My best setup for folding?

Hiya fellas

Here are my specs;

Gigabyte Superb 720W PSU
PCI-E Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Pro
4GB OCZ REAPER HPC DDR2 1066MHz
WD VelociRaptor 150GB 10,000 RPM
WD Caviar Black 2TB
NVidia Geforce 9800GX2 HDMI
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS4 rev.2 MB
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33GHz 4MB Cache (wish I hada gotten the Q9300 )

... I have a 25gb dload cap per month, 20mbps down, 1mbps up Internet speed.

I would love to help in the time I'm not using my PC, or not using it much, how shall I tune everything to suit folding?

Also, from peoples screenshots, I see they have a heap of statistics on the left of the graphic, how do I get that?

 

OK, you have a great machine and your connection is good to go. The best points producing option is with your graphics card though this comes with a heat price so you have to watch that at the beginning.

I don't know your level of expertise but with a rig like that, I'll err on the side of competence. Grab Windows: V6 GPU2 (ATI 2xxx, 3xxx, 4xxx; nVidia) clients Windows XP/2003/Vista GPU System tray client (installer msi) 6.23.

Follow this guide entering a username that you like and for MGs the team number is 12072. Enter the defaults until you get to 'advanced options' then say yes. The only thing you have to change is the size of the work unit to 'big'. Default out and it should start downloading the required files and start working.

Use RivaTuner or nVidia's own app to follow heat vs fan noise as you're in Oz and usually hot , though a friend (Phantom) is freezing ATM.:-D

You can install FahMon to monitor your current progress but you will only see your name up in lights, so to speak, until your first Work Unit(WU) has been completed and recorded by stanford first and EOC after. By the 'stats' comment, do you mean something like this?

I know I've given you a lot to chew on but don't hesitate to ask questions if you're :banghead:-D. I'll be around and the other good folks here will help too.

Happy folding.:cool

EDIT. Do upgrade nVidia's drivers to 190.38 (latest) first

 

I am in agreement with augie's post.
Please do not hesitate to ask for any help.
If I don't know I will research or post here to know the correct answer.

Fold On

 

Ok so, do I have to have BOTH clients installed (one for GPU other for CPU) or does the GPU one do them both??

 

It's ok I now understand you do

 

Alright I've got it all setup except for setting it up to startup with the machine ... I have a XP/Vista Dual Boot so I restart often (XP for games), so exactly what do I need to do to get it to boot with the machine??? I tried adding a reg string into RUN but it comes up with an error on boot ... although when I double click it to start it it starts :confused

Ideas?

 

Using XP Pro I use the console client both cpu and gpu clients.

I set the gpu client to use 100% and the cpu client to use 90% which works well for me on my system.

Using the consele client (non-gui interface) has the option once you first configure your client(s) to allow advanced options to be changed which I do desire to change a few options.

I set the Acceptable size of work assignment and work result packets to small
I set the checkpoints to 30
I set the Set -advmethods flag always, requesting new advanced scientific cores and/or work units if available to no
since mine is already set as a service I receive this message: Launch manually, remove the service in this directory,I just leave this alone as I do want it to run as a service.
and lastly I set Additional client parameters flag = -verbosity 9

all the rest I leave at default settings.

I have installed Vista once and no joy was found so back to XP until it is no longer useful.

Be advised my farm is in a controlled environment (air conditioned between 64 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer months) also I am using 8600GT video cards which do not need the extra electricity to operate correctly.

I hope this helps you.

Fold On

I'm pretty sure the GUI version has the same options as the console.I haven't used the GUI version since I learned the console version allows more,faster,better output.

 

Unfortunately, there is no Vista service like in XP and according to Stanford there never will be either, which I guess includes W7 too. I guess you'll have to find another way or just double click on the shortcut you made.

 

Did a search on the folding forum using vista as the search keyword and located the following info.

Here is a list of steps to enable setting up the F@H console client to run as a service:

1. Right click on the folding@home .exe file and select 'create shortcut'.
2. Right click on the shortcut and select 'properties'.
3. Append ' -configonly' (excluding quotes, including space) to the contents of the 'target' field, leaving the original contents of that field otherwise unaltered.
4. Click 'OK'
5. Right click on the shortcut and select 'Run as administrator'.
6. Select 'run' and then 'allow', when prompted. You now have the ability to enable F@H as a service.

http://foldingforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=6304&p=106484&hilit=vista#p106484

How do I install the CPU Console client in Windows Vista?

http://fahwiki.net/index.php/How_do_I_install_the_CPU_Console_client_in_Windows_Vista%3F

this is not my knowledge,just a simple search query...

your mileage may vary...

So it seems Vista is a little bit more (your choice of wordage here) to operate simply than XP?

 

wow noprob, thanks for that. That's what I get for assuming.:-o

 

I've output four WUs today ... is that good??

Also, lastly, what is the flag to make it run as a service in the GUI version?

(I use the large WU sizes)

 

Most definetly lol ... but it looks good :-D

ATM I have the CPU Client set up on another machine outside, (P4 HT 3GHz) ... it recieves small WUs, and has the settings, has cores not locked and CPU Usage Percent 100%

My Personal one has both the GPU and CPU clients installed, and is recieving big WUs, it has these settings, cores not locked and CPU and GPU Usage Percent 100%, and am looking into the -advmethods flag and want to run them both as a service.

My Stats

 

Wow ... another update, those 4 large WUs, they're all from this machine, the outside one has been running for 24 hours non-stop at 100% percent and is still only at 180/500 :S any ideas on speeding it up?

 

Doubtful...(on single core cpu's I dis-able hyper threading in the bios and set bios to optimized then change what I know about I don't desire in there and save on exit)

My P4 3,000MHz Prescott cpu client crunches slow though I do have it set at 90% because I still believe the gpu client uses some cpu idle cycles and if you use the drivers (nVidia) I believe pre 186 which would be the 185 drivers and lower causes the use of a full core (cpu)
I wish I would save the stuff I research (read - to know for sure which driver set it is)

- - -
to augie: I was pleasantly surprised to find the info on Vista though I don't plan on using/installing Vista
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Congratulations Drizzles on your WU's and Welcome aboard (be seeing you soon I figure)

 

Yay that's my 5th WU ... two last questions ...

What is the flag to make the GUI version run at startup?

and

Also, even though I have do NOT lock cores blah blah, it still seems to ONLY use the first core ... I took a screenshot of my CPU Usage Monitor ...

SCREENSHOT

 

Nope, you're seriously lagging there mate. Your GX2 should be able to push out at a minimum 7K PPD, that's a dual card correct? Are both seen by nVidia meaning monitor one and monitor two?

Also, you're only folding a uni-processor client on your CPU which is fine if that's what you want but you can get around at least 2.2K PPD with a multi-core client on your CPU as I can get about 2K on my Q6600. It is a lot more involved though than these 'set it and forget it' clients.

Also, check to see that your GPU's are not using Core 0 in task manager, set both to the last core as the GPU and CPU folders can interfere with each other. Do get FahMon setup as that's one of the gold standard monitoring programs which can help you and us to get the most possible out of your rig. Here's my specs:

Rig#1
Q6600
2X eVGA 9800GT OC'd to 1800 shaders
4GB RAM

Rig#2
X2 3800+
eVGA 260-216 OC'd to 1500 shaders
1GB RAM

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/865/currentproduction1.th.jpg

 

Yer they're both being seen ... as far as the multi core client goes ... si there a tutorial to set that up somewhere?

I know how to do most things with a PC (I'm a IT Technician) ... but this lol ... how do I check this?? I've never seen this before nor can I find it :confused ... So ... obviously if I get the Multi-Core Client set up than I should be pumping out alot more, but my GPU isn't doing something right ... I have the -advmethods flag set if that makes a difference?

 

Ok and now I have fahmon set up properly *FINALLY* ... and my GPUs PPD is ... 3968.93

I notice under "Core" it says; GPU2 NV MT

And under "Core Version" it says 1.25

 

You can try my tut here though you have to mess with VMWare and Ubuntu.This needs lots of TLC, especially multi-booting

Call up task manager, processes, click on all users bottom left, look for a process called FahCore_xx.exe, it's 11 or 14, right click the process, then affinity to make sure that your GPU is not folding on core 0, for now just have core 3 checked and then check the output.

I don't know how to set it as a service, but you could make a shortcut for it.

I don't know the GX2 but you will get quite a boost if you set the shaders to say 1900 or less as you could get unstable_machine errors, just watch the temps using RivaTuner or equivalent.

As to your P4, I don't think it's worth the heat and electricity for the few hundred points you.ll get out of it, however just wait and see at least the first WU come out. To get more points out of it, then you'll have to OC it. What does FahMon say about the P4 production?

We'll get you sorted sooner or later.

 

You can do the normal Vista console mode if you wish, making sure that the -smp flag is set for multi-core processing but believe it or not with the extra overhead that a virtual machine and a Linux OS put on a system, it still folds %20 quicker than native Windows. Do like noprob suggested, try the console method once you get comfortable with the rest of the clients. Or, just jump in the deep end like I did and have several precious moments of :banghead !:-D

Anyways, I'd rather get you folding stably first with what you have running and then ramp it up if you wish. It's not something I learned overnight while having a few brews. :-D

 

Its already set to core 3, there are 4 cores available to it apparently :confused

fahmon now says 4129.7 PPD

Ill set up RivaTuner soon ...

I might keep the P4 running anyway meh ... I'd definitely like to get it working properly multi-core with the CPU first and the GPU of course, it says my CPUs PPD is 428.68 .......

Bur yous are the exxperts so ill let yous run me through it ... I'm guessing its more important to get the GPU client running properly first???

 

I use GPU-Z to monitor my lowly 8600GT's both at stock speeds or EVEREST which ever one I'm inclined to use at the moment.

I learned from one of Augie's posts about EVGA Precision, seems and looks to be better than RivaTuner,just an opinion,also there is some sort of voltmod program from nVidia. I guess supposed to tweak certain class of cards. (newer type)

Anyway I use this stuff to keep an eye on the gpu clients because they are high performance clients and when I downloaded from Stanford it stated that this is not the regular cpu set and walk away.

The gpu client does what the regular cpu can not do,so I guess it depends on what you fold for?

FYI
also to all active folders on any team, request a passkey from Stanford as should anyone having the same name we use to fold and be caught cheating ends in Stanford zeroing out all WU production for that name/handle used to fold,but having a passkey would save anyone from losing all the folding done for their team.
- - -
Folding@home Passkey FAQ
- - -

 

Whoa Drizzles, you're having some serious issues there!:eek back off the OC there..

 

Why do you say that?? I only OCd it just last night :-D

Its base clocks are;
Core 600
Shader 1500
Memory 2000

In Vista (where I do my folding) I OCd to;

700
1740
2200

In XP (where I do my gaming) I OCd to;

760
1800
2200

All OCs have been thouroughly tested and come up with no discrepancies and don't crash the system

I'm gonna leave it a coupla days before I post fahmon PPDs for the GPU again as I'm hoping its gonna go up, the GPU client seems to be pushing out 1 WU every 3-4 hours ATM ...

I'm gonna check out the console version soon, but do I have to use Linux or a VM to enable the Multi-Core client???'

I'm in the process of OCing by CPU atm

 

Hmmmmm ... I cant get either the SMP CPU console client to work, nor can I get the GPU console client to work :confused

I have the GPU console client installed and set to run as a service however the Service Status is forever Starting, I followed the guide exactly :confused

 

Did you uninstall/remove the system tray FAH client(s) first before you installed/used the console version(s)?

The console version is more of a command line prompt,totally non GUI interface and it took me some time to be comfortable with it.

I used the graphical version for near a year until I figured out the console version and it's options.

Also on the first run of the console version it is not ran as a service,you will need to either reboot or manually shut the console version off by using the keyboard command holding the Ctrl key down and pressing the letter C which shuts down the console version properly.

Then going into your services to start.

a reboot is suggested.(not so complicated)

also it seems from reading that Vista would have a right click option to even allow this program to run and I have no clue on installing or running on Win7.

XP Pro end user here

another also I have not ever used the SMP client (single core cpu's only) so I have no clues on the proper procedure on explaining how to install to operate.

 

Nice! :-D

On the front page Drizzles :eek

Keep up the good work!

- - -

http://noprob.l4rge.com/index.html

http://noprob.l4rge.com.index1.html

 

Hmm, doesn't take too much eh? Considering that Drizzles is still way underperforming, :innocent :-D 6k min for the GPU and 2K min. for SMP and hes not even running as well as last week. Console ain't as hard as you think.

 

lol yer sorry i havent been on .... just started work again and i havent been bothered to do anything but rest ......

ummm yer last time i tried ........ i couldnt even get the through the first part of the GPU console, and I got through the first part of the multi core cpu one but it gets stuck at the second, it closes the window automatically