Linux optimising help

[Careface]

Hey yall, just a quick question thatll probably turn into a massively long and complicated thread, but does anyone have a guide out there on how to install SETI and optimise it on a linux box?

We have a 2.4ghz celery box in the lounge thats a 24/7 media PC, and Id like to convert the unused cycles into RAC (as you do). My flatmate is getting pretty keen on linux and has learned how to do some pretty intense stuff with the command line (and I thought -I- was quick back in the days of dirty old DOS.. good lord.), but we havent figured out how to get SETI working >_<

Its running.. ubuntu, but I couldnt tell you what build. It was freshly downloaded a couple of months ago, and back then it was new, so.. yeah. We had a crack at using apt-get to install BOINC, but I cant remember if it worked or not.

Here's the problem. My flatmate knows lots about linux, and nothing of SETI/BOINC. I on the other hand, know a fair amount about SETI/BOINC, and nothing of linux. You can probably see the problem :)

Simply put, any guides out there? Ive looked around the SETI site and its not -overly- helpful, so Id like to get some help from the people who have done it before and know what its like to have a system on the bleeding edge of optimisations :)

Could be a useful addition to the team website also, I think, as I'm sure I'm not alone in being a confused windows user trying to find his way through the vast jungle that is linux :)

[jerseytomato]

I'm trying to find out what's the maximum RAC that all of the rigs I have access to can do. But it seems that the two Linux rigs I have are only doing only half the RAC that a similarly configed Windows rig is doing. The Linux apps I found only take advantage of the SSE3 set. I haven't seen ones for SSSE3.

[Careface]

Well that shouldnt be much of an issue - the celeron only supports upto SSE2. Have you tried running AK_v8 under WINE? Ive heard that it runs -almost- on par with native windows AK_v8.

Crunch3r is working on linux ports of AK_v8 with varying success; they are a quite a while off an official release, but progress is being made.

I assume you're running 2.4L on those linux boxes?

[TC]

Are you asking for help with the optimzied client, or you can't get boinc installed at all?

[Careface]

Both - I have no idea how to install BOINC on linux, and no idea how to optimise it once it is installed. Basically looking for a guide that starts from booting up linux to having a 24/7 fully optimised cruncher that Ill never have to touch again.

Any ideas?

[TC]

There's not much to it. You just download boinc from the berkeley site and put it in your home directory. Make sure the downloaded file has the executable bit set with chmod +x <file-name> and then install with sh <file name> That unpacks everything into a BOINC folder. Change into that and execute boinc with ./boinc -attach_project <project url> <your id key> That will connect you. Let it download the initial files then stop the client. Download the optimized client and copy the files into the project directory just like you do in windows. Restart the client - done. That's how you get boinc installed and running. For keeping the client running all the time in the background install screen with apt. Then start a screen session by simply typing screen. Start the boinc client as usual then detach from the screen with ctrl-a and you'll be back at a regular console. To reattach to the screen session later simply type screen -r. It's a good way to leave seti running if you ssh into the box and then logout.

[Levi]

If you are running the GUI (Gnome is default on Ubuntu) then its even easier to install boinc. Click on system > administration > synaptic package manager.
Type in your password. Then search for Boinc or Seti. Check the boxes next to Boinc-client, Boinc-Manager, and Boinc-app-seti. Apply the changes to install those packages. When its finished there should be boinc manager somewhere on your application list. Open it and configure your project just like in windows. I believe boinc runs in the background after you have configured your project.

If you are not running a GUI you can use the sudo apt-get command to retrieve the above packages.

Hope this helps.
I'm still working on getting my linux machines optimized. :bang head
I'll let you know how it turns out.

[muddocktor]

Once you get Seti running on your Linux machines, be sure to add the new Linux AK V8 optimizations to it that Brightmorn posted about here (http://www.ocforums.com/showpost.php?p=5656663&postcount=99). I am really curious to see how well the AK V8 optimized Linux/Seti program performs compared to a similarly set up Windows box running the AK V8 apps.

[Careface]

Thanks all, Ill give it a shot when I next have some spare time :)

[QuietIce]

Man, I have absolutely had it with Linux. I just can't seem to get the right app, the right Linux build, or something. I did manage to get the AK_v8 app loaded but it's still running on the old manager. :(


For any Linux guru's interested you may want to check my thread in the wanted section ...
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=565648