I am running BOINC v6.10.58 on a Win7/64-bit computer. Six BOINC tasks are running. One task was getting close to the deadline and was switched to "high priority". Now no task is making any progress. In fact the "To completion" time on all tasks is increasing instead of decreasing. Nothing else is running on the computer. I suspended the BOINC tasks other than the one near is deadline and I have even rebooted the computer, but that did not help. Any suggestions?

I am running Einstein@home. The task in "high priority" is a "Gamma-ray Pulsar" search. The others are "Gravitational Wave" searches.

JohnD

No, the problem was occurring on my other computer (a laptop) which I did have shut off for several days. Looking at Task Manager, there is nothing else using CPU time. I had gone out for a while and the screensaver probably kicked in. Looking at the BOINC task list now, four of the quicker tasks have completed and the "high priority" process is now showing 57% completed which is farther than it was. However, several more tasks have been downloaded. The time to completion is still increasing instead of decreasing on all tasks although initially "Time to completion" for the new tasks was decreasing. Each of the six task processes is using about 11% to 12% CPU time max.

The same thing is now happening on this computer (my desktop). It also has a "Gamma-ray pulsar search" task running. I don't remember those running before. I even suspended that task, but it had no affect.

JohnD

Here is an instantaneous capture using Process Explorer of running processes from my Desktop (Vista/32-bit) which is exhibiting the same issue. It has a quad processor but I have allowed only 3 BOINC processes to run. Unfortunately it is difficult to format things nicely in this forum but I highlighted important lines. The "System Idle Process" indicates about 30% CPU usage while the 3 Einstein processes are using about 22% each. That leaves about 4% for other stuff. Watching Process Explorer, the BOINC processes vary from 0 to about 23% max every few seconds.

JohnD

=========================================================================
Process PID CPU Description Company Name Working Set Peak Work Set Private Bytes WS Private
---------------------- ---- ----- ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------- -------------- ------------- ------------- ----------
System Idle Process 0 30.26 24 K 0 K 0 K 0 K
Interrupts n/a 0.38 Hardware Interrupts 0 K 0 K 0 K 0 K
DPCs n/a Deferred Procedure Calls 0 K 0 K 0 K 0 K
System 4 0.38 24,724 K 30,068 K 0 K 0 K
smss.exe 960 Windows Session Manager Microsoft Corporation 824 K 824 K 348 K 292 K
csrss.exe 1136 Client Server Runtime Process Microsoft Corporation 5,496 K 5,504 K 1,728 K 1,200 K
csrss.exe 1184 0.38 Client Server Runtime Process Microsoft Corporation 9,216 K 18,072 K 2,328 K 1,604 K
wininit.exe 1192 Windows Start-Up Application Microsoft Corporation 3,944 K 4,036 K 1,320 K 1,040 K
services.exe 1268 Services and Controller app Microsoft Corporation 6,992 K 7,056 K 2,744 K 2,380 K
svchost.exe 1456 Host Process for Windows Services Microsoft Corporation 6,108 K 6,444 K 2,832 K 2,312 K
mobsync.exe 2296 Microsoft Sync Center Microsoft Corporation 7,280 K 8,536 K 3,692 K 2,216 K
svchost.exe 1516 Host Process for Windows Services Microsoft Corporation 7,508 K 7,568 K 4,024 K 3,488 K
svchost.exe 1556 Host Process for Windows Services Microsoft Corporation 34,804 K 101,996 K 67,516 K 26,676 K
svchost.exe 1644 Host Process for Windows Services Microsoft Corporation 12,628 K 12,716 K 14,820 K 5,636 K
audiodg.exe 1804 Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation Microsoft Corporation 18,084 K 21,176 K 15,832 K 0 K
svchost.exe 1712 Host Process for Windows Services Microsoft Corporation 65,568 K 83,448 K 61,252 K 56,212 K
dwm.exe 3032 0.38 Desktop Window Manager Microsoft Corporation 94,980 K 118,356 K 61,920 K 46,760 K
WUDFHost.exe 3300 Windows Driver Foundation - User-mode DFHP Microsoft Corporation 6,304 K 6,328 K 3,528 K 1,684 K
svchost.exe 1728 Host Process for Windows Services Microsoft Corporation 32,268 K 32,440 K 24,612 K 18,240 K
taskeng.exe 2100 Task Scheduler Engine Microsoft Corporation 6,196 K 6,284 K 2,248 K 1,740 K
taskeng.exe 2860 Task Scheduler Engine Microsoft Corporation 11,080 K 11,156 K 10,276 K 4,224 K
svchost.exe 1824 Host Process for Windows Services Microsoft Corporation 6,040 K 6,068 K 3,264 K 1,976 K
SLsvc.exe 1844 Microsoft Software Licensing Service Microsoft Corporation 11,660 K 15,712 K 6,240 K 5,420 K
svchost.exe 1916 Host Process for Windows Services Microsoft Corporation 14,036 K 14,532 K 8,160 K 6,060 K
svchost.exe 2036 Host Process for Windows Services Microsoft Corporation 16,820 K 16,852 K 17,028 K 8,248 K
spoolsv.exe 1068 Spooler SubSystem App Microsoft Corporation 11,496 K 11,528 K 6,376 K 3,968 K
svchost.exe 1088 Host Process for Windows Services Microsoft Corporation 16,860 K 49,876 K 12,784 K 11,140 K
schedul2.exe 2128 Acronis Scheduler 2 Acronis 4,568 K 4,580 K 1,672 K 1,256 K
afcdpsrv.exe 2220 File Level CDP Manager Service Acronis 6,404 K 20,876 K 2,660 K 1,860 K
mainserv.exe 2232 Battery Backup Management Service American Power Conv Crp 7,000 K 7,000 K 4,952 K 3,008 K
DQLWinService.exe 2480 DQLWinSe Application 3,520 K 3,528 K 1,036 K 748 K
ekrn.exe 2572 ESET Service ESET 65,932 K 144,544 K 60,628 K 59,260 K
HPBtnSrv.exe 2636 5,992 K 6,004 K 3,560 K 2,176 K
LSSrvc.exe 2792 LightScribe Service Hewlett-Packard Company 3,872 K 3,884 K 1,200 K 916 K
svchost.exe 2980 Host Process for Windows Services Microsoft Corporation 5,488 K 5,616 K 2,260 K 1,808 K
sua.exe 3020 Secunia Update Agent Secunia 3,288 K 3,288 K 1,096 K 864 K
svchost.exe 3136 Host Process for Windows Services Microsoft Corporation 7,316 K 8,232 K 4,020 K 2,424 K
svchost.exe 3160 Host Process for Windows Services Microsoft Corporation 2,104 K 2,104 K 604 K 480 K
SearchIndexer.exe 3188 Microsoft Windows Search Indexer Microsoft Corporation 21,944 K 23,292 K 40,888 K 16,424 K
SDWinSec.exe 3364 Spybot-S&D Security Center integration Safer Networking Ltd. 9,716 K 9,728 K 5,800 K 3,968 K
lsass.exe 1288 Local Security Authority Process Microsoft Corporation 2,628 K 8,440 K 3,384 K 1,296 K
lsm.exe 1296 Local Session Manager Service Microsoft Corporation 4,232 K 4,272 K 2,188 K 1,744 K
winlogon.exe 1220 Windows Logon Application Microsoft Corporation 5,756 K 6,592 K 2,208 K 1,832 K
explorer.exe 3088 Windows Explorer Microsoft Corporation 41,000 K 41,316 K 27,896 K 17,660 K
RtHDVCpl.exe 3676 HD Audio Control Panel Realtek Semiconductor 8,600 K 10,540 K 9,060 K 2,996 K
TrueImageMonitor.exe 3748 Acronis True Image Monitor Acronis 10,764 K 20,112 K 18,612 K 6,208 K
OSD.exe 3812 OsdMaestro main program OsdMaestro 3,576 K 3,636 K 1,100 K 788 K
rundll32.exe 3840 Windows host process (Rundll32) Microsoft Corporation 5,356 K 8,708 K 3,292 K 1,832 K
hpsysdrv.exe 2336 hpsysdrv Hewlett-Packard Company 2,692 K 2,692 K 820 K 632 K
BJMYPRT.EXE 2392 Canon My Printer CANON INC. 4,216 K 4,224 K 1,464 K 1,148 K
schedhlp.exe 2400 Acronis Scheduler Helper Acronis 4,108 K 4,116 K 1,304 K 944 K
boincmgr.exe 2428 BOINC Manager for Windows Space Sciences Laborat 17,548 K 17,548 K 4,892 K 4,160 K
boinc.exe 840 BOINC client Space Sciences Laborat 9,664 K 9,728 K 5,188 K 4,596 K
einstein_S6Bucket_1.01_windows_intelx86__SSE2.exe
4080 21.94 102,752 K 102,752 K 100,376 K 99,804 K
einstein_S6Bucket_1.01_windows_intelx86__SSE2.exe
3804 22.32 102,792 K 102,792 K 100,512 K 99,844 K
hsgamma_FGRP1_0.22_windows_intelx86.exe
3732 21.94 11,508 K 268,652 K 15,736 K 7,716 K
boinctray.exe 2456 BOINC System Tray for Windows Space Sciences Laborat 3,248 K 3,256 K 1,140 K 824 K
egui.exe 2600 ESET GUI ESET 12,036 K 12,664 K 5,308 K 3,444 K
TrueImageMonitor.exe 2872 Acronis True Image Monitor Acronis 2,544 K 6,640 K 2,624 K 928 K
sidebar.exe 2976 Windows Sidebar Microsoft Corporation 25,396 K 26,972 K 33,748 K 11,040 K
sidebar.exe 1676 Windows Sidebar Microsoft Corporation 24,608 K 24,640 K 13,376 K 10,964 K
explorer.exe 4012 Windows Explorer Microsoft Corporation 36,196 K 43,336 K 29,568 K 17,996 K
firefox.exe 5876 Firefox Mozilla Corporation 148,404 K 175,864 K 128,416 K 117,880 K
plugin-container.exe 4132 0.38 Plugin Container for Firefox Mozilla Corporation 177,908 K 182,008 K 174,656 K 167,552 K
procexp.exe 812 1.51 Sysinternals Process Explorer Sysinternals 38,300 K 38,976 K 20,996 K 15,204 K
rundll32.exe 2384 Windows host process (Rundll32) Microsoft Corporation 6,964 K 6,976 K 4,836 K 2,280 K
apcsystray.exe 3472 PowerChute System Tray Power Icon American Power Conv Crp 6,656 K 6,656 K 4,728 K 2,644 K
kbd.exe 4840 KBD EXE Hewlett-Packard Company 10,828 K 10,880 K 11,044 K 4,504 K

=========================================================================

Thanks for your help. The tasks do seem to be progressing. If I take a look at the tasks in BOINC Manager from time to time, they are moving forward. But when I keep the Manager up for a while and watch the progress, the "To completion" is retrograding. I never noticed that before. I have not changed the settings in quite a while.

These are the settings on my desktop:

PROCESSOR USAGE
----------------
>While Computer is on batteries: OFF
>While Computer is in use: ON
>Use GPU while computer is in use: OFF
>Only after computer has been idle for: 20.00 minutes????
NOTE: I am not sure what that does
>While processor usage is less than: 20%
>Every day between: 1:30 - 23:30
NOTE: I did this because BOINC was preventing Vista System Restore from
taking daily checkpoints.
>Switch between applications every: 60 minutes
NOTE: Einstein@home is the only one I am running.
>On multiprocessor systems, use at most: 75% of processors
NOTE: I have a quad processor, so only three tasks run at any one time.
>Use at most: 30% of CPU time.

DISK USAGE
----------------------
>Use at most 10GB disk space.
>Leave at least .10GB disk space free.
>Use at most 50% disk space.
>Tasks checkpoint to disk at most every 60 secs
>Use at most 75% of page file.

MEMORY USAGE
-------------
>Use at most 32% when computer is in use.
>Use at most 90% when computer is idle.
=========================================================================

JohnD

>While Computer is on batteries: OFF
>While Computer is in use: ON
>Use GPU while computer is in use: OFF
>Only after computer has been idle for: 20.00 minutes????
NOTE: I am not sure what that does

The "minutes" part tells when the computer should use the parts that can only be used when the computer is idle (no one on the keyboard or mouse). In this case, it's for when your laptop is on batteries and when to use a GPU if one is present.

>While processor usage is less than: 20%

Is this the "Suspend work if CPU usage is above" option?
If so, that impacts all non-BOINC programs. It'll mean that any non-BOINC program running at 20% CPU cycles or more for the duration of 10 seconds will suspend your BOINC for at least 10 seconds more. This is because the 'non-BOINC detection cycle' is 10 seconds.

>Use at most: 30% of CPU time.

This means that at any time BOINC runs that per 10 seconds it run 3 seconds and pauses everything for 7 seconds. If you have that much problems with heat, either tell BOINC to use even less CPUs (On multiprocessors, use at most 2 of the processors), or get a laptop cooler.

I don't know what your setting is for "Connect to" and "Additional work", but anything over 0.01 and 0.1 may already be too much if you insist on running at 30% CPU time.

---

>Only after computer has been idle for: 20.00 minutes????
NOTE: I am not sure what that does

The pc has to be idle (no mouse or keyboard activity) for 20 minutes before boinc will start

>Use at most: 30% of CPU time.

That's why you were seeing the boinc processes cycle from 0% to 23% every few seconds. Not only have you limited boinc to using 3 cores, but it can only use those cores 30% of the time (ie on for 18 secs per minute)

---

CIC1=CC=C(C2=N[C@@H](CC(OC(C)(C)C)=O)C3=NN=C(C)N3C4=C2C(C)=C(C)S4)C=C1

>While processor usage is less than: 20%

Upon further investigation, I realized that this syncs with when I want the screensaver to kick in. I found that BOINC was overriding my Windows screensaver setting if I had BOINC set to a lower number than Windows screensaver.

>Use at most: 30% of CPU time.

I have changed that to 50% and Memory usage to 40% to see how it affects my system.

"Connect about every" and "Additional work buffer" are set at defaults: .10 days and .25 days.

I do not want my system to be bogged down. With the above changes I made, Total CPU Usage now seems to average about 40% (two successive numbers add up to about 80% and can range from below 10% to above 70%). The individual tasks are ranging from single digits to about 25%.