Prime95 on Puppy Linux?

Rodrigo · 2011-01-28, 20:40

Hello,

I'm wondering if there is a version of Prime95 (or any other software that will crunch numbers for GIMPS) that works on Puppy Linux.

As I've said on other threads, I have an old Pentium-75 PC with 128MB RAM and running Windows for Workgroups 3.11 that I'd like to add to my farm, but there doesn't seem to be any version of Prime95 that works on that edition of Windows. So I've been investigating Linux alternatives, as has been suggested, and I found Puppy Linux which claims to work on very limited resources, and moreover supposedly can boot off a floppy diskette and then run off a CD, even saving files on an existing Windows hard drive.

This SOUNDS like it could be the solution, as it requires minimum disruption to the existing system, but first I'd like to ask the experts around here if Puppy Linux is an adequate OS for GIMPS purposes.

(Please, no stuff about running ancient hardware, we've been down that road before!

)

Thanks very much.

Rodrigo

Uncwilly · 2011-01-28, 21:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodrigo

As I've said on other threads, I have an old Pentium-75 PC with 128MB RAM and running Windows for Workgroups 3.11 that I'd like to add to my farm, but there doesn't seem to be any version of Prime95 that works on that edition of Windows.

(Please, no stuff about running ancient hardware, we've been down that road before!

)

If I recall correctly:
To run on something less than a P90 is quite troublesome. Also, an version that will run on that may be out of work that it could do.

mdettweiler · 2011-01-28, 21:14

As far as I know, mprime should work fine on Puppy Linux, since it's a fully functional Linux system with (IIRC) a reasonably modern kernel. Note, however, that as Uncwilly mentioned, it may be sufficiently slow that PrimeNet won't even assign it anything if it thinks it can't finish it by the deadline--Operation Billion Digits may be a good alternative for this computer.

Uncwilly · 2011-01-28, 21:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdettweiler

Note, however, that as Uncwilly mentioned, it may be sufficiently slow that PrimeNet won't even assign it anything if it thinks it can't finish it by the deadline

Actually, any version of Mprime that can run on it might be so old that it does not have the need FFT sizes etc. for any assignments that maybe available. All of the factoring assignments that it could do might have already been done. The versions of Mprime95 might be old enough to run on it could not go above 79.3, except with "advanced factor", but that might be a problem.

Doing low level clearance work (thinning out the weeds) for OBD is a possibility or slowly moving the leading edge of OBD range up one expo at a time.

Rodrigo · 2011-01-28, 22:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncwilly

Doing low level clearance work (thinning out the weeds) for OBD is a possibility or slowly moving the leading edge of OBD range up one expo at a time.

Uncwilly (and @mdettweiler),

Thanks a bunch for the info!

Suppose, then, that we set out to put this PC to do OBD work. That would still involve using Puppy Linux, since I can't get any of the Factor_X programs for Windows to work on it. Which software should I look for to do OBD? If I understand it, there are other programs that can do OBD work.

Rodrigo

mdettweiler · 2011-01-29, 05:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncwilly

Actually, any version of Mprime that can run on it might be so old that it does not have the need FFT sizes etc. for any assignments that maybe available. All of the factoring assignments that it could do might have already been done. The versions of Mprime95 might be old enough to run on it could not go above 79.3, except with "advanced factor", but that might be a problem.

Hmm...how so? Does Puppy use an older (2.4?) kernel or something? Which also implies the question, do the latest mprimes require a 2.6 kernel?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodrigo

Uncwilly (and @mdettweiler),

Thanks a bunch for the info!

Suppose, then, that we set out to put this PC to do OBD work. That would still involve using Puppy Linux, since I can't get any of the Factor_X programs for Windows to work on it. Which software should I look for to do OBD? If I understand it, there are other programs that can do OBD work.

Rodrigo

AFAIK the only programs that are useful for OBD are FactorX and mfaktc. Since the latter requires a modern GPU, the only option for CPU contributions is FactorX. (Not sure if there's a Factor5 build for Linux, but I'm pretty sure there is for Factor4.)

Rodrigo · 2011-01-29, 13:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdettweiler

AFAIK the only programs that are useful for OBD are FactorX and mfaktc. Since the latter requires a modern GPU, the only option for CPU contributions is FactorX. (Not sure if there's a Factor5 build for Linux, but I'm pretty sure there is for Factor4.)

mdettweiler,

The OBD downloads page (http://www.moregimps.it/billion/download1.php) lists a "Factor4 AMD 64" in the Linux column. Short of asking ET, can you tell from the name if that might (or might not) do the trick?

Rodrigo

ET_ · 2011-01-29, 15:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodrigo

mdettweiler,

The OBD downloads page (http://www.moregimps.it/billion/download1.php) lists a "Factor4 AMD 64" in the Linux column. Short of asking ET, can you tell from the name if that might (or might not) do the trick?

Rodrigo

I'm afraid it uses the 64-bit libraries and SSE2 extensions provided...

Luigi

Rodrigo · 2011-01-29, 15:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by ET_

I'm afraid it uses the 64-bit libraries and SSE2 extensions provided...

Luigi

Luigi,

Rats! I guess I'm outta luck, unless you or somebody else knows of some other software that'll work on that old machine.

Thanks for the scoop.

Rodrigo

ET_ · 2011-01-29, 17:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodrigo

Luigi,

Rats! I guess I'm outta luck, unless you or somebody else knows of some other software that'll work on that old machine.

Thanks for the scoop.

Rodrigo

I should search an old Pentium PC, install Linux on it and recompile Factor.
Or look for someone on the forum having a Pentium plain vanilla with Linux and GMP installed, and giving advice on how to compile Factor (HINT, HINT!)

Anybody willing to help out there?

Luigi

henryzz · 2011-01-29, 18:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by ET_

I should search an old Pentium PC, install Linux on it and recompile Factor.
Or look for someone on the forum having a Pentium plain vanilla with Linux and GMP installed, and giving advice on how to compile Factor (HINT, HINT!)

Anybody willing to help out there?

Luigi

Isn't it possible to cross compile for that system? Or has gcc dropped support for something so old?

2011-01-28, 20:40	#1
Rodrigo Jun 2010 Pennsylvania 2³×3²×13 Posts	Prime95 on Puppy Linux? Hello, I'm wondering if there is a version of Prime95 (or any other software that will crunch numbers for GIMPS) that works on Puppy Linux. As I've said on other threads, I have an old Pentium-75 PC with 128MB RAM and running Windows for Workgroups 3.11 that I'd like to add to my farm, but there doesn't seem to be any version of Prime95 that works on that edition of Windows. So I've been investigating Linux alternatives, as has been suggested, and I found Puppy Linux which claims to work on very limited resources, and moreover supposedly can boot off a floppy diskette and then run off a CD, even saving files on an existing Windows hard drive. This SOUNDS like it could be the solution, as it requires minimum disruption to the existing system, but first I'd like to ask the experts around here if Puppy Linux is an adequate OS for GIMPS purposes. (Please, no stuff about running ancient hardware, we've been down that road before! ) Thanks very much. Rodrigo

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2011-01-28, 21:14	#3
mdettweiler A Sunny Moo Aug 2007 USA (GMT-5) 3×2,083 Posts	As far as I know, mprime should work fine on Puppy Linux, since it's a fully functional Linux system with (IIRC) a reasonably modern kernel. Note, however, that as Uncwilly mentioned, it may be sufficiently slow that PrimeNet won't even assign it anything if it thinks it can't finish it by the deadline--Operation Billion Digits may be a good alternative for this computer.