pretty good news for the team

[Riddick]

Ok as promised i have just moved it to my new secondary school, which is new and just established 1 year ago. I came back from the orientation today, and there are roughly 100++ pcs around the whole school, equipped with at least a P4 running windows xp.

my term starts on monday.. and im itching to get my hands on them (to install folding of course) . i have to contact the IT teacher first though, and ask him for permission about this thing.. if any of you guys come up with a greaaat way of convincing him let me know yeah.. hopefully i wont have to resort to finding my own way to h4x and getting the admin logins illegally :mouldy:

also is there a way to run console hidden from normal view... like as service WITHOUT any 3rd party programs.. i would like to do that so that other students wouldnt mess up the progress

thanks in advance,
riddick

[mmonnin]

Here is my letter that I sent but never got a reply. Modify it and use the info it. It should help a little bit.

I hope you will have better luck than me.

[Riddick]

OMG mmonnin that is some good stuff.. i will forward it to him (after editing.. hehe) as soon as i get to know him better, or hopefully become a voluntary admin of the school

thanks

[csimon]

also is there a way to run console hidden from normal view... like as service WITHOUT any 3rd party programs.. i would like to do that so that other students wouldnt mess up the progress

thanks in advance,
riddick

I run a routine that sets f@h as a service ...you can make a floppy or cd w/ the following files and custominze your own .bat file.

you'll need the following files (they must be in the same folder when you run the .bat file):

NETSVC.EXE
INSTSRV.EXE
service.exe
SRVANY.EXE
FAH3Console.exe
service files.zip (http://www.cox-internet.com/csimon/service/zip/service files.zip)

make a batch file (I call mine setup.bat (http://www.cox-internet.com/csimon/service/setup.bat)) to install the client as a service simular to this:

md c:\windows\f@h
service -cpu=1 -dir=c:\windows\f@h -params="-advmethods -forcesse"

all I do is take my disk with me and whenever I want to install I pop it in and I'm done in under a minute.
any questions?

[Riddick]

the last two files services.exe and srvanny.exe seem are bad links...
//edit oh wait.. i went to the root folder.. they are there, my mistake

hmm i have to figure out how to use that batch file first... im not too familiar with it.. how exactly do i use it? i just launched it and nothing seems to happen.. hmmm :banghead:

also do the services continue running if there is no one logged in? (windows in the user choosing screen etc)

[Straight_Man]

Services can be always on, when user is not specified and the client is installed as an admin install. Essentially what happens is that Windows runs services as admin priority when initialized by admin. And the login screen with user choice is essentially for local access-- can be usd for remote also, but that is not usual for the user choice screen in your situation.

But, core services are still running and running with a priority that is essentially admin plus system, even while the screen is blanked unless the system goes to sleep state or suspend state with BIOS control of that instead of Windows controlling that. Essentially they are handled as if the box were serving up work, acting like a software server-- for the purpose of folding in this case. Only admin on a box can control most (like 90%) services, "ordinary" users cannot do this without being in admin group also (in which cae, NOT ordinary, really).

John.

[csimon]

the last two files services.exe and srvanny.exe seem are bad links...
//edit oh wait.. i went to the root folder.. they are there, my mistake

hmm i have to figure out how to use that batch file first... im not too familiar with it.. how exactly do i use it? i just launched it and nothing seems to happen.. hmmm :banghead:

also do the services continue running if there is no one logged in? (windows in the user choosing screen etc)
OK Rid I fixed the links.

batch files are easy to use but in this case remember one thing ...all of the above files should be in the same folder at the same time for it work.

I can make the batch file for you if you tell me where you want the f@h folder located (ie like in c:\f@h\f@h1). The c:\ designates the drive it will go to as I'm sure you probably know. The f@h is the folder you will create to store the files and the routine will automatically create subfolder f@h1 inside of it where the files are actually housed. If you were to install more than one instance then the next folder would be c:\f@h\f@h2 and so on up to ...c:\f@h\f@h8. So the actual folder you specify can be anything including an existing folder for example c:\windows\f@h\f@h"1-8".

I'll write the batch if you tell me where you want it to be placed on the hard drives. Also, are any of these machines hyperthreaded? This would change things also.

I'll explain a little ...the first line creates the folder to house the client(s) f@h"1-8"
md c:\f@h
the second line sets up the service itself ...
-cpu="1-8" sets up from a single to 8 clients and this is specific to FAH4Console.exe. If you use hyperthreading change this to -cpu=2 and if you use dual procs w/ hyperthreading change it to -cpu=4.
-dir="path" designates the path where the routine will place the client folder(s) and files necessary to run f@h.
-params="-parameters" designates the parameters you want to use with your clients and will be placed in the registry ...I recommend the two in the string below although "-forcesse" is not necessary with P4's. The "quotes" below are however necessary.
service -cpu=1 -dir=c:\f@h -params="-advmethods -forcesse"

and there you have it in a nutshell:
md c:\f@h
service -cpu=1 -dir=c:\f@h -params="-advmethods -forcesse"

No one needs to be logged on for it to be working ...it works as long as windows sits at the "log in" screen or better ...and no matter who logs in it will continue to run. To stop it simply "run" services.msc and right click on the client and choose stop. The client will stop until either restarted or until the system is rebooted.

edit/ sorry it was 3:45 am when I posted that and I've fixed the links for you now! :fold:

[mmonnin]

Care to write a tutorial csimon? Attach all the files in a Zip file with a basic .bat explaining how to designate the folder and parameters and such.

[csimon]

Care to write a tutorial csimon? Attach all the files in a Zip file with a basic .bat explaining how to designate the folder and parameters and such.
it's already been done ...I got it from this (http://www.bluetentacle.co.uk/dc/fahservice.htm) site although it is written for FAH3Console.exe I'm sure it will be updated sometimes soon.
I edited the post above so that you can d'load the files from a single zip file.

I should have mentioned that this method only works with the FAH3Console version ...I simply renamed my FAH4Console to FAH3Console and it worked fine ...sorry for any confusion I'm working on it.

edit// anyone have access to arstechnica forums to ask when PK's Service installer will be updated to install FAH4Console?

[Riddick]

Okay this is what i gather :

1. i have to rename FAH4Console to FAH3Console to get it to work, but it will still be as functional and the same as the fah4.
2. i have to set the directory after C:\windows\f@h (e.g. c:\windows\f@h\f@h1) manually by editing the .bat file myself.. and reedit it if its a hyperthreading proc?
3. if i have put F@h in c:\windows\f@h\f@h1, then i would have to set my dir in the second line to the exact same thing?

oh yea i dont recall seeing any hyperthreading pcs.. so i think its going to be a little simpler for me heehee

[csimon]

To view the information below, type service.exe -? at a command prompt

Command line switches:

-cpu=n : number of client installs (max of 4) defaults to 1 if undefined
-dir="path" : location to install clients defaults to c:\fah[1..n] if undefined
-sn="service name" : name of service defaults to F@H[1..n] if undefined
-params="parameters" : client startup parameters (do not include "-service") defaults to just "-service" if undefined
-noconfig : use existing config file place config file in same dir as this exe

[csimon]

Okay this is what i gather :

1. i have to rename FAH4Console to FAH3Console to get it to work, but it will still be as functional and the same as the fah4.
2. i have to set the directory after C:\windows\f@h (e.g. c:\windows\f@h\f@h1) manually by editing the .bat file myself.. and reedit it if its a hyperthreading proc?
3. if i have put F@h in c:\windows\f@h\f@h1, then i would have to set my dir in the second line to the exact same thing?

oh yea i dont recall seeing any hyperthreading pcs.. so i think its going to be a little simpler for me heehee

yes ...so if I understand you correctly it should look like this

md c:\windows\f@h
service -cpu=1 -dir=c:\windows\f@h -params="-advmethods"

f@h1 will be set up automatically.

[Straight_Man]

That is a neat batch set, csimon....

John.

[csimon]

That is a neat batch set, csimon....

John.
thanks but I can't take credit I just read the instructions.
nice avatar john.

[Straight_Man]

IN RE AVATAR:

Thanks! WAY, WAY back when I ran this BBS that was first named The Owl's Nest.... Someone who I will only refer to as TB (not TD) started dialling in to it, virtually hanging out, and we ended up morphing the name a few times over three years-- he became in essence a power mod, a co-sysop. I am still a kinda owlie dude, wear glasses, and will not show a real pic of /me until after the eye surgery to straighten right eye. One of the admins might recognize this description.... :D

Essentially, I "daylightized" a digital photo of a Grey Owl taken at night, did a fast resize for height, and added a rollup corner,in about 5 min of work in Paint Shop Pro 8, and my first handle on what was then a BBS network and Usenet, WAS Grey Owl. I wrote .bats way back when myself, in several kinds of DOS.... :D

[Riddick]

allright ive just tested the service installer on one of my boxes.. everything is working fine. as soon as i get permission for using them on the school labs, we should be getting quite a big point boost

thanks guys :D

[csimon]

allright ive just tested the service installer on one of my boxes.. everything is working fine. as soon as i get permission for using them on the school labs, we should be getting quite a big point boost

thanks guys :D

great ...the only thing you may want to check taskmanager after you install to be sure fahcore_78.exe is using 99-100% ...if only using 50% then that machine is probably hyperthreaded which means you should change -cpu=1 to -cpu=2 ...then you will have two clients folding and 2 x fahcore_78.exe's running 50% which is good. Use taskmanager.
Keep in mind at first it takes a few minutes to d'load the core.

[Riddick]

i'll be carrying around the f@h gromacs core 1.55 with me in a CD.. i'll copy it directly to the pc, hehehe

[csimon]

i'll be carrying around the f@h gromacs core 1.55 with me in a CD.. i'll copy it directly to the pc, hehehe
great idea ...I do that also!
I don't remember having to configure each station or not with the service installer but I have copied the client.cfg from station to station as well.

[pizzaking]

As has already been posted, the service installer does support the new version of the F@H client. You can either rename the client executable or use the clientexe switch. This switch isn't listed on the webpage but is shown if you run "service -?", you can then change the client exeuctable to be anything you want.

The service installer automatically creates all the necessary client.cfg files when you either supply answers to questions (same as when you run the F@H client the first time) or if you use the noconfig switch which uses the settings in a provided client.cfg file. The machineID is also automatically set when installing multiple clients.

Hope that clears up any questions people had :). I'll be updating the documentation and the client switch information when the end of semester are over in a couple of weeks time.

Cheers

pk

[Shorty]

Good to see ya PK :fold:

Thanks for that clarification :)

[Riddick]

All righty, i have finally met one of the IT teachers in the computer lab, explained to her what folding is (dont really think she understood it thought :P) and will be emailing her the detailed info that mmonnin attached earlier.

the computer labs are not left on 24/7 unfortunately.. only powered when students are using them, maybe 3-5 hours a day. i havent had a chance of looking into the server room but i heard its on all the time

wishhhh mee luckk!

[QCH]

Well, who every this mee is... good luck to him :D

[mmonnin]

Good luck man.

You might have to set them us using genomes then since they arent on very often.

[csimon]

is there a switch that would let you install FAH4Console as a service without having to rename it to FAH3Console or should we just wait for the new service installer?

thanks pk
csimon

[pizzaking]

The full list of available switches for the current version are:


Command line switches:
-cpu=n : number of client installs (max of 4)
defaults to 1 if undefined
-dir="path" : location to install clients
defaults to c:\fah[1..n] if undefined
-sn="service name" : name of service
defaults to F@H[1..n] if undefined
-params="parameters" : client startup parameters (do not include "-service")
Note: include the "-" before the parameter
defaults to just "-service" if undefined
-clientexe="exename" : name of the console client executable
defaults to FAH3Console.exe if undefined
-noconfig : use existing config file
place config file in same dir as this exe


So if you run the command

service.exe -clientexe="FAH4Console.exe"

then the service will be installed using the default name for the f@h v4 client.

pk

[csimon]

So if you run the command

service.exe -clientexe="FAH4Console.exe"

then the service will be installed using the default name for the f@h v4 client.

pk
thanks pk I should have figured that out!
:aol:

[a2jfreak]

Is there any reason I should keep my v3 clients or would the effort be better served by switching to v4?

[drasnor]

Is there any reason I should keep my v3 clients or would the effort be better served by switching to v4?
v4 client implements the -forceSSE tag, which speeds up production on nice AMD processors and crashes others.

BTW, while we're uploading 1st party service installers, here are the two that I use. They're both based on the one linked from the Team Icrontic page (gone now) which use srvany like csimon's pack. My additions are cleaned up service descriptions for the Services panel, cleaner names, expects v4 client. Single is the single-instance version, dual is the two-instances version. If you compare the two, it's easy to see how you can add more instances if necessary (I hate you if you're in that position :D).

Folding_Single.zip expects FAH4Console.exe to be located and preconfigured in C:\Program Files\Folding@Home.

Folding_Dual.zip expects FAH4Console.exe to be located and preconfigured in C:\Program Files\Folding@Home\Thread_0 and another FAH4Console.exe to be located and preconfigured in C:\Program Files\Folding@Home\Thread_1.

Both default with the tags -local -forceasm -forceSSE -advmethods -service. To modify this behavior, edit the AppParameter lines in folding.reg PRIOR to using install.cmd. If you want to change it after the fact, you'll need to open regedit and change the AppParameter values in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Folding@Home\Parameters\ for single and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Folding@Home_Thread_X\Parameters\ for dual where X is the number of the Folding instance you want to change).

It's really not that complicated, I swear! :aol:

-drasnor :fold:

[mmonnin]

You could get SSE with V3, its just has a new flag thats all with V4.

[csimon]

drasnor I copied mine from an old thread I started at icrontic actually ...someone else had guided me there but can't remember who and well ...I can't go back to find out! :bawling:

Note:

As far as FAH4 is concerned I think that ...

-forceasm is totally unnecessary
-ForceSSE is not case sensitive so -forcesse will work as well

hope that helps!

[drasnor]

-forceasm is totally unnecessary
-ForceSSE is not case sensitive so -forcesse will work as well

See? Why don't people tell me these things! :facetious:
Speaking of totally unnecessary, that reminds me for some reason that fellow SM user khan puts an assert(1) statement after every line of code he writes in C++. His logic is that he wants to make it very clear to the software that it must keep running at all costs. So too with redundant optimization flags ;D.


...someone else had guided me there but can't remember who and well ...I can't go back to find out!
I posted at least two threads on the matter back then, so it could have been me :spooky:

-drasnor :fold:

PS we need smilies for spooky at least.

[csimon]

LOL ...you can have credit if you want it!