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DeSnousa

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 20, 2005
1,616
0
Brisbane, Australia
Hey I was wondering if someone could explain in really simple terms how I can go about getting my i7 to utilise all cores for F@H? Its using like 12% of my processor with the standard systray client. The i7 rig is running Windows 7.

Thought I would get back into folding for a while at least but would love to push my processor to the maxium. I also have a dual core on windows xp.

Thanks for all your help :)
 

twoodcc

macrumors P6
Feb 3, 2005
15,307
26
Right side of wrong
you can use all cores with the new windows smp2 client.

but if you are running that i7 over 3 ghz, then you can run bigadv units in a linux VM inside windows. that's what a lot of people are doing, including myself. but it's up to you
 

DeSnousa

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 20, 2005
1,616
0
Brisbane, Australia
Where? Can you post a link? I know that there are beta clients for smp but they seem difficult to install. Is there just a click and install client? :eek:

Thanks for your help :)
 

DeSnousa

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 20, 2005
1,616
0
Brisbane, Australia
Well I installed the MPICH version and got it to work however it is not using all the cores, still at 12% of my cpu usage. Also when I close the cmd prompt it turns of the folding which is annoying.

Oh well I guess I will just use the systray client and stick to the output of 12% cpu usage :(
 

DeSnousa

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 20, 2005
1,616
0
Brisbane, Australia
Exactly like the instructions had said? Did not go into andvanced options, did I have too?

I dont get this, would really like to have smp client but it did not work any diffrently to the single core systray client :(
 

twoodcc

macrumors P6
Feb 3, 2005
15,307
26
Right side of wrong
Exactly like the instructions had said? Did not go into andvanced options, did I have too?

I dont get this, would really like to have smp client but it did not work any diffrently to the single core systray client :(

you have to give the -advmethods flag to use all cores. it's really easy.

basically you'd type something like this:

./fah6 -smp 8 -advmethods -verbosity 9 -local
 

DeSnousa

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 20, 2005
1,616
0
Brisbane, Australia
I have finally figured it out, got a test machine with a core 2 duo to work :)

Final question, is it possible to have the cmd prompt window closed and still have it folding. I go to shut cmd prompt and it closes folding.

Thanks so much I feel like I have achieved something and will be looking forward to more ppd :D
 

lordonuthin

macrumors 6502
Jan 27, 2007
452
0
Iowa
I have finally figured it out, got a test machine with a core 2 duo to work :)

Final question, is it possible to have the cmd prompt window closed and still have it folding. I go to shut cmd prompt and it closes folding.

Thanks so much I feel like I have achieved something and will be looking forward to more ppd :D

Congrats for figuring things out, it isn't always as easy as it should be :rolleyes:

As for the command prompt: on my win 7 machines I can minimize the window and it keeps working though for some reason it is not in the task bar so I'm not sure how to bring it back up. Doing start>command prompt only gets me a new window without folding going in it.
 

DeSnousa

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 20, 2005
1,616
0
Brisbane, Australia
Okay I have one more issue, I have configured the i7 now, and smp is working however it is capped at 50%, is this correct? The console is saying that it has detected 8 cores.

Thanks again and sorry for being a pain :)

Edit: I'm assuming that this is because all 4 cores are working 100% which means that hyperthreading does not have any usable processors? Still, should it not show 100% cpu usage?
 

lordonuthin

macrumors 6502
Jan 27, 2007
452
0
Iowa
Okay I have one more issue, I have configured the i7 now, and smp is working however it is capped at 50%, is this correct? The console is saying that it has detected 8 cores.

Thanks again and sorry for being a pain :)

Edit: I'm assuming that this is because all 4 cores are working 100% which means that hyperthreading does not have any usable processors? Still, should it not show 100% cpu usage?

Hmm, I have the same issue with smp on the i7 it doesn't want to use all the resources, I'm still working on it.
 

twoodcc

macrumors P6
Feb 3, 2005
15,307
26
Right side of wrong
Okay I have one more issue, I have configured the i7 now, and smp is working however it is capped at 50%, is this correct? The console is saying that it has detected 8 cores.

Thanks again and sorry for being a pain :)

Edit: I'm assuming that this is because all 4 cores are working 100% which means that hyperthreading does not have any usable processors? Still, should it not show 100% cpu usage?

Hmm, I have the same issue with smp on the i7 it doesn't want to use all the resources, I'm still working on it.

i assume both of you are using the -smp 8 flag?
 

DeSnousa

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 20, 2005
1,616
0
Brisbane, Australia
I've read somewhere that you have to use -advmethods to get cores that utilise hyperthreading. So I have updated, so will see how it goes on the next unit.
 

twoodcc

macrumors P6
Feb 3, 2005
15,307
26
Right side of wrong
I've read somewhere that you have to use -advmethods to get cores that utilise hyperthreading. So I have updated, so will see how it goes on the next unit.

yes. i gave an example earlier in this thread with that flag.

also, not all cores are the ones you want. i believe you need a Core3 or something like that, but you might also get a Core_1, which will not use all cores.
 
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