Reboot a folding computer, how often?

[DanG]

I've got 2 systems that do nothing but fold, until dimes came along, they just ran loogged out all the time, even now, I connect once a week to check on everything and then close my session. They've both been up for 32 days.
Am I losing anything by only rebooting them once a month? I'm not too worried about security on them, I don't do anything on the web, both xp pro with sp2 and all other updates, and they're behind my router.

[mmonnin]

NEVAR!

Hehe, I dont reboot them unless needed, IE I move the PC or do some hardware stuff. I dont even bother with updates most of the time. I ran several on 2k without SP4, partially because there wasnt enough room on the HDD for it.;)

[Kwitko]

Same as mmonnin, I reboot only when I have to. I'm also behind a router. SM4 is running Windows 2000 SP4 and AVG. I never browse with it, so I don't worry about viruses or spyware.

If you're not using it already, you should monitor your rigs with EMIII, and if you need to log in and check, I find using VNC to log in much easier.

[QCH]

Windows OS are getting better with their memory, but I still reboot them every few weeks to make sure nothing has gone rogue or any memory leaks... I usually set a TASK to run on my main PC to remotely reboot the systems... but that's me.

[Oriane]

Wow. Great thought. But if I understand folding@home right, you should be able to use your computer normally - and that includes installing updates, AV, firewalls, whatever and rebooting anyhow. I don't know anyone that should not maintenance their computer once in a while.

However, it does make me curious how it would impact a folding job in progress - :eek: (especially a power outage- we have lots of T-Storms here) - going fishing ...

[Kwitko]

Many of us use F@H on everday machines without any problems. Doing updates and rebooting isn't a problem. The Folding@Home client writes checkpoints roughly every 15 minutes so that if there is a power outage, at most you lose 15 minutes of work.

[SpywareShooter]

The only time I shut down my computers is during a thunderstorm or reboot them after updating or installing something.

[Enverex]

Hell, my desktop PC here on XP has been up for multiple months before doing things like NWN, HL2 and sometimes both at the same time as well as the highly unstable NWN Toolkit as well as general usage stuff. Never seemed to slow down. I just restart when needed.

[edcentric]

Two of my dedicated folders are now over 3 months with no reboot.
I try to load updates and such every few months. One of the boxes is my 'spare' so it gets used some.
The last reboot was a power outage.

[Oriane]

Okay,

I ran out to Stanford and they do have problems with this- I'll give you a link but it's kind of involved- so I will try and say one thing I got out of it short as I can-

Take down your PC normally- but DO NOT pause a fold job in progress when you do. The program will do what it needs to for whatever normal PC shutdown automatically.

http://forum.folding-community.org/viewtopic.php?p=108906&highlight=power+outage#108906

I think everyone else has covered what else I know so far.

Fold on everyone- and thanks.

[mmonnin]

I never shut off my PCs. They are on UPSs so small fluctuations never hurt the PCs. I dont use any anti-spyware or virus protection on them. I dont get either and both take resources to run.

FAH is set and forget.

[Thrax]

My computer goes off when the power is off.

[SpywareShooter]

I dont use any anti-spyware or virus protection on them.

I use Norton Antivirus on this (main computer) just because when I'm visiting sites to add to SpywareShooter they give a chance of installing spyware or a trojan. My office computer runs SpySweeper and Norton, but only Spysweeper uses CPU Resources, and not that many. Of course, SpywareShooter is installed on both - my primary spyware protection.