Poor FAH Client Performance on Linux Desktop

[Planorez]

I am running the Debian Client on a Linux Lite 4.4 Desktop with very poor performance. The processor is an AMD A4-5400 and to not use the GPU I run a NVIDIA video card. I get 100 PPD out of this PC where with the Google Client, I was getting 2000-2500 PPD. Can anyone explain the dramatic performance hit?
Thanks,
Planorez

[Joe_H]

Welcome to the folding support forum.

Please post the beginning section of your log file to give us information about your system and its configuration. Directions on how to locate and post the log are included in the Welcome topic - viewtopic.php?f=61&t=26036, for Linux that would be this post - viewtopic.php?p=261083&f=24#p261083.

Most common reasons for a low reported PPD are failure to enter your passkey or not waiting long enough. The client needs to process a few percent of a WU from a project it has not done before to get an accurate estimate for PPD, ETA and TPF (time per frame).

One note - the PPD estimate that the NaCl client for Chrome gave was off, there was a bug that caused it to give inaccurate estimates of the PPD that would be earned.

[bruce]

The NaCl client was, in fact, very simiar to the CPU client running FAHCore_a4 on your CPU. If you enable your CPU slot, it should get a similar PPD to what the NaCl client actually gave you.

For help with your GPU slot, follow Joe_H's instructions.

[MeeLee]

The NaCl client has been running extremely low PPD as well, before it was shut down.
A Core i5, 6 core, 3,9Ghz got 66k PPD in control, ended up getting barely over 2k PPD in NaCl.
Something got messed up there, I guess...

[toTOW]

Did you use a passkey on your desktop client ?

Sometimes, the first CPU WU on desktop client is run with only one CPU core ... after configuring the client, the next WU should use all available cores and show better performance.

[Planorez]

Code: Select all

*********************** Log Started 2019-06-29T15:44:14Z ***********************
15:44:14:************************* Folding@home Client *************************
15:44:14:    Website: https://foldingathome.org/
15:44:14:  Copyright: (c) 2009-2018 foldingathome.org
15:44:14:     Author: Joseph Coffland <joseph@cauldrondevelopment.com>
15:44:14:       Args: --child --lifeline 1832 /etc/fahclient/config.xml --run-as
15:44:14:             fahclient --pid-file=/var/run/fahclient.pid --daemon
15:44:14:     Config: /etc/fahclient/config.xml
15:44:14:******************************** Build ********************************
15:44:14:    Version: 7.5.1
15:44:14:       Date: May 11 2018
15:44:14:       Time: 19:59:04
15:44:14: Repository: Git
15:44:14:   Revision: 4705bf53c635f88b8fe85af7675557e15d491ff0
15:44:14:     Branch: master
15:44:14:   Compiler: GNU 6.3.0 20170516
15:44:14:    Options: -std=gnu++98 -O3 -funroll-loops
15:44:14:   Platform: linux2 4.14.0-3-amd64
15:44:14:       Bits: 64
15:44:14:       Mode: Release
15:44:14:******************************* System ********************************
15:44:14:        CPU: AMD A4-5300 APU with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics
15:44:14:     CPU ID: AuthenticAMD Family 21 Model 16 Stepping 1
15:44:14:       CPUs: 2
15:44:14:     Memory: 5.77GiB
15:44:14:Free Memory: 5.35GiB
15:44:14:    Threads: POSIX_THREADS
15:44:14: OS Version: 4.15
15:44:14:Has Battery: false
15:44:14: On Battery: false
15:44:14: UTC Offset: -5
15:44:14:        PID: 1835
15:44:14:        CWD: /var/lib/fahclient
15:44:14:         OS: Linux 4.15.0-54-generic x86_64
15:44:14:    OS Arch: AMD64
15:44:14:       GPUs: 0
15:44:14:       CUDA: Not detected: Failed to open dynamic library 'libcuda.so':
15:44:14:             libcuda.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or
15:44:14:             directory
15:44:14:     OpenCL: Not detected: Failed to open dynamic library 'libOpenCL.so':
15:44:14:             libOpenCL.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or
15:44:14:             directory
15:44:14:***********************************************************************
15:44:14:<config>
15:44:14:  <!-- Client Control -->
15:44:14:  <fold-anon v='true'/>
15:44:14:
15:44:14:  <!-- Folding Slot Configuration -->
15:44:14:  <gpu v='false'/>
15:44:14:
15:44:14:  <!-- Slot Control -->
15:44:14:  <power v='full'/>
15:44:14:
15:44:14:  <!-- User Information -->
15:44:14:  <user v='Planorez'/>
15:44:14:
15:44:14:  <!-- Folding Slots -->
15:44:14:  <slot id='0' type='CPU'/>
15:44:14:</config>
15:44:14:Switching to user fahclient
15:44:14:Trying to access database...
15:44:14:Successfully acquired database lock
15:44:14:Enabled folding slot 00: READY cpu:2
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:Starting
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:Running FahCore: /usr/bin/FAHCoreWrapper /var/lib/fahclient/cores/cores.foldingathome.org/Linux/AMD64/AVX/Core_a7.fah/FahCore_a7 -dir 00 -suffix 01 -version 705 -lifeline 1835 -checkpoint 15 -np 2
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:Started FahCore on PID 1866
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:Core PID:1882
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:FahCore 0xa7 started
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:*********************** Log Started 2019-06-29T15:44:14Z ***********************
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:************************** Gromacs Folding@home Core ***************************
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:       Type: 0xa7
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:       Core: Gromacs
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:    Website: https://foldingathome.org/
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:  Copyright: (c) 2009-2018 foldingathome.org
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:     Author: Joseph Coffland <joseph@cauldrondevelopment.com>
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:       Args: -dir 00 -suffix 01 -version 705 -lifeline 1866 -checkpoint 15 -np 2
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:     Config: <none>
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:************************************ Build *************************************
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:    Version: 0.0.17
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:       Date: Apr 27 2018
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:       Time: 19:09:21
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7: Repository: Git
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:   Revision: 21359963583d09ec2063ef946399441c4df4ccd7
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:     Branch: master
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:   Compiler: GNU 6.3.0 20170516
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:    Options: -std=gnu++98 -O3 -funroll-loops
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:   Platform: linux2 4.14.0-3-amd64
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:       Bits: 64
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:       Mode: Release
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:       SIMD: avx_256
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:************************************ System ************************************
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:        CPU: AMD A4-5300 APU with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:     CPU ID: AuthenticAMD Family 21 Model 16 Stepping 1
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:       CPUs: 2
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:     Memory: 5.77GiB
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Free Memory: 5.33GiB
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:    Threads: POSIX_THREADS
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7: OS Version: 4.15
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Has Battery: false
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7: On Battery: false
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7: UTC Offset: -5
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:        PID: 1882
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:        CWD: /var/lib/fahclient/work
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:         OS: Linux 4.15.0-54-generic x86_64
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:    OS Arch: AMD64
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:********************************************************************************
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Project: 14153 (Run 15, Clone 286, Gen 102)
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Unit: 0x000000860002894b5c6e03b44ed7cf04
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Digital signatures verified
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Calling: mdrun -s frame102.tpr -o frame102.trr -cpi state.cpt -cpt 15 -nt 2
15:44:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Steps: first=510000000 total=5000000
15:44:15:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 43542 out of 5000000 steps (0%)
15:47:38:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 50000 out of 5000000 steps (1%)
16:09:11:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 100000 out of 5000000 steps (2%)
16:30:42:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 150000 out of 5000000 steps (3%)
16:52:10:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 200000 out of 5000000 steps (4%)
17:13:39:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 250000 out of 5000000 steps (5%)
17:35:13:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 300000 out of 5000000 steps (6%)
17:56:43:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 350000 out of 5000000 steps (7%)
18:18:13:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 400000 out of 5000000 steps (8%)
18:39:46:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 450000 out of 5000000 steps (9%)
19:01:19:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 500000 out of 5000000 steps (10%)
19:22:50:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 550000 out of 5000000 steps (11%)
19:44:20:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 600000 out of 5000000 steps (12%)
20:05:50:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 650000 out of 5000000 steps (13%)
20:27:23:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 700000 out of 5000000 steps (14%)
20:48:53:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 750000 out of 5000000 steps (15%)
21:10:26:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 800000 out of 5000000 steps (16%)
21:31:57:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 850000 out of 5000000 steps (17%)
******************************* Date: 2019-06-29 *******************************
21:53:26:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 900000 out of 5000000 steps (18%)
22:14:57:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 950000 out of 5000000 steps (19%)
22:36:28:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 1000000 out of 5000000 steps (20%)
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00:45:32:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 1300000 out of 5000000 steps (26%)
01:07:02:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 1350000 out of 5000000 steps (27%)
01:28:31:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 1400000 out of 5000000 steps (28%)
01:50:03:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 1450000 out of 5000000 steps (29%)
02:11:34:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 1500000 out of 5000000 steps (30%)
02:33:05:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 1550000 out of 5000000 steps (31%)
02:54:42:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 1600000 out of 5000000 steps (32%)
03:16:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 1650000 out of 5000000 steps (33%)
03:37:43:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 1700000 out of 5000000 steps (34%)
******************************* Date: 2019-06-30 *******************************
03:59:15:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 1750000 out of 5000000 steps (35%)
04:20:46:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 1800000 out of 5000000 steps (36%)
04:42:17:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 1850000 out of 5000000 steps (37%)
05:03:46:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 1900000 out of 5000000 steps (38%)
05:25:16:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 1950000 out of 5000000 steps (39%)
05:46:46:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2000000 out of 5000000 steps (40%)
06:08:17:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2050000 out of 5000000 steps (41%)
06:29:47:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2100000 out of 5000000 steps (42%)
06:51:18:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2150000 out of 5000000 steps (43%)
07:12:51:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2200000 out of 5000000 steps (44%)
07:34:23:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2250000 out of 5000000 steps (45%)
07:55:57:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2300000 out of 5000000 steps (46%)
08:17:31:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2350000 out of 5000000 steps (47%)
08:39:03:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2400000 out of 5000000 steps (48%)
09:00:38:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2450000 out of 5000000 steps (49%)
09:22:14:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2500000 out of 5000000 steps (50%)
09:43:48:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2550000 out of 5000000 steps (51%)
******************************* Date: 2019-06-30 *******************************
10:05:24:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2600000 out of 5000000 steps (52%)
10:27:01:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2650000 out of 5000000 steps (53%)
10:48:34:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2700000 out of 5000000 steps (54%)
11:10:10:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2750000 out of 5000000 steps (55%)
11:32:03:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2800000 out of 5000000 steps (56%)
11:54:41:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2850000 out of 5000000 steps (57%)
12:16:16:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2900000 out of 5000000 steps (58%)
12:37:50:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 2950000 out of 5000000 steps (59%)
12:59:21:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 3000000 out of 5000000 steps (60%)
13:20:56:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 3050000 out of 5000000 steps (61%)
13:42:29:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 3100000 out of 5000000 steps (62%)
14:04:05:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 3150000 out of 5000000 steps (63%)
14:25:36:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 3200000 out of 5000000 steps (64%)
14:47:09:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 3250000 out of 5000000 steps (65%)
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15:30:13:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 3350000 out of 5000000 steps (67%)
15:51:44:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 3400000 out of 5000000 steps (68%)
******************************* Date: 2019-06-30 *******************************
16:13:15:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 3450000 out of 5000000 steps (69%)
16:35:17:WU00:FS00:0xa7:Completed 3500000 out of 5000000 steps (70%)
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Mod edit- fixed Code tags

[JimboPalmer]

It is a dual core CPU, if he is using a graphics card, one CPU is dedicated to that, so all his WUs will be single core with a GPU.

Currently cpu:2 and -np 2 so it is trying to use both cores.

I just saw his configuration, he does not have a passcode installed.

No Graphic Driver seems to be installed from either AMD or Nvidia. F@H needs the vendor drivers.

(The AMD driver would not be enough to allow that old GPU to fold) We can not see the Nvidia card to even guess how productive it might be.

[Joe_H]

Using a bonus point calculator, this WU would get ~2800 PPD with a passkey. That would be after completing 10 WU's with a passkey. The PPD without a passkey is about 800.

For comparison purposes, the actually PPD for the NaCl client after correcting for the bug I mentioned previously would have been about 7-800.

As your CPU is based on a "dual" core Piledriver architecture which shares a single FPU between the two "cores", you might get better throughput using only one core. You would have to test that to see which way processes WU's faster.

The FAQ's for points and the passkey are here - https://foldingathome.org/support/faq/points/ and here - https://foldingathome.org/support/faq/points/passkey/. The second includes a link for obtaining a passkey.

[bruce]

The error, here, is you assumption that a single/dual CPU can get more points than it can. With the completion of 10 WUs using a passkey, your PPD will certainly increase, but not to the levels you're probably expecting. You're actually completing only a small amount of processing to science.

[Planorez]

I reequested and installed a passkey. The PPD went from 670 to 2800. Why does installing a key cause that kind of difference?

[bruce]

I reequested and installed a passkey. The PPD went from 670 to 2800. Why does installing a key cause that kind of difference?

https://foldingathome.org/support/faq/points/passkey/

PPD does vary with the particular WU assigned and STRONGLY with how long it takes you to complete the WU in comparison to how long others take to complete a similar WU. (Shutting down your computer overnight is disastrous unless you FINISH the WU(s) being processed. A few minutes to reboot would only make a small change.)

[MeeLee]

There was a time when the quick return bonus made sense.
But with the advances in hardware speed, most people make most points via the quick return bonus, and not the actual work.
There are WUs I run, that get nearly 10x the regular PPD in quick return bonus.