CPU usage

2003-11-18, 20:23

I am currently running prime95 on the side but primarily do a lot of processor-intensive work during the day, although not every day. I'd like to be able to pause/halt prime95 while I'm running only specific programs. Can I do this?

billboboy@hotmail.com

Xyzzy · 2003-11-18, 20:33

http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthr...&threadid=1152

TauCeti · 2003-11-18, 20:39

Quote:

Originally posted by Unregistered
I am currently running prime95 on the side but primarily do a lot of processor-intensive work during the day, although not every day. I'd like to be able to pause/halt prime95 while I'm running only specific programs. Can I do this?

You can use test/stop anytime you like.

But Prime95 is one of the most benign applications known to me. I have never encountered a performance problem with prime95 in all the years since 1997.

I suspected some cache-thrashing using prime95 and 'normal' programs but never had a measurable performance dip doing so.

2003-11-19, 05:46

TauCeti,

I can prove that Microsoft Excel does NOT co-exist with Prime95 very peacefully. Under certain conditions using very large spreadsheets, Excel will cause a BSOD when Prime95 is running. Fortunately, not many people are running 85 megabyte spreadsheets nor are they running massive web data harvester macros from inside Excel.

After several problems, I finally came to the conclusion that under certain conditions I have to stop Prime95 to complete specific Excel functions. Please note that this appears to be entirely a memory management issue and probably is not caused by Prime95. Excel appears to be at fault. I might add that I am running Windows 2000 which is a relatively stable operating system.

Fusion

E_tron · 2003-11-19, 06:23

Some programs will make their CPU intensive operations work at idle priority. Prime95 also works at idle priority. This might be why Excel is performing so poorly.

My guess is that half of your cpu time is going to Prime95 and half to Excel (Explaining the slow down).

Could you try going to the task manager after you start Excel (via Ctrl+ Alt+ Delete, then tab to Task Manager). In the task manager go to the processes tab and under image name column look for something called like excel.exe(or whatever it is

). Right click on it, click Set Priority, and then set to normal. This should make any computation done by the excel place before Prime95 starts working.

Stopping Prime95 is fine as well. Sure, you may lose a few Clock Cycles, but it is still a good thing that you choose to participate in GIMPS.

Good Luck and have fun!

GP2 · 2003-11-19, 06:43

Quote:

Originally posted by E_tron
My guess is that half of your cpu time is going to Prime95 and half to Excel (Explaining the slow down).

Except he's not complaining about a slowdown, he's talking about a system crash. BSOD = "blue screen of death".

Almost certainly it's a hardware or OS issue, or maybe Excel dies if P-1 testing takes too much memory...

Nevertheless, I believe there is a Prime95 feature that lets you automatically suspend the program while another, specific program is running.

2003-11-19, 07:05

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by GP2
I believe there is a Prime95 feature that lets you automatically suspend the program while another, specific program is running.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GP2 is correct.
As the link from Xyzzy suggests, simply putting in the line

PauseWhileRunning=excel.exe

into the file prime.ini, shutting down Prime95, and then restarting it will cause the program to pause every time you open Excel. This should fix any problem you have without repeated manual input.

2003-11-18, 20:23	#1
Unregistered 10C2₁₆ Posts	CPU usage I am currently running prime95 on the side but primarily do a lot of processor-intensive work during the day, although not every day. I'd like to be able to pause/halt prime95 while I'm running only specific programs. Can I do this? billboboy@hotmail.com

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Low CPU/GPU usage?	GeoffreyY	Msieve	23	2017-02-17 18:01
GPU Usage	Brain	GPU Computing	9	2011-04-12 22:25
GMP-ECM resource usage	lavalamp	Software	0	2010-10-11 20:46
High CPU usage	Primix	Hardware	2	2008-07-20 23:44
Usage of GMP-ECM	ECMFreak	Factoring	13	2007-07-20 17:34

2003-11-18, 20:33	#2
Xyzzy "Mike" Aug 2002 7984₁₀ Posts	http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthr...&threadid=1152

2003-11-19, 05:46	#4
Unregistered 2⁵·3·29 Posts	TauCeti, I can prove that Microsoft Excel does NOT co-exist with Prime95 very peacefully. Under certain conditions using very large spreadsheets, Excel will cause a BSOD when Prime95 is running. Fortunately, not many people are running 85 megabyte spreadsheets nor are they running massive web data harvester macros from inside Excel. After several problems, I finally came to the conclusion that under certain conditions I have to stop Prime95 to complete specific Excel functions. Please note that this appears to be entirely a memory management issue and probably is not caused by Prime95. Excel appears to be at fault. I might add that I am running Windows 2000 which is a relatively stable operating system. Fusion

2003-11-19, 06:23	#5
E_tron Sep 2002 Austin, TX 3×11×17 Posts	Some programs will make their CPU intensive operations work at idle priority. Prime95 also works at idle priority. This might be why Excel is performing so poorly. My guess is that half of your cpu time is going to Prime95 and half to Excel (Explaining the slow down). Could you try going to the task manager after you start Excel (via Ctrl+ Alt+ Delete, then tab to Task Manager). In the task manager go to the processes tab and under image name column look for something called like excel.exe(or whatever it is ). Right click on it, click Set Priority, and then set to normal. This should make any computation done by the excel place before Prime95 starts working. Stopping Prime95 is fine as well. Sure, you may lose a few Clock Cycles, but it is still a good thing that you choose to participate in GIMPS. Good Luck and have fun!

2003-11-19, 07:05	#7
Unregistered 3·1,129 Posts	quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Originally posted by GP2 I believe there is a Prime95 feature that lets you automatically suspend the program while another, specific program is running. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GP2 is correct. As the link from Xyzzy suggests, simply putting in the line PauseWhileRunning=excel.exe into the file prime.ini, shutting down Prime95, and then restarting it will cause the program to pause every time you open Excel. This should fix any problem you have without repeated manual input.