I run the Windows 95/98/NT GUI/screensaver client, got any performance tips?

YES, and this is extremely important!!!

Try these suggestions:

  1. Go into the Windows [Display Properties] and change the [Screen Saver] "Wait:" minutes to something more reasonable (less time). Something in the neighborhood of 5-10 minutes is preferable (or less). The less time that the screensaver has to wait to kick in, the sooner the WU (Work Unit) will get completed and therefore you will use your idle CPU cycles more efficiently.
  2. Blank the screen! This tip should greatly decrease the processing time for each WU.
    1. In the Windows [Display Properties], make sure "Seti@Home" screensaver is highlighted in the [Screen Saver] box.
    2. Click the "Settings..." button.
    3. Make sure that the "Go to blank screen" box is checked!
    4. Make sure "Minutes until blank" is set to less than 5 mins.

      5. Note: If only set to 'always run', just make sure you minimise the window

Doing this will minimize the amount of time that the colorful screensaver will run on your screen, which wastes precious CPU power (don't worry SETI@home is still running when the screen blanks out). Because the PC doesn't have to use CPU cycles to draw the fancy screensaver, more CPU cycles are available to analyze the WU. This alone can almost cut the total WU time by half!