SPCR Folds Team Blog

A forum just for SPCR's folding team... by request.

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angelkiller
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Post by angelkiller » Wed May 16, 2007 11:38 am

ryboto wrote:I would guess it's around 550PPD, that's about what I was getting with my x1950pro. I stopped using it, because I get a lot more ppd using the SMP client. As for playing games, I wouldn't. I would also make sure you're only running a single threaded cpu client along with the gpu client. The gpu client needs to communicate with the cpu, so one of the cores needs to be free to do that. The gpu client doesn't take a low priority, it uses the gpu in full and that doesn't change, so you need to stop it before you launch a 3d intensive app.
Thanks for the info. So I won't GPU fold when I play games. And yes, I think I'm running a single threaded CPU console. When it's by itself, it uses 50% of the CPU. The GPU client uses the other 50%, so it's at full load all the time.
aristride1 wrote:Are you running XP?
Sorry, I forgot to specify. Yes, I have XP.

avi_dan
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Post by avi_dan » Wed May 16, 2007 4:16 pm

aristide1 wrote:
aristide1 wrote:
avi_dan wrote: You can run the SMP client on a P4 with HT and it will double your PPD.

Avi
But you still run one SMP on a dual processor, yes?
I wish I would have heard back from Avi_Dan. :?
Sorry I have been working like crazy this days and I havent kept up with the posts here.

I posted this info some time ago:
avi_dan wrote:
cd8uk wrote:avi_dan,

minor off topic: are you personally running purely the linux smps? I'm running purely the xp smps and we seem to be trading places a lot recently on the 'leader board' and just wondered if we could clarify (for the benefit of the team of course!) whether vmware-ubuntu64-f@h is better or not than xp-f@h?

Cheers,

cd8uk
Hi

No, I am running:

SMP client on Ubuntu 64 bit-VMWare on a Core2Duo 2.13 GHz
SMP client on Vista 32 bit on a Dual Xeon 3.6 GHz
SMP client on Vista 64 bit on a P4 3.0GHz
Non-SMP client on Vista 32 bit on a Pentium M 2.0 Ghz laptop
Non-SMP client on WinXP on a Pentium 3 700 Mhz laptop

Some of these I am running from behind a ISA firewall so I HAVE to use the Windows client... :(

As you can see I try to fit the best solution to the workstation, I would also put my microwave oven to fold if I could.... :D


How about you?

aristide1
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Post by aristide1 » Wed May 16, 2007 4:49 pm

Im running 4 regular versions of FAH,

2 on a C2D E6400
1 on a Pentium III 1.2G
1 on a Pentium 4 2.4G

When you compare the III and IV they are only about 20% apart performance-wise despite the doubling of MHz.

I'll try to switch to SMP probably this weekend, and start to OC as well. My CPU HS needs soem grinding down so I can turn it 90 degrees, then I can install the Noctua NB HS.

I have an ATI X1950GT as well, haven't been able to get it to fold with 7.2 or 7.3 catalyst drivers. Will uninstall and install again, because obvously there's nothing more productive to do under Windows than to try even different order and combinations of install in order to get stuff to work correctly. :x

avi_dan
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Post by avi_dan » Wed May 16, 2007 8:35 pm

I highly recommend runing the SMP client instead of two (or even four) normal clients.

I am not overclocking any of the machines and I tend to believe that a lot of the instability people are experiencing with the SMP client is related to overclocking.

aristide1
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Post by aristide1 » Thu May 17, 2007 5:31 am

avi_dan wrote:I highly recommend runing the SMP client instead of two (or even four) normal clients.

I am not overclocking any of the machines and I tend to believe that a lot of the instability people are experiencing with the SMP client is related to overclocking.
My pentium III did a 33% OC for many years without ever missing a beat. But many of today's OCers are OCing everything, whereas I only used to OC my cpu, not the board or the memory. There's no reason you can't take an E4300 on a P965 board and setup everything as a FSB of 266, like an E6xxx cpu.

I think a good portion of the problems have to do with inadequate/junk power supplies and OCing memory, which results in gains too small to be worth the risk.

With AMD processors you need to understand and adjust all the parameters, not just increase the frequency, a guaranteed way to fail.

avi_dan
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Post by avi_dan » Thu May 17, 2007 9:54 am

true

I decided that my current system (the core2duo) would run at stock speed. I ended up buying good parts and the system is extremely quiet even though its running 24/7 at full load.

Avi

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Post by aristide1 » Thu May 17, 2007 11:19 am

The stock C2D hs fan is one of the worst I ever heard, even more so the first 48 hours, then it became just another normal jet engine. :shock:

The Tuniq Tower fan in comparison is a marvel, but I never run it higher than the third lowest dot, appx 1300 rpm. Its fine at 850 rpm.

The Yate Loons are OK at 12Volts but need to be turned down somewhat. Right now it's equal to my roommates Dell. :?

The stock NB hs at stock speeds is way too hot for a huge chunk of metal in my opinion. The SB is just a tad warm. I have some other copper hs's on some MOSFETS that burned my fingers. :oops:

avi_dan
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Post by avi_dan » Thu May 17, 2007 5:12 pm

If truth be told I never checked the temps but I am running this with a Ninja HS inside a p180b case.

This combination is fantastic...

aristide1
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Post by aristide1 » Fri May 18, 2007 6:09 am

avi_dan wrote:If truth be told I never checked the temps but I am running this with a Ninja HS inside a p180b case.
Try grabbing your NB hs at the base. I also touched every chip on the board and several are pretty hot.

aristide1
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Post by aristide1 » Fri May 18, 2007 9:06 pm

Hey Neil, why are your bro's scores going downhill?

peteamer
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Post by peteamer » Fri May 18, 2007 11:08 pm

According to this page: Points 24hr Avg the're not.
Nathan's not normally at 700+ PPD.

My PPD has dropped from 747PPD to 527PPD in 2 days according to the stats generator. The statistics are reckoned on too shorter timescale to be taken with anything more than a 'pinch of salt'.


Pete

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Post by NeilBlanchard » Sat May 19, 2007 6:24 am

Hello,
aristide1 wrote:Hey Neil, why are your bro's scores going downhill?
Well it is probably the "luck of the draw" on which project he gets, and/or he actually uses the computer sometimes? :o

ryboto
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Post by ryboto » Wed May 30, 2007 6:36 am

looks like a bunch of my computers got shut down already....not sure if i wanna go install the clients again. My main machine has been out of commission for over a week, hopefully once I move I'll begin to fold again, just need to know how to adjust vcore in linux.

vg30et
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Post by vg30et » Wed May 30, 2007 9:36 am

I used to run dnetc a long time ago on all of my machines when I lived in an all bills paid apartment. Cooling, power consumption and noise weren't a factor back then. However, now that I am in a house, I find that my computer room is usually a few degrees warmer than the rest of the house with just 2 pc's powered on and not folding.

As much as I'd love to get into folding, I don't see how I can manage to keep the room cool enough in the summer to handle the extra heat. I know it's for a good cause and at the risk of sounding selfish, I'm really not all eager to see the higher utility bills from pegged cpu usage and extra a/c cooling to keep the house cool.

Is there something you folders are doing to keep these costs minimal? i.e. putting your folding machines outside, runing solar panels, etc? :)

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Post by ryboto » Wed May 30, 2007 11:50 am

vg30et wrote:
Is there something you folders are doing to keep these costs minimal? i.e. putting your folding machines outside, runing solar panels, etc? :)
why not undervolt?

vg30et
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Post by vg30et » Wed May 30, 2007 12:44 pm

ryboto wrote:
why not undervolt?
Already doing that on both my AM2 systems but it's not an option on my Northwood based Dell machines or my Socket-A machine. Even with all these machines undervolted, I'd still be consuming a good 350+ watts while folding and that's sure to make the room an oven.

jaganath
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Post by jaganath » Wed May 30, 2007 1:13 pm

Folding on machines with inefficient CPUs isn't good for your wallet or the planet. an aggressively undervolted AM2 PC should stay below 65W at full load,the X2 3600 is crazy cheap in USA if you feel like replacing the old rigs. 4x65=260.

ryboto
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Post by ryboto » Wed May 30, 2007 4:14 pm

vg30et wrote:
Already doing that on both my AM2 systems but it's not an option on my Northwood based Dell machines or my Socket-A machine. Even with all these machines undervolted, I'd still be consuming a good 350+ watts while folding and that's sure to make the room an oven.
350W over how many machines? under full load, my opteron system is only consuming 110W at the wall, then again, I'm not really underclocking, just undervolting...i could probably do more.

vg30et
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Post by vg30et » Thu May 31, 2007 3:58 pm

ryboto wrote: 350W over how many machines? under full load, my opteron system is only consuming 110W at the wall, then again, I'm not really underclocking, just undervolting...i could probably do more.
Over 3 machines, x2 3800, Northwood 2.66, A64 3200+.

Jaganath - good point on using efficient cpu's. My x2 3800+ oc'd to 2.5ghz is estimated to put out 1021PPD (using FahMon) while my 2 older P4's at work only put out 130PPD combined. That's a pretty huge difference!

Edit - Interesting find - decided to test 2 servers (hp dl585 w/ 4x Opty 885 procs) and found them to be churning out 2k ppd on GBGromacs WUs and 1190ppd on regular Gromcas WUs. Power consumption went from 500watts idle to 700watts under load.

pixel_pimp
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Post by pixel_pimp » Sun Jun 03, 2007 4:46 am

Soon as my college course is over and I'm earning once again, I'll be upping my spec to an Athlon64 X2 and popping in a new GFX card so I'll be punting out a few extra WUs from then on (quietly, of course!).

My friend has the client running in his labs under my ID as well - not sure what he's got it running on but, of the 178 WUs completed, only 28 are off this machine in front of me!

Lliam
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Post by Lliam » Mon Jun 04, 2007 3:00 am

Yes time to up the ante.
Looking at my averages I didn't feel I was getting the best ppd for the £

So (finally) got the SMP client running on FC6 64bit. Kept getting stuck on the NNODES bit. Churning away OK now on a X2 3800 + 939 @2ghz (this is going to also double as a file server and slimserver)

Running Windows SMP client X2 4200+ @ 2.3ghz (huge o/c
:wink: ) but xt1950 gt on the way.

2 more 939 single cores worth bringing into battle ?

Go SPCR go ! [/pom poms and tassles]

pixel_pimp
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Post by pixel_pimp » Mon Jun 04, 2007 3:18 am

Lliam wrote:2 more 939 single cores worth bringing into battle ?
Hehe - sounds like SPCR needs all the heat you can muster :wink:

Lliam
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Post by Lliam » Mon Jun 04, 2007 3:41 am

I've just had an electricity bill for £237 :shock: bloody green electricity
I think I'll be ebaying those single cores.........and buy another X2 :D

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Post by aristide1 » Fri Jun 08, 2007 7:42 am

Holy crap!

http://folding.extremeoverclocking.com/ ... s=&u=95734

Go Lliam go!

Message to FGump - Run Forrest run!

8)

pixel_pimp
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Post by pixel_pimp » Sat Jun 09, 2007 1:16 pm

Hehe - looks like I've dropped a couple of places with these people ofring ahead there! Ah well - all for the greater good lol!

aristide1
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Post by aristide1 » Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:10 am

NeilBlanchard wrote:Hello,
aristide1 wrote:Hey Neil, why are your bro's scores going downhill?
Well it is probably the "luck of the draw" on which project he gets, and/or he actually uses the computer sometimes? :o
Well I've been drawing lousy cards for quite some time (some WUs under 200 points. :x ), so now that I found the time and the patience (it was nowhere as easy to install as plain Jane FAH) I started running SMP on my Core 2 Duo (E6400).

aristide1
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Post by aristide1 » Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:13 am

Lliam wrote:I've just had an electricity bill for £237 :shock: bloody green electricity ....
Look at this way, the "non-green" electricity is far more bloody than the green stuff.

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Post by aristide1 » Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:16 am

ryboto wrote:looks like a bunch of my computers got shut down already....not sure if i wanna go install the clients again. My main machine has been out of commission for over a week, hopefully once I move I'll begin to fold again, just need to know how to adjust vcore in linux.
I woke up Tuesday morning and the PCs were off and the clocks were blinking.

Then I came home after work and found the exact same thing.

:x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x

aristide1
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Post by aristide1 » Mon Jun 18, 2007 9:18 am

Hey Neil, last week my one folding got a WU and did a checkppoint every 6 monutes. Well about 600 minutes later it had finished it's second WU of the day.

That second WU was worth an astounding 44 points!

:?

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Post by KansaKilla » Tue Jun 19, 2007 8:19 am

aristide1, when you mention that you are hitting a checkpoint every 6 minutes, do you mean that you are going through one percent every 6 minutes, or is it something else? Also, to finish a work unit in 10 hours is pretty fast, what hardware are you running it on? Sorry if you've mentioned it elsewhere--no time to search right now.

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