Stupid question time!

booyaka · 25 May 2007 at 09:07

Right here goes.

Been folding for about 3 weeks now with 2 standard clients running on my E4300. one each core.

Been hearing/reading about SMP client.

Now - a few questions.

My machine is mainly gaming/general use but over this weekend is likely to be on 72hours straight or so.

Getting a bit bored of the 200pointers taking a full day for about 600ppd.

Should i switch to the SMP client?
Also do i need to install linux? cause i know bugger all about it!
With the standard client - i can just play games etc and not bother shutting the services' down for folding, would i need to if i installed the SMP client?
Is the SMP client still loaded via windows??

Any ideas?

rincinDub · 25 May 2007 at 09:13

The linux smp is more efficient than windows. but the windows one is easier to install, but it does need baby sitting. Im not sure if you need to close it down when you start gaming.

You can download the smp from the FAH website. its dead easy to get running. there is a small guide some where.

WoZZeR · 25 May 2007 at 09:20

Also with the VMWare I don't switch it off when gaming, I just use the Task Manager to lower its priority to low and my game then takes priority.

Snapshot · 26 May 2007 at 07:49

The advantage of the 'native' clients (both single core and SMP) is that they automatically release CPU cycles on demand so they don't get in the way of gaming, rendering or whatever. VMware runs as an application with Linux under it so has to be manually throttled as WoZZeR describes. I've had very little trouble with the Windows SMP client, the only real one has been its habit of dropping out if the PC loses network connectivity. I've even run it as a service successfully which the docs say you shouldn't.

MGP · 26 May 2007 at 11:36

I've been running the windows SMP successfully for a few weeks now, on three different PCs, including a server where I have it installed as a service. I don't shut it down when gaming.

The only issues appear to be ocassional confusion if you stop the client (manual shutdown, or crash), restart, and it gets stopped again before the WU completes. At that point you might loose the WU, or it might restart from scratch. Network connectivity issues can also throw a spanner in the works.

shadowscotland · 26 May 2007 at 12:38

Ever since I started the WinSMP client with the batch file (to run consectutive WU with the -oneunit flag) it's completed 30+ without an issue (but then I never turn of the workstation, and our network is stable)

booyaka · 26 May 2007 at 23:44

Snapshot said:
The advantage of the 'native' clients (both single core and SMP) is that they automatically release CPU cycles on demand so they don't get in the way of gaming, rendering or whatever. VMware runs as an application with Linux under it so has to be manually throttled as WoZZeR describes. I've had very little trouble with the Windows SMP client, the only real one has been its habit of dropping out if the PC loses network connectivity. I've even run it as a service successfully which the docs say you shouldn't.

hmmm- tempting to look into it - going to dump another 850 points over night so ticking along well this week - will see what happens. will have another read at the sticky!!

could be a few parps on the way!!