New linux install-how to make it fold?

[Silver]

Well finally got Ubuntu installed on one computer. Really need to get away from Linux. When I finally got the iso to work the install went very smoothly. The problem is now that I have downloaded fah 6.04 which is an .exe file. I find myself unable to run it. Would appreciate some help in firing this up if anyone is up to it.

[sno.lcn]

I think you put it in a folder and do chmod +x FAH504-Linux.exe

[Silver]

I think you are right but how exactly does one do that? I am apparently missing the place (?) where one can enter this command.

[Shelnutt2]

I think you are right but how exactly does one do that? I am apparently missing the place (?) where one can enter this command.

Run it from the CLI, I can't remember where to acess the CLI from ubuntu, give me a minute to look it up.

Edit:

On GNOME this is accomplished by going to Applications > Accessories > Terminal. [Editor’s Note: In KDE, this would be in K Menu > System > Konsole (Terminal Program)]

[Silver]

First, thanks for the replies. Still had some difficulties doing it as the help for mode tells me nothing being a novice however 'days of dos' is helping some. Drive seems to be assumed to be C so only a / is needed to indicate drive for directory. Had to enter it twice to get it to function after figuring out how it finds the directory. Definately need some help but did get fah to install and run. The trick was what you gave me above to get it going i.e. applications. terminal, etc. Now to figure a couple of things out. How to see my directories and file structure (so I can find files) and how to auto load a program (such as fah) and I would really like to see what kind of load the cpu is under but alas, one thing at a time. Internet is really, really slow. I also have not entered any drivers for the mobo. Seems drivers would be important.

[WarriorII]

Well finally got Ubuntu installed on one computer. Really need to get away from Linux. When I finally got the iso to work the install went very smoothly. The problem is now that I have downloaded fah 6.04 which is an .exe file. I find myself unable to run it. Would appreciate some help in firing this up if anyone is up to it.


Me thinks we have the same bug that bit us. :eek:

[Como]

applications> accessories > terminal

this is your real linux. command promt is way better than the gui.

this is where you enter the commands.


for your cpu usage theres a program called 'top' you can run, lists the top cpu usage and other cool info.


drop into the unoficcial chat sometime, theres lots of linux help in there :)

[Silver]

Will do. Have many issues that I would like to get resolved. Seems when one looks for help that much is assumed to be known in giving directions. This makes it a tad difficult for some. I am presently downloading yoper and kubuntu looking for the easiest version for the novice. As an oc'er and wanting the most from my systems in folding I need monitoring/testing software. Ease of installation of programs, etc. Been doing a lot of reading as of this date. System internet service under linux is very slow transferring to sites but fast once there. The delay though is unacceptable. Hopefully a different version will kill this issue.

[benbaked]

Ubuntu has a good "task manager" like program for monitoring cpu/memory/network usage if you go Accessories / Utilities (forgive me, this may be wrong, I'm not at any machine with ubuntu installed right now and I rarely flip over the cables on my ubuntu machine at home to check its progress). The program is called System Monitor.

[TollhouseFrank]

following the directions to the CLI interface

cd /directory/where/fah/is/stored

chmod +x Name_Of_F@H_Binary (roughly, a binary is to linux what an executable is to windows)

to execute the file:

./Name_Of_Now_Executable_Binary

to add flags to it:

./F@H -verbosity 9 -forceasm -advmethods

et cetera till you get the flags you want.

To set up F@H as a service:



(NOTE from THF ~ I edited this for simplicity for newbies. hope it helps. This was also written for F@H 5.02, but I replace 5.02 with xxx all through the scripts so you can place in your exact version of F@H)

If you follow these instructions, folding will run as a service on your linux box. It will start at boot-time. You will also create a few custom commands that will make it easy to stop, start, reconfigure user/team, and view the folding logfile with simple one-word commands. So this goes a bit beyond just a service install.

Create some new text files by right-clicking your desktop and choosing create new text file. Paste the following scripts into these new text files. For all of these scripts, change the FoldDir variable so that it points to your actual folding directory. For the purposes of this guide, you will also want to make sure to rename your folding client .exe file to FAHxxx-Linux.exe.

Script I (I usually name this one foldon)
~ NOTE FROM THF ~ This is where you can edit your flags... I left it at -advmethods, -forceasm, and -verbosity 9, but you can change it to fit your needs~

#!/bin/sh
#This script starts folding@home as a background service
# it uses gromacs flags
# Change your FoldDir variable to refelct your actual folding directory's location
# your folding client's .exe should be named FAHxxx-Linux.exe
FoldDir=/path/to/your/folding
cd $FoldDir
./FAHxxx-Linux.exe -advmethods -forceasm -verbosity 9 > /dev/null &
echo "Starting F@H service..."

Script II (I call this one viewfold)

#!/bin/sh
# This script displays a portion of the folding log file
# tail -20 can be set to any number you want, just not too large
# that will be the number of lines displayed
# Change your FoldDir variable to refelct your actual folding directory's location
FoldDir=/path/to/your/folding/directory
more $FoldDir/FAHlog.txt | tail -20

Script III ( I call this one foldoff)

#!/bin/sh
# This script safely kills folding@home
killall -15 FAHxxx-Linux.exe

Script IV (this one's optional. Its an easy way to reset the client.cfg file)

#!/bin/sh
#This script starts folding@home and uses gromacs flags
# It also runs the -config option to let you enter new user information
# Change your FoldDir variable to reflect your actual folding directory's location
# your folding client's .exe should be named FAHxxx-Linux.exe
FoldDir=/path/to/your/folding
cd $FoldDir
./FAHxxx-Linux.exe -configonly


Part 2. Preparing the scripts for use.

Now, hopefully you've got some new text files and have saved them and named them. The name will also be the command to launch the script from a terminal.

Now you'll want to move them to a location where other executables are kept. I suggest /usr/local/bin. You might need to be root in order to write to that directory, so become root by using the su command. Replace your_user_name in the commands below with your normal username. I assume these files are on your desktop.

su
(enter root's password)

mv /home/your_username_here/Desktop/foldon /usr/local/bin
mv /home/your_username_here/Desktop/foldoff /usr/local/bin
mv /home/your_username_here/Desktop/cfgfold /usr/local/bin
mv /home/your_username_here/Desktop/viewfold /usr/local/bin


Now you need to make these scripts executable.


cd /usr/local/bin
chmod +x foldon
chmod +x foldoff
chmod +x viewfold
chmod +x cfgfold

(That can probably all be done as one command, but for new linux users, repetition of common commands is a good thing. )


Part 3. Making it start when the system boots

This procedure can vary depending on the distro you have. You will either be entering a command into a file (rc.local method), or you will be creating a link to your script in a startup folder (rc5.d method). You should still be root, but if not, become root with the su command.

su
(enter root's password)


Look at your system's /etc directory for some specific files.

cd /etc
ls

You want to find rc.local if it exists. Or if it doesn't, then rc5.d, rc3.d, and rc2.d.


For rc.local:

Open rc.local with a text editor. If you have one you like, good. My example uses vi.

vi rc.local


(press the i key to insert text and type the following line, but replace "your_username" with your normal username)

su -c "/usr/local/bin/foldon" your_username

(To save in vi, press the escape key followed by a :wq and then press enter.)


For rc5.d, rc3.d, and rc2.d:

These folders contain shortcuts to system services (also called init scripts because these scripts can be issued to start, stop, or restart system services). Rc5.d is run control 5 which means the stuff isnside it runs when you boot straight to graphical mode (default from many distros and especially preferred by newbies). Rc3.d and rc2.d are both run levels that go to a text prompt, aka text mode. The difference between them is that rc3.d starts more networking services than rc2.d. If you are unsure you can edit all three of these, though you actually only boot into one of these run levels by default.

ln -s /usr/local/bin/foldon /etc/rc5.d/S99foldon



Step 4. Optional, and only needed if you modified the rc#.d file(s). If you edited rc.local, skip this section.

One problem is that folding will be run by root instead of by an ordinary user. This is not a big deal, but you should run it as a normal user for the sake of this paranoid administrator.

You can leave it as is, or you can do this one last step:

cd /usr/local/bin
cp foldon fold
vi foldon

(press the i key to insert text. Here's what you're looking at. The text in red is what you need to add.)

#!/bin/sh
#This script starts folding@home as a background service
# it uses gromacs flags
# Change your FoldDir variable to refelct your actual folding directory's location
# your folding client's .exe should be named FAH4Console.exe
FoldDir=/path/to/your/folding
cd $FoldDir
su -c "./FAH502-Linux.exe -advmethods -forceasm > /dev/null & " your_username_here


(Make sure to replace your_username_here with your normal username. Save the file by pressing escape and then :wq and enter)

Run this command as root to make sure the permissions for everything are set correctly:

chown -R username:username /your/folding/directory

(where username is the user who will be running folding@home)
Launch the client for the first time as the regular folding user with the cfgfold script and configure it.

Part 5. Congratulations!!

It's not very hard to make desktop icon shortcuts to your scripts or to place shortcuts in a "quick launch bar" in the same style as a windows system. Tune in next time for more Linux tweaking tips....