Project News - MilkyWay@Home

[dyeman]

The 5xxx bug is fixed and delivered in the stock ATI app.  But DNETC has no doubt been given a great boost!

[Dataman]

2010-12-03: MilkyWay@home - OpenCL for Nvidia available for testing
The OpenCL application for Nvidia GPUs is ready for testing for Windows and Linux x86_64. I'm particularly interested in the performance / responsiveness tradeoff on mid-low range GPUs.
Many thanks to cncguru for donating his GTX 480. If I hadn't had it, it would be about 30% slower than it is.
http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/download/test/milkyway_separation_0.48_x86_64-pc-linux-gnu__cuda_opencl.tar.gz
http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/download/test/milkyway_separation_0.48_windows_intelx86__cuda_opencl.zip
Extract these to the project directory. On Windows this is something like C:\ProgramData\BOINC\projects\milkyway.cs.rpi.edu_milkyway
On Ubuntu for me, this is /var/lib/boinc-client/projects/milkyway.cs.rpi.edu_milkyway
 

[Dataman]

2011-01-24: MilkyWay@home - bypassing server set cache limits
While we appreciate everyone wanting to crunch more MilkyWay@Home by increasing their cache limits; this is part of the reason why we've had so many server problems lately with an unresponsive validator. Mainly, our machine/database is not fast enough to keep up with the additional amount of workunits this is causing in the database. So if anyone is modifying their BOINC client to artificially increase their cache we're asking you to stop so the project will be more stable (until we can further improve our hardware). A few of the really offending clients (who have cached 1k+ workunits) are being banned as they haven't responded to us, and they're hurting everyones ability to crunch the project as a whole.

So in short, we need you guys to work with us as we're working with limited hardware that can't handle more than 500k+ workunits at a time -- our cache is low partially for this reason. Second, as we've said in a bunch of previous threads in the past, due to the nature of the science we're doing at the project we need a low cache because this really improves the quality of the work you guys report.

As you (hopefully) know by now, we search for structure and try to optimize parameters to fit that structure within the Milky Way galaxy. And lately we've been also doing N-Body simulation of the formation of those structures. What your workunits are doing is trying to find the optimal set of parameters for those N-Body simulations to end up best representing our sky survey data or to fit those different structures (like dwarf galaxy tidal streams) from that data.

To do this, we use strategies which mimic evolution. The server keeps track of a population of good potential solutions to these problems, and then generates workunits by mutating some solutions, and using others to create offspring. You guys crunch the data and return the result -- if it's a good one we insert it into the population which improves as a whole. Over time, we get very very good solutions which aren't really possible using other deterministic approaches.

If people have large caches, that means the work they're crunching can come from very old versions of those populations which have since evolved quite a bit away from where they were when the user filled up their cache. When they return the results there's a lower chance for the results to improve the population of results we're currently working with.

So that's why our cache is so low, and we'd really appreciate it if you worked with us on this. There are other great BOINC projects out there which can help fill in missing crunch time when we go down, and the BOINC client can definitely handle running more than one at a time. So it might not be too bad to explore some of the other great research going on out there. :)

Thanks again for your time and understanding,
--Travis
 

[Mysteron347]

IOW - quality, not quantity?

[Dataman]

Yet another Milkyway problem.  I seems it never ends with them.

2011-02-10: MilkyWay@home - Issues with the Milkyway@home Support Server
The Computer Science account server at RPI has crashed, making it hard for us to access the Milkyway@home server. The staff is working hard to restore it.
We have to wait this one out. In the meantime, the Milkyway@home server may start doing crazy things - please bear with us until we regain access. Thanks!
-Matthew
 

[Dataman]

Some interesting images of who crunches MW. From their website:
http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/

[JugNut]

Milkyway now (finally) has badges.. 

http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/forum_thread.php?id=3423&postid=60567
and
http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/forum_thread.php?id=3463#60878

[kashi]

Thankfully they are clear and distinct, unlike NFS badges which are the same colour for all 3 apps, so require my nose to the monitor to see what they are.

[Daniel]

Milkyway@Home has published a newsletter with highlights from the 2014/2015 academic year.

It is located at ...
http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/fundraising_docs/MilkyWayNews.pdf

[chooka03]

Booo...... They must be having server issues as noone's getting any work :( 
Oh well. good excuse to boost my SETI numbers I guess.

[chooka03]

Anyone here know anything about app_info.xml files?
Because I'm running  a newer AMD card, they don't work anymore as standard. I was given a app_info.xml file which I copied into my BOINC directory to get things working again but it has now stopped working again.

I've asked the question over on the message boards but no help so far. This is  what I'm currently using -

<app_info>
<app>
<name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit</name>
</app>
<file_info>
<name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit_1.36_windows_x86_64__opencl_ati_101.exe</name>
<executable />
</file_info>
<app_version>
<app_name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit</app_name>
<version_num>136</version_num>
<avg_ncpus>0.040000</avg_ncpus>
<max_ncpus>0.567833</max_ncpus>
<plan_class>opencl_ati_101</plan_class>
<file_ref>
<file_name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit_1.36_windows_x86_64__opencl_ati_101.exe</file_name>
<main_program/>
</file_ref>
<coproc>
<type>ATI</type>
<count>0.5</count>
</coproc>
</app_version>
<file_info>
<name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit_1.36_windows_x86_64.exe</name>
<executable />
</file_info>
<app_version>
<app_name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit</app_name>
<version_num>136</version_num>
<file_ref>
<file_name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit_1.36_windows_x86_64.exe</file_name>
<main_program/>
</file_ref>
</app_version>
<app>
<name>milkyway</name>
</app>
<file_info>
<name>milkyway_separation_1.20_windows_x86_64__opencl_amd_ati.exe</name>
<executable />
</file_info>
<app_version>
<app_name>milkyway</app_name>
<version_num>120</version_num>
<avg_ncpus>0.040000</avg_ncpus>
<max_ncpus>0.567833</max_ncpus>
<plan_class>opencl_ati</plan_class>
<file_ref>
<file_name>milkyway_separation_1.20_windows_x86_64__opencl_amd_ati.exe</file_name>
<main_program/>
</file_ref>
<coproc>
<type>ATI</type>
<count>1.0000</count>
</coproc>
</app_version>
<file_info>
<name>milkyway_separation_1.20_windows_x86_64.exe</name>
<executable/>
</file_info>
<app_version>
<app_name>milkyway</app_name>
<version_num>120</version_num>
<file_ref>
<file_name>milkyway_separation_1.20_windows_x86_64.exe</file_name>
<main_program/>
</file_ref>
</app_version>
</app_info>

^^ This now produces invalid or inconclusive WU's.
Got me stumped.

Thx

[kashi]

Flying blind here because I don't have the same hardware to test but there are 2 things quickly apparent. Firstly you are using an old version 1.20 application which is no longer supported. Secondly you have configured to run 2 tasks at once, which can cause problems sometimes. Assuming you don't want to do any MilkyWay CPU tasks then you could try the following:

Clean out all unsupported BOINC MilkyWay files by detaching and reattaching.
Stop BOINC, copy app_info.xml below plus copy 2 program files you've downloaded into Milkyway project folder.
Start BOINC again.

Download these 2 and save them somewhere in case BOINC has a hissy fit and deletes them. This will allow you to try again if need be without having to download again.

http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/download/milkyway_1.36_windows_x86_64__opencl_ati_101.exe
http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/download/milkyway_separation__modified_fit_1.36_windows_x86_64__opencl_ati_101.exe

Following app_info file will use 1 CPU core to support running 1 GPU task. For now, set computing preferences to use 100% of CPU time. Using less has sometimes caused problems. You can try changing it again if/when you get your GPU crunching MilkyWay properly.

<app_info>
<app>
<name>milkyway</name>
</app>
<file_info>
<name>milkyway_1.36_windows_x86_64__opencl_ati_101.exe</name>
<executable/>
</file_info>
<app_version>
<app_name>milkyway</app_name>
<version_num>136</version_num>
<platform>windows_x86_64</platform>
<avg_ncpus>1</avg_ncpus>
<max_ncpus>1</max_ncpus>
<plan_class>opencl_ati_101</plan_class>
<cmdline></cmdline>
<coproc>
<type>ATI</type>
<count>1</count>
</coproc>
<file_ref>
<file_name>milkyway_1.36_windows_x86_64__opencl_ati_101.exe</file_name>
<main_program/>
</file_ref>
</app_version>
<app>
<name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit</name>
<user_friendly_name>Milkyway Sep. (Mod. Fit)</user_friendly_name>
</app>
<file_info>
<name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit_1.36_windows_x86_64.exe</name>
<executable/>
</file_info>
<app_version>
<app_name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit</app_name>
<version_num>136</version_num>
<platform>windows_x86_64</platform>
<file_ref>
<file_name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit_1.36_windows_x86_64.exe</file_name>
<main_program/>
</file_ref>
</app_version>
<app>
<name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit</name>
</app>
<file_info>
<name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit_1.36_windows_x86_64__opencl_ati_101.exe</name>
<executable/>
</file_info>
<app_version>
<app_name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit</app_name>
<version_num>136</version_num>
<platform>windows_x86_64</platform>
<avg_ncpus>1</avg_ncpus>
<max_ncpus>1</max_ncpus>
<plan_class>opencl_ati_101</plan_class>
<cmdline></cmdline>
<coproc>
<type>ATI</type>
<count>1</count>
</coproc>
<file_ref>
<file_name>milkyway_separation__modified_fit_1.36_windows_x86_64__opencl_ati_101.exe</file_name>
<main_program/>
</file_ref>
</app_version>
</app_info>

This app_info was extracted from one posted on MilkyWay. Hopefully it will work for you. If it's not a configuration issue it may be a driver incompatibility.
  
As always, should you or any of your Crunching Force be caught or killed, Dingo will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This tape will self-destruct in five seconds. Good luck, chooka.  

[chooka03]

HAHAHA Thank you very much Kashi!

I managed to get it working again now. Yes, I run 2 tasks at the same time which uses 100% of my GPU. Running 1 task at a time underutilised the card.

All seems good now. 
 

[kashi]

Glad to hear you got it working again. Well done.