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Beginners Guide to WinSMP on Vista or XP

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leelegend

Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2006
Location
London, England
download client:

http://www.stanford.edu/~kasson/folding/Folding@Home Windows SMP Client.EXE

and run the installer to a easier directory than the standard, i usually pick:

C:\fah

for the next steps you need to be logged in with admin rights to the machine and on Vista turn off UAC from the security centre.

if you have tried to install this before, open a cmd window and type:

smpd -remove
mpiexec -remove

check the task manager to make sure neither smpd or mpiexec or any stray cores are running (force them to quite if they are)

either double click on the Install.bat file that was extracted from the installer or from a cmd prompt type:

smpd -install
mpiexec -register

it will ask you for your username and password, make sure you enter the username/password of the user you are going to boot/use the machine with.

This will then come up with the message that it has encrypted the password in the registery.

check the task manager and make sure both services are running.

you can then run the client in the usual way:

fah -forceasm -verbosity 9

for the brave among you, you can get it running as a service, by setting that option in the config (1st run, or from fah -configonly).....but make sure you go into admistrative tools/services and change the "Log on" option from "system account" to the actual user/password of the user who is going to boot the machine. and then change the registry value to incorporate the flags that you require.

i have this running on 2 vista and 3 xp machines with no issues.

if you are suffering from loads of client communication errors, either the mpiexec or smpd services are not install properly (password/persmissions/etc), unistall and reinstall them as above.

i hope this helps.

lee
 
and since putting it as service is not recommended yet.

here you can put it in the startup folder to have it auto start at start up and also hide the cmd box!

put cmdow in the same folding directory of the WinSMP along with the fah.bat file. create a shortcut of the fah.bat file and put it in the startup folder. and that's it. WinSMP client will start on start up and will also hide the cmd box from the task bar too!! this method works fine on both XP & Vista.

cmdow.exe:
http://www.commandline.co.uk/cmdow/

fah.bat file:
Code:
start cmdow.exe /RUN /HID fah.exe -verbosity 9 -forceasm -advmethods

and a bonus of using cmdow is you can hide or unhide the cmd box at will with these two bat files!! I like it better than service as I could have the cmd box pop back up to check on the folding status/log, especially when it's still in beta stage. and I could also hide the cmd box back too when done!!

to unhide:
Code:
cmdow.exe "C:\Program Files\Folding@Home Windows SMP Client V1.01\fah.exe" /VIS

to hide:
Code:
cmdow.exe "C:\Program Files\Folding@Home Windows SMP Client V1.01\fah.exe" /HID
 
just set one up on lunch break

as these were FARM machines ("old" win 2k SP2), i needed to install .NET 2 (which needed windoz installer 3 to be installed first) but other than that, it was easy breezy.

any of you who have run the GPU client will recognize the SMP client.



note: if you have nothing as your password, you will need to change it to something, it wont work with no password entered



now to see if its still going when i get back home...
 
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so far so good....

6600 up and running

can someone convert this into PPD for me (please) TY :beer:


[18:19:22] Folding@Home Gromacs SMP Core
[18:19:22] Version 1.74 (March 10, 2007)
[18:19:22]
[18:19:22] Preparing to commence simulation
[18:19:22] - Ensuring status. Please wait.
[18:19:25] - Starting from initial work packet
[18:19:25]
[18:19:25] Project: 2610 (Run 1, Clone 404, Gen 0)
[18:19:25]
[18:19:26] Assembly optimizations on if available.
[18:19:26] Entering M.D.
[18:19:47] 8 percent)
[18:19:47] cket
[18:19:47]
[18:19:47] Project: 2610 (Run 1, Clone 404, Gen 0)
[18:19:47]
[18:19:48] 610 (Run 1, Clone 404, Gen 0)
[18:19:48]
[18:19:49] Entering M.D.
[18:19:55] Rejecting checkpoint
[18:19:56] Protein: Protein
[18:19:56] Writing local files
[18:19:56] Extra SSE boost OK.
[18:19:57] Writing local files
[18:19:57] Completed 0 out of 500000 steps (0 percent)
[18:31:12] Writing local files
[18:31:12] Completed 5000 out of 500000 steps (1 percent)
[18:42:26] Writing local files
[18:42:26] Completed 10000 out of 500000 steps (2 percent)
[18:53:39] Writing local files
[18:53:39] Completed 15000 out of 500000 steps (3 percent)
[19:04:52] Writing local files
[19:04:52] Completed 20000 out of 500000 steps (4 percent)
[19:16:05] Writing local files
[19:16:05] Completed 25000 out of 500000 steps (5 percent)
[19:27:18] Writing local files
[19:27:19] Completed 30000 out of 500000 steps (6 percent)
[19:38:31] Writing local files
[19:38:32] Completed 35000 out of 500000 steps (7 percent)
[19:49:44] Writing local files
[19:49:44] Completed 40000 out of 500000 steps (8 percent)
[20:00:57] Writing local files
[20:00:57] Completed 45000 out of 500000 steps (9 percent)
[20:12:09] Writing local files
[20:12:09] Completed 50000 out of 500000 steps (10 percent)
[20:23:22] Writing local files
[20:23:22] Completed 55000 out of 500000 steps (11 percent)




smpfirsttryay3.th.jpg
 
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Thats around 1949.44 ppd Joe. Thats @11.25 min perf rame on the 2610.
On the 2651(1760points) @11.25 you would get 2252 ppd.
The 2652 at 1148 points would get you 1469 ppd @11.25.
 
Last edited:
dfonda said:
Thats around 1950 ppd Joe.
OMF(olding)G thats just SICK!!!

this rig was getting about 520 PPD on patty-melts and Super-vill'n (2x clients)


sure hope its doing 3.75 times the science :rolleyes:
(minus Beta bonus ;))


EDIT:
just set up the 6400 rig ... easy breezy (again)

will post screen shot and log as soon as i get 10+ frames in


EDIT:

lol ill edit the quote ;);)
 
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P2610 is a 1523 point WU.

so at 11:15min, you are getting around 1944ppd Joe.

for comparison, a e6400@just 2.9ghz is doing about 1100ppd from the P2610.

p.s. "how" you get 3400ppd out of it dfonda?? :rolleyes:
 
Sorry about that first post I was in a rush to get the answer first.:)I was editing as fast as I could.

p.s. "how" you get 3400ppd out of it dfonda??
I inserted 2610(The protein) for points instead of 1523 my bad.
 
6400 up and running...

(editing in screen shot and log...)

first thoughts: SMP LOVES cache


[19:38:32] Project: 2610 (Run 0, Clone 41, Gen 2)
[19:38:32]
[19:38:37] Entering M.D.
[19:38:44] iting local files
[19:38:44] riting local files
[19:38:45]
[19:38:45] xtra SSE boost OK.
[19:38:45]
[19:38:46] Completed 0 out of 500000 steps (0 percent)
[19:55:54] Writing local files
[19:55:55] Completed 5000 out of 500000 steps (1 percent)
[20:13:03] Writing local files
[20:13:04] Completed 10000 out of 500000 steps (2 percent)
[20:30:09] Writing local files
[20:30:10] Completed 15000 out of 500000 steps (3 percent)
[20:47:16] Writing local files
[20:47:17] Completed 20000 out of 500000 steps (4 percent)
[21:04:23] Writing local files
[21:04:24] Completed 25000 out of 500000 steps (5 percent)
[21:21:30] Writing local files
[21:21:30] Completed 30000 out of 500000 steps (6 percent)
[21:38:47] Writing local files
[21:38:48] Completed 35000 out of 500000 steps (7 percent)


smp2ndtryqj2.th.jpg
 
Joe Camel said:
6400 up and running...

(editing in screen shot and log...)

first thoughts: SMP LOVES cache



smp2ndtryqj2.th.jpg
yes, but not all! only a couple kind of WU are cache lover like the old P1495. WinSMP's 2610, LinuxSMP's 2609. all the rest (that we've encounter) is cache independent.
 
Hey guys, I've got a slight problem. For the past 2 nights I've woken up to my computer powered off. I never had problems running dual instances of F@H consoles or single instance + GPU console. I've got Orthos running for 7 hours and 17 minutes now. This overclock hasn't given the slightest sign of instability. So I'm leaning towards the SMP client to be the culprit. Any ideas? I will let it run again tonight and see what happens.
 
could anyone tell me how much memory these units are using? sis's rig running vista with only 1Gb ram isn't very pretty
 
inkfx said:
Hey guys, I've got a slight problem. For the past 2 nights I've woken up to my computer powered off. I never had problems running dual instances of F@H consoles or single instance + GPU console. I've got Orthos running for 7 hours and 17 minutes now. This overclock hasn't given the slightest sign of instability. So I'm leaning towards the SMP client to be the culprit. Any ideas? I will let it run again tonight and see what happens.
well, it's known that SMP (Win or Linux) folding put more stress than anything else. I could fold dual instances/orthos (big or small or mix)/pcmark/whatever on my [email protected] all day long, but I'll have to back down to 3.25ghz to have it fold SMP w/out error or reboot!
allen1090 said:
could anyone tell me how much memory these units are using? sis's rig running vista with only 1Gb ram isn't very pretty
well, you know having just a gig of memory for vista isn't pretty to start with already! I'm not sure how "ok" she feel folding on it.... you know, some people feels like it's a bit slow, but still ok when using 512mb on XP and folding big WU like QMD/1495. but a SMP unit could use 200+MB of system memory.
 
@allen1090

2610 uses ~ 350 MB
2651 ~ 250 MB
2652 ~ 130 MB

I haven't used vista yet, but I don't think i would like to run a 2610 on a 1 GB box i was also trying to use heavily.
 
@inkfx

Orthos really doesn't cut it for ensuring folding stability as LS said.

It is good for initial testing and generating higher temps than folding usually will ... but i would not waste hours running it as a final test before folding.

A much better FINAL test is to use test wu's that you have already completed.

Just backup a wu after it is downloaded ... copy the work directory & queue.dat as a minimum ... i like to also copy the unitinfo.txt just so i can easily see what wu it is later ... and save them all in a directory eg 'SAVED WU".
You don't really need to stop the client to take the copy ... as long as it is not writing to the files in work when you do the copy.

here is a post i wrote quite a while ago on the technique http://www.ocforums.com/showpost.php?p=4322049&postcount=2

I think i wrote some more detailed ones too but couldn't find the bookmark(s) :eek:

Best current wu's are prolly 2610 for win smp, or multiple instances of 1495.
 
Joe Camel said:
just set one up on lunch break

as these were FARM machines ("old" win 2k SP2), i needed to install .NET 2 (which needed windoz installer 3 to be installed first) but other than that, it was easy breezy.

any of you who have run the GPU client will recognize the SMP client.



note: if you have nothing as your password, you will need to change it to something, it wont work with no password entered



now to see if its still going when i get back home...

:cool: nice to see something on the SMP menu that you like :D

:welcome: to the party :)
 
pscout said:
@inkfx

Orthos really doesn't cut it for ensuring folding stability as LS said.

It is good for initial testing and generating higher temps than folding usually will ... but i would not waste hours running it as a final test before folding.

A much better FINAL test is to use test wu's that you have already completed.

Just backup a wu after it is downloaded ... copy the work directory & queue.dat as a minimum ... i like to also copy the unitinfo.txt just so i can easily see what wu it is later ... and save them all in a directory eg 'SAVED WU".
You don't really need to stop the client to take the copy ... as long as it is not writing to the files in work when you do the copy.

here is a post i wrote quite a while ago on the technique http://www.ocforums.com/showpost.php?p=4322049&postcount=2

I think i wrote some more detailed ones too but couldn't find the bookmark(s) :eek:

Best current wu's are prolly 2610 for win smp, or multiple instances of 1495.
Thanks pscout, I will give that a try.

EDIT - I keep getting the 2651 WU. So I guess I will just stick with that and see what happens.
 
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inkfx said:
Thanks pscout, I will give that a try.

EDIT - I keep getting the 2651 WU. So I guess I will just stick with that and see what happens.


I am sure it will do. You don't really want the highest possible oc ... best to leave a small buffer to allow for buildup of dust, ambient temp changes etc.

Otherwize you have to keep re-oc'ing the rig.

One observation i have with the smp wu's is that an unstable rig due to oc tends to cause a reboot and usually does not cause an eue like folding uni clients does.
I guess the smp process/core sync stuff usaully takes the hit first instead of causing a computational error in one of the core's which is all that can get hit with a single core client.
 
I installed the smp client on windows xp today and set it up. At around 27% done, I noticed it wasn't doing anything; none of the threads were consuming cpu cycles (cpu usage 0%). I left it for about an hour and came back to the same situation. I then closed the client and restarted my box, and started the client again. It then said something about it having to start over and started at 0% again. What the hell happened?
 
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