Slow computer running long workunits
13 Sep 2006 23:36:02 UTC
Topic 191824
(moderation:
I'm using a Pentium 4 1.7 GHz computer that has become extremely slow running long workunits. It got through four long WUs in 45,000 to 55,000 seconds (~12.5 to 14.7 hours). It's now working on a fifth (ID#13862964) that is already up to over 47.5 hours and is only 84% completed. Any ideas what is wrong?
Thanks.
Jim Milks
Slow computer running long workunits
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Einstein has two sorts of work units: short ones and long ones. You are probably running a long one at this moment. Read this post to recognize them.
RE: Einstein has two sorts
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Please read my post carefully. I already know that the Windows computer is running long workunits (the short workunits ran in about 1.4 hours on this machine). My problem is the exponential increase in the time required to run the long workunits. It ran four long workunits in between 12.5 and 14.5 hours apiece. The last long workunit (#13862964) took 57 hours(!). And the next long workunit (#14145407) looks to be taking at least that long--2 hours 43 minutes to do 4% of the workunit. Why the change in crunching time? That is my question. My other computer running long workunits (a MacBook with Intel Core Duo) has not had a change in crunching time. And my G3 400 MHz iMac has also not experienced any changes in running short workunits. So what could be wrong with the Windows machine with the 1.7 GHz Pentium 4? That is the heart of my question.
RE: So what could be wrong
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I see... same work unit but the results are slowing down. Is your CPU overheating? Is anything else in Windows taking up a lot of CPU cycles (check with task manager, processes tab)?
Hi Jim.....I have a similiar
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Hi Jim.....I have a similiar problem with one of our 1.8Ghz Durons. It normally takes about 7 hours to process a long WU but is currently grinding away in the 20th hour on one. It will be interesting to see if this WU validates, hopefully in about two hours. This machine is a dedicated cruncher that runs 24/7 and appears to be running normally. Time will tell I guess...Cheers, Rog.
WOW, did that one take a long
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WOW, did that one take a long time, compared to the other PC that did the work. First thing I would do is reboot, and see if things work better. If it still seems to be running that slow, I would start looking for bad things, including: Heat problems (clean out the dust bunnies, check processor temps), virus, spyware, malware, memory testing, etc.
Those numbers should not go that wild overnight.
Hi Jim....an update on 'slow'
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Hi Jim....an update on 'slow' WUs. Did a benchmark on CPU and they were the same as always, nothing extra shown running in Task Mgr. etc all looks normal. I did a project reset and new WU still slow. I rebooted the machine and WU speed returned to normal....good news..:)... The problem didn't seem to affect the other project (MC) so I wonder if it's a SSE problem (detection?) in this machine? Cheers, Rog.
RE: Hi Jim....an update on
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I've also checked task manager--nothing showed up. I've also rebooted this machine three times without any changes in the WU speed. I'm looking into cleaning the CPU. There is the offside chance that this machine may be infected with malware and/or viruses--other grad students also use it and sometimes download games, etc. I'm having our computer techs take a look at it.
Thanks for all your tips.
Jim
Update: I ran the trial
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Update: I ran the trial version of Spy Doctor. It found 139 malware programs, including one Trojan and the Netsky.Y virus. So the question seems to be not "Why is it running so slow" but rather "How is it running at all?" I'll have to say something to the guy who was playing games using this computer--the time stamp on the Trojan puts it right when he was downloading games. It probably piggybacked on one of those games. I've also asked our computer helpdesk to install an updated firewall, new virus software, and anti-malware software.
RE: Update: I ran the
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WOW, but not the most I've seen. I had seen one have over 900 different pieces, of course that machine was so hosed, it needed to be rebuilt. It took Norton Antivirus and made it into an e-mail program. It was mailing SPAM and WORMS to people on a list that it read off a website. This person's ISP killed their connection. After I cleaned it up, I had to go through a disertation with the ISP explaining the PC is now clean, by virtue of a wipe and rebuild. They put a monitor and a limiter on the connection for a week, and charged them a fee for this. I got the fee reduced, because it was going to be like $250US, I got them down to $50US, explaining to them that I had installed a hardware firewall, a better virus software, a software firewall, and a spyware/malware program. We had to show the receipts for all this, but that was fine.
This all came from an e-mail that the person read that said it was from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and that he had tax money coming back...
RE: RE: WOW, but not the
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