SETI@Home: Hints and Tips for Faster Clients

Here are some tips which we've found, which should help to speed the SETI@Home client up:

1.) Try to use the latest client for the platform which you are using. As well as fixing many client bugs, SETI@Home only send blocks to the latest versions of the client.
2.) The graphical-update can eat a lot of CPU - especially on a single CPU system. Set the SETI@Home screensaver to show a blank screen after 0 minutes. This is set in the screensaver options in the Control Panel. Or, if you are on a PC, use the text-only version of the client. This runs in a DOS box, and skips the computationally expensive graphics.
3.) If your machine is fast enough and has sufficient memory, keep the SETI@Home client running all the time, rather than just as a screensaver. 'Close' it so that it appears as a tray icon, but does not show the graphical window.
4.) If your Internet connection is a dialup, or is sometimes patchy, consider running the RC5 client alongside the SETI@Home client. Set both to run all the time, and set RC5 to run in the background. The RC5 client will then kick into action, whilst SETI@Home is waiting for a usable Internet connection. This option is probably not practical with slower machines.
5.) A number of third-party programs exist which allow multiple SETI@Home clients and/or buffering of blocks. Most of our SETI@Home team members find these invaluable, because they allow you to run SETI@Home unattended for long periods of time. Also you can continue running, even if the SETI@Home Server is down.
Cliff Hodge suggests SETIBuf, and adds that you should follow the instructions for SETIBuf exactly as stated (eg. install directly into your C:\SETI folder). SETI@Home Server down-time will not impact on your ability to process Web Units again!

Do you have any speedups or other tips, which can be added to the above list?

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