Trouble getting started

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OK, I've worked through the guide in this forum, and downloaded the f@h console. Run it according to the instructions, and as far as I can tell for my quad core, I need 4 folders, each running their own copy of the client. I've done that, and set each to a different computer number in the advanced settings, run each one as administrator, and downloaded fahmon to keep an eye on it all.
after restarting my pc to get everything running as a service, fahmon is only showing the 1st client as doing something. the rest show in the info window as 'Core2 is stopped (The line "Folding@Home Client Shutdown." was found)'. What have I done wrong?
 
Alas but my sticky is badly out of date. The best way to utilize a quad core nowadays is with a SMP client. With it one client will use up to four available cores to process a single work unit completing it much faster than would be possible with one CPU working.

On Windows you'll want the Windows SMP client which is notably less stable that the Intel Mac and Linux variants. As of this moment it's still in beta and is not officially advertised as being able to work as a service. However, there are a variety of ways around that. As a first step let's get it working for you in an open command window.

Go through the folders you created and run each client with -configonly (or use the shortcuts I describe in the guide). When it asks if you want to remove the service for each tell it that you do want it removed. When you've done this with all of them remove all but the first directory. Download the shiny new installer for Windows SMP and run it, pointing it to your remaining directory.

SiriusB has put together a very nice guide to setting this up. You might want to check it out (though it's giving me a CSS error at the moment).
 
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OK, I think I've stopped the clients running, and downloaded the SMP client. Ive unpacked the files into the directory I the successful client in, but whenever I try to run install it comes up with

Access is denied (error 5)
Unable to remove the previous installation, install failed
account user/domain :

I input my details, although nothing shows up when I type the password in, it comes up with

Password encrypted into registry.
Unable to connect to 'computer:8676
sock error: generic socket failuer, error stack:
MPIDU_sock_post_connect(1228): unable to connect to computer on port 8676, exhausted all endpoints (errno -1)
MPIDU_Sock_post_connect(1275): unable to connect to computer on port 8676, No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it. (errno 10061)
Press any key to continue . . .

If I press a key the window vanishes.
I've also tried running the install as administrator, and I get this

'smpd' is not recognised as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
'mpiexec' is not recognised as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
'mpiexec' is not recognised as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
Press any key to continue . . .

and again the window vanishes. A little more help please guys. FAH is not running in services and I don't know what I've done wrong.

Btw I'm running vista home premium 64bit.
 
You need to run the install.bat file as the god admin - a normal admin (ie you, I take it) won't work. You can activate the admin account by following this link. Switch user to the admin account and then run the batch file. When entering your username, the computer id should be included as well ... ie: computer\you.
 
Vista really is ****ed up.

I will also add the above to the guide. Will save some frustration for the Vista users. Poor sods.
 
Vista really is ****ed up.
Yep. I'm downgrading (/upgrading?) to XP Pro today :). Seriously, my mouse drivers, audio drivers, graphics drivers and ethernet drivers are all crashing in vista. My monitor has a habit of going dark (as in the backlight on a laptop turned off) and then randomly going blank (though there's still signal). Not pleased really.
 
Unfortunately MS are going to force the issue by stopping XP sales next year.

Reading CPC mag today, and Vista is slower at pretty much everything from copying files to games. I knew Vista had its issues, but the last few days has revealed Vista is basically rubbish. It has put paid to any possible plans to upgrade to Vista.
 
You can't really blame Vista for some 3rd party drivers being crap. It's almost a year since it was RTM'd, so they really should have supported their hardware properly by now.

Other than the odd lazy developer, I've no issues at all. It can run multiple VM's at 100% load for days on end, so it's stable enough for me :)
 
You can't really blame Vista for some 3rd party drivers being crap. It's almost a year since it was RTM'd, so they really should have supported their hardware properly by now.

Agreed

Other than the odd lazy developer, I've no issues at all. It can run multiple VM's at 100% load for days on end, so it's stable enough for me :)

The fact that you have multiple VM's at 100% load on a watercooled quad monster with raptor in raid say something about your computer 'skill' ;).
 
You can't really blame Vista for some 3rd party drivers being crap. It's almost a year since it was RTM'd, so they really should have supported their hardware properly by now.

Other than the odd lazy developer, I've no issues at all. It can run multiple VM's at 100% load for days on end, so it's stable enough for me :)

It's not really about drivers though. Even day to day tasks are slower on Vista.
 
Thanks guys, got it running now, and all 4 cores are at 100% :). According to the system status, my cpu is at 40 'C, and system at 50 'Cwhich sounds quite cold, once the thermal paste is bedded in, I'll be looking at ocing it.
 
Good work that man - roll on the OC'ing - just make sure you stop the client first ;)

By stopping the client I assume you mean something more than just closing the comand prompt window? Also I see it's not officially supported as a service, but I get the impression it is possible.
 
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Closing the command prompt window does quit the client. Open the window and Ctrl+C closes it. Give it a bit of time and make sure all the processes have ended properly in taskman.

I'm sure some people here have it running as a service but I didn't get round to trying it. You can effectively do the same with my method here, though.
 
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