Anyone out there Folding@Home?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Wildkow @ Sep 9 2007, 06:01 AM) [snapback]509467[/snapback]</div>

Thanks! My VISTA machine's CPUs are running at 44 and 36, and my XP desktop is 54C. Haven't gone downstairs to check my laptop yet, but apparently my 'hand test sensing method' on the Vista machine accurately reported that my CPUs aren't suffering heat stroke <g>.
Uh-oh - my laptop reports CPU temperature of 76 - I'll have to find out what to do about that. False alarm - I found a website with the max temperature settings for different CPUs - this laptop is using a Pentium M processor with a max temperature of 100C.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jeannie @ Sep 8 2007, 11:52 PM) [snapback]509434[/snapback]</div>

Intel Core 2 Duo. The name is confusing, but there are two cores. I would expect any fairly recent motherboard would have temp sensors, but I don't know. And it should be unnecessary to mess with the BIOS. There ought to be a utility available that keeps a little window open, showing the temps.

The SMP client runs 4 threads, emulating 4 processors on the two actual cores. I guess it's not smart enough to adjust the number of threads to the number of physical cores.

 

Had to hunt down the problem of why my numbers go so low, to the point of getting zero points posted in a day.

When the SMP is installed as a service, screwy thing can happen with the following two .exe's that eat up all your cpu - thus less for folding.
- csrss.exe (windows power management) (see http://www.joryanick.com/fixingCSRSS.htm)
- mpiexec.exe (folding agent)

It happened last week too, I reinstalled, problem came back. Then reading from a forum entry Google found, during the SMP installation - after running install.bat, then running FAH.exe.

Check out this question (after Name & team #):

Do not launch this program automatically, remove the service (no/yes) [no]?

There's the Gotcha! :blink: Reverse logic! I had installed twice, and ended with TWO mpiexec.exe's running, one of which would run away with all the power, and when I killed it, it came back.

So to that question, answer YES to NOT launch automatically. Like that you have full control.
I still put a shortcut in my Startup to the FAH.exe, and if I close it, everything stops, like I want.

Imagine my surprise when my main crunching machine, over the whole weekend, submits ZERO WU's, when it was doing before one every 20 or so hours. :angry:
Back to normal...

 

I've installed the FAH software and installed in on my old PC as a test. If all goes well I will install it on my new PC, server, and two other work PCs. I hope I set everything up correctly. I will be running this test for a few weeks to see how well it goes.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TheForce @ Sep 19 2007, 09:54 PM) [snapback]515070[/snapback]</div>

W00t!!!

This will put us in the Top 250 teams before year's end, and this is quite significant.
The Top 250 teams are seen worldwide on many Stats Pages on Page 1.

Suggestions for a new setup:
If multi-core, dual-core, xeon, use the SMP Console version, do not install as a service.
Simply add to the Startup program group, a shortcut to FAH.EXE.

For desktops / laptops that users might turn off frequently, the GUI version is nice, and set to receive Without Deadlines.

Submitting a "crunched" Work Unit past it's due date hurts - instead of 500 points, you get penalties. One of mine actually got ONE point being about a week late.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mark Derail @ Sep 20 2007, 12:35 PM) [snapback]515291[/snapback]</div>

Without Deadlines - I think I read on the FAH community forum that 'without deadlines' no longer applies - most of the workunits I'm getting with the GUI or simple clients on my two older PCs have deadlines that are something on the order of 80 days for a 'large' workunit, so there's plenty of time (my oldest computer takes about 60 hours to complete a typical 'large' workunit worth 500 points).

Penalties - you don't actually get 'penalties' - that is, nothing subtracts points from what you've already earned. But a workunit that ends 'early' due to some problem will earn anywhere from 0 points to full credit. I've had this happen twice in the last week on my older computers - one ended after crunching for about 2 hours and gave me 13 points; another ended after crunching about 40 hours and gave me 15 points. But I've had this happen only about half a dozen times in the last 10 months, while I've completed about 230 work units. It sort of falls into the category of 'stuff happens'.

I've been running the Windows SMP client on my newer computer for about 3 weeks and it typically takes me about 44 hours to complete a workunit worth 1760 point, where the 'deadline' is 72-96 hours. I've had one workunit 'fail' (out of about a dozen), and since the SMP clients are BETA, I can't really complain.

'Large' work units - you didn't mention this, Mark, but people who are running the 'standard' clients but who have computers with a lot of memory, should set them up to 'accept large workunits' - these usually get a 'double points' compared to Stanford's calculation against a benchmark Intel Pentium 4 2.8 gHz processor. One of my older computers is a laptop with 1 Gig of memory, and it has no problem with 'large' workunits.

 

Good points Jeannie, thanks.
I always did the large units, so I don't know the point difference.

What I do know is that the newer processors, especially the Intel Quads, are clearly the crunching champs, running SMP.

My SMP's are all running on AMD dual's, and one double-Xeon (Intel) 2.4Ghz. My AMD 6400+ DC at 3Ghz totally blows away the Xeon machine.

 

Lately I've been getting some WU's worth more than 500 points gotten off machines running the Console regular version (non-gui).
I've set it to use Large work units.

What really *really* gets me, is how many points MolangiNaeda, clearview22, Wildkow are getting. Check how many CPU's they are running.

Now, my weekly points is almost the same as theirs, but I'm running on a buch of computers. Three with SMP, and eight P4's 2.0ghz. So my 11 computers barely keep with their 2 or 3 computers !!!

It seems that MolangiNaeda has at least one Quad-core Intel's running SMP, and three regular PC's.

MolangiNaeda Active 7 Processors

clearview Active 5 processors

Wildkow Active 10 processors

MarkDerail Active 31 Processors

I think the calc of processors is SMP counts as 4 processors. Also a reinstallation screws up (higher), and resets on a Sunday. It's saying 49 processors (within 50 days) for me, and I don't have that many computers running LOL.

My three SMP's take : 1.4 days and the other two 2.8 days for a single WU. My P4's take over 3 days. So some days I post zero points

Perhaps in Jan I'll be able to upgrade my AMD CPU's. What's nice about AMD is that you don't have to change your entire motherboard and re-install Windows, with the AM2 socket chips, it's plug & play.
So either the tripple or quadruple cores for the desktop.

However if I buy an entire machine, it would be an Intel Quad, the lower end ones are cheaper now than the higher end AMD's w/AM2 socket.

Also the lower end Intel Duo's in a desktop config are cheaper & faster than AMD these days, by at least 50$. Nice price war going on.

Team PriusChat on the verge of 3 million points !!!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mark Derail @ Sep 24 2007, 12:14 PM) [snapback]516896[/snapback]</div>

You miss out the powerful PS3. The Cell processor is very powerful. For $499, this game console can crank out about 6000+ point per week.

In additional, I'm also running GPU client for the 2 ATI X1900 Graphics Card.

Here is my inventory (no secret). B)

Rig 1
Q6600 CPU - Overclock to 3.0 Ghz with Air Cooled (upgraded from E6600 CPU)
Asus P5W DH Deluxe MB
4 GB DDR2 OCZ Platinum PC6400
ATI X1900XT CrossFire GPU

Rig 2
Q6600 CPU - Overclock to 3.0 Ghz with Air Cooled (liquid cooling in progress)
Asus P5K Deluxe MB
4 GB DDR2 Crucial Ballastix Tracer PC8500
ATI X1900XTX GPU

Rig 3
Sony PS3 running FAH Client

Rig 4 My old HTPC - in process of retiring. GUI FAH client running.
Dell Dimension 8400 with 3.2 Ghz P4 HT
4 GB DDR2 Super Talent PC5300
Nvidia 7600GT

<span style="color:#FF0000">Rig 5 ??? Wife PC - GUI FAH client probably still running as services.
Dell Dimension B110 with 2.8 Ghz P4 HT
2 GB DDR2 Crucial Value PC4200

2 SMP client + 2 GPU client + 1 PS3 client + 2 GUI Client = 7 Active Processor.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chinalfr2 @ Sep 24 2007, 02:27 PM) [snapback]516969[/snapback]</div>

So I get that right, on the single XFire Quad6600, you're running both the SMP client, plus in addition, the 2 GPU?

Wow, that's really rocks! Are both clients able to finish, usually, within one day?

The PS3, per day that would be 857 points, that's roughly 3x a regular P4 2Ghz computer crunching "large".

Darn, if only the PS3 could be used as a multimedia center, play all DVD types, an HDMI 1080p connection, inputs for SD cards, could play & use all my PS2 hardware, and not cost more money than a low-end Quad Core PC with a decent video card.

 

Hey everyone... thanks for all your help with my Prius. Sure, I haven't posted anything, but just reading other people's posts has been a great help. So I thought I'd add my PS3 system to your team.

Since it's Summer (and air conditioning bills drive up the power bill) my PS3 is folding a bit less then usual (it takes INSANE amounts of power to use the FAH client... you can hear the electricity crackle when it really gets going on the PS3) but my system still should help your numbers a lot.

Thanks again, and hope I can help you guys!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mark Derail @ Sep 24 2007, 11:18 AM) [snapback]516992[/snapback]</div>

I'm guessing you're being sarcastic, but if not, you do realize it can do everything you mentioned right?



Of course, this is only if you get one of the remaining 60GB models before they replace it with the 80GB model which strips the PS3 of it's full PS2 motherboard. The media server abilities are top notch (and getting better with every update from Sony), the upconverson on everything from DVDs to PS1/PS2 games, to video files is absolutely stellar, it's fully 1080P HDMI, has SD slots, and with adaptors found on the internet, is fully compatible with all your PS2 hardware.

The PS3 is a steal. (And the best Blu-ray player).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mark Derail @ Sep 24 2007, 12:14 PM) [snapback]516896[/snapback]</div>

My SMP is showing up as 1 processor on FAH (four in the last 7 days, 1 on a p4 gui client, and 2 on a p4 'no nonsense' client.

My SMP on an AMD 64x2 5000 typically takes 44 hours to complete one of the WU's worth 1760 points.
My GUI client is working on a 500 point WU, and it's going to take about 60 hours.
My other one with 2 clients (which I may reduce to 1) is giving me about 200 points a day total (100 per client).

Yes, I'd love to have a quad core - maybe I'll win the lottery (IF I ever remember to buy a ticket)!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kayoss @ Sep 24 2007, 03:28 PM) [snapback]516995[/snapback]</div>

Kayoss, thanks for joining the PriusChat Folding Team. Every contribution counts.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kayoss @ Sep 24 2007, 12:28 PM) [snapback]516995[/snapback]</div>

I forgot to mention.... for all those hedging on the fence on a PS3 purchase, I just had to mention that you can find 20GB models out there for around $250/$300 on ebay. If you add a cheapie wifi adaptor and a USB SD Card reader, you basically have the same features as the 60GB. The PS3 has an easily swappable SATA 2.5" hard drive (I replaced my drive with a 160GB drive right away) and since the HDMI out is also on the 20GB model, it's just a crazy-good deal. I bought a couple 20GB models to hook up just as Blu-ray/upconvert DVD players in different rooms of the house. Once I get a couple more Airport Express modules, I can hook them all up via their ethernet jacks and REALLY have a folding powerhouse.

I heartily recommend the PS3... it's a surprisingly great system for so many reasons (just probably not the reasons most people buy gaming consoles for.)

 

Has anyone noticed we've broken into the top 300 teams Folding@Home?

I've just finished setting up my new quad core machine and started folding on it - I've finished five frames, and FAH-MON says it's folding more than 2000 points per day - I'm impressed with it!

(Office Depot was having a sale on them - I got it for $650 after rebate)

 

I noticed last time I checked. Soon we will be listed on the first page (top 250 teams) of Kakao stats.

 

I'm quite disappointed with AMD, being such a loyal AMD user all these years.

It's currently cheaper for me to change the entire motherboard with a quad-core Intel, than to buy a single AMD 6400+ Dual Core.

Ridiculous.

Yeah Jeannie, I'm jealous. You'll be able to knock me out of my current #4 rank.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mark Derail @ Oct 23 2007, 11:23 PM) [snapback]529530[/snapback]</div>

LOL - I don't think so! But according to FAH-MON, the quad core is generating a bit over 2000 points per day. My AMD 64x2 5000 is generating 980 PPD, and my other 3 folding clients just a bit more than 200 PPD. I'm in ninth place within our team, but I don't really care about my personal rank - I just want Stanford to get the benefit of the folding.

(At one point a few weeks ago, Wildkow's points per day went fairly low. The Kakao stats site currently shows that I can catch him in 500 days!)

My AMD machine is a stock Hewlett Packard, so it's not overclocked. I've done some reading online about overclocking, and from what I can tell, I wouldn't be able to even attempt overclocking it.