Ironically celebrating 11 months of Fail.

Well, my life's not getting any better and it's one bad post after another for the past 11 months. I'm stepping off the public and internet spotlight and won't post as often here, on Vimeo, or anywhere else. You can still find me fragging hard on Steam to Team Fortress 2 and Left 4 Dead under "JackmanofVancouverBC".

But, for the rare people that are actually still interested in my life, I'll set up a Twitter account on Sept. 8th (first day of college) just in case you're still curious.

An important message to all Superfans out there.

If you want to extend a relationship between fan and your personal idol, forget about it.

I cannot go into why but if you get contact, consider yourself lucky as it never lasts long.

I was wondering why James and Ryan weren't responding. So much for making connections in the industries that I'm into.

I cannot tell more than what I just said.

Gonna play Team Fortess 2 and Left 4 Dead for the rest of the summer to get my mind off of this.

Bumped down the FSB, unfortunately

After numerous recoverable graphics driver crashes, I've decided to bump down the FSB clock. Getting the FSB to within specs will help in ensuring system stability.

I don't really think my Superclocked card would have that many problems, put it in any other machine and it probably would be fine. So it has to probably be an FSB issue.

I'll edit this post just in case it happens again and the issue is not the FSB, but rather a using programs in order problem.

Edit: It's not the FSB, it's the drivers. It seems in the attempt to make the drivers compatible with both Vista and Windows 7, this created TONS of stability issues.

But, I did get more crashes at 2D clocks when it came to the higher FSB speed (even on the old 9600GT), so it might have had the effect of instability.

I've since reverted to an older driver (the first compatible driver for the card) and am monitoring for problems.

Edit: No more problems after going to 185.85 and applying the Rivatuner force clock speeds trick found here. They've since posted an old solution that's new to me so I'll try that and see what happens.

Edit #2: The cmd commands that built that mini-program actually worked and it speeds up my startup since I don't have to load Rivatuner anymore. Problem solved, but I can't update drivers anymore.

Edit #3: Took a risk and went back up to the 190.38 drivers (the ones that were totally unstable before the clock locking), I did the cmd command and have locked in the clocks at the performance 3D level. If I experience any crashes, I'll post in a new post, but so far it's actually looking good.

Still... Never Fold right after you finish playing L4D, always reboot.

Here's my latest log from Folding @ Home:

[10:37:15] + Processing work unit
[10:37:15] Core required: FahCore_11.exe
[10:37:15] Core found.
[10:37:15] Working on queue slot 03 [July 17 10:37:15 UTC]
[10:37:15] + Working ...
[10:37:15]
[10:37:15] *------------------------------*
[10:37:15] Folding@Home GPU Core - Beta
[10:37:15] Version 1.19 (Mon Nov 3 09:34:13 PST 2008)
[10:37:15]
[10:37:15] Compiler : Microsoft (R) 32-bit C/C++ Optimizing Compiler Version 14.00.50727.762 for 80x86
[10:37:15] Build host: amoeba
[10:37:15] Board Type: Nvidia
[10:37:15] Core :
[10:37:15] Preparing to commence simulation
[10:37:15] - Looking at optimizations...
[10:37:15] - Files status OK
[10:37:15] - Expanded 98690 -> 492276 (decompressed 498.8 percent)
[10:37:15] Called DecompressByteArray: compressed_data_size=98690 data_size=492276, decompressed_data_size=492276 diff=0
[10:37:15] - Digital signature verified
[10:37:15]
[10:37:15] Project: 5750 (Run 4, Clone 97, Gen 338)
[10:37:15]
[10:37:15] Assembly optimizations on if available.
[10:37:15] Entering M.D.
[10:37:22] Will resume from checkpoint file
[10:37:22] Working on Protein
[10:37:27] Client config found, loading data.
[10:37:27] Starting GUI Server
[10:37:28] Resuming from checkpoint
[10:37:28] Verified work/wudata_03.log
[10:37:28] Verified work/wudata_03.edr
[10:37:28] Verified work/wudata_03.xtc
[10:37:28] Completed 84%
[10:38:42] Completed 85%
[10:39:55] Completed 86%
[10:41:09] Completed 87%
[10:42:23] Completed 88%
[10:43:37] Completed 89%
[10:44:51] Completed 90%
[10:46:04] Completed 91%
[10:47:18] Completed 92%
[10:48:32] Completed 93%
[10:49:46] Completed 94%
[10:51:00] Completed 95%
[10:52:14] Completed 96%
[10:53:27] Completed 97%
[10:54:41] Completed 98%
[10:55:55] Completed 99%
[10:57:09] Completed 100%
[10:57:10] Successful run
[10:57:10] DynamicWrapper: Finished Work Unit: sleep=10000
[10:57:20] Reserved 111976 bytes for xtc file; Cosm status=0
[10:57:20] Allocated 111976 bytes for xtc file
[10:57:20] - Reading up to 111976 from "work/wudata_03.xtc": Read 111976
[10:57:20] Read 111976 bytes from xtc file; available packet space=786318488
[10:57:20] xtc file hash check passed.
[10:57:20] Reserved 33528 33528 786318488 bytes for arc file= Cosm status=0
[10:57:20] Allocated 33528 bytes for arc file
[10:57:20] - Reading up to 33528 from "work/wudata_03.trr": Read 33528
[10:57:20] Read 33528 bytes from arc file; available packet space=786284960
[10:57:20] trr file hash check passed.
[10:57:20] Allocated 560 bytes for edr file
[10:57:20] Read bedfile
[10:57:20] edr file hash check passed.
[10:57:20] Allocated 24899 bytes for logfile
[10:57:20] Read logfile
[10:57:20] GuardedRun: success in DynamicWrapper
[10:57:20] GuardedRun: done
[10:57:20] Run: GuardedRun completed.
[10:57:25] - Writing 171475 bytes of core data to disk...
[10:57:25] Done: 170963 -> 153395 (compressed to 89.7 percent)
[10:57:25] ... Done.
[10:57:25] - Shutting down core
[10:57:25]
[10:57:25] Folding@home Core Shutdown: FINISHED_UNIT
[10:57:33] CoreStatus = 64 (100)
[10:57:33] Sending work to server
[10:57:33] Project: 5750 (Run 4, Clone 97, Gen 338)


[10:57:33] + Attempting to send results [July 17 10:57:33 UTC]
[10:57:35] + Results successfully sent
[10:57:35] Thank you for your contribution to Folding@Home.
[10:57:35] + Number of Units Completed: 1145

[10:57:39] - Preparing to get new work unit...
[10:57:39] + Attempting to get work packet
[10:57:39] - Connecting to assignment server
[10:57:40] - Successful: assigned to (171.67.108.11).
[10:57:40] + News From Folding@Home: Welcome to Folding@Home
[10:57:40] Loaded queue successfully.
[10:57:40] + Closed connections
[10:57:40]
[10:57:40] + Processing work unit
[10:57:40] Core required: FahCore_11.exe
[10:57:40] Core found.
[10:57:40] Working on queue slot 04 [July 17 10:57:40 UTC]
[10:57:40] + Working ...
[10:57:40]
[10:57:40] *------------------------------*
[10:57:40] Folding@Home GPU Core - Beta
[10:57:40] Version 1.19 (Mon Nov 3 09:34:13 PST 2008)
[10:57:40]
[10:57:40] Compiler : Microsoft (R) 32-bit C/C++ Optimizing Compiler Version 14.00.50727.762 for 80x86
[10:57:40] Build host: amoeba
[10:57:40] Board Type: Nvidia
[10:57:40] Core :
[10:57:40] Preparing to commence simulation
[10:57:40] - Looking at optimizations...
[10:57:40] - Created dyn
[10:57:40] - Files status OK
[10:57:40] - Expanded 45430 -> 251112 (decompressed 552.7 percent)
[10:57:40] Called DecompressByteArray: compressed_data_size=45430 data_size=251112, decompressed_data_size=251112 diff=0
[10:57:40] - Digital signature verified
[10:57:40]
[10:57:40] Project: 5771 (Run 4, Clone 227, Gen 226)
[10:57:40]
[10:57:40] Assembly optimizations on if available.
[10:57:40] Entering M.D.
[10:57:47] Working on Protein
[10:57:49] Client config found, loading data.
[10:57:49] mdrun_gpu returned
[10:57:49] NANs detected on GPU
[10:57:49]
[10:57:49] Folding@home Core Shutdown: UNSTABLE_MACHINE
[10:58:01] CoreStatus = 7A (122)
[10:58:01] Sending work to server
[10:58:01] Project: 5771 (Run 4, Clone 227, Gen 226)
[10:58:01] - Error: Could not get length of results file work/wuresults_04.dat
[10:58:01] - Error: Could not read unit 04 file. Removing from queue.
[10:58:01] - Preparing to get new work unit...
[10:58:01] + Attempting to get work packet
[10:58:01] - Connecting to assignment server
[10:58:01] - Successful: assigned to (171.67.108.11).
[10:58:01] + News From Folding@Home: Welcome to Folding@Home
[10:58:01] Loaded queue successfully.
[10:58:01] + Closed connections
[10:58:06]
[10:58:06] + Processing work unit
[10:58:06] Core required: FahCore_11.exe
[10:58:06] Core found.
[10:58:06] Working on queue slot 05 [July 17 10:58:06 UTC]
[10:58:06] + Working ...
[10:58:06]
[10:58:06] *------------------------------*
[10:58:06] Folding@Home GPU Core - Beta
[10:58:06] Version 1.19 (Mon Nov 3 09:34:13 PST 2008)
[10:58:06]
[10:58:06] Compiler : Microsoft (R) 32-bit C/C++ Optimizing Compiler Version 14.00.50727.762 for 80x86
[10:58:06] Build host: amoeba
[10:58:06] Board Type: Nvidia
[10:58:06] Core :
[10:58:06] Preparing to commence simulation
[10:58:06] - Looking at optimizations...
[10:58:06] - Created dyn
[10:58:06] - Files status OK
[10:58:06] - Expanded 45427 -> 251112 (decompressed 552.7 percent)
[10:58:06] Called DecompressByteArray: compressed_data_size=45427 data_size=251112, decompressed_data_size=251112 diff=0
[10:58:06] - Digital signature verified
[10:58:06]
[10:58:06] Project: 5771 (Run 6, Clone 56, Gen 864)
[10:58:06]
[10:58:06] Assembly optimizations on if available.
[10:58:06] Entering M.D.
[10:58:13] Working on Protein
[10:58:14] Client config found, loading data.
[10:58:14] Starting GUI Server
[10:58:15] mdrun_gpu returned
[10:58:15] NANs detected on GPU
[10:58:15]
[10:58:15] Folding@home Core Shutdown: UNSTABLE_MACHINE
[10:58:27] CoreStatus = 7A (122)
[10:58:27] Sending work to server
[10:58:27] Project: 5771 (Run 6, Clone 56, Gen 864)
[10:58:27] - Error: Could not get length of results file work/wuresults_05.dat
[10:58:27] - Error: Could not read unit 05 file. Removing from queue.
[10:58:27] - Preparing to get new work unit...
[10:58:27] + Attempting to get work packet
[10:58:27] - Connecting to assignment server
[10:58:27] - Successful: assigned to (171.67.108.11).
[10:58:27] + News From Folding@Home: Welcome to Folding@Home
[10:58:27] Loaded queue successfully.
[10:58:27] + Closed connections
[10:58:32]
[10:58:32] + Processing work unit
[10:58:32] Core required: FahCore_11.exe
[10:58:32] Core found.
[10:58:32] Working on queue slot 06 [July 17 10:58:32 UTC]
[10:58:32] + Working ...
[10:58:33]
[10:58:33] *------------------------------*
[10:58:33] Folding@Home GPU Core - Beta
[10:58:33] Version 1.19 (Mon Nov 3 09:34:13 PST 2008)
[10:58:33]
[10:58:33] Compiler : Microsoft (R) 32-bit C/C++ Optimizing Compiler Version 14.00.50727.762 for 80x86
[10:58:33] Build host: amoeba
[10:58:33] Board Type: Nvidia
[10:58:33] Core :
[10:58:33] Preparing to commence simulation
[10:58:33] - Looking at optimizations...
[10:58:33] - Created dyn
[10:58:33] - Files status OK
[10:58:33] - Expanded 45468 -> 251112 (decompressed 552.2 percent)
[10:58:33] Called DecompressByteArray: compressed_data_size=45468 data_size=251112, decompressed_data_size=251112 diff=0
[10:58:33] - Digital signature verified
[10:58:33]
[10:58:33] Project: 5771 (Run 5, Clone 56, Gen 828)
[10:58:33]
[10:58:33] Assembly optimizations on if available.
[10:58:33] Entering M.D.
[10:58:39] Working on Protein
[10:58:41] Client config found, loading data.
[10:58:41] Starting GUI Server
[10:58:41] mdrun_gpu returned
[10:58:41] NANs detected on GPU
[10:58:41]
[10:58:41] Folding@home Core Shutdown: UNSTABLE_MACHINE
[10:58:47] CoreStatus = 7A (122)
[10:58:47] Sending work to server
[10:58:47] Project: 5771 (Run 5, Clone 56, Gen 828)
[10:58:47] - Error: Could not get length of results file work/wuresults_06.dat
[10:58:47] - Error: Could not read unit 06 file. Removing from queue.
[10:58:47] - Preparing to get new work unit...
[10:58:47] + Attempting to get work packet
[10:58:47] - Connecting to assignment server
[10:58:47] - Successful: assigned to (171.67.108.11).
[10:58:47] + News From Folding@Home: Welcome to Folding@Home
[10:58:47] Loaded queue successfully.
[10:58:48] + Closed connections
[10:58:53]
[10:58:53] + Processing work unit
[10:58:53] Core required: FahCore_11.exe
[10:58:53] Core found.
[10:58:53] Working on queue slot 07 [July 17 10:58:53 UTC]
[10:58:53] + Working ...
[10:58:53]
[10:58:53] *------------------------------*
[10:58:53] Folding@Home GPU Core - Beta
[10:58:53] Version 1.19 (Mon Nov 3 09:34:13 PST 2008)
[10:58:53]
[10:58:53] Compiler : Microsoft (R) 32-bit C/C++ Optimizing Compiler Version 14.00.50727.762 for 80x86
[10:58:53] Build host: amoeba
[10:58:53] Board Type: Nvidia
[10:58:53] Core :
[10:58:53] Preparing to commence simulation
[10:58:53] - Looking at optimizations...
[10:58:53] - Created dyn
[10:58:53] - Files status OK
[10:58:53] - Expanded 45426 -> 251112 (decompressed 552.7 percent)
[10:58:53] Called DecompressByteArray: compressed_data_size=45426 data_size=251112, decompressed_data_size=251112 diff=0
[10:58:53] - Digital signature verified
[10:58:53]
[10:58:53] Project: 5770 (Run 9, Clone 32, Gen 713)
[10:58:53]
[10:58:53] Assembly optimizations on if available.
[10:58:53] Entering M.D.
[10:59:00] Working on Protein
[10:59:01] Client config found, loading data.
[10:59:01] Starting GUI Server
[10:59:01] mdrun_gpu returned
[10:59:01] NANs detected on GPU
[10:59:01]
[10:59:01] Folding@home Core Shutdown: UNSTABLE_MACHINE
[10:59:13] CoreStatus = 7A (122)
[10:59:13] Sending work to server
[10:59:13] Project: 5770 (Run 9, Clone 32, Gen 713)
[10:59:13] - Error: Could not get length of results file work/wuresults_07.dat
[10:59:13] - Error: Could not read unit 07 file. Removing from queue.
[10:59:13] - Preparing to get new work unit...
[10:59:13] + Attempting to get work packet
[10:59:13] - Connecting to assignment server
[10:59:13] - Successful: assigned to (171.67.108.11).
[10:59:13] + News From Folding@Home: Welcome to Folding@Home
[10:59:13] Loaded queue successfully.
[10:59:14] + Closed connections
[10:59:19]
[10:59:19] + Processing work unit
[10:59:19] Core required: FahCore_11.exe
[10:59:19] Core found.
[10:59:19] Working on queue slot 08 [July 17 10:59:19 UTC]
[10:59:19] + Working ...
[10:59:19]
[10:59:19] *------------------------------*
[10:59:19] Folding@Home GPU Core - Beta
[10:59:19] Version 1.19 (Mon Nov 3 09:34:13 PST 2008)
[10:59:19]
[10:59:19] Compiler : Microsoft (R) 32-bit C/C++ Optimizing Compiler Version 14.00.50727.762 for 80x86
[10:59:19] Build host: amoeba
[10:59:19] Board Type: Nvidia
[10:59:19] Core :
[10:59:19] Preparing to commence simulation
[10:59:19] - Looking at optimizations...
[10:59:19] - Created dyn
[10:59:19] - Files status OK
[10:59:19] - Expanded 46743 -> 252912 (decompressed 541.0 percent)
[10:59:19] Called DecompressByteArray: compressed_data_size=46743 data_size=252912, decompressed_data_size=252912 diff=0
[10:59:19] - Digital signature verified
[10:59:19]
[10:59:19] Project: 5767 (Run 9, Clone 131, Gen 552)
[10:59:19]
[10:59:19] Assembly optimizations on if available.
[10:59:19] Entering M.D.
[10:59:26] Working on Protein
[10:59:27] Client config found, loading data.
[10:59:27] mdrun_gpu returned
[10:59:27] NANs detected on GPU
[10:59:27]
[10:59:27] Folding@home Core Shutdown: UNSTABLE_MACHINE
[10:59:41] CoreStatus = 7A (122)
[10:59:41] Sending work to server
[10:59:41] Project: 5767 (Run 9, Clone 131, Gen 552)
[10:59:41] - Error: Could not get length of results file work/wuresults_08.dat
[10:59:41] - Error: Could not read unit 08 file. Removing from queue.
[10:59:41] EUE limit exceeded. Pausing 24 hours.
[16:37:14] + Working...


As you can see, playing L4D still can cause problems if you don't reboot the system. ALWAYS reboot your system after playing L4D before launching anything that's sensitive to GPU and GPU memory stability. I've never gotten so many UNSTABLE_MACHINEs in a row. L4D must be the cause of this, since I'm folding fine now.

Also, I'd like to add that I've tested 50 iterations of MemtestG80 before all of this (right when I got the card and again very recently after all the NANs occured) and have gotten absolutely no errors, which means the hardware is fine. And all these failures specifically start after finishing up L4D.

Edit (July 20th): Vice versa of this is true too. Never Fold intensively then go into a game of something. It might be due to the Graphics overclock or something completely different.

Jack's Vlog: The GeForce GTX 275

Jack's Vlog: The GeForce GTX 275 from Jack Zhang on Vimeo.

High Quality 60p version available on Viddler.

Holy crap...

I only just finished uploading all my high quality videos from Vimeo to Viddler.

The ones I skipped from the mirroring process either did not have many views/isn't as popular or the quality won't really differ between the converted video and the original.

I'm working on my GTX 275 video right now. Just got to rest up before continuing.

and my Twitter worthy line for what's happening right now:

"Listening to Stop Podcasting Yourself right now"

Another Freedom of Speech post: Vimeo's doing Wha!?!?

I'm gonna quote their blog:

"Starting August 1st, basic accounts' original source files will be stored for one week from the upload date, after which they will be removed."

They dropped the bombshell when they disallowed gaming videos, now they're doing it again with Original File downloads!

Thank goodness Viddler still has the feature for Original File downloads, and that's where I'm mirroring all my high quality Vimeo videos to right now.

This is just preposterous that they allow Plus members to keep the feature and the basic users get it taken away. They have growing sponsorship, so they could use that money to finance to keep it for everybody.

From now on, I'll be uploading 2 versions of the same video. A lower than original quality 720p30 or 24 version for Vimeo and a high quality (up to 1080p) version for Viddler.

And I'd also like to remind everyone of this: Mirror your videos; protect your rights.

And it's not just for Fair Use, it could be for instances like this when a well earned privilege is taken away so suddenly.

New videos coming soon...

...Just as soon has I have hard disk space or a new portable Hard Drive altogether.

Our household has totally run out of disk space on nearly all our hard drives. So most likely we have to get new ones. Nikon D80 photos can take up to 4MB a photo. This would fill up a 500GB drive really fast. It's only been a year and we've filled a 500GB drive already.

My HDV stuff is 13GB an hour. That's a lot worse...

I'll most likely get a Hard Drive before my first semester at the BCIT TV program. Since it's pretty much necessary to do that before you start capturing and editing on workstations over there.

And since I have Vimeo Basic, I can only upload 1 video a week. And there are around 3 videos to finish.

Northwest Outing is ending Early

We just got into a fender bender on Highway 101 heading into Cannon Beach. This unbelievable *&#$%@# slams on the brakes right in the middle of the highway. We had to do the same, but a car behind us (with someone possibly distracted) slams right into our rear bumper. And, the worst part is, the guy in front that slam the brakes first sped off after hearing the collision, fleeing the scene.

I get into this and I think of Billy Mays, who recently DIED around a week after a minor injury on a rough landing on a plane.

Now you'll probably get the idea that I might get some PTSD after this... and you're right, since this is the first time I've ever been in a car during an accident.

Let's pray to god hope that I don't suffer something to end up just like Billy Mays. In fact, just saw a memorial episode (and maybe the last episode) of "Pitchmen" dedicated to him on Discovery US tonight.

Back in the Northwest...

So I'm that much closer to making new videos once I get back to my Quad-core back in Vancouver.

I have about 3 videos on the edit list:

1. A video of New York from the tourist perspective set to music from a VERY famous Chinese Sitcom.

2. A video of Niagara Falls set to the Toronto music in Over Canada.

3. (there is no guarantee on this video, unless I make it raw Stock Footage) Videos of the beaches of The Pacific Northwest.

Then, once I get back to Vancouver, I'll have to do my 9600GT vs GTX 275 performance comparison video vlog.

Was gonna see my old buddy Mike Lepore, but not this time.

Several factors prevent me from meeting up with my old buddy from the beginning of this blog for a meet and greet.

The biggest factors: He's 50 miles away and the parents still don't approve of him.

At least I'll try to Skype with him...

Edit: Nope, that's no longer possible when we're this geographically close. Will try again in Vancouver.