new to folding

cssreg

cssreg

cssreg

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Joined
10 Aug 2006
Posts
56
Location
UK
hi everyone

i am new to folding, i think ive got this [folding@home windows client v5.03] setup but i think it is only running on one core of my cpu (cpu usage is 50%) how can i make it use both cores?

i tried to follow the guide i read somewhere here but it got me confused lol - doesnt take much :p
 
Welcome to the team! :D

To set up another client you simply make another folder, copy the client you downloaded into it, and follow the same procedure. When you're entering your configuration be sure to enter the advanced section and set the MachineID to a number that's not 1. 2 will do just fine. :)

You could try to run the Windows SMP client and get better performance from it but I don't recommend it to people new to the project as the client is still in beta testing and it's rather unstable.
 
(edit) Damn, Billy's on the ball :p Ignore this post if he's got you going.

The standard client only runs on one core (there's an SMP client which uses multiple cores, but it's beta so quite buggy.) To use your whole CPU you need to install two copies of the client.

To do this, it's best to ditch the graphical client (v5.03) which you've downloaded, and install two console clients (v5.04). These won't show the pretty graphics but will do work at a faster rate, and are easier to set up on your dual-core CPU.

Simplest possible explanation:




  • Create a folder for Folding. (Say C:\FAH)
  • Create two subfolders inside it. (Say C:\FAH\1 and C:\FAH\2)
  • Download this client. Put a copy into both the subfolders.
  • Run the first one. Enter these settings:
fah.gif


  • Run the second one. Enter the exact same settings, except set Machine ID to 2.
  • When both are running, close the windows with Ctrl+C and restart the computer. If all goes well, the clients should start up as background services and use 100% of your CPU. You can monitor them using FahMon.
Hope this helps :)
 
Mattus is more on the ball. :p

He's right on th GUI client business. The GUI client does not support more than one instance. To use both you should get the text-only client, V5.04. It's a hair faster and it'll use all of your hardware. :)
 
Looks like billy and Mattus have got you up and running on both cores, so all that's left to say is welcome to the team and keep yours eyes pealed for the news later today (your probably not finish a Work Unit (WU) by then but it's a good place to see what the rest of the team are upto)

Add your name to this thread (single cruncher league) And Rich will add you to the list of single pc members here. (Rich write the news each week - he's nice like that :cool: )

As soon as you've uploaded your first WU (well about 3h after actually) you have your very own stats pages on the offical stanford website and the Extreme Overclockers (EOC) stats site.
Team stats at Standford and EOC
 
Thanks for the welcomes :)

Yeah my estimate to finish the work units are approx 25hours per. Ive left it running while im out all day, what would be the easiest way to suspend the work temporarily when i need the machine for my gaming?
 
cssreg said:
Thanks for the welcomes :)
what would be the easiest way to suspend the work temporarily when i need the machine for my gaming?
Click to expand...

With the spec of your rig you'll never need to - cpu cycles are give to any process that needs them (Fah is set to lowest priority) and with 4Gb of ram your never get a bottle neck (at most two standard clients will use 150Mb each)

Edit: But for completeness.
Right click my computer
click manage
Click services & applications
Click services
Scroll right hand window down till you find Fah
Click Fah (and three options now appear to the LSH of the window
Click stop
Repeat with second client

(sounds worse than is is)

To restart the client - repeat and select start from the three options.
 
Last edited:
shadowscotland said:
Edit: But for completeness.
Right click my computer
click manage
Click services & applications
Click services
Click to expand...

Can also eliminate these steps by pressing Windows key + R and typing services.msc. :)
 
shadowscotland said:
I never remember the .msc bit :p and the 4 clicks is just as easy, each to their own :D
Click to expand...

Yup. Variety is the spice of life, though each stomp is equally satisfying :p
 
ok i have a nother little question - the original estimate to finish the WU was around 25 hours per. Why after around 15 hours does it read approx 20 hours per to go until completion in Fahmon? Is that usual?

see below..

fahmonpr8.png
 
cssreg said:
ok i have a nother little question - the original estimate to finish the WU was around 25 hours per. Why after around 15 hours does it read approx 20 hours per to go until completion in Fahmon? Is that usual?
Click to expand...

The current version of FahMon bases its ETA and PPD calculations on the average of the frames done already. Therefore if you've been gaming etc on the system, the average frame time will have increased significantly, and therefore the ETA changes to match.

Admittedly this behaviour is not ideal, and I plan to change it in a future release, in which you should be able to choose between three ETA/PPD calculation methods; avg. frame time (the current system), instantaneous (last frame only), or 3 frame rolling (uses last 3 frames to flatten out any spikes or dips).
 
Welcome reggy boy, nice to see at least one of the clan following my suggestion and doing something useful with their spare CPU time :)

Just gotta drag the rest of em along now :p

Bry.
 
Mattus said:
Can also eliminate these steps by pressing Windows key + R and typing services.msc. :)
Click to expand...
What's a Windows key? I can't seem to find one on this antique Northgate keyboard. ;)
I make do with a custom MSC icon in the QuickLaunch bar so it's a maximum of two clicks, one if the console was last saved when set to Services.
 
Last edited:
Mattus said:
Can also eliminate these steps by pressing Windows key + R and typing services.msc. :)
Click to expand...

This is of course assuming that your Windows Key hasn't blue screened or ceased to function for no reason. :p
 
Welcome to the team. I've found the easiest way to control the F@H clients is with batch files. Simple as one click on, one click off. That's explained in the guide sticky.
 
Ok everyone i'd like to say thanks to everyone for the welcomes and all the help I appreciate it all. :D

I'm running the services from start > run > services.msc (got them disabled at start up but i run them manually after boot and temp checks.) as i dont remember much about making batch files and this is easy enough to remember.

Already got 1000 points under my belt from the other days 2 completed WU's and another 1000 on the way in about 11 hours or so whoop whoop. According to FahMon im scoring 819.35 PPD (is that points per day? and is that a good score for a single machine?)

I like this Folding thing its fun plus I get certificates! (havent had one of them since I did swimming at primary school lol :p)

Anyways thanks again - ive been interested in the forums about running F@H on graphic card GPU but doesnt look like there is any support to run it on the 8800 yet, hopefully if it becomes possible somebody will be able to talk me through that too.

Reggy. :)
 
cssreg said:
Ok everyone i'd like to say thanks to everyone for the welcomes and all the help I appreciate it all. :D
Click to expand...

No worries :D

cssreg said:
Already got 1000 points under my belt from the other days 2 completed WU's and another 1000 on the way in about 11 hours or so whoop whoop. According to FahMon im scoring 819.35 PPD (is that points per day? and is that a good score for a single machine?)
Click to expand...

820PPD (points per day) is very good for two standard clients. If you want 1100-2000PPD then we can help you set up the SMP client which uses both your cores at the same time - it's a bit buggy, though, and needs prodding quite often!
 
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