USB Crunching/Sneakernetting

[drezha]

Right I'm looking for a project I can run on a non internet machine off my USB key.

Folding won't do it as it needs the registry key and I'm not a fan of merging it with the registry (ie it won't let me)

Also preferably one with small deadlines, as I won't be using the machine long. Maybe 4 or 5 hours a week, more as my my labs begin to get longer.

Any ideas? I think BOINC can be run cant it but with networking off or something?

Main option I was looking at was distributed.net and running the RC-72 project. Just download the work at home then come in and get it crunched. (Help with the settings would be appriciated)

Machine's a Windows P4 3Ghz

[Strongbow]

I'd say BBC CCE - should keep your machine happy for about 4 months or so!

[Murray]

How easy is it to us a USB mem. stick to crunch on any PC?

[drezha]

Must have misunderstod the question then...

I meant I will run the program from when I'm at the PC only... ;)

[NeoGen]

I've heard that USB drives lifespan shortens if you do intensive write operations on them... so BBC might not be the best, as it keeps several hundreds of megs while running.

I advise the Dnet ones or maybe PSP, or Riesel Sieve (the classic, not boinc). On those last ones you can reserve the work, crunch it wherever you want and send in by mail when it's done.

[drezha]

Neogen, thats what I was thinking but Riesel Sieve does have a 2 week limit ;) Obviously what doesn't finish there I can work at home

[Big Whiskey]

been running Boinc(and Folding) off my USB key since mid June 24/7 and it's still going

[Brucifer]

Keeping in mind that I'm not a boinc fan........... Problem with boinc stuff and lots of the projects is the time-out or timeframe when the work units go dead... an important item to keep in mind for sneaker-netting. Another is the ability to pull the work unit off one system and run it on another system without having to dink around with anything. You really have 2 options, distributed.net, and psp sieving. More strongly the psp sieving as your reservation doesn't expire. Lars wants you to check in every month or so to let the project know that you are alive and working on it. Distributed.net stuff does "expire" after several days. At that point it is re-issued, and whoever turns in the completed work unit first gets the credit for it.

On the other hand, with the sieving, you can keep everything on the usb stick, work range, result files, and executable client, and then copy it to the local HD, run the program, then copy the stuff back to the usb stick and delete the stuff from the HD. I'd keep 2 sticks though so you have a backup.

[Beerknurd]

I have run Boinc off a USB drive before. It works great...

[Ototero]

I'm currently Dneting from a usb memory stick. Download dnet straight to a directory on the drive. Fire it up and it will download a bunch of data. Then configure the settings to not contact the web. Off you go.
When it's all crunched, plug the stick into anywhere with web access, re-configure the settings to contact the web, then the results are sent and new ones arrive. A doddle.