BOINC does not adjust estimated time based on previous tasks any more

[Dave-catcher]

Describe the bug

In both 8.2.4 and 8.3.0 despite running over 50 tasks of at least two different types the estimated time to completion when a new task is started remains the same. Reverting to 8.0.2 resolves the issue.
I see this both on Linux clients and on Windows clients.

Steps to reproduce

Run a new type of task and note estimated time to completion at start.
Run say five more tasks, only downloading when previous task has finished.
Estimated time for last task is the same as it was initially

Expected behavior

No response

Screenshots

No response

System information

No response

Additional context

No response

[AenBleidd]

@davidpanderson, could you please take a look?

[davidpanderson]

I don't understand the problem. Please give an example.

[davidpanderson]

Nothing changed from 8.0.2 to 8.3 in this area, and as far as I know the client never has changed runtime estimates based on times of completed jobs

[Grant-SSSF]

My understanding of the system- the initial Remaining (estimated) time is set by the project- the Scheduler uses the estimated FLOPS of the Task and the reported FLOPS of the compute device it is allocated to, to estimate the likely processing time- which is the Remaining (estimated) time displayed in the BOINC client.

From memory, after 10 Tasks are returned and verified, from then on the Runtimes of completed Tasks are then used to refine the Remaining (estimated) time.

As returned Tasks are reported, and when new Tasks are allocated, the Remaining (estimated) time on the client is updated using the previously returned Task Runtimes.

Since upgrading two of my systems to v8.2.4, this is no longer occurring- the Remaining (estimated) times are fixed and unchanging; for both CPU and GPU Tasks on both systems.
Downgrading to v8.0.2 on one system, and once again the Remaining (estimated) times were updated each time new work was allocated.

Looking at the Application details for each host, the APR (Average Processing Rate) for each compute device does change each time the client reports work to the project.
So it would appear it is sending the actual Runtimes for the completed Tasks to the server.
However, either the client is no longer getting the updated Remaining (estimated) time when it contacts the Scheduler, or it is no longer being updated in the Remaining (estimated) column in the client.

[AenBleidd]

@Dave-catcher, @Grant-SSSF, does this happen with some particular project?
Also, does this happen with CPU or GPU or both type of tasks?
At the moment I'm running several projects, and I don't see this issue.

[Grant-SSSF]

I am running Numberfields@home, Dave is running WCG.

Both CPU and GPU.
System that has v8.2.4 still has the same Remaining (estimated) time for CPU and GPU work as it had when i upgraded to the current client.
On the other system, as soon as i downgraded to v 8.0.2, the Remaining (estimated) time started updating again as new work was allocated (both CPU and GPU).

[Grant-SSSF]

Another report of Remaining (estimated) time not updating on BOINC message boards.

Projects- Numberfields, WCG, CPDN, Asteriods,
OS- Win10 Pro, Win 11, Linux.

EDIT- Apparently it is working for Einstein.

[KeithMyers]

Another report of Remaining (estimated) time not updating on BOINC message boards.

Projects- Numberfields, WCG, CPDN, Asteriods, OS- Win10 Pro, Win 11, Linux.

EDIT- Apparently it is working for Einstein.

As expected since Einstein still uses DCF mechanism. But most projects do not anymore.