Optimizations?
RWB
Icrontian
I have a few computers running now, ranging from Dual Core Athlons, Pentium 4's and a Pentium M, with a couple more possibly when I can get my cousin to get his Church computers to run it either in my name or his own for team 93. But I recall things like advmethods and such, but I also recall not needing it on certain computers, but also there were some other optimizations or certain types of processors and I cannot find a thread that tells you which to run for what type of computer.
Is there a thread or can someone advise me on what to do to get the most of these systems?
Is there a thread or can someone advise me on what to do to get the most of these systems?
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1. –advmethods
-advmethods tells the Stanford servers that you are prepared to run beta work units. These work units are worth more points than the standard ones, but they may fail as they are beta. This is the reason that they are worth more points
2. –forceasm
-forceasm forces the client to use SSE/3DNow! instructions. After an improper shut down the client will turn off the special instructions and process the work unit with "standard loops" this switch over rides this.
3. –verbosity 9
This increases the amount of information that F@H writes to the log file. Not required but is a useful diagnostic switch, if you are having a problem with F@H you may be able to pin point it faster.
4. –local
This switch is required if you are going to run multiple instances of F@H on your computer. It ensures that the multiple instances do not conflict with each other this is done by the client reading the config file from the local folder..
5. –svcstart
This switch tells the client to start as a service. As far as I know it can only be used on the console client. It is added by the client when you answer Yes to “Install as a service”. It is not usually added by the user, but is listed later on in the guide which is why I have added it here.
Stanford console user guide: contains information about the complete list of switches.
To install the switches you add them to the end of the client startup instructions. For instance, for the graphical client there is a shortcut to F@H in your startup directory. If you have a look at the properties of this shortcut the target is “C:\Program Files\Folding@Home\WinFAH.exe”. You shutdown the client, and then add the switches to the end of this, ensuring that there is a space before the – of each switch. For instance, if you wanted to add the forceasm switch to the graphical client, you would change “C:\Program Files\Folding@Home\WinFAH.exe” to “C:\Program Files\Folding@Home\WinF@H.exe” –forceasm, then click Apply, then Ok or close.
You can also use multiple switches, but you must have to have a space between them. For instance, if you wanted to use the forceasm and advmethods switches, you would enter the switches like this: …Console.exe –forceasm –advmethods. You just have to make sure that there is a space between each switch. All of my installs use all of the switches listed above.
Ok, so now that you know what the different switches do, you can install for big work units, which gives you big points!!! If you use your computer on a regular basis it is recommended that you don’t allow big work units unless you have 512 mb of RAM or more. If you are setting up dedicated folding boxes you can get away with 512 mb.
To add switches to a console setup as a service you will need to edit the registry. To find the entry in the registry do a search for "FAH" and eventually you should find this, "C:\Program Files\Folding@Home\FAH502-Console.exe -svcstart" Double click the ImagePath and add in the switches you require like this "C:\Program Files\Folding@Home\FAH502-Console.exe -svcstart -advmethods -forceasm -verbosity 9"
There is a neat little tool to do this, download it from here.
-forceasm will not hurt anything, regardless of how often the computer is turned on and off. The only time that switch will cause problems is if the computer is unstable. Forcing on SSE/3DNow under those circumstances would most likely render the work unit unusable, if it were not already so.