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MacBook that wants to fold

runninmac

runninmac

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 20, 2005
1,494
0
Rockford MI
I just got a new MacBook and I want to push it to its fullest and Folding@home is the easyest thing to use but it only uses one of the cores and I couldn't find the plug-in for the second core (the website wasn't loading). So I have 2 questions:

1. Is this a UB
2. How do I activate the 2nd core
 
runninmac said:
1. Is this a UB
2. How do I activate the 2nd core
Click to expand...

no, and no idea. they claim to be working on ub. if you go to the dark side (xp) and want to run the console client, i can give you the commands to run on both. eeew, i know :rolleyes:
 
Until the 10.4.6 update you could use InCrease on Intel Macs and set that up to fold using both cores. I guess you could always go back to 10.4.5 and run that! It'll be really slow on an Intel Mac, btw. My girlfriends 1.25Ghz G4 Mini will do a work unit in 3 - 5 days, and my Intel Core Solo takes about 30 days. Ridiculous.

I've since started using the BOINC client which is a UB, and doing SETI and Einstein@home, since both seem to run well on the Intel. No folding thingie for the BOINC client yet, though, I'm afraid.
 
Eithanius said:
Folding on a MacBook....? :eek:

Won't it get toasty when it folds for hours....?
Click to expand...

I tried to do it back in the day on my Powerbook Ti, and it got hot. The fans on that thing howled like banshees, too. Good times! But if he wants to do it while it's on a desk or stand, more power to him!
 
I gave up on distributed computing shortly after getting a laptop, too. These little babies just aren't made for that constant work. So I'll probably be staying at my 2,671 classic work units for seti@home for a long, long time...
 
Mitthrawnuruodo said:
I gave up on distributed computing shortly after getting a laptop, too. These little babies just aren't made for that constant work. So I'll probably be staying at my 2,671 classic work units for seti@home for a long, long time...
Click to expand...

I was afraid that this would be the case on laptop......although, maybe I will be okay since I use my MacBook Pro on a iCurve.
 
I wouldn't push that machine, dmw007. As others have said, laptops just aren't made for folding.
 
lilstewart said:
I wouldn't push that machine, dmw007. As others have said, laptops just aren't made for folding.
Click to expand...

You are probably right, It is best to be safe than sorry- I don't want to cook the insides of my MacBook Pro anymore than I have to.
 
Eithanius said:
Folding on a MacBook....? :eek:

Won't it get toasty when it folds for hours....?
Click to expand...

I think the longest I had mine doing Boinc was 6-7 hours. Surprisingly it wasn't very hot at all. It's probably because the fan makes more noise than my desktop.
 
Back when I folded 24/7 my iBook 12" survived. It did fine for the months that I folded, and during the Australian summer. The fans kick in a lot, so at night time when I needed sleep, I place the iBook on the low processor option.

As a side not this is why I don't fold anymore (doing 1 WU to help team at) it becomes time consuming, annoying with the fan and etc :(
 
DeSnousa said:
Back when I folded 24/7 my iBook 12" survived. It did fine for the months that I folded, and during the Australian summer. The fans kick in a lot, so at night time when I needed sleep, I place the iBook on the low processor option.

As a side not this is why I don't fold anymore (doing 1 WU to help team at) it becomes time consuming, annoying with the fan and etc :(
Click to expand...

Am I to understand that the Intel counterpart has no such options, even for MBs and MBPs....?
 
It's simple to fold on both cores... Just copy the client in to two seperate directories and launch them each individually. Voila! 100% CPU usage. Unfortunately folding on an Intel Mac completely sucks until the release of a new client that will be Intel friendly.
 
DeSnousa said:
As a side not this is why I don't fold anymore (doing 1 WU to help team at) it becomes time consuming, annoying with the fan and etc :(
Click to expand...
Just leave folding on your laptop and fold with it when you use your laptop. It takes a long time to finish a WU, your laptop becomes somewhat hot on your lap and battery life goed much faster, but every little bit helps! I have the WU's that are folded on my PB G4 without a timeframe and unfortunately I have gotten a very big one now! Takes about 4 hours to finish a frame and I use the PB about 2-3 hours a day.
 
Will do Dreadnought :)

My laptop is actually my main computer so i have been leaving it on for about 16 hours a day. However come summer time it will go down. Whenever I do purchase a desktop expect me to be on top of the stats :cool:
 
In the advanced settings of your folding app you can put the processor power, that is allocated to folding, down. Therefore your proc isn't on full load and keeps your laptop much cooler. I would turn folding down a bit if my laptop is my main machine and am leaving it on for 16 hours a day.
 
Dreadnought said:
mc64k, I here a new challenge for you! Make your scripts to work native for Intel Macs!!
Click to expand...
Its the client thats the problem. We need stanford to come out with a UB. I know they have been working on it.
 
Well from what I have heard it may just be a recompile of the cores, the client on the other hand may take a little work.
 
Fold in windows

Has anyone tried to fold on a MBP or MB running in Windows via bootcamp? It might actually kick butt. Obviously, not useful if you're using OS X, but if you're going to be away, asleep, etc, you could reboot into windows during that time.
 
Dreadnought said:
mc64k, I here a new challenge for you! Make your scripts to work native for Intel Macs!!
Click to expand...

mc68k's scripts work on anything that will run a proper UNIX shell. They could care less what processor is running. There is a lot more to getting the FORTRAN source code from the (s)Tinker core to be compiled and work properly. Obviously, they got it running on Mac OS X but not running well. I'm sure they have plans but not enough time or money to get things going.

As for folding on laptop computers, I've had good luck running on my PowerBook, but I've been using a USB thumbdrive thingee instead of taxing the internal hard drive which is already overworked.
 
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