Support Cancer Research and the NCSU Wolfpack With Your Computer's Spare Time!

What Is It?
Essentially the http://folding.stanford.edu/ uses your unused CPU cycles to model how proteins fold in the human body. The misfolding of proteins is often involved in well known diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Mad Cow (BSE), CJD, ALS, and Parkinson’s disease. Because this endeavor requires massive amounts of computing power, their project uses spare CPU time on computers that would otherwise sit idle in homes and businesses across the world. Here at North Carolina State University, we have formed this team in order to donate our spare CPU time to help this important endeavor.

The North Carolina State University (http://ncsufolding.com) Folding@Home Team (Team # 59) was one of the first teams to join the Folding@Home project, and was the very first University-based team to join. We are currently ranked in the top 100 in the world and are ramping up production in an effort to make it into the Top 50. We are all dedicated to doing our part to help end some of these terrible diseases, and we would appreciate the company of anyone who would like to help.

All it takes is the installation of a small piece of software and your computer will start completing Work Units for the project and the team. The Folding@Home process runs at the lowest possible priority so you can run it 24X7 without slowing down your computer or interfering with your everyday computing tasks. If you have a Sony PS3 Game Console you can also run Folding@Home (http://folding.stanford.edu/English/FAQ-PS3) on it with great results.

How Can I Help?

Go to http://folding.stanford.edu/English/Download,download and install the software. Our Team Number is 59.

Click here - http://www.ncsufolding.com/?page_id=4 for more detailed installation instructions.

Windows Computers:
We recommend using the "text-only console” client for most windows computers. If you have a dual/quad/etc core processor, be sure to install and run the SMP client to get you and the team far more points than the standard console client (but sometimes it has problems starting as a service, so you might have to restart the client manually or automatically via startup folder when your computer restarts). In general, its best to stay away from the graphical clients. If you have a Pentium 4 with Hyperthreading, its best to turn off Hyperthreading in the BIOS if you know how. Feel free to post in this thread with any questions.

Mac and Linux Computers:
There are both "text-only" consoles and SMP clients for Linux and Macintosh computers too! If you have a dual/quad/etc core processor be sure to run the SMP client as you'll get far more points than the text-only client. But the text-only clients also help out too if you only have single-core processors.

PS3:
PS3s currently provide over 60% of the processing power in the Folding@home network and are capable of producing many points for the team. If you have PS3 system version 1.6 or later, you will see a Folding@Home icon in the Network column of the XMB (PS3 Networking menu). Just click on the icon and that's it. If you don't have 1.6 or later, perform a system upgrade. Make sure to use Team #59!

The more computers and PS3s you run the clients on, the more points your username and the NCSU team earns! Install as many clients as you can and watch your username/team progress at the stats page - http://folding.extremeoverclocking.com/team_summary.php?s=&t=59

Links

Team Links:
NCSU F@H Team Website: http://www.ncsufolding.com
NCSU F@H Team Discussion: http://brentroad.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=118820
NCSU F@H Team Facebook Group: http://ncst.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5012521644

F@H Links:
F@H Project Homepage: http://folding.stanford.edu/
F@H Official Forums: http://forum.folding-community.org
F@H Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folding@home
F@H Wiki Site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folding@home

Stats:
Stats1: http://folding.extremeoverclocking.com/team_summary.php?s=&t=59
Stats2: http://folding.stanford.edu/English/Stats
Monitor your production: http://fahmon.net
Compare your production with other users: http://fahinfo.org

man this isnt fair...i'm still 96...fykal is gonna pass me in the next day...synapse got 720 a day on his processor(we have the same one...like t2310 or something...i get like 443...

[Edited on January 17, 2008 at 3:32 AM. Reason : .]

1/17/2008 3:28:02 AM

you'll be really sad once i put some of the quad cores i'm getting here at work online

1/17/2008 11:11:36 AM

anyone looking at the new dual-core chips?

i'm itching to pick up an E8400

1/17/2008 11:20:13 AM

Quote :

"I just joined"

You just showed up in the stats. Welcome.
http://folding.extremeoverclocking.com/user_summary.php?s=&u=314710

1/17/2008 5:44:39 PM

Quote :

"you'll be really sad once i put some of the quad cores i'm getting here at work online"

don't worry about him, we'll all be happy

when they coming online?

1/17/2008 5:50:39 PM

^Unless he means he's not going to put them under Team 59? Because that would make me sad.

1/17/2008 6:05:19 PM

http://folding.extremeoverclocking.com/user_summary.php?s=&u=91287

omg...this shit is ridiculous...my trend line is going way down, i've gone from 95 to 97...man so disheartening

1/19/2008 6:22:55 AM

all you gotta do is install some more clients

1/19/2008 10:57:03 AM

i did get someone else to sign up...jigarcia...he got his desktop in 2004 so its kinda outdated but i checked last night and he gets about 150 points a day...he has the nononsense client

1/19/2008 12:08:11 PM

how is it possible you haven't put points up in 5 days straight? are you running it on a pentium III 450mhz or something?

1/19/2008 7:32:10 PM

In the top 50 now

1/21/2008 12:39:06 AM

^^does wolfwebbing kill this?

[Edited on January 21, 2008 at 2:49 AM. Reason : multiple tabs, paint, etc etc etc]

1/21/2008 2:48:56 AM

no, it shouldn't

you can go to your C:\Program Files\Folding@Home Windows SMP Client V1.01

and open up your unitinfo.txt, it should look something like this

Current Work Unit
-----------------
Name: Protein in POPC
Tag: -
Download time: January 21 08:51:19
Due time: January 25 08:51:19
Progress: 21%  [||________]

1/21/2008 10:12:07 AM

Current Work Unit
-----------------
Name: Protein in POPC
Tag: -
Download time: December 24 08:05:35
Due time: December 28 08:05:35
Progress: 0% [__________]

C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH

[Edited on January 21, 2008 at 5:37 PM. Reason : .]

1/21/2008 5:37:08 PM

now that's a problem....

post what's in FAHlog.txt

1/21/2008 6:51:26 PM

Launch directory: C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH
Service: C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH\fah.exe
Arguments: -svcstart

Launched as a service.
Entered C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH to do work.

[09:38:30] - Ask before connecting: No
[09:38:30] - User name: drunknloaded (Team 59)
[09:38:30] - User ID: 4F7842C53247A679
[09:38:30] - Machine ID: 1
[09:38:30]
[09:38:30] Loaded queue successfully.
[09:38:30] Unit 2's deadline (December 28 08:05) has passed.


--- Opening Log file [January 21 23:54:24]


# SMP Client ##################################################################
###############################################################################

Folding@Home Client Version 5.91beta5

http://folding.stanford.edu

###############################################################################
###############################################################################

Launch directory: C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH
Service: C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH\fah.exe
Arguments: -svcstart

Launched as a service.
Entered C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH to do work.

[23:54:24] - Ask before connecting: No
[23:54:24] - User name: drunknloaded (Team 59)
[23:54:24] - User ID: 4F7842C53247A679
[23:54:24] - Machine ID: 1
[23:54:24]
[23:54:24] Loaded queue successfully.
[23:54:24]
[23:54:24] + Processing work unit
[23:54:24] Core required: FahCore_a1.exe
[23:54:24] Core found.
[23:54:24] Working on Unit 03 [January 21 23:54:24]
[23:54:24] + Working ...




[Edited on January 21, 2008 at 7:01 PM. Reason : i was under the impression this was starting up when i turned on my laptop]

1/21/2008 7:01:18 PM

^i would add the flag "-verbosity 9" so you get more info in your log, it still looks hung

from page 49:
http://thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=118820&page=49#10963093

[Edited on January 21, 2008 at 7:13 PM. Reason : .]

1/21/2008 7:09:47 PM

sigh

i'm so fucking tired of this shit...guess i'm going to try and reinstall it again

hopefully i uninstall it correctly

here is my latest log by the way

###############################################################################

Launch directory: C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH
Service: C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH\fah.exe
Arguments: -svcstart

Launched as a service.
Entered C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH to do work.

[22:02:08] - Ask before connecting: No
[22:02:08] - User name: drunknloaded (Team 59)
[22:02:08] - User ID: 4F7842C53247A679
[22:02:08] - Machine ID: 1
[22:02:08]
[22:02:08] Loaded queue successfully.
[22:02:08] Unit 2's deadline (December 28 08:05) has passed.


--- Opening Log file [January 19 06:42:10]


# SMP Client ##################################################################
###############################################################################

Folding@Home Client Version 5.91beta5

http://folding.stanford.edu

###############################################################################
###############################################################################

Launch directory: C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH
Service: C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH\fah.exe
Arguments: -svcstart

Launched as a service.
Entered C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH to do work.

[06:42:10] - Ask before connecting: No
[06:42:10] - User name: drunknloaded (Team 59)
[06:42:10] - User ID: 4F7842C53247A679
[06:42:10] - Machine ID: 1
[06:42:10]

A potential conflict was detected:

Process 1072 is currently running and may also be a client with Mach. ID 1.
Program will now exit. Upon restart, this check will not be done --
you may wish to check that no client is currently running in
C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH before restarting.

Please press any key to exit.


--- Opening Log file [January 21 09:38:30]


# SMP Client ##################################################################
###############################################################################

Folding@Home Client Version 5.91beta5

http://folding.stanford.edu

###############################################################################
###############################################################################

Launch directory: C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH
Service: C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH\fah.exe
Arguments: -svcstart

Launched as a service.
Entered C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH to do work.

[09:38:30] - Ask before connecting: No
[09:38:30] - User name: drunknloaded (Team 59)
[09:38:30] - User ID: 4F7842C53247A679
[09:38:30] - Machine ID: 1
[09:38:30]
[09:38:30] Loaded queue successfully.
[09:38:30] Unit 2's deadline (December 28 08:05) has passed.


--- Opening Log file [January 21 23:54:24]


# SMP Client ##################################################################
###############################################################################

Folding@Home Client Version 5.91beta5

http://folding.stanford.edu

###############################################################################
###############################################################################

Launch directory: C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH
Service: C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH\fah.exe
Arguments: -svcstart

Launched as a service.
Entered C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH to do work.

[23:54:24] - Ask before connecting: No
[23:54:24] - User name: drunknloaded (Team 59)
[23:54:24] - User ID: 4F7842C53247A679
[23:54:24] - Machine ID: 1
[23:54:24]
[23:54:24] Loaded queue successfully.
[23:54:24]
[23:54:24] + Processing work unit
[23:54:24] Core required: FahCore_a1.exe
[23:54:24] Core found.
[23:54:24] Working on Unit 03 [January 21 23:54:24]
[23:54:24] + Working ...


--- Opening Log file [January 22 00:53:35]


# SMP Client ##################################################################
###############################################################################

Folding@Home Client Version 5.91beta5

http://folding.stanford.edu

###############################################################################
###############################################################################

Launch directory: C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH
Service: C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH\fah.exe
Arguments: -svcstart

Launched as a service.
Entered C:\Users\Josh\SMP-FAH to do work.

[00:53:35] - Ask before connecting: No
[00:53:35] - User name: drunknloaded (Team 59)
[00:53:35] - User ID: 4F7842C53247A679
[00:53:35] - Machine ID: 1
[00:53:35]
[00:53:35] Loaded queue successfully.
[00:53:35]
[00:53:35] + Processing work unit
[00:53:35] Core required: FahCore_a1.exe
[00:53:35] Core found.
[00:53:35] Working on Unit 03 [January 22 00:53:35]
[00:53:35] + Working ...

[Edited on January 21, 2008 at 9:11 PM. Reason : .]

1/21/2008 9:05:38 PM

ok how bout this...how bout one of you brainiacs meet me on campus and install it correctly for me so i can know for sure if it works*

*you would also have to uninstall correctly


also...gonna try this...

Quote :

"If it were me, I would just setup a new user account called "Folding" and run all of the FAH through that account. Once the service is working, you can "Switch User" instead of Logging off and it will definately keep running... I use the SMP client this way, I have a user account seperate for it (keep in mind it has to be password protected with the SMP client). When I start the machine, I login to that account first, I have an icon/shortcut to the FAH SMP client, double click on it, SMP starts folding. Then I just switch users back to my normal account and the SMP will be running in the background. You get a TON more points with the SMP versus the 5.04 client. My C2D E6550 2.33Ghz yields about 1500 PPD, whereas I have a C2D E4300 at work setup with the 5.04 console and it gets about 400 PPD (just guesses there, but you get the point). Even if you were running 2 versions of 5.04 you'd be getting half the points versus running the SMP. I installed the SMP using the FAH SMP wiki page for installing with Vista, everything worked to a "t" and I haven't had any issues at all."

[Edited on January 21, 2008 at 10:26 PM. Reason : .]

1/21/2008 10:14:51 PM

damn the last few days have been rather crappy

hope we can bounce back today...

1/22/2008 7:40:21 AM

prospero told me to pm kruznby to see if he could set it up on my laptop

1/22/2008 9:41:18 AM

^ I have zero experinece with dual core machines, so I don't think I would be the best bet. Could synapse do it?

1/22/2008 11:33:17 AM

i'd totally do it if i lived closer, but the drive from Colorado's a killer.

i've lost some of my momentum because i've just given up on my desktop folding, it's too unreliable, it takes a lot of work to keep it going and because of the instability i only get about 1 WU done every 2-3 days when it should be cranking out 1WU every 22 hours. i guess i'll wait until i upgrade my CPU till i try again, at this point i'm assuming it's hardware related in particular the CPU

1/22/2008 11:41:40 AM

well i have a Q6600 system sitting here beside me so that should help some

1/22/2008 12:22:34 PM

drunknloaded, you have a pm...

1/22/2008 3:58:52 PM

Do bigger work units take longer to process?

I've have 2 12MB 1000 point WUs processing on two of the quad opteron servers in my lab, but the processing time is close to 30-35 hours. I see that some of you are turning out WUs in 22 hours or less.

1/22/2008 4:06:35 PM

Quote :

"I've have 2 12MB 1000 point WUs processing on two of the quad opteron servers in my lab, but the processing time is close to 30-35 hours. I see that some of you are turning out WUs in 22 hours or less."

wow, you would think you would be turning the SMP workunits out quicker than 30-35 hours...if those are 1000pt WUs you're working on then you're only averaging 700-800 PPD on each quad core processor. I would expect much more out of a quad core proc. the only thing i can think of is maybe the procs you're using don't have much L2 cache, but I don't see how it could degrade your performance that much.

do you ever get the 1760pt work units? how fast do you complete those in? i assume you have large workunits enabled since you're getting 12mb work units...

in general tho make sure and use fahmon to monitor performance and average PPD on each machine.

1/22/2008 4:17:22 PM

darkone are you sure you're using the SMP client?

1/22/2008 4:32:58 PM

yeah thats actually a very good question...1000pt doesn't sound like any smp WU i've seen before...

1/22/2008 4:34:52 PM

I'm ONLY getting the 1760pt WUs on my computer at home. They take about 13-15 hrs for me.

[Edited on January 22, 2008 at 5:13 PM. Reason : SMP client w/ large units enabled - don't know if that's common or if it helps]

1/22/2008 5:09:21 PM

so you're still at 3000ppd on that single machine, verrrry nice.
have you added any other clients yet?

1/22/2008 5:23:30 PM

I'm not running on a quad core processor. I'm running on a 4 processor machine with 64bit linux. At least I think it's a 4 processor machine. I need to talk to my sysadmin when he's back in town. /proc/cpuinfo only lists 2 Opteron 248s (2.2 GHz, 1MB cache). However, there are 4 FAH processes in the process list. I ran top and it looks like each FAH process is only running at 45-65% CPU capacity. If the servers only have 2 CPUs, why would FAH start 4 processes?

1/22/2008 5:57:56 PM

first off the smp client always runs 4 instances/processes, no matter what the hardware is. so at least we know you are running the SMP client. now u need to make sure you have "large WU's" enabled

abd the opteron 248 is a single core proc...so it sounds like you have two single core processors...so maybe the performance you're seeing makes sense for two of those procs.

1/22/2008 6:03:34 PM

^^ yeah, Fahmon lists it as 2964.21. I don't have any more clients I can bring up atm

1/22/2008 6:43:54 PM

looking at the specs for an opteron 248, 750 PPD (1,000 / 1.5 days [36 hours]) seems appropriate for a dual-processor machine, it's 90nm, 1MB cache and running at 2.2Ghz and two separate die (unlike dual-core processors)

[Edited on January 22, 2008 at 6:56 PM. Reason : .]

1/22/2008 6:55:41 PM

that's about what my 90nm p4d did

1/22/2008 7:04:49 PM

ok team, time to upgrade



i'd like to see some 5.17 Ghz folder's out there!!!

1/22/2008 7:06:08 PM

lmfao

when I get a much better heatsink I should be able to get from 3 to 4

1/22/2008 7:10:46 PM

sadly i think the Q6600 would still be a 5Ghz E8400... the SMP client is a beast on quad-cores

1/22/2008 7:23:41 PM

Quote :

"opteron 248, 750 PPD (1,000 / 1.5 days [36 hours]) "

where did you get those numbers from

1/22/2008 10:28:36 PM

They need to make a beowulf client so I can hog nodes on the PAMS cluster.

1/22/2008 10:34:31 PM

Quote :

"where did you get those numbers from"

from you.

Quote :

"I've have 2 12MB 1000 point WUs processing on two of the quad opteron servers in my lab, but the processing time is close to 30-35 hours."

(2) 1,000 point WU / (2) single core opteron 248 processors = 1,000 points per processor per 30-35 hours

30 hours/24 hours = ~1.25 days
35 hours/24 hours = ~1.5 days
1000 points / 1.25 days = 800 PPD
1000 points / 1.5 days = 666 PPD

so i just estimated 750PPD per server

you can always look up the single-core opteron 248 (troy) on http://fahinfo.org too

[Edited on January 22, 2008 at 11:43 PM. Reason : .]

1/22/2008 11:41:53 PM

so just so i'm getting this right.......i'm thinking he has two physical servers, each with two physical single core CPUs (opteron 248 single core proc)

and he's running the one smp client on each server, and he's saying that hes averaging ~750PPD out of each SMP client, so around 1500PPD on both servers?

and those numbers might make sense...those processors aren't the newest things around But 1500PPD is still a huge help for the team!

1/23/2008 12:00:44 AM

^ correct

1/23/2008 12:03:19 AM

Info on diskless folding:
http://reilly.homeip.net/folding/

1/23/2008 12:23:22 AM

official project for it:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/foldingcd/

this would be good to put on ncsufolding.com

[Edited on January 23, 2008 at 12:52 AM. Reason : .]

1/23/2008 12:51:38 AM

I burnt a copy of the diskless folding CD. I think I'm going to attempt some gorilla folding again.

1/23/2008 1:31:25 AM

currently folding via VMWare (64-bit linux smp)
~16min. per frame = 26 hours per WU

freaking awesome, it posts the IP and you can just point to the IP and a mini-log / web page with links to the unitinfo.txt, etc...

1/23/2008 2:35:47 AM

gs7 is gonna hook up my laptop today on campus...if all goes well i should be getting about 720 points per day...synapse said he had the same processor as me(t2310) and it got around 720 a day for him

1/23/2008 4:06:07 AM

i have it running on a T2310 and I get ~34-36 min. frames = 1WU every 60 hours = 2.5 days
1 WU = 1760 / 2.5 days = 704PPD

1/23/2008 10:17:24 AM