SMP Client

[FunkZ]

The last time I looked at this I believe they only had a Linux version available. It's probably been awhile though.

Today I downloaded and installed the Windows SMP beta on my machines at work. I tested it on one machine first, there's a few steps you have to take to get it working.

1) You need the Microsoft .NET 2.0 - you can have other versions but the client needs 2.0 specifically.
2) There is an install.bat file that must be run first, before starting the client.
3) To work as a service you have to run the install.bat using the same account you installed .NET with. Then once the service is installed you have to change the logon credentials to use that same account, rather than the local system account.

This is a beta client so there may be a few bugs but those steps worked for 3 machines in a row. Also at some point Stanford will likely discontinue releasing WU's for the beta so keep an eye out for a new or final version.

I am seeing up to 100% increase in PPD using this client. Rather than each CPU core working on its own separate project, they all work together on a single big, high-value one.

My 2.1Ghz C2D PPD went from 550 to 1050
A 2.8Ghz P D went from 390 to 530
And a 3.2Ghz P4 HT went from 270 to 560

The HT chip saw the most improvement which is strange since it's only 2 logical cores and did worse than the P D when processing 2 separate work units.

I'll be installing this on my home machines as well. May take a day or two to register the new work (and I hate to lose the work that's currently in queue) but looks like it's definitely worth it.

[FunkZ]

Okay, just switched over my home rigs. I waited until they turned in their current project before terminating the old program.

3800+ went from 550 a day to 900
5200+ went from 650 to 1400

Huge increase out of the Windsor chip. :mrgreen:

[Joco]

Yea, more than the double. I never got my SMP client working. Do you have a folding team for OCIA?

I have folded for ocforums before but I haven't had time to install everything since after my huge reinstallation.

[IvyBat]

OCIA is team # 12913 :)

[FunkZ]

Unfortunately they don't have an SMP GUI client available yet but probably when the final release comes out. So the only choice is the console version for now.

Should start seeing some major points rolling in tomorrow!

[FunkZ]

Well guys, if you elect to run the SMP Client I would highly suggest to not run it as a service. Stanford doesn't support this method and I have lost 3 work units now from rebooting. It seems the thread processes terminate abruptly before the service can shut them down and the work queue gets deleted. If you stop the service before shutting down the computer then everything closes out properly but you have to remember to manually stop it. I've also had some problems with the processes themselves getting hung and the only option I've found to fix it is to delete the work queue and start over from scratch. That's happened twice now.

So while they're worth a lot of points, it's a beta client that definitely has a few bugs in it, which is probably why the work units are worth so many points, because it seems like only half to two-thirds actually get turned in.

Here's what I should be producing... almost 5000ppd.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/funkz/2442ppd.jpg
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/funkz/2446ppd.jpg

[FunkZ]

I stopped folding on the P4, it just wasn't worthwhile for me to keep that machine running just for that and I could use it elsewhere for a workstation.

But I did just get a new server in. Almost 3000ppd all by itself...

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/funkz/x5450.jpg

Unfortunately it will only be for a while until it is deployed. But while it's in the lab being built, fold away! :lol:

[FunkZ]

The previous version of the SMP client expired on 2/1. It will keep working until you reboot, then it will not be able to launch. Stanford has a new version for download, just install it over the existing version.