Okay, I have my buddie's machine (P4 2.5Ghz) churning through WUs, but now I've finally got my personal computer set up (done a lot of moving this month) and I have some questions.

My computer is only an AMD 800, so really big units make it choke, and I can't get them done in the time alloted. Also I hear people saying that the console version is much faster than the graphic client. So...I tried the console version but I just got confused. Can someone step-by-step me through setting up the console? I'd like to re-configure it with a team number, and if it's possible, set it to only download small WUs, otherwise I won't get them done. Also, can it be setup so that it runs completely in the background? I don't want to see it in my task bar or system tray. Any help anyone?

Thanks!

Hello:

I am using the CLI client on my Athlon 700 (Win2K SP2, 512MB CL2 RAM) and I have not run out of time... You might want to try using Electron Microscope to manage the CLI client -- the switches that you can use to get the faster Gromacs core (18 or 33 points) is -advmethods, and to force optimizations is -forceasm. EM can also hide the client, and it gives you all sorts of info:

http://home.attbi.com/~wxdude1/emsite/

I would say that the CLI client is somewhat faster; not a LOT faster. My Athlon 700 does the 33 point Gromacs core units in ~44-45 hours, or 27.5 minutes/frame.

Neil, thanks for your reply. Can I use the forceasm and advmethods with the graphical client?

Hello:

I don't know -- it may be possible with either EM or by adding them to the shortcut that you use to start it. On one of my machines, Win2K would not let me add it to the shortcut for the CLI client, but on the other two it does. So, I used EM and I suppose it would also work for the graphical client.

Remember that you have to restart the client after you add the switches (so wait for it to finish the frame) and then the next WU it downloads should be the Gromacs core. I'd say get EM either way but especially with the CLI client since you can edit the settings in the config using EM.

Okay, I'll give this "Electron Microscope" thing a try. Although it really looks like it's not doing anything. The little lightbulb in the systray is green, but when I open up the EM window, both the "Frame" and "Frames" progress bars are blank. It shows a "Time Per Frame" as 00:06:42 but both "Time Per WU" and "Time Remaining" are both showing 00:00:00. Is something wrong?

Hello:



You have to "tell" it where your client is:

click on the square button in the upper left with the microscope on it

click on the button with the little computer on it next to Box Path: (unless your computer is already listed)

check off the "Use Extra Launch commands" and type in the switches that you want to use

check off the path for the local machine (at top)

scroll through the screens for more options (I use the low res images and no sounds)

Save your editing and Save & Exit, and then you *may* have to reboot in order to get things running smoothly. EM is quite useful, but it has some quirks. It should start showing you elapsed time and time remaining...

Okay, I had most of those things figured out, but I didn't tell the program that very well. I walked through your suggestions again, and I think I got farther, but not far enough. Now my progress bars say "0%" but it just says "Protein Name" where it should say the actual protein name and all other timers are at 00:00:00. I'm guessing it doesn't have a core to fold. Why is that?

THis is a cut and paste of the last entries in the log file.

Arguments: -local -advmethods

[14:10:32] Configuring Folding@home...

And it ends there.

I found it easier to get all set up with the graphical client, and then switch to the console version after everything is working. All you do is copy the console executable into the same directory and fire it up.

Okay, now I'm getting mad. Valuable folding time is wasting!

I tried installing the graphic client, and then EM looked the same as before except that it said it knew what protein I was working on now. Other than that nothing was changed. It didn't look like it was folding, that's for sure. I thought I was stumped before! Now I'm stumped and pissed. Anyone have any more ideas as to what might be wrong?

Oh, one other thing I noticed: When I am setting up the box, I point it to the F@H3console.exe, and when I do it pops up a little warning that says "This doesn't seem to be a F@H2 or F@H3 folder. If you're sure it is, press okay." So I press okay. Is this wrong? My root now is C:\Folding@Home\F@H3Console.exe

I know I was having problems before also with the console. I had started it through a task in the Windows XP scheduler, then I switched to FireDaemon to run it. Problem was I never turned off the scheduler, so whenever I tried to run the console normally, it would freeze up on me. But the service ran without a hitch... don't really know what caused the mess up. In any event I unstalled everything, and deleted my work folder (which was dumb). I'm just running the console now with firedaemon to keep everything nice and simple. Problem, my WU time increased from 5-6 minutes per frame to 7-8 minutes ... I think I ran faster / frame with the graphical client but I always ended up with crappy scores cause it took forever and a day...

Should I be telling you all this? aren't you right on top of me in score?

My friend, if I could give you could make my computer work with EM and the console version, I would give you my points!

Okay, that's a lie. I wouldn't give you my WUs. But it's the thought that counts.

Hello:

Have you tried leaving out the -local switch? I just use the checkbox near the top to indicate that it is local. Also, how long are you waiting for EM to get the times up? It sometimes takes until you complete one frame. Are you rebooting?

EM shows some nice pictures and lets you run the console in the background and gives you stats. I think you can also run multiple distributed comp clients... Though

1) you can check your stats by reading the logs created in the folding directory. I have the logs shortcutted to my desktop.
2) You can also use Firedaemon to run the console in the background. Its a pretty easy thing to setup and it runs really well. Its almost as easy as creating a shortcut and adding your arguements.
3) And if you don't like the pictures (I never run the graphics or the console window cause it takes up space and I use my comp for work too) its unobtrusive, doesn't take up space on the taskbar or the system bar.

I think I started a thread in the SPCR folding on the console that has some info on it further down.

Link: http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=4243 Check's Rusty's reply.

I think that may be my problem. I'm not very patient, you see. I'll give it another shot. Thanks for your help, Neil. I appreciate it.

OK - just to log thanks for this thread. Forced me to try work out what is console/graphics. Kept getting instant reboots any time I tried to 'Display' what either of my machines were doing.

So got the console mode downloaded and running: a nasty DOS window in my taskbar, not good.

Downloaded Electron Microscope: completely unintuitive setup required but thanks to wussboy's problems, NeilBlanchard's labours above got it running. Then found the EM help page that actually has full instructions . Now have it running watching both machines in my farm, and it hides the DOS session.

So as happy as a pig in .... - console mode should up my workload, EM tells me the score. Ta all.

ps wussboy - watch your back in the stats rankings

Just make sure you give it a slap when you go by.