SMP Consecutive Improper core shutdowns

[redwraith94]

I am running the latest smp client on a c2d rig, and everytime I go to shutdown the Folding@home-CPU-[1] service it always gives me an improper core shutdown...sometimes I loose work, and othertimes it keeps chugging away just fine when the service is later restarted.

Is there a more 'proper' way of shutting down the smp client, when installed as a service? This is my primary rig, which I also use for gaming so leaving it running 24/7 isn't an option.

Startup script:
net start lanmanserver
net start DeinoPM
net start Folding@home-CPU-[1]

Stop Script:
net stop Folding@home-CPU-[1]
net stop DeinoPM
net stop lanmanserver

I don't like leaving the lanmanserver service running for security reasons, but I can if that is the issue...any idears?

Launch directory: C:\Program Files\F@H\Install
Service: C:\Program Files\F@H\Install\Folding@home-Win32-x86.exe
Arguments: -svcstart -d C:\Program Files\F@H\Install -smp -deino

Launched as a service.
Entered C:\Program Files\F@H\Install to do work.

[18:32:23] - Ask before connecting: No
[18:32:23] - User name: redwraith94 (Team 32)
[18:32:23] - User ID: 1D74340D3DEC7873
[18:32:23] - Machine ID: 1
[18:32:23]
[18:32:24] Loaded queue successfully.
[18:32:24]
[18:32:24] + Processing work unit
[18:32:24] Work type a1 not eligible for variable processors
[18:32:24] Core required: FahCore_a1.exe
[18:32:24] Core found.
[18:32:24] Working on queue slot 01 [February 27 18:32:24 UTC]
[18:32:24] + Working ...
[18:32:25]
[18:32:25] *------------------------------*
[18:32:25] Folding@Home Gromacs SMP Core
[18:32:25] Version 1.76 (February 23, 2008)
[18:32:25]
[18:32:25] Preparing to commence simulation
[18:32:25] - Ensuring status. Please wait.
[18:32:42] - Looking at optimizations...
[18:32:42] - Working with standard loops on this execution.
[18:32:42] Examination of work files indicates 8 consecutive improper terminations of core.
[18:32:47] - Expanded 2443715 -> 12894245 (decompressed 527.6 percent)
[18:32:48]
[18:32:48] Project: 2653 (Run 32, Clone 0, Gen 119)
[18:32:48]
[18:32:48] one 0, Gen 119)
[18:32:48]
[18:32:55] Entering M.D.
[18:33:02] in POPC
[18:33:02] Writing local files
[18:33:02] Completed 20000 out of 500000 steps (4 percent)
[18:33:02] eps (4 percent)
[18:33:02] l files
[18:33:02] Completed 20000 out of 500000 steps (4 percent)
[18:33:03] Extra SSE boost OK.

Though it hasn't caused corruption again, yet. The OC is stable, with no issues for any other programs.

[Outback_Jon]

AFAIK, the "official" stance on such an issue is that the SMP client isn't supposed to be run as a service. For the simple reason that it often improperly shuts down.

That said, people do run it as a service. I've just been too lazy to go through the process of getting it running as a service. But since my computer is always logged in as me, it really isn't an issue.

Have you tried gaming with it running? I suppose on newer games it might be an issue, but I run BF2 with the SMP window going without any problems. Although I did configure the SMP client to only use 95%. (Although, "officially" I don't think that is supposed to really work either)

[ChasR]

I think the issue is deino closing before the client closes the 4 threads. I also think you can fix it by downloading Tools for Server 2003 which include the sleep command. In your Stop.bat file, add sleep 60 or 120 between stopping the client and stopping deino. You should test my theory first by modifying the stop.bat file to remove the line that closes deino and the lanmansever and see if the client still has an improper shutdown. If it does, my fix won't work.

[redwraith94]

Thanks guys, i will try adding the delay. The problem seems to come, and go, and hasn't appeared for the last day and a half.

I have gamed with it as a service, without any crashing, or instability issues. I only shut it down during gaming for the extra frames