Bill Cherepy writes:
I recently join the project and I'm testing my first exponent. I
have two questions on Prime95.exe, the Windows 95 version.
Welcome!:)
When the program reached about 47% complete on the LL iterations,
Status listed a second exponent for me with a Dec date. It this
normal?
Yes, if your computer is estimating that it will complete the first
and then the second (and any later) exponents' LL tests within the
number of days of work you've told Prime95 to ask PrimeNet for.
Does the program run the LL test to 100% completion?
Yes, given enough CPU time. When it does complete, it will print a
line (in the window and to results.txt) saying that the Mersenne
number is either composite (99+%) or prime (about 38 in 3 million :).
Note that, if your second (or any later) exponent needs factoring,
Prime95 may do that factoring before completing an LL test already in
progress. If there is a small enough factor, it will take much less
time to find it than doing an LL test and it will eliminate the need
for the LL test, meaning your computer will suddenly have much less
future work.
Will
