open Beta Test for new cmsearch VM application

[ChristianB]

Thanks Jacob. We don't have to block any VirtualBox version server side because the new vboxwrapper has all the exceptions for 4.2.18 and 4.3.0 in place and as Jacob pointed out the bug in 4.3.2 does not affect us. So everyone can use the newest VirtualBox version, or any other version that is not blacklisted by vboxwrapper. The downside is that we don't have the ability to blacklist VB versions on the server directly but that is a minor issue.

[Michael H.W. Weber]

Thanks.

Michael.

[Mouse King]

Two of my WU (6330756 and 6330668) were not sent to another crunchers from beginning of November. How it they will be validated?

[ChristianB]

Those WU are paused because of buggy input files and the buggy v1.03 application version. The possibility of a computation error or similar is very high thus I would discourage continuing those (As they are already running I can not cancel them from the server.) but if they are succesfull we will create another instance later to enable proper validation.
The goal at them moment is to see if the latest v1.06 is stable enough to create more WUs. There are still some tasks out there that we need back before doing anything else.

We will grant credit for those aborted or failed tasks, I just have to write some scripts for this.

[Mouse King]

One of this WU was completed. Another is still running (already 600 hours). And it's deadline was not automatically extended. Do you suggest to abort it anyway?

[ChristianB]

One of this WU was completed. Another is still running (already 600 hours). And it's deadline was not automatically extended. Do you suggest to abort it anyway?

I extended the later so you can abort it and get credit for it. I will than reissue this WU next weekend with the new app version.

[JeromeC]

Hi,

I have this WU running now (meaning I let RNA VM a second chance ) but it says 1631 hours remaining and the deadline is 462 hours ahead (it's been running for 17 hours), what shall I do ? wait to see how the progression % behaves, and if the estimated remaining time is reducing more quickly ?

Isn't there a kind of automated deadline extension system now ?

Thanks

[Jacob Klein]

I believe the way it works is: (ps: sorry if any of this is wrong)
- "Estimated" values could be way off, but are a best guess. I look at the work unit on the website, and use the "estimated runtime on reference system" as the "best guess"
- Non-VM tasks do not automatically extend deadlines
- VM tasks are supposed to automatically extend deadlines
- v1.02 VM tasks had a bug where deadline extension didn't work
- v1.06 VM tasks supposedly fixed it so deadlines automatically extend

I'd still recommend monitoring the task, and if it is still running within 5 days of a deadline, request a manual extension. That's my plan at least.

[ChristianB]

It's exactly as Jacob mentioned. The percentage on the system is derived from a forecast on that machine and should be the most reliable measure of progress at the moment. The deadline is in fact extended but only server side so you won't see this changed in the Manager. You can monitor your tasks via the RNA World website and see the deadline increase within the last 14 days of the deadline.

[JeromeC]

If you look at the detail of the WU it is a 1.02, failed twice where it was crunched so far, abandoned once : what should I do ?

[Jacob Klein]

Actually, this work unit has only been crunched using "v1.06" - look at the ending of each of those application names, they all say "v1.06".
If you look at the work unit, you can see an "Estimated runtime on reference system". On my screen, this work unit shows "10w 5d 18h 42m 13s (6547333.8843498 s)", which is 1818 hours. But that's just an estimate; it could take even longer!

So, you should keep working on it, making sure that the deadlines are being extended such that the date never exceeds the server deadline.
And if your computer has worked on it for 3000 hours and it still hasn't finished, then you might ask about it
Some monsters are monsters. See: http://www.rnaworld.de/rnaworld/top_monsters.php (also available from Main Page -> Participants -> Monster Hunter)

[JeromeC]

Thanks a lot for the answer, I got confused by the "1.0.2 v1.06" you have in the name, I guess my eyes didn't want to see the 1.06 I can see the estimate on the WU details and now I'm happy to let it crunch, knowing the WU/VM is check-pointing its work and extending its deadline.

It's a pity this can't be seen clearly on the boinc manager time estimate, hopefully in the future this can be implemented in the boinc manager information for a WU, many people won't be keen on going to the website to check those details and will only trust the BM display, and the erroneous conclusion will most probably be "why wait and let the WU crunch during so many hours if it won't finish at all"...