Lost my exponents, help?

[iNSiPiD1]

I was recently factoring two exponents for about two weeks, and I had to restart my computer recently. I had them both to a little over 20% in the LL stage, and they have been 'lost'.

What motivation is there to continue when my computer has been reassigned two new numbers to factor, if experience tells me they will just disappear again like the last ones?

[S485122]

Originally Posted by iNSiPiD1

I was recently factoring two exponents for about two weeks, and I had to restart my computer recently. I had them both to a little over 20% in the LL stage, and they have been 'lost'.

What motivation is there to continue when my computer has been reassigned two new numbers to factor, if experience tells me they will just disappear again like the last ones?

You most probably started the program from a place where it can not write (in Windows Vista or 7 C:\Program Files f.i.) or from a place where it can write but that will change each time you restart (starting the program from the .zip file will create a folder in your Temp folder where the program and its configuration and results files will reside, but that folder will be different each time you reopen the .zip file.)

You can always try to find the previous configuration and result files : open a command prompt (Start / All Programs / Accessories / Command Prompt). Then type the following commands :

cd \

dir worktodo.txt /s /a:

This will (quickly) find all instances of that file on your hard disk. Note where it or they are located, and check them to see if they correspond to your previous exponents. In any case once you have located the worktodo.txt file you want to use, copy the whole content of the folder to a more permanent place (a new folder in your Documents folder f.i.) stop and exit Prime95 and restart the program from there.

By the way one speaks about an LL "test" not "factoring". First a Mersenne number is trial factored to a certain bit level, if no factor is found a P-1 factoring attempt is done, then the exponent is trial factored to one more bit level, finally it is LL tested and later on a second LL test is done as a double-check.

Jacob

You could merge the different instances you find : this involves merging the worktodo.txt files, but you must make sure that the associated user IDs are identical and so on.

[cheesehead]

Originally Posted by iNSiPiD1

What motivation is there to continue when my computer has been reassigned two new numbers to factor, if experience tells me they will just disappear again like the last ones?

Please let us know whether you find the worktodo file(s).

As for "if experience tells me":

Surely it also tells you that when you ask for, and get, help about how to do something that gave you trouble, then you have better skill in working in the situation. Especially when the help you get explains what might have caused the trouble, so you can avoid it -- right?

Then your motivation to continue is that with your new skill set you can reasonably expect to continue to avoid whatever mistakes led to that past trouble. :-)

We're willing to continue to help you.

[iNSiPiD1]

Originally Posted by cheesehead

Please let us know whether you find the worktodo file(s).

As for "if experience tells me":

Surely it also tells you that when you ask for, and get, help about how to do something that gave you trouble, then you have better skill in working in the situation. Especially when the help you get explains what might have caused the trouble, so you can avoid it -- right?

Then your motivation to continue is that with your new skill set you can reasonably expect to continue to avoid whatever mistakes led to that past trouble. :-)

We're willing to continue to help you.

You're right, I'm sorry I overreacted with the whole motivation thing.

I found a worktodo file, however it contains the new exponents my computer was assigned. I also only found one instance of worktodo on my computer, and I fear the original is lost.

Well, if I take these files, and put them into a permanent folder, that should prevent this from happening in the future, correct?

Thanks for your help.

[Uncwilly]

Originally Posted by iNSiPiD1

I found a worktodo file, however it contains the new exponents my computer was assigned. I also only found one instance of worktodo on my computer, and I fear the original is lost.

However, there is a possibility that you can resurrect the info that you need. Are there 4 files that start with 'p' and have a bunch of numbers afterward? If so, we can determine what numbers you had. You can then put them back in your worktodo.txt and continue.

[iNSiPiD1]

Originally Posted by Uncwilly

However, there is a possibility that you can resurrect the info that you need. Are there 4 files that start with 'p' and have a bunch of numbers afterward? If so, we can determine what numbers you had. You can then put them back in your worktodo.txt and continue.

There were not 4 files whose titles began with a p in the folder.

[Uncwilly]

Originally Posted by iNSiPiD1

There were not 4 files whose titles began with a p in the folder.

Can you list the files that you did find in that folder?

[davieddy]

Originally Posted by Uncwilly

Can you list the files that you did find in that folder?

Yeah yeah yeah.