Setup Tips
When you install the BOINC Project manager, it will have certain default settings for CPU use and network activity. Depending on your system and personal preferences you can adjust these settings. Some projects can be CPU intensive and will cause your CPU cooling fan to run more frequently. If you find this annoying, or are concerned about your CPU overheating, you can reduce the amount of time that the BOINC Project Manager allocated to projects. Also, if you notice performance issues with other programs, you may need to adjust CPU use. For most folks, the BOINC Project Manager does a good job of managing resources, but if you need to make adjustments, here’s how.
In Windows, launch the BOINC Project Manager and select “Tools/Computing Preferences.”
You will get a dialog box with three tabs at the top. Processor Usage, Network Usage and Disk and Memory Usage. Select Processor Usage and do the following”
- Make sure that there is no check in the box next to “While computer is in use”
- On multiprocessor systems use at most 100% of the processors.
- Use at most [XXX%] CPU time. < This setting will have the greatest effect on CPU fan run times. By reducing the number, the CPU gets less of a workout and the fan will run less.
Something to remember, the first option will cause the BOINC Project Manager to pause project tasks while you are doing other things on the computer. If you have a newer computer that has a lot of muscle, you may want to check that box. That way tasks will continue to be worked on in the background while you are browsing the web, working on email, etc.
One other option you can adjust is labeled: “When processor usage is less than [ ]” This option will automatically pause your BOINC tasks when you are doing other things that require more of the CPU’s attention. Try 50%, or 25% if your system seems sluggish while running BOINC tasks.
A final option is to just take a close look at what projects you are supporting. Some are more CPU intensive than others so if you aren’t satisfied with the results from adjusting your preferences, try another project. It’s always a good idea to sign up for more than one project anyway, that way if one project has no work another project can keep you crunching!
