be the cause of overheating, running two CPU intensive programs at once?

Yup - sounds like a good reason why it crashed...CPDN is very intensive in it's use of the CPU, so the PC could easily become "overloaded" with processes or "overheated" or most likely, both !!

PS If you're running a CPDN WU, then just let all your other WUs run out and set them all to no new work....then just leave CPDN on it's own...and make sure the PC fans are working...

regards,

Tim

UBT - Terry · Post by **UBT - Terry** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 10:48 am

Melter I use commodo free fire wall works fine all the time along with a few other choice antivirus Apps.
I personally won't touch zonealarm due to the fact it crashes pc's all the time where I live I've hade lots of friends etc using zonealarm and they've still had trogens etc get through the other thing I as many of the others on here will hopfuly agree there is nothing like a good router with it's own firewall.
Also are you power spike protected as round here I know there has been a problem with power spikes due to the weather and I personally know of 2 people whom have had problems due to this.

Terry

Post by **UBT - Mikee** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 8:28 pm

Never tried this before so I thought I'd give it a go. Zonealarm failed the CPIL suite tests as expected. Installed exactly as instructed and guess what! It also failed it's own tests!

Hmmph! Time to get out the 'Kiss of Death' avatar I think!

melter65 · Post by **melter65** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 11:08 pm

Terry, I used to use Sygate free firewall and AVG, but Norton bought Sygate out and got rid of the freeby. So I went to ZoneAlarm free and AVG, then because the freeby kept crashing, I bought the licence earlier this year. Then I uninstalled AVG because ZA has it's own AV program (I still use Spybot S&D and Adaware) I'll certainly take a look at the Commodo firewall (I'm not renewing the ZA licence!) I have the usual 6-way thingummy with spike protection and spinnyround sockets!

Mikee, You've got me worried now! That's the free version you tested, right? I was thinking of uninstalling ZA and using the XP firewall until I can find another, decent one.

Joshrandom · Post by **Joshrandom** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 5:33 pm

Joshrandom wrote:Sorry to hear about your crash melter65, I run the ZoneAlarm firewall (free version) without any problems. However, my PC does occasionally crash (don't they all), if its just a one off thing, then its probably just Windows XP, but hey, what do I know. :roll:

Oh delicious irony, my PC crashed just a couple of days after typing the above, and I just had to format the hard drive and reinstall XP.

Can't blame zonealarm though, after reading some of the above I was trying out commodo.

melter65 · Post by **melter65** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:53 pm

Joshrandom wrote:
Joshrandom wrote:Sorry to hear about your crash melter65, I run the ZoneAlarm firewall (free version) without any problems. However, my PC does occasionally crash (don't they all), if its just a one off thing, then its probably just Windows XP, but hey, what do I know. :roll:
Oh delicious irony, my PC crashed just a couple of days after typing the above, and I just had to format the hard drive and reinstall XP.

Can't blame zonealarm though, after reading some of the above I was trying out commodo.

Sorry to hear about your crash Joshrandom.............hang on, I think we've gone into some space-time continuem vortex whatsit!

I've not tried the Comodo firewall yet, but I've looked it up (hence the link!) and will be trying it soon.

Joshrandom · Post by **Joshrandom** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:14 pm

Thank you for your kind words, Mr Melter

:lol:

er....

I would recomend caution with the comodo, after downloading the CPIL suite tests my system became very unstable. Ofcourse my XP installation was probably on its last legs anyway, but comodo (or at least its test suite) may have given it an extra nudge into oblivion.

I have had better luck with Symantecs security tests and I have switched back to zonealarm.

melter65 · Post by **melter65** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 11:31 pm

I have a problem with any set of 'security tests' run by a security company. Surely their product is going to come out on top? I wouldn't buy shares in a security co. whose products couldn't beat their rivals on their own tests! Indeed, Micro$ofts own firewall beats allcomers in a Micro$oft test!

Horses for courses, you need a firewall that suites your particular type of internet use. The XP firewall is perfectly fine for general surfing, email and downloading music/video (free stuff) But you wouldn't want to use it for internet banking, paypal transactions (ebay etc) and all other purchases over the 'net.

So you look to another, more secure, type of firewall. The next in line are the freeware versions of the 'better' firewalls available. Again there are quite a few to choose from (go to MajorGeeks and have a look!) These firewalls are great for general security, you'll not get hacked or ripped off (unless you answer emails from Nigeria!)

The Licenced (paid for) firewalls tend to be overkill. You don't need this type of protection unless you're keeping the Company records at home!

I've decided to uninstall the ZA firewall (even though I've still got six months left on the licence!) and have a go with the Comodo (free) firewall.

Post by **UBT - Timbo** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 8:48 am

melter65 wrote:....Horses for courses, you need a firewall that suites your particular type of internet use. The XP firewall is perfectly fine for general surfing, email and downloading music/video (free stuff) But you wouldn't want to use it for internet banking, paypal transactions (ebay etc) and all other purchases over the 'net.

So you look to another, more secure, type of firewall. ...

Hi,

Might I suggest that instead of a software firewall, you consider a hardware firewall?

I use (and recommend to clients of mine) the Draytek Vigor 2800 ADSL modem/4 port router, which you can purchase either online or elsewhere.

Even the now discontinued Vigor 2600 is pretty good at blocking all ports, except those you specify.

http://www.draytek.co.uk

regards,

Tim

UBT - Simon · Post by **UBT - Simon** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 3:42 pm

I'm currently using the BT Home Hub firewall, its pretty good, pain in the Ar*e when I need to open ports specially when they keep changing the locations on the auto updates

but i've not had a problem everything that shouldnt get through gets blocked.

melter65 · Post by **melter65** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 11:04 pm

UBT - Timbo wrote:Hi,

Might I suggest that instead of a software firewall, you consider a hardware firewall?

I use (and recommend to clients of mine) the Draytek Vigor 2800 ADSL modem/4 port router, which you can purchase either online or elsewhere.

Even the now discontinued Vigor 2600 is pretty good at blocking all ports, except those you specify.

http://www.draytek.co.uk

regards,

Tim

I've been considering going wireless for a long while now, Tim. I know (from reading up on the things) that a routers firewall is far more effective than a software firewall. The Daughter has just got a 360 and is making noises about going 'Live'! So I'd add my PS2 to the fray and the (shared) laptop, so we'll have a pretty good wireless network going!

After the holidays I intend to ring Virgin Media (Shudder!

) and see what they can do for us. After all we've been with 'them' for about 10 years now!

Thanks for your suggestion, I've put the Dreytek site into my faves and will have a good look at it after the hols

melter65 · Post by **melter65** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 10:40 pm

Home again and back to the crunching!

Post by **UBT-mark3346** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:19 pm

Welcome back, hope you enjoyed the holiday.

melter65 · Post by **melter65** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:36 pm

Cheers mark3346! Fourteen days of sunshine, with no furnaces or computers! Absolute Bliss!

:toothy4:

:thumbright: