Installing Folding@Home as a service

This is not a "How To" but rather a list of links for various service installers, of which there are now quite a few. I have little or no experience with most of these installers, so feel free to post your experience within the thread, for the benefit of others.

Windows

Note that most of those installers run FAH as a service in exactly the same way, so the end result will be the same, it's just the installers that are different. Exceptions are the Firedaemon method, TRC-13's "stealth installer", and running FAH as a Scheduled Task.

• pk's Folding@Home Service Installer (WinNt/2K/XP)
  
  This installer has been around for quite awhile, so although I have not used it myself, I feel safe in "recommending" it.
  
  TIP: Whether you use this installer or another, pk's service.cfg utility could come in handy. It allows you to change the options or "flags" that a service runs with, for example to add (or remove) -advmethods. I prefer this to editing the registry with regedit.
  
  Thread about pk's installer
  
  
• F@HSI - Folding@Home Service Installer (v1.0 BETA 1)
  
  Thread at folding-community.org about this installer
  
  I have not used this installer (yet), but I like what I see so far.
  • Four installation options:
    • Quick - Installs the service and prompts you to configure basic options.
    • Custom - Installs the service and prompts you to configure all options.
    • Automated - Installs the service and automatically configures it.
    • Existing - Configures and existing Folding@home installation to run as a service
  • The source code is GPL'd (General Public License, like Linux)
  • Good installation instructions
  • Contact information provided
  • Can install multiple instances of FAH
  • Can be configured to use -forceSSE without the need to edit a registry entry
  • Creates an UNinstall script
• Folding@Home Service Guide Using SRVANY (WinNt/2K/XP)
  
  This is what I use. I call this the 'srvany' method (as does the author of the installer ) since it uses a Microsoft program called srvany.exe, although I suspect several of these other installers use it also. I consider this "easy to use" but it's not "drop dead easy" since there are a few manual steps involved, but once it is set up, it works extremely well.
  
  
• Buzzard's FAH4 Console Installer
  
  Support Forum
  
  Thread at Overclockers Australia (Requires registration)
  
  I have the following reservations about this installer:
  • It seems to include the FAH executables ("Includes both cores"). These exe's should be downloaded ONLY from Stanford's secure servers, for security reasons, and to assure you have the latest versions.
  • I do not find any sort of "readme" file explaining what this exe does.
  • I do not find any contact information for the author.
  OTOH, this was written by the same person who wrote FAH LogStats, so this is likely to be a high quality installer.
  
  UNinstall Steps:
  • Open a command window and change to your folding@home dir
  • Type 'net stop FAH_1' (sub 1 for your client ID)
  • Type 'instsrv FAH_1 REMOVE'
  • Type 'exit' to close the Command Prompt
  • Optional: delete all files from the folding directory
  • Optional: remove netsvc.exe from the windows\system32 dir
• NoahJ's Service Installer
  • Written by NoahJ of Team MacOSX
  • Options can be changed without manually editing the registry. Will automatically stop and restart the service.
  • Current version (as of April 12, 2004) will install only a single instance of FAH. A dual version is in the works.
  • I have every reason to believe this is a quality installer. We just don't have any experience with it yet.
• Installing Folding@Home as a service using Firedaemon
  
  Not much talk about this lately, but Firedaemon, a for-sale software program, can be used for free to run a single application as a service. If you want to run two instances of FAH, you will need to buy a license to Firedaemon, which I believe is not expensive ($25?), or you can choose one of the other installers which can install multiple instances of FAH. Others are free to disagree with me, but I see little reason to use this method.
  
• Running FAH as a Scheduled Task
  • This does not literally run FAH as a service, but does offer most of the same benefits, so is included here.
• TRC-13's stealth installer (WinNt/2K/XP) (Broken Link)
  
  • This does not run FAH as a service but does run it "stealth".
  • "All packages run the "-advmethods -forceasm -forceSSE" switches on the V4 client."

Linux

• finstall - FAH Installer for Linux,Free/OopenBSD,MacOSX,Wine
  
  The following step-by-step instructions provided by CharlieChan:
  1. Log in as whoever you are
  2. Download http://www.vendomar.ee/%7Eivo/finstall
  3. type chmod +x finstall
  4. type ./finstall
  5. enter no
  6. enter yes
  7. enter yes
  8. enter [your folding name]
  9. enter 31574
  10. [keep on hitting enter till end]
  11. type vi foldingathome/fah_config
  12. press insert
  13. in between the quotes enter -forcesse -advmethods
  14. press escape
  15. press :
  16. press q
  17. press enter
  18. type su
  19. type cd foldingathome
  20. type ./installService
  21. type ./folding start
  22. type exit

David,

Regarding the Fahstats guy's installer -- here's the link to the Fahstats page http://fahstats.sourceforge.net/mt/

Under the heading "January 27, 2004 - An Update At Last", last paragraph is:


Dave

I have a couple of machines that I want to install additional F@H instances to boost double gro performance (per this thread). So, I tried all of these installers (it took awhile).

pk's Folding@Home Service Installer
*When running you get a simple GUI prompting you for some particulars. Of particular note is that it batch installs multiple clients by adding the machine ID to the end of the Service Name and Installation Location that you input.
*Unfortunately, there does not appear to be any way to set machine ID -- the installer takes care of it automagically, starting at ID1. This is fine for a virgin install, but if you already have an installation, this doesn't work.
*Lets you input -flags you want -- adds the -service and -local flags automatically.
*Make sure you hit the Configure Client button or else you'll be folding anonymouslyfor team 14
*Creates an uninstall script (which I needed once I found that I had two ID1's running)

F@HSI-Folding@Home Service Installer (BETA)
Like David, I liked what I saw -- until I actually used it.
*Quick -- doesn't allow editing flags
*Custom -- allows you to edit everything except has an Auto setting for machine ID. May have same problem as PK's installer in this regard.
*This installer doesn't appear to actually do anything -- doesn't create a directory, doesn't install any files, doesn't create a service and then errors out when it can't start the service it didn't create. I tried using the default DL location for the FAH files and a local directory where I had copied them. I may try figuring out what I'm doing wrong or I may just chalk this up to being a BETA version and move on. I haven't decided yet.

Folding@Home Service using SRVANY
*I skipped SRVANY because I was looking for a "drop dead easy" method of installing and didn't want to bother installing the console manually -- I'm looking for an installer that does it for me.

Folding@Home service using Firedaemon
*I don't want to buy anything

FAH4 Console Installer
*This is what I have been using until now for installing as a service
*It does not give an option for setting the -local flag and doesn't set it automatically -- if installling more than one instance (ie., MP or HT boxes), you'll have to edit the registry to add it. EDIT -- v0.32 dated 4/6/04 now has an option for setting the -local flag
*Doesn't give option for -verbosity flag -- have to edit registry
*Doesn't batch install like PK's installer does
*Doesn't have an uninstall routine like PK's installer

OCC Folding@Home Installer
*Ummm, if you want to fold for OCC's team, then this is the installer for you. David, you may want to remove this from your list?

Team MacOSX Windows Service Installer
*Like the SRVANY method above, requires you to install the console manually first.
*Allows you to change the default directory, but later in the intall it locks you down to the Folding@Home directory again. Not sure what you'd do if you already had something in that directory.

TRC-13's stealth installer
*I couldn't get to the website -- want to run as a service anyway, so this really isn't an option for me.

All in all, they all have their pitfalls and none are perfect. If PK allowed you to specify the ID, his would be king. If FAH4Console Installer set a few more flags, it could be king (an uninstall would be nice too).

IMO, if you have a "virgin" box, PK's is the way to go. If you already have an installation, then I think FAH4Console Installer is best -- assuming your comfortable with REGEDIT.

Dave


EDIT Added link for double gro optimization thread

UPDATE

After going through all of the above, just went to the FAH4Console website and he has posted an undated version (v0.32 on 4/6/04) -- it still includes the cores, but now lets you set the -local flag. Now the only regediting you need is if you want the verbosity flag

Dave

Dave,

Excellent feedback. Thank you for taking the time to post this for the benefit of others.

I have removed the link to the OCC installer.

Installing the FAH Console is drop-dead easy:

1. Create a directory. I make mine "C:\Program Files\Folding@Home", but C:\FAH would work too, or any other location and name that trips your trigger.
2. Download the CLI client from the Stanford website and save it into this directory.
3. Double-click the red FahConsole4 icon to start and configure FAH.
4. Ctrl-C to stop the client.

You now have a configured client, and now only need a way to get it running as a service.

I agree, I'd rather the installer offer the option to do this, but if it doesn't, it's not hard to do "manually".

David

David,

Thanks for the info on installing the client manually (never took the time to figure it out before -- went straight from GUI to service).

I've still got a couple of machines that I want to add another service to -- I'll try SRVANY (and maybe MacOSX's) again.

Dave

Dave,

Have you done any more installations?

I've started looking at these installers. Here are a few of the features I'm looking for:

• Configurable installation directory. I like to install each instance of FAH within a subdirectory within the Folding@Home directory, e.g. Folding@Home/cpu1. This allows me to "share" a single directory, which cuts down on the clutter in My Network Places.
• Ability to use an existing installation and make it run as a service.
• Allow configuration of ALL command-line options without the need to edit the registry.
• Ability to install multiple clients, all at once, or add an instance later.
• A GUI front-end would be nice, but is not a requirement.

My front-runners are as follows, but I am going to do some research before I try any of them.

• pk's service installer
  • + Seems to meet all of my personal criteria
  • - Doesn't look to be quite as easy to use as I'm looking for. Installing FAH as a service the way I want would require a command line such as
    Code:
    service -cpu=2 -dir="c:\Program Files\Folding@Home\cpu" -sn="F@H" -params="-advmethods -forceasm -verbosity 4"
    
• Buzzard's FAH4 Console Installer
  • I still have reservations about it including the exe's, rather than downloading them from Stanford's secure server.
• NoahJ's Service Installer
  • The current version installs only a single instance of FAH. A dual cpu version is in the works. I am not interested until it can install two instances of FAH, but I believe this feature will be along soon, and otherwise this looks like a nice installer.

David

I have updated the first post with additional information and links.

David

David,

No, I haven't -- I've gotten busy at the office and the dissappearance of the double gros has reduced the need a little. I still have 3 machines I want to change from GUI to service, but haven't gotten around to it.




From what I remember, I don't think any of the installers will do everything on your list:

PK's:
1. takes what you input as a directory and adds the machine ID to the end of it (which it controls, not you). If you input \program files\FAH and want 2 installs, it creates \program files\FAH1 and \program files\FAH2 directories.
2. I don't remember if it will convert an existing installation -- wasn't looking for that feature. But, considering how it handles the machine ID's, I don't think it will do this (my impression was that it was oblivious to previous installs).
3. It will allow you to config all the command line options -- by radio button for most and then an "other" box.
4. Will do multiple clients at once, but I can't seem to handle adding any later (due to the machine ID issue).
5. GUI -- yes

Buzzard's
1. Will let you install to any directory you want
2. Will not convert an existing installation, only install new
3. Does most command line options -- verbosity is the only one that I need that it doesn't do
4. Will not do multiple clients at once, but you can add additional clients whenever you want.
5. GUI -- yes, nicer and better laid out than PK's

Something I'd like to see is maintenance of an existing installation (ie., change verbosity level, add local flag, etc). I think only Noah's does this -- PK's and Buzzard's are installation only.

If any of the three were tweaked a little, they could be perfect -- they all fall just a little short...

Dave


EDIT I just re-read your initial post and realized that I was oblivious to PK's service.cfg utility -- the maint. issue is a mute point since we can use his to maintain any install...

EDIT2 When your first post is finalized, you should consider creating a sticky for it as well...

It's linked to from the "Links" thread. I'm trying to avoid filling the entire screen with stickies, but I agree, this one might deserve a spot.

pk's installer - I haven't tried it yet, so I am going only by the doc, but it looks like the command-line version of the installer will support existing installations and will allow the Machine ID to be specified, with the -cpu option.

Buzzard's installer - I have posted a question/issue at his forum about his installer including the .exe's. I believe this is a bad idea, representing a potential security risk. Even if I would use this installer myself, if will always carry this caveat in big red letters in my recommendation.

David

I missed the cmd line version, I was only looking for GUI (ok, I admit it -- I'm lazy. I don't like cmd lines if I can help it )



I agree


Dave

From powergyoza's post here, is a quote for setting up F@H as a service on Windows comps.



Thought it might be usefull.


Pete

Pete,

How do you stop an application that has been started this way?

How do you pass command-line options?

If FAH is stopped, how is it restarted?

David

From the original thread here



You set it up to start on comp. start.

And as it's the GUI version, you'd add command line options (first) as usual.


Pete.

I'm not sure your running as a service, more "stealth". I think you'd have to be logged in for a scheduled task to run and the scheduled task would probably have to be set up for each user.

Dave

In XP/2000 you get a choice of run...

1. When my computer starts

2. When I log on

Amongst others.

Don't know (Can't remember) about other versions of windows.

As quoted earlier:



And yes it would be more stealth than service but it may be more suitable for some people... and no I can't think why, I just saw and posted the quote and link to the original post in case it was of use.

Possible use would be a part time comp. with several users with their own login I guess.


Pete

I recently used NoahJ's Service Installer ( aka MacOSX installer) to set up a service for a single, existing instance of F@H console.

After running the installer and rebooting, I got an error saying that the executable file couldn't be found. I copied SRVANY.EXE (one of the files the installer put in my F@H directory) to my Windows\System32 directory and that fixed it.

Other than that the install was very easy, and I've had no problems since.

I have made this thread "sticky" again. I want to make sure it is easy to find.

David

Stanford has recently realeased a new version (5.0.1.0) of F@H. I haven't tried it yet but they mention on the download page :
http://folding.stanford.edu/download.html "with built-in Windows-service-install option". Might be easier that way
Edit : Corrected version info

Thanks for the heads-up Spinner and more to the point...Welcome to SPCR


Pete

The new integrated service installer is dead easy to use. During setup there is just one additional question that asks if you want to install it as a service.

The service name includes the path to the executable, with "/" replaced with "+":

FAH@C:+Folding@Home+FAH500-Console.exe

I need to qualify my comments on the new FAH500-Console.exe "integrated" service installer. When I tried to install two clients on a hyperthreaded cpu, I ran into trouble, or rather, I got confused. I bailed on the built-in installer and tried PK's service installer. I like it better. It is "more robust" (offers more options) and guides you through the process better. It gives you the option of modifying the "flags" such as -advmethods. It provides a simpler service name: FAH1 and FAH2 vs F@H:C+Folding@Home+CPU1+FAH500-Console.exe and F@H:C+Folding@Home+CPU2+FAH500-Console.exe

Note: this is not an in-depth review of the two installers, but rather my off-the-cuff first impressions.

David

David,

I tried installing fah5 as a service on a rebuilt machine 2 days ago and ran into some problems/issues:

It appears that it automatically installs to the directory the DL file is in. I usually DL files to my desktop and then run them -- this ended up installing FAH on my desktop. Not what I wanted.

If you want to install multiple instances, copy the DL file into the directories you want to use before running and make sure to select the correct ID # during installation (I couldn't figure out how to change the ID # after installation).

Can't do anything with flags -- couldn't even find a way to do it using regedit...

For whatever reason, I had a hard time uninstalling the service that was installed on my desktop -- I still have registry entries for it that I can't delete. It would be nice if they had an Uninstall routine...

From your post, I gather that PK is able in install the v5 client? Interesting -- I need to give that a try again...

Dave

I found a way to edit the flags for a service install of F@H 5 using regedit :

Supposing your folding browser is C:\fold , browse to the key :

HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\FAH@C:+fold+FAH500-Console.exe

Modify the ImagePath value to add the desired flags. The next time you'll restart the service, the new flags will be implemented.

I tried modifying the command line switches with PK's service.cfg utility, but it could not find the service name, even when I cut-and-pasted the name as shown in the Computer Management Services list. I am guessing it's some glitch with the "+" characters in the service name, but that is purely a guess. I did not try editing the registry since that's just too crude. I figured if I needed to manually edit the registry, I would just try a different installer.

Yes, PK's installer will install the new 5.x version. Or at least the latest version I downloaded from his site will.

David

I find it hard to believe no one has updated this in over 4 years. Are there new installers I should add to the list? And don't some of the clients not run as a service? The GPU2 client, for example?

Hi guys,

Hey....it's nice sharing.......it would be work for me also.


Many thanks


Regards
Nancy