MacOS G5 App 4.27 available

Bernd Machenschalk
Bernd Machenschalk
Joined: 15 Oct 04
Posts: 2,684
Credit: 25,950,161
RAC: 34,820
Topic 13426

I've been working on the PPC code a bit more with what I learned from the coding for x86 and made a new version. I've seen it run about 20% faster than the previous 4.23 App on some machines.

However, applying all the measurements we need for copmpatibility of an "official App", this code slows down even behind the 4.23 App, at least on G5. So for now I made an App that maintains the maximum possible compatibility without loosing speed. It turned out to be a G5 App that should run on MacOS 10.4 as well as on 10.3. It is available from our Power User Apps page. I haven't seen a single invalid result from this code in internal tests.

I'll continue to investigate this level of "maximum useful compatibility" for G4 machines. For G3 I don't have any more ideas for speeding up the Apps anyway.

Happy crunching!

BM

BM

Bernd Machenschalk
Bernd Machenschalk
Joined: 15 Oct 04
Posts: 2,684
Credit: 25,950,161
RAC: 34,820

MacOS G5 App 4.27 available

Sorry. There was indeed an error in the app_info.xml. I updated the package, new md5 is ecfa6c45e790b135c72587e1e2fad4ec.

BM

BM

Bernd Machenschalk
Bernd Machenschalk
Joined: 15 Oct 04
Posts: 2,684
Credit: 25,950,161
RAC: 34,820

RE: How do i INSTALL it on

Quote:

How do i INSTALL it on my G5 PowerPC running 10.4.7 I downloaded and unzipped and its a folder with an xml and a app

Now where do i put them? Sorry, i was born this stupid and its been uphill ever since.

Put them in the folder
/Library/Application Support/BOINC Data/projects/einstein.phys.uwm.edu/
and restart the BOINC Manager.

More detatiled instructions for such packages can be found on the Beta Test Page, look for the MacOS PPC section.

BM

BM

Bernd Machenschalk
Bernd Machenschalk
Joined: 15 Oct 04
Posts: 2,684
Credit: 25,950,161
RAC: 34,820

Have you actually completed a

Have you actually completed a Task with the new version? Don't count on the time estimated by the Client, the estimation is based on the old App.

There are some postings in the threads here that discuss short and long WUs. See e.g. Bruce's "Information about S5" (sticky thread in Cruncher's Corner).

BM

BM

Bernd Machenschalk
Bernd Machenschalk
Joined: 15 Oct 04
Posts: 2,684
Credit: 25,950,161
RAC: 34,820

RE: Mac G4/1.0 Gig (4.26)

Quote:
Mac G4/1.0 Gig (4.26) - 9,300/7,150 CPU/s = 23% faster
Mac G5/2.0 Gig (4.27) - 39,500/32,100 CPU/s = 18.7% faster
MBP Duo 2.16 (4.28) - 45,400/39,800 CPU/s = 12% faster


Which versions are these compared to, especially on the G5? I suspect it was 4.23, or was it 4.12, too?

BM

BM

Bernd Machenschalk
Bernd Machenschalk
Joined: 15 Oct 04
Posts: 2,684
Credit: 25,950,161
RAC: 34,820

RE: Sorry, Bernd ... I just

Quote:
Sorry, Bernd ... I just see now that I am running 4.26 on my G5 ... !!!!


No need to feel sorry at all!
Does that mean that the 4.26 runs 18% faster than the 4.23 on your G5? Or that the 4.27 ran 18% faster than the 4.26?

Anyway - I'm still curious to know how much faster the 4.27 is compared to the 4.26 on a G5. I'm sure that's the perfect question for you now!

BM

BM

Bernd Machenschalk
Bernd Machenschalk
Joined: 15 Oct 04
Posts: 2,684
Credit: 25,950,161
RAC: 34,820

RE: RE: Sorry. There was

Quote:
Quote:

Sorry. There was indeed an error in the app_info.xml. I updated the package, new md5 is ecfa6c45e790b135c72587e1e2fad4ec.

BM

Tried it. Comutation error on all work units. Now I need to wait a day until new units sent since I've reached my quota of 30 per day. :-(

(I deleted the double post)

Have these errors been with the old, buggy package? It was only up for ~19 hours.
You should make sure you get the new one. The error messages look like the client didn't leave you any App at all in the project directoy. Make sure you either remove the buggy app_info.xml (which will bring the client to downlaod the 4.12 again) or replace it with the one from the current package (which will tell the client to preserve and use the 4.27 App).

BM

BM

Bernd Machenschalk
Bernd Machenschalk
Joined: 15 Oct 04
Posts: 2,684
Credit: 25,950,161
RAC: 34,820

RE: I am soooo sorry ... It

Quote:
I am soooo sorry ...
It was the 4.26 that ran 18% faster than the 4.23


Thank you - that's almost too good to be true.

Do me a favor and look into the folder
/Library/Application Support/BOINC Data/projects/einstein.phys.uwm.edu/"
to see if there really is a 4.26 App. The old (erroneous) app_info.xml may under certain circumstances have reported the 4.27 as 4.26.

That actually was my fault - I tested the App more or less thoroughly, but not the app_info.xml...

BM

BM

Bernd Machenschalk
Bernd Machenschalk
Joined: 15 Oct 04
Posts: 2,684
Credit: 25,950,161
RAC: 34,820

RE: RE: Sadly it does not

Quote:
Quote:
Sadly it does not allow me to open the /app_info.xml/ file

Use TextEdit. Remember not to save the file when closing it.


TextEdit should be able to open the file. However the app_info wasn't buggy for 4.28, so I think I know which one you are using there.

I have written app_infos for the Mac with TextEdit, what's wrong with saving the file (as long as you didn't modify it to break)?

BM

BM

Bernd Machenschalk
Bernd Machenschalk
Joined: 15 Oct 04
Posts: 2,684
Credit: 25,950,161
RAC: 34,820

RE: Is the app_info.xml

Quote:
Is the app_info.xml file ok now if I install 427 downloaded from the "Power User Apps" page suggested by BM's original message nr 46252?


Yes.

Quote:
My Mac is using 426 at the moment. Is it worth upgrading?


Yes. I think the 4.27 is roughly 20% faster than 4.26 (it only runs on G5, so we can't make it the "official", i.e. automatically downloaded App, though).

Quote:
How do I measure the effect? Be specific and not to technical please, I'm not used to the lingo here (yet).


You should note a reduction of the CPU times you need for a Task, i.e. simply crunching faster. The variation between Tasks from the same set (i.e. having names that start with the same letters and numbers) is about +-5%, so the change should be notable even in "worst case". If the time your machine spends for BOINC is rather constant, over a week you should also notice an increasing RAC for that machine.

BM

BM

Bernd Machenschalk
Bernd Machenschalk
Joined: 15 Oct 04
Posts: 2,684
Credit: 25,950,161
RAC: 34,820

To get new S5RI work with

To get new S5RI work with this App, you must install a new app_info.xml. Stop the client, replace the old app_info.xml with this one, and start the client again.

BM

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.