How do I get the most out of my rig?

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quickbrownfox1
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat May 03, 2008 3:10 pm

How do I get the most out of my rig?

Post by quickbrownfox1 »

Ive been running FAH on and off for about 2 years now. I would like to know any ways that do not involve hardware upgrades to increase my productivity. I am currently running the Windows graphical XP client.
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Foxery
Posts: 118
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:11 am
Hardware configuration: Intel Core2 Quad Q9300 (Intel P35 chipset)
Radeon 3850, 512MB model (Catalyst 8.10)
Windows XP, SP2
Location: Syracuse, NY

Re: How do I get the most out of my rig?

Post by Foxery »

We'll need your current system specs to make a recommendation.
Core2 Quad/Q9300, Radeon 3850/512MB (WinXP SP2)
quickbrownfox1
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat May 03, 2008 3:10 pm

Re: How do I get the most out of my rig?

Post by quickbrownfox1 »

Intel Pentium 4 3.2 ghz
1gb ram
running xp
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John Naylor
Posts: 357
Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:36 pm
Hardware configuration: Q9450 OC @ 3.2GHz (Win7 Home Premium) - SMP2
E7500 OC @ 3.66GHz (Windows Home Server) - SMP2
i5-3750k @ 3.8GHz (Win7 Pro) - SMP2
Location: University of Birmingham, UK

Re: How do I get the most out of my rig?

Post by John Naylor »

EDIT: didn't read the "no hardware upgrades" bit

overclocking the CPU would be the simplest method... and keeping the graphical client window closed as much as possible.
Folding whatever I'm sent since March 2006 :) Beta testing since October 2006. www.FAH-Addict.net Administrator since August 2009.
quickbrownfox1
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat May 03, 2008 3:10 pm

Re: How do I get the most out of my rig?

Post by quickbrownfox1 »

Would using the text only client be more efficient? Also How about RAM, when I said no hardware upgrades I meant upgrading CPU or installing a GPU, But id be willing to get some more RAM if it would help. Oh, also Could someone post a link do a good guide on how to OC a computer.
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bruce
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Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:13 pm
Location: So. Cal.

Re: How do I get the most out of my rig?

Post by bruce »

Keeping the GUI window closed is essentially the same as switching to the text-based console client and is a lot easier.

Adding RAM above 1GB will not improve FAH's performance, at least for the current clients.
quickbrownfox1
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat May 03, 2008 3:10 pm

Re: How do I get the most out of my rig?

Post by quickbrownfox1 »

And what configuration is best for FAH should I run it "slightly higher" with the bar all the way to the right?
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bruce
Posts: 20824
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:13 pm
Location: So. Cal.

Re: How do I get the most out of my rig?

Post by bruce »

quickbrownfox1 wrote:And what configuration is best for FAH should I run it "slightly higher" with the bar all the way to the right?
The bar should be at 100% unless you have a really good reason to change it.

There will probably be no difference at al between "lowest" and "slightly higher" but you might as well set it to "slightly higher"

When FAH is distributed, the default settings are the ones that are the best for most people. It's very difficult to improve on the default settings. That's why the only real option to improve most people's production is to upgrade their hardware.
Kingcarcas
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:20 am

Re: How do I get the most out of my rig?

Post by Kingcarcas »

If you know your way around linux you can switch to that. :egeek:
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theMASS
Posts: 65
Joined: Sun Dec 02, 2007 7:54 am
Hardware configuration: 8 - Q6600s (mixed steppings) average clock speed 3.3GHz
1 - E6420 @ 3.2GHz (This box is bulletproof - Stable for over a year) Avg 2250/PPD
1 - E6600 @ Stock (The only Intel chip in the last 2 years that "only" ran stock)
P35 and G33 based Gigabyte motherboards
Dedicated boxes run Notfred's Linux
Production boxes run Vista and XP Pro with Linux SMP running in a VM
Location: Los Angeles

Re: How do I get the most out of my rig?

Post by theMASS »

If this is a dedicated folding box you can try running notfred's CD http://reilly.homeip.net/folding/cd.html It automatically (without permanently) installs/runs about the most efficient OS and client for whatever hardware it detects.
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Tobit
Posts: 342
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:35 pm
Location: Manchester, NH USA

Re: How do I get the most out of my rig?

Post by Tobit »

bruce wrote:Adding RAM above 1GB will not improve FAH's performance, at least for the current clients.
Even with the SMP client and bigWUs set?
bruce
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Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:13 pm
Location: So. Cal.

Re: How do I get the most out of my rig?

Post by bruce »

Tobit wrote:
bruce wrote:Adding RAM above 1GB will not improve FAH's performance, at least for the current clients.
Even with the SMP client and bigWUs set?
Oh, you're right. I forgot about that option. In some cases it will help and in others it won't.
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