Need a how to to help with chimps.

[none1]

Hi all. I'm from the seti team. I"m looknig to help out in the chimp challenge, but can't seem to find a good simple guide to install FAH, I'm hoping y'all can point me to the right link. (theres lots of stickies with multiple redundant posts in each one, I'm lost) I've got:

quad processor dual SLI geforce 280M
quad processor geforce 260
quad procesor geforce 260
amd socket 939 dual core (OLD AMG) with a geforce 260 and an 8800 gtx.

I have them running seti.

I can't figure out where to get what clients I might need.

ONE of the stickies has
*Updated* The Official Team 32 Install Guide - GPU, CPU; Win/Lin/VM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contents:
Post 2: SMP/VMWare -- leelegend
Post 3: NotFred/VMWare -- PeddlerOfFlesh
Post 4: Multi-GPU -- thideras
Post 5: SMP-MPICH -- harlam357
Post 6: Multi-VM -- Edward2
Post 7: Ubuntu/SMP -- Adak
Post 8: SMP-DEINO -- Jolly-Swagman
Post 9: GPU2-Systray -- ChasR/nitteo
Post 10: GPU2/Windows 7 notes -- dfonda

well, I need smp AND a GPU, AND multi GPU I think, which doesn't seem to be an option there .....

Also this other sticky
* The Official Team 32 F@H FAQ [**NEW MEMBERS START HERE**] *
has links to a gpu guide, but that takes me to a nonexistant page at standford.

Anyone got a simple "folding howto" ? Do I need multiple clients, one for my gpu and one for cpus? Where do I get them?

I asked the same questions in the folding thread in the seti forum, but figured I might get faster answers here. I wanted to get my machines switched over to help out with the chimp challenge, but, I don't have a lot of time to spend and I've only ever done seti, never looked at folding before.

Thanks!

Thanks!

 

[Shelnutt2]

What OS are they all running?

 

[Adak]

None1: Unfortunately, with every new version of the FAH client, Stanford FAH puts it on a new web page, so our links go stale or break.

Each client is specifically set for one OS only. With that info, we can get you started.

 

[none1]

I'm using vista 32, xp pro 32 bit, xp pro 64 bit, and win 7 64 bit.

Is there a FAH main page with all the clients?

Thanks!

 

[Adak]

Yes, there is, but what order you see the clients in, depends on what your system is.

Let's start with Win 7 x64: Go here:
http://folding.stanford.edu/English/DownloadWinOther

And d/l the 6.29 client for MPICH x64. This is a self extracting file, and includes extensive instructions.

These are the instructions from the SMP2 (which this is a version of), written by ChasR. With just a few tweaks added, it's quite good.

First thing! Straight up, YOU CAN'T CUT ANY CORNERS WITH THIS! We've all tried (unintentionally usually), and FAILED! Don't do that!

ChasR mentions this, but I want to emphasize a few points, that usually trip up an installation:

1) YOU MUST have an Administrator's account, and it MUST HAVE A PASSWORD. Not a blank password - we've tried that one, also.

2) Before you start the installation on Vista or Win7, turn off the UAC (User Account Control), because it makes the install a bloody mess. To turn it off, click on:

Start button >> Control Panel >> System and Security >> User Account Control >> Change User Account Settings.

Slide the sliding switch there, all the way down and click on "OK"

Now, go to "Power Options", and set your computer to "never sleep" and never hibernate or any of that power saving stuff. You can't fold if your computer is hibernating/sleeping/cutting back/ every 10 minutes that you don't move the mouse or touch a key.

The display can sleep, but turn off any screensaver. FAH runs at a low priority, and screensavers will steal a lot of cpu cycles from it, if they are running.

There is a setting for a "high performance" level. That's good, but mine still wanted to shut down my computer, after 15 minutes of so - So look at all your options.

Now, you're ready to re-boot, so the UAC and power options are ready to go. If you need to turn off power options in your BIOS, now's the time to set those, as it boots back up.

Then, as you pick a directory, may I suggest C:\users\FAH ? That's a good one.

When you're ready to run the install program, you will be prompted with the name of your computer: (and nothing more). Anyone would THINK you needed to add your user name ==> Don't! Just HIT ENTER! Entering your user name will cause it to fail.

Then enter your regular password, with your Administrative level password which you are signed in, with! The cursor won't move as you enter letters - so don't expect that! Very disconcerting if you keyboard by touch.

And with those tidbits, I will post up Charles's guide, and let you start at it.

This is for Win 7 and generally work the same for Vista, but XP is different, of course.

Back with Charles's guide, in a second.

Read and Follow these instructions originally created by Harlam357 and adapted to SMP2 by ChasR:
or
Follow these instructions, Windows SMP client installation (MPICH version) from Stanford. These are nice, with screen shots.

Note: You must answer yes to -advmethods
Note: Read the notes at the bottom of this post. They contain useful information.
Note: You must have a passkey

FAH SMP2 Client v6.29 MPICH2 Install Guide
* Please read the notes at the bottom
* Step-by-Step Instructions:

Note: The Windows SMP2 Client MUST be installed under a user account WITH A PASSWORD. Installing the client under a user with NO PASSWORD or a BLANK PASSWORD will result in the client not functioning. You must have a passkey.

1. Install Microsoft .NET Framework v2.0 SP1 (Windows XP Only, you can install any version 2.1 and higher)

- download x86 version from here or the x64 version from here


2. Remove any previous FAH SMP Client Installs

- Go to Add/Remove Programs and Remove any previous SMP Client Installs. If you have a previous version setup as a service then remember to run the client with the -configonly flag and remove the service before uninstalling.

- If you needed to uninstall a previous SMP Client you will likely be asked to reboot. If so, do it now and pick up at the next step. If not asked to reboot, reboot anyway and pick up at the next step.


3. Install the Folding@Home SMP Client v6.29 beta MPICH2

- download the MPICH2 client from here

- run the self-extracting installer

- Windows XP: The Destination Directory given is OK. I prefer to shorten the path to C:\Program Files\FAHSMP\. All further examples in this guide will be run from that location.

- Windows XP 64-bit: Same as above, except be sure to install under the C:\Program Files (x86)\ Folder. For example: C:\Program Files (x86)\FAHSMP\

- Vista and Win 7 32-bit or 64-bit: DO NOT INSTALL UNDER PROGRAM FILES or PROGRAM FILES (x86). It's recommended to install in either - C:\Users\[username]\ *OR* on the root of C:\. Create a sub-folder under either of those locations. Again, I like to create a Folder named FAHSMP.

examples:

o C:\Users\harlam357\FAHSMP\

o C:\FAHSMP\

- Once you've got the right Destination Directory for your OS, Click Next.

- The installer will go to work... wait for it to finish, then Click Finish.


4. Setup MPICH2

- Go to Start -> Run -> type cmd -> Click Ok.

- Vista and Win 7: Right-Click on Command Prompt and select 'Run as administrator'.

- Navigate to the Destination Directory you chose earlier.

examples:

o type cd "\Program Files\FAHSMP" -> Press Enter

o type cd "\Users\harlam357\FAHSMP" -> Press Enter


- type install -> Press Enter - you will see the following:

Note: Windows Firewall (or any other firewall) will begin to ask questions. You need to Allow both mpiexec.exe and smpd.exe.

MPICH2 Process Manager, Argonne National Lab installed.
account (domain\user) [(your domain)\(your username)]:

- Be sure to look at what the installer presents as (your domain)\(your username). If they look correct (i.e. 'the name of your machine'\'your current account name'), just Press Enter - you will see the following:

password:

- type your user password (the password you use to login to Windows) -> Press Enter

confirm password:

- do it again... type your user password -> Press Enter

- You should now see the following messages:

Password encrypted into the Registry.
If you see this twice, MPI is working
If you see this twice, MPI is working
Press a key to continue...

- If so, Congratulations!!! You're almost done. Do not close the Command Prompt Window, you'll need it again for Step 5.

- If not, start-over -> type install -> Press Enter


5. Configure the SMP Client

- type Folding@home-Win32-x86 -configonly -> Press Enter
Note: You must use -configonly if you are following these directions and entering flags in extra paramaters.

- Enter your User name
- Enter Team Number 32
- Enter your Passkey (YOU MUST DO THIS)
- No to ask before fetching work
- No to use Proxy unless you know what you're doing
- Big for WU size
- Yes to change advanced options
- idle core priority
- accept the defaults you get to memory
- 1000 MB memory (this number isn't important ATM but 1000 should be the minimum)
- Yes to -advmethods
- No to Ignore deadlines, unless your clock is wonkers
- 1 to Machine ID (each FAH instance on a machine must have a different machine ID)
- No to Install as a service
- No to disable affinity lock
- Extra paramaters: -smp X -verbosity 9 (X =< number of processors)
- Accept default



6. Navigate to your Folding Directory. Right click on the executable and select create shortcut. Copy the shortcut to your desktop and to the startup directory. Double click on the shortcut and off you go. The client will start automatically on log in.

Note: The SMP2 client (a3 core) will default to running the same number of threads as the client detects processors, if you enter -smp without any number. If you manually enter a number larger than the number of processors detected, the a3 core will spawn a single thread and take hours to complete a frame. Unlike the old Win SMP client that spawned 4 FahCore_a1 processes, the SMP2 client will spawn a single FahCore_a3 process.

Note: Anti-Virus programs can be problematic for FAH clients. Please be sure to set an exclude on your FAH Client directories.

Note: You will not recieve the bonus value for a WU until you have first completed 10 qualifying WUs with your passkey. Qualifying WUs are Linux SMP a2 core WUs and Linux or Windows SMP2 a3 core WUs.

Note: If you have never used a passkey and are switching from VMware Linux to Win SMP, add the passkey to your Linux client and complete 10 a2 WUs before switching to the Win SMP2 client. THe Linux SMP client will get 19200 points for the 10 qualifying WUs in the same time the Win SMP client will recieve 4700 or so points.


Note: If you are running the SMP2 client along with the GPU client, you should run the gpu clients at low priority to avoid priority conflicts and maximize ppd. Win SMP2 production will vary depending on the WUs on the GPU(s).

Note: The Win SMP2 client is significantly faster than the Linux SMP2 client. Most dual cores will earn more ppd on it than with the old Win SMP client or the Linux SMP or SMP2 client.

Note: You MUST use HFM to monitor progress if you want to see the ppd including the bonus.

 

[none1]

mpich or denio? GPU? GPU2? I would need multiple client installs on each machine?

After reading forums for 2 hours, I THINK, I need a GPU2, and an SMP client, and .. well, the world doesn't seem to know the difference between denio or mpich, with many posts saying definitively that mpich is more stable, or faster, or that denio is more stable, or faster, or no, someone else tested and they are exactly the same speed or ..... /facepalm

Now, it is clear that I need to change the account settings on all my computers to have an administrator account. AND I need to DL different clients for each of my different OS. There seems to be some discussion that running a vm box then linux then the linux client is faster, but newer posts seem to think the windows clients are fine ....

oh, it seems that smp is console based and after I get a console smp client setup, I THEN need to install a different GPU client on the same machine? but then I have to edit some config file to make sure the two seperate clients on the same machine work well together.

Now, after I do follow the guide, I'm still not done, I think I gota get a passkey or somethng somewhere, maybe for both clients on each machine (gpu2 and smp?) or just one?

Thanks for the classr smp link .. but .. that seems to be just one small part of the puzzle, and I just don't have the time to figure out all the other pieces.

Well, doesn't look like I'm gona get all this done before the competition is over. Sorry, I just don't have this kinda time to get FAH up.

 

[Adak]

"And d/l the 6.29 client for MPICH x64."



These are the instructions for the cpu client, only, but you didn't read that far. You didn't QUITE make it to the third line of my post.

 

[Duner]

The GPU2 client is much easier to setup than the SMP2 client. No need to create passwords, use passkeys, or mess with the console. One version for all windows OS's.

I suggest downloading the systray client, it's the first one on the list on the link provided above. Follow Post 4 here http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=602978. I know it's multi-GPU, but if you're running a single GPU, the info still applies, just make 1 shortcut. It shouldn't take anymore than 2 minutes to get up and running.

 

[Adak]

Thanks Duner. I haven't set up a GPU in Windows, for a very long time.