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Subject: Re: Which CPU should I buy??

Author: Chessfun

Date: 13:38:20 11/06/05

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On November 04, 2005 at 14:33:01, Chessfun wrote:

>On November 04, 2005 at 11:55:43, James T. Walker wrote:
>
>>On November 04, 2005 at 07:13:03, Chessfun wrote:
>>
>>>On November 04, 2005 at 06:04:34, Greg Simpson wrote:
>>>
>>>>Tablebase access can easily saturate the disk IO, so having two engines using
>>>>them at once could be a problem.  You could buy a small second hard disk and
>>>>store a copy of the tablebases there and avoid this problem by directing one
>>>>engine to use the tablebases on the main disk and the other the tablebases on
>>>>the secondary disk.
>>>>
>>>>Other than tablebases, there should be some slow down from memory bus contention
>>>>when two engines are running, mostly from hash table access I guess (hard to
>>>>cache).  I don't think think this would be a big issue for the X2 processors,
>>>>but like you I would be interested if anyone could provide some real data.
>>>>
>>>>If you don't want to run ponder on you could get a bigger benefit from the dual
>>>>core system by running two matches at once.
>>>
>>>That is exactly what I am doing right now x2 4200+. Except with tablebases I
>>>have identical 5 piece placed on the same drive. C:\Nalimov and C:\Nalimov 1
>>>told each program in options where to go and thus far no problem. Originally
>>>probing the same folder C:\Nalimov was a problem.
>>>
>>>Haven't noticed any other problems. If the two interfaces are CB then you need
>>>to install the path to bases different naturally when installing the software,
>>>so you'll end up with two locations where the tournaments or matches are taking
>>>place.
>>>
>>>Sarah.
>>
>>Hello Sarah,
>>I would like to know what problem you had when probing the same folder for
>>tablebases.  How did the problem show up?  I'm running matches with ponder on
>>and a single tablebase folder.  Since I don't know what to look for I have seen
>>no problem.
>>Jim
>
>Hi Jim,
>
>When I first set up and ran two matches which was when I first bought the PC I
>wasn't getting any time losses. Just engine exceptions, I guessed I could have
>two programs trying to look at tablebases at the same time. One in each
>interface and added the second folder. Since then no exceptions running for over
>7 days non stop two interfaces.
>
>Are you running two matches, two interfaces?. Which two interfaces?
>
>Sarah.

Seems when I added the second tablebase path c:\Nalimov 2 both my programs
switched to using that same folder. Therefore seems my engine exception error
was being caused by the six piece bases I have. Seems some engines have no
problem using them others fail. That folder was listed as a second tablebase
path and when I switched the path to Nalimov 2 I removed that path as well.

Sarah.




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