What is folding
- Thread starter RadoX
- Start date
Without wanting to repeat the sticky, it is basically a study into folding, misfolding and its related diseases - such as Alzheimers and some cancers.
A small program runs on your PC in the background and works on simulations using ONLY spare CPU cycles. When it is done it sends the results back to HQ and gets a new Work Unit to work on. You also receive a certain amount of points for each WU you complete. How many points you get depends on the WU as they vary in time it takes and also the amount of RAM they use. Basically the bigger the WU [longer/more RAM] the more points.
Everything you could possibly need to know is in the Sticky.
Can I ask what spec machine you plan to run Folding@Home on? We can then provide you our opinion as to which client is best
A small program runs on your PC in the background and works on simulations using ONLY spare CPU cycles. When it is done it sends the results back to HQ and gets a new Work Unit to work on. You also receive a certain amount of points for each WU you complete. How many points you get depends on the WU as they vary in time it takes and also the amount of RAM they use. Basically the bigger the WU [longer/more RAM] the more points.
Everything you could possibly need to know is in the Sticky.
Can I ask what spec machine you plan to run Folding@Home on? We can then provide you our opinion as to which client is best
well i have a e6300 @ 2.8 ghz 1 gb giel 6400 800mhz (soon to be 2gb) atm as my normal pc and them my other pc upstairs is a celeron 1gb crutial 2.8 ghz.
will probly be running on my e6300
will it affect my games or does it stop when im running high demand ?
also i do have a ubuntu dual boot on both pcs but ubuntu is only on them for rescue purposes so hope its not linux only
sorry for not reading the stikey.
edit :// me being a lazy tard can some one just come on my ventrillo and talk me thru ?
will probly be running on my e6300
will it affect my games or does it stop when im running high demand ?
also i do have a ubuntu dual boot on both pcs but ubuntu is only on them for rescue purposes so hope its not linux only
sorry for not reading the stikey.
edit :// me being a lazy tard can some one just come on my ventrillo and talk me thru ?
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Installing the client is really easy, and once I find out which client you prefer I can give you quick and easy instructions on here.
First of all the client will always give priority to anything else running. So if you boot up into your favourite game the client will back off. As I said it only uses CPU cycles that aren't being used. So if say BF2 or FEAR or whatever only uses 80% of your CPU, Folding@Home will only use the spare 20%. If BF2 then decides it wants 99%, F@H will use only the remaining 1%. With me?
The only time Folding@Home might interrupt a game is if it is using a fair bit of RAM, however I have played Oblivion, FEAR, M2:TW and CnC3 with no problems while the client has been running. 2GB is definitely helpful in this regard
As for which client to install that is down to how much hassle you are willing to go through! The standard client is very stable and once installed can usually be left alone to do its own thing. At the moment the points aren't that great but it goes in cycles. The best client you could install is the SMP client which uses both cores of your CPU at the same time [don't worry, it still backs off when you run other programs]. This client is still in BETA so may have a few quirks. For most people it runs perfecly fine.
Let me know which client you would prefer
First of all the client will always give priority to anything else running. So if you boot up into your favourite game the client will back off. As I said it only uses CPU cycles that aren't being used. So if say BF2 or FEAR or whatever only uses 80% of your CPU, Folding@Home will only use the spare 20%. If BF2 then decides it wants 99%, F@H will use only the remaining 1%. With me?
The only time Folding@Home might interrupt a game is if it is using a fair bit of RAM, however I have played Oblivion, FEAR, M2:TW and CnC3 with no problems while the client has been running. 2GB is definitely helpful in this regard
As for which client to install that is down to how much hassle you are willing to go through! The standard client is very stable and once installed can usually be left alone to do its own thing. At the moment the points aren't that great but it goes in cycles. The best client you could install is the SMP client which uses both cores of your CPU at the same time [don't worry, it still backs off when you run other programs]. This client is still in BETA so may have a few quirks. For most people it runs perfecly fine.
Let me know which client you would prefer
It really is worth having a good read of the sticky.
There are loads of clients for folding including clients for Linux, ATI GFX cards, PS3s and Windows.
Your choice of client really boils down to how often you are going to run folding.
A single core PC like your Celeron would be best with the standard client for Windows. Your E6300 would be great for the Linux client, which most of us run in Ubuntu on a VMWare virtual machine.
Have a read then pose your questions.
EDIT Beaten to it........
There are loads of clients for folding including clients for Linux, ATI GFX cards, PS3s and Windows.
Your choice of client really boils down to how often you are going to run folding.
A single core PC like your Celeron would be best with the standard client for Windows. Your E6300 would be great for the Linux client, which most of us run in Ubuntu on a VMWare virtual machine.
Have a read then pose your questions.
EDIT Beaten to it........
having started recently folding i can confirm that it totally does not affect gaming!
My CPU (E4300@ 3ghz) idles @ 40 degrees and max's under folding @ 60 degrees.
Perfectly fine temps (if a little high! ) for my pc to be on. Over the weekend it was on for 72 hours straight no probs.
Follow the sticky and it will help you set up in 20 mins or so.
Considering a move from the standard client to the SMP client as getting fed up with the 200 pointers Work units!!!
My CPU (E4300@ 3ghz) idles @ 40 degrees and max's under folding @ 60 degrees.
Perfectly fine temps (if a little high!
) for my pc to be on. Over the weekend it was on for 72 hours straight no probs.Follow the sticky and it will help you set up in 20 mins or so.
Considering a move from the standard client to the SMP client as getting fed up with the 200 pointers Work units!!!
The SMP client will use between 90-100% of your CPU. If you are unsure about temps just run Orthose or Prime95 [on both cores at the same time] and see what your temps are like after a few hours. If they are acceptable to you then you should have no problem folding.
Assuming you are happy with temps you can install the SMP client in one of two ways:
1: Use the Windows SMP Client.
Pro: Easy to set up
Con: Some people have issues with it and may need babysitting.
2: Use the Linux SMP Client in virtual machine.
Pro: The Linux SMP Client is more stable and also out-performs the Windows SMP Client
Con: Requires setting up VMWare and installing and configuring Linux inside the virtual machine.
Something tells me you would rather go with option 1. So here is how you install it:
1: Download this file: http://www.stanford.edu/~kasson/folding/Folding@Home Windows SMP Client.EXE
2: Run the file and choose a place you want the client to install to. Default location is usually fine.
3: Navigate to the Folding@Home folder that has just been installed [by default this is in Program Files].
4: Locate a file called install.bat and run it, following the prompts in the console window that appears.
5: Now run the F@H client.
6: A new console window will open asking you a series of questions. The answers are as follows: [Type in the answer and press Enter after each.
Username: <enter your chosen username here>
Team: 10
Launch automatically at machine startup: no
Ask before fetching/sending: no
Use Internet Explorer settings: no
Use Proxy: no
Allow receipt of work assignments and return of work results greater than 5MB in size: yes
Change advanced options: yes
Core Priority: idle
CPU Usage: 100
Disable highly optimized assembly code: no
Pause if battery power is being used (useful for laptops): no
Interval, in minutes, between checkpoints (3-30): 30
Memory, in MiB , to indicate (xxxx available) [xxxx]: <leave this, just press enter>
Request work units without deadlines: no
Set –advmethods flag always, requesting new advanced scientific cores and/or work units if available: yes
Ignore any deadline information (mainly useful if system clock has errors): no
Machine ID ( 1-8 ) 1
After you press enter for the last time the client should start working [you will see the clients output in the console window].
Because this client is only BETA it does not run in the background [ie, you cannot close the console window]. However it still behaves in the same way in every other respect. You will also need to manually start the client if you shutdown your PC.
Assuming you are happy with temps you can install the SMP client in one of two ways:
1: Use the Windows SMP Client.
Pro: Easy to set up
Con: Some people have issues with it and may need babysitting.
2: Use the Linux SMP Client in virtual machine.
Pro: The Linux SMP Client is more stable and also out-performs the Windows SMP Client
Con: Requires setting up VMWare and installing and configuring Linux inside the virtual machine.
Something tells me you would rather go with option 1. So here is how you install it:
1: Download this file: http://www.stanford.edu/~kasson/folding/Folding@Home Windows SMP Client.EXE
2: Run the file and choose a place you want the client to install to. Default location is usually fine.
3: Navigate to the Folding@Home folder that has just been installed [by default this is in Program Files].
4: Locate a file called install.bat and run it, following the prompts in the console window that appears.
5: Now run the F@H client.
6: A new console window will open asking you a series of questions. The answers are as follows: [Type in the answer and press Enter after each.
Username: <enter your chosen username here>
Team: 10
Launch automatically at machine startup: no
Ask before fetching/sending: no
Use Internet Explorer settings: no
Use Proxy: no
Allow receipt of work assignments and return of work results greater than 5MB in size: yes
Change advanced options: yes
Core Priority: idle
CPU Usage: 100
Disable highly optimized assembly code: no
Pause if battery power is being used (useful for laptops): no
Interval, in minutes, between checkpoints (3-30): 30
Memory, in MiB , to indicate (xxxx available) [xxxx]: <leave this, just press enter>
Request work units without deadlines: no
Set –advmethods flag always, requesting new advanced scientific cores and/or work units if available: yes
Ignore any deadline information (mainly useful if system clock has errors): no
Machine ID ( 1-8 ) 1
After you press enter for the last time the client should start working [you will see the clients output in the console window].
Because this client is only BETA it does not run in the background [ie, you cannot close the console window]. However it still behaves in the same way in every other respect. You will also need to manually start the client if you shutdown your PC.
Correct, you only need one SMP client.
You can install 2 clients but you need a really good CPU to meet the deadlines and lately the SMP WUs are using an obscene amount of CPU cache and thus would slow right down if there are two of them.
You can install 2 clients but you need a really good CPU to meet the deadlines and lately the SMP WUs are using an obscene amount of CPU cache and thus would slow right down if there are two of them.
SiriusB said:
Thanks for that - think i will give this a go just now.
Will have to kill the windows client but it's only on a 200pointer and just started a 500 pointer but 24 hours to go!!
I take it it should in theory do more points than the equivalent 2 cores on the ordinary windows client?
There is but why? At 10% it would get nothing done and you will probably miss the deadlines.
Honestly, it has very little affect on your system and you will more than likely forget it is there [if you aren't interested in the stats].
If you are worried about gaming you can manually turn off the SMP client, you can just restart it after you are done. But even then it's easier to just leave it, as it will use any cycles it can get so no matter what you're doing it will be working.
Honestly, it has very little affect on your system and you will more than likely forget it is there [if you aren't interested in the stats].
If you are worried about gaming you can manually turn off the SMP client, you can just restart it after you are done. But even then it's easier to just leave it, as it will use any cycles it can get so no matter what you're doing it will be working.
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A semi-relevant heads-up to those using WinSMP: Winboss Classic. Simple app, low memory usage, allows you to minimise any application to the system tray and its tray icon shows CPU usage so you know if your client has thrown a fit again.
SiriusB said:
Where you say rubbish CPU, you should say anything below c2d or newer X2s. My 840EE running at 3.8Ghz just about finishes those 2610 nasties with about an hour to spare.
In comparison. A e6300 at 1.8Ghz will chew through those in about a day.