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Clarification of Boinc limits on disk space please

Clarification of Boinc limits on disk space please

Questions and Answers : Preferences : Clarification of Boinc limits on disk space please
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Profile old_user33

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Message 3586 - Posted: 9 Sep 2004, 11:53:02 UTC

I have been a Boinc tester since the early days, but I am still confused by Boinc\'s limits on disk space usage as defined in the Global Prefs (not that I have any problems).

Boinc\'s own web site states under the heading \"Disk usage limits\":
\"You can limit disk space usage in any of three ways\" - Max space used by Boinc, Max percentage used by Boinc and Min.space to keep free.

I specifically note the word ANY, which implies that any one of these values can apply. Since the default when you first sign up is for non-zero values to be in all three of these settings, which actually applies, or is there a hierachy of precedence? Posters in various project forums usually seem to \"recommend\" values for all three settings.

I have also read in the forums of all projects, postings which suggest that \"max disk space\" does not actually mean that used by Boinc itself, but that used in total (OS, apps, data etc) - contrary to the statement on Boinc\'s own web page. Is this really true, or are posters getting confused between disk usage and free space(or is it just me that confused)?

I also think that having these set globally, ie for all computers of a given account, overlooks the fact that different computers may have different disk and memory constraints, eg my main PC, on which I run P@H and LHC@H, has 180GB of disk space (with a great deal free), whereas my other PC , on which I run CPDN and S@H, has only 20GB (with a very much smaller amount of free space) and only half the memory. Globally-defined settings may not suit all.

Any clarification/comments would be welcome.

Pete
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Message 3588 - Posted: 9 Sep 2004, 12:13:03 UTC

I think there is a precedence, i.e. if you say "don't use so that my hard drive is over 50%" that seems to "outweigh" any other setting such as "you can use 100GB." It seems to select the minimum of your option and report that as available to be safe
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Message 3589 - Posted: 9 Sep 2004, 12:42:24 UTC
Last modified: 9 Sep 2004, 12:45:05 UTC

Hi Pete,

My interpretation of how the disk space limits <i>should</i> work ...

<b>Use no more than (MB)</b> is the maximum total amount of disk space that can be used by BOINC and all the projects it's running. It won't apply if your disk is smaller than the value you've set.

<b>Leave at least</b> is the absolute amount of free space that BOINC must leave on the disk.

<b>Use no more than (% of total space)</b> is the one that's causing the confusion. I would hope the percentage is based on the amount of disk space used by BOINC plus the free space, and the setting defines the maximum percentage of this that's available to BOINC.

The first 2 settings are absolutes and the last one varies depending on how much disk space everything else is using.

If BOINC detects that any of these thresholds has been exceeded it has to start releasing some of the space it's using. It doesn't necessarily have to be BOINC that causes a free space threshold to be breached.

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Questions and Answers : Preferences : Clarification of Boinc limits on disk space please

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