Is it possible to 'restrict' the size of WUs?

[Mancunian_Nick]

Hi

This might sound a strange question but is there any way to configure folding@home to only download (or mostly download) smaller sized WUs? Only for the most part, most WUs I receive are between 2 and 5 days which for me is rather large considering I only run on one computer and it's not always on all the time so would be nice if it was possible to request smaller WUs for, say, 2 days at most per WU or do I just have to accept whatever comes my way? For example my present WU is almost finished (not quite - currently 99.7%) and my next WU has already downloaded (is that normal btw to download a new WU before the one currently being processed has finished?) which is showing 5.14 days.

Otherwise everything seems to be running just fine.

Thanks for any advice on this. Would be appreciated.

Nick

[7im]

The size of the WU is proportional to the points given the WU, so a 2 day WU is worth 2 days of benchmark points. A 5 day WU is worth 5 days of benchnark points (plus any bonus earned). The WU size only affects the duration not the points.


The client downloads the next WU at 99% complete so no CPU cycles are wasted between work units. It can be set to 100% if you have a fast connection and/or slower computer.

[Mancunian_Nick]

Thank you for that helpful information, 7im. I understand what you're saying about that - so I presume the WUs downloaded aren't 'choosable' by some kind of preference? I was only curious about that anyway - it's no biggie.

And thank you for letting me know about when the client downloads the WUs. Didn't think anything was wrong as everything is still working just fine in that regard so appreciate your input.

[7im]

There used to be a WU size option, but that doesn't apply any more now that the UNI and SMP clients are combined in to one CPU type slot.

[Joe_H]

The WU size option also only applied to the uniprocessor projects. All SMP WU's were considered "Big" at the time SMP projects became available, and the assignment and work servers were set to assume that. There are some larger projects that have a larger minimum core count requirement, those will not be assigned to systems with a SMP setting lower than that.

What is the system you are folding on, and do you fold continuously? Also, which projects do you get that take the longer periods of time. Possibly some projects could have their minimum SMP number increased if this points to a general problem. But the largest WU's I normally get on my Core 2 Duo MacBook generally take about 3 days at most, the vast majority can be done in 30 hours or less.

[TheWolf]

Project 8703 is one the core count could be moved up taking 5
days to complete on a Core 2 Duo @ 2.0Ghz @ over 50 mins TPF.
Laptop folds only 24/7

BTW there is a option in V7 to pick the type of WU, say Cancer, Alzheimer, Huntington or Parkinson under the Advanced tab.
Not sure that would help much with getting lower day count WU's, others maybe able to tell you more on that.
I'm kind of supprised they didn't say anything about that to start with as a option.
May be because its another one of the option in v7 that don't actually work?

[7im]

We didn't explain that disease preference because it has nothing to do with size of the WU.

[TheWolf]

What is the system you are folding on, and do you fold continuously? Also, which projects do you get that take the longer periods of time. Possibly some projects could have their minimum SMP number increased if this points to a general problem. But the largest WU's I normally get on my Core 2 Duo MacBook generally take about 3 days at most, the vast majority can be done in 30 hours or less.

Project ID: 7505
Core: GRO_A3
Credit: 2774
Frames: 100

Name: T7200
Number of Frames Observed: 5

Min. Time / Frame : 01:35:04 - 1,337.6 PPD
Avg. Time / Frame : 01:35:06 - 1,336.9 PPD
Cur. Time / Frame : 01:35:04 - 1,333.7 PPD

6 days 15hrs 28mins to complete. Bit much for a laptop T7200 Core 2 Duo @ 2.0Ghz
Lots can happen in 3 days much less 6.7 days.

This is the one I was thinking of above, the other 8703 takes about 3.5 days, not 5.
3.5 is still abit long. I don't mind working something for 2.4 days, but beyond that is a little much.

[bruce]

6 days 15hrs 28mins to complete. Bit much for a laptop T7200 Core 2 Duo @ 2.0Ghz
Lots can happen in 3 days much less 6.7 days.

FAH simply assumes that you run the client on RELIABLE systems as close to 24x7 as possible. Compare your actual 6.6 days with the deadlines of 13.4 days and 22.3 days and you shouldn't have any trouble meeting the deadlines for that project.

Running for long periods of time has never been a problem for Linux ... it's just that Windows folks accept systems that crash or have to be rebooted frequently (if only to install this week's security fixes). At the very least, that's one of Windows default settings that needs to be changed: Configure Windows_Update needs to install fixes only when I choose.

[Mancunian_Nick]

The WU size option also only applied to the uniprocessor projects. All SMP WU's were considered "Big" at the time SMP projects became available, and the assignment and work servers were set to assume that. There are some larger projects that have a larger minimum core count requirement, those will not be assigned to systems with a SMP setting lower than that.

What is the system you are folding on, and do you fold continuously? Also, which projects do you get that take the longer periods of time. Possibly some projects could have their minimum SMP number increased if this points to a general problem. But the largest WU's I normally get on my Core 2 Duo MacBook generally take about 3 days at most, the vast majority can be done in 30 hours or less.

Hi Joe

I've not paid that much attention to other folding WUs I've received other than to note quite a few 4 day and 5 day WUs. The one my system is currently folding is 2974, which is the 5 day and a bit WU I mentioned in my original post to this thread. My system is an AMD Athalon 7750 dual core under WIn 6 64 bit (Ultimate). No, I don't fold continuously. I usually turn my PC off in the evenings when watching television and when I go to bed, although I have been known on occasion to keep it running longer. Certainly most I've had and seen are longer than 3 days. As I said in my original post, it's no biggie and was more wondering/curious than anything. I'll keep going and see how things go.

Thanks, Joe.

Nick