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Recompile Boinc Agent to Optimize on AMD Architecture

Is the source code available for boinc? I would like to Compile it on my System so that it it custom built for my Architecture. I have heard that Wintel and AMD boxes has dissimilar CPU commands, and that by dong a recompile on my system, I could seriously speed up the crunching.
I did a search on the forums but came up blank.
My task manager shows


C:\>pslist
PsList 1.26 - Process Information Lister
Copyright (C) 1999-2004 Mark Russinovich
Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com

Process information for PAUL-BADMOFO:

Name                Pid Pri Thd  Hnd   Priv        CPU Time    Elapsed Time
Idle                  0   0   2    0      0     0:03:03.734     0:00:00.000
System                4   8  63  547      0     0:00:23.093     0:00:00.000
smss                392  11   3   21    168     0:00:00.031    22:10:12.546
csrss               612  13  12  436   1836     0:00:15.765    22:10:09.015
winlogon            648  13  18  562   7556     0:00:00.968    22:10:07.484
services            692   9  15  269   2004     0:00:03.796    22:10:05.750
lsass               704   9  15  382   2732     0:00:00.593    22:10:05.640
svchost             868   8  22  216   2732     0:00:00.109    22:10:04.203
svchost             924   8  10  282   1812     0:00:00.437    22:10:03.515
svchost            1020   8  61 1516  16948     0:00:03.671    22:10:03.343
svchost            1100   8   6   94   1320     0:00:00.093    22:10:03.281
explorer            208   8  15  542  16752     0:00:29.453    22:09:58.609
nvsvc32             328   8   3  108   1956     0:00:00.093    22:09:57.187
svchost             508   8   7  137   2632     0:00:00.296    22:09:56.421
ctfmon              360   8   1   64    816     0:00:00.156    22:09:44.109
boincmgr           1284   8   4  179   3804     0:00:05.453    22:09:39.890
boinc              2648   8   2  175   3264     0:00:08.265    22:09:35.828
OverClk             188   8   5  163   6436     0:05:08.250    16:19:23.796
mdm                3324   8   5  100    848     0:00:00.078    16:08:27.343
inetinfo           4004   8  22  298   4804     0:00:13.953     4:17:20.171
dllhost            3468   8  13  184   2216     0:00:00.125     4:16:01.125
aspnet_wp          2544   8  11  302  10216     0:00:00.578     4:15:59.781
wcg_faah_autodock_5.09_windows_intelx86  3980   4   2   32 277748     1:20:36.453     1:21:00.578
wcg_faah_autodock_5.09_windows_intelx86  1880   4   2   32 277764     0:29:13.343     0:29:29.218
taskmgr            3072  13   3   77   1280     0:00:00.140     0:09:18.750
firefox            1460   8  12  253  32364     0:00:10.375     0:08:46.421
cmd                3372   8   1   39   2024     0:00:00.140     0:01:12.156
pslist             2056  13   2  105    748     0:00:00.031     0:00:00.015

C:\>

The "windows_intelx86" would be just super if I were running a slow, hot intel chip...
(but I'm not)

biggrin

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[Edit 1 times, last edit by Former Member at Jun 14, 2006 4:28:52 AM]

[Jun 14, 2006 4:25:29 AM]

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Re: Recompile Boinc Agent to Optimize on AMD Architecture

That's not a bad idea, bringback*. But if you want the ultimate optimisation then hang tough for a bit because the code has all been translated into a new language called ANAL (A Non Algorithmic Language) which employs a revolutionary new flow control called the "come from" which is a lot like the goto but backwards, sort of.

[Jun 14, 2006 5:36:04 AM]

Sekerob
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Re: Recompile Boinc Agent to Optimize on AMD Architecture

Reads like you've been too often in that Grand Prairie Roller Coaster ** Dagorath.

BBFL, the source code for the BOINC front ends can be had...there's the TuxSoft version e.g., but doubt ever for the science part to become available. Still wondering about that Dhrystone score on your P4 which was lower than the Whetstone. Very unusual.

** Errata: Just came to me while reading "TheOnion" newletter.....it sits in SixFlags....was there in 2004 for 4 weeks to do a SOX404 certification. Just needed to cross street from Hotel to take the ride biggrin

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[Edit 3 times, last edit by Sekerob at Jun 14, 2006 1:17:59 PM]

[Jun 14, 2006 7:09:10 AM]

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Re: Recompile Boinc Agent to Optimize on AMD Architecture

bringbackfreelove, I have bad news.

You can build BOINC all you want, but the work is done by the science applications BOINC downloads from WCG. These are usually proprietary, and even if they weren't, recompiling wouldn't help. This is because in order for the software to produce the exact same result, many speed optimisations have to be disabled.

If you had the time (and the source was available), you could rewrite the software to squeeze out a little more performance. Currently, WCG have more urgent demands on their time - but they still optimise as much as they can.

[Jun 14, 2006 7:43:02 AM]

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Re: Recompile Boinc Agent to Optimize on AMD Architecture

"ANAL"? You pulling my leg? Sounds like BS to me. Ever tried googling that? lol.

Oh well. Recompile was just an idea.

About the Whet / Dry score. I dunno. I click the button, and thats what it tells me. Dont kill the messenger.

P.S. When I checked my CPU Temp (for the first time in about 6 weeks), it was 59 degrees, so it is entirely likely that I have managed to kill my processor (or burn out some transistors).

I need to run by Frys and grab some case fans and whatnot.

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[Edit 2 times, last edit by Former Member at Jun 14, 2006 12:37:46 PM]

[Jun 14, 2006 12:33:58 PM]

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Re: Recompile Boinc Agent to Optimize on AMD Architecture

Bringback*, I figured you were pulling a leg or 2 with that odd Whet/Dry score so I tried pulling yours a bit. Darn Google, makes leg pulling difficult.

If that CPU is returning WUs with no errors then you can be sure it's OK. 59 degrees isn't extreme though I like to keep mine 55 max just in case the room temperature skyrockets unexpectedly.

Case fans can help but I think sometimes all they do is blow hot air around inside the case rather than venting it to the outside. Blowing hot air from inside the case onto a hot heat sink is not sensible. I've recently added air ducts to several of my machines and have seen dramatic drops in CPU temps. The ducts draw cool air from outside the case and direct that cool air immediately onto the CPU. I used plastic flex ducts from Startech which have mounting holes that match the spacing of the holes on the fan. Air flows through a straight duct better than a bent duct so I cut an intake hole in the side of the case directly opposite the CPU rather than bending the duct to an intake on the rear/front of the case. I covered the hole with a wire grill. The wire grills allow much higher airflow than the "bunch of holes" type grills found on most cases.

A word of caution before you decide to use the duct idea.... think about how you will cut the hole in the side of the case. A hack saw won't work but a large hole saw on a drill press might. I used a small, hand operated nibbler. They do a fantastic job on light gauge metals in situations where a hack saw or tin snips are impossible.

[Jun 14, 2006 6:37:50 PM]

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