Recommended Linux Installation & Configuration

[Burlingtonian]

New to F@H and even newer to Linux. I would like to set up one of our computers to run F@H on Linux. I have tried running it on Ubuntu 20.04 and have run into the "unmet dependencies" issue. Have found bits and pieces on the forum regarding Python2 installation but theses have failed to solve the problem. Where on the forum can I find information on recommended distros and/or resolution of the unmet dependencies issue? Alternatively can I access and configure the FahClient in Ubuntu without FahControl installed?

[NRT_AntiKytherA]

there's a f@h snap for linux but it uses the older version of the client still. i guess that wouldn't matter too much. you can certainly access and configure the fahclient without fahcontrol, when you first run it you will be asked for configuration basics like username, team number, folding priority.

[cfhdev]

Alternatively can I access and configure the FahClient in Ubuntu without FahControl installed?

FahControl does not need to be installed on the machine in order to configure it. You can edit

Code: Select all

/etc/fahclient/config.xml

locally.

You could also use FahControl on another PC to configure it.

[NRT_AntiKytherA]

also to answer where you can find instructions to get fahcontrol working:

viewtopic.php?f=106&p=334869#p334869

if you have any missing dependencies flagged still, list them here on the forum please but the above method should work

[psaam0001]

If you use Fedora, there is a fix that I found when I was going through other threads that will work for patching the FAHControl so it will work.

1) You will need to open Terminal, and at the prompts enter the following:

su [enter key]
<your super user password> [enter key]
gedit /usr/bin/FAHControl [enter key]

2) Just add the number 2 at the end of the very first line, so that it reads as follows:

#!/usr/bin/python2

3) Click on save.

4) Exit the Terminal. From here you should be able to use FAHControl

Unfortunately, I was not able to get my GPU's to start doing tasks, as my older legacy ATI Mobility HD3870's may not be supported by the current drivers. Though, in time I will be saving money to buy new hardware to fold on.

Paul

[bruce]

FahControl does not need to be installed on the machine in order to configure it. You can edit

Code: Select all

/etc/fahclient/config.xml

locally.

You could also use FahControl on another PC to configure it.

A word of caution: if you do decide to edit config.xml manually, be very careful to maintain the necessary xml formatting, While it's man-readable, it still has to be machine-readable. FAHClient is totally intolerant of files containing syntax errors. If you do edit it with FAHControl, the editor will not let you store a file with a syntax error.

[MeeLee]

Seeing you're a beginner,
Ubuntu/Debian derived Linux versions are much more beginner focused.
If you're just starting out, and want a GUI, Ubuntu (mac-like interface), Xubuntu (Windows-like interface), Lubuntu (Windows XP/Vista-looks interface), Kubuntu (older interface), or Mint (Windows-7-like interface) are the easiest to start out with. You will want to stay with 18.04 for FAHControl to be working correctly; or, run 20.04 through some hoops.

For Fedora, I believe version 28 should be equal to 18.04. But I read that real LTS (Long Term Support) versions aren't available for Fedora.
You'll be limited to RedHat RHEL 8; support of it will disappear, and not sure if Control is still compatible with an upgrade to 8.1 (support until 2024)

[Burlingtonian]

Thank you MeeLee. I spend most of my time on a Mac so will go with Ubuntu or now. I have not yet found a concise set of instructions on the 20.04 hoops required to get FAHControl working so will go with v18.04 for now.

[Burlingtonian]

Follow up question. Have now tried Ubuntu 18 & 20 but don't see any GPU folding in either - CPU only (8). Is there a procedure or requirement to enable GPU folding in Ubuntu?

[cfhdev]

At a minimum install
OpenCL and the Graphics driver.
Then configure a GPU slot.

[MeeLee]

On Ubuntu 20.04 you need to force install some dependencies, because FAHControl doesn't work out of the box.
Those dependencies may work for FAH, but could, break the full operation of Ubuntu with other programs.
No one has fully tested if they worked without issues.

18.04 also allows you to overclock and adjust fan curves, while running multiple Nvidia GPUs. On 20.04 you can run them stock, but your GUI desktop will crash.
Not sure about AMD in this matter. I can advise about NVidia.

Before you can fold on any (Nvidia) GPUs, you'll need to download and install the Nvidia drivers.
For 1 GPU, you can install them from the .deb files.
For multiple GPUs, you'll need to go into recovery mode, and install the .run files from Nvidia.

Ubuntu (and their variants), have the best documentation online.
Plus, most end users run their PCs on them.

[NRT_AntiKytherA]

On Ubuntu 20.04 you need to force install some dependencies, because FAHControl doesn't work out of the box.
Those dependencies may work for FAH, but could, break the full operation of Ubuntu with other programs.
No one has fully tested if they worked without issues.

I guess I'm nobody then. As I replied to you before none of my installed programs have stopped working, updates are still coming in normally and being applied without the package manager apt wanting to remove the libraries installed from the temporarily enabled bionic repositories rather than focal. But I guess/hope you mean nobody official from the F@H project rather than being sniffy about who reports what behaviour from their systems here. They are not flagged for autoremove in synaptic either.

[MeeLee]

On Ubuntu 20.04 you need to force install some dependencies, because FAHControl doesn't work out of the box.
Those dependencies may work for FAH, but could, break the full operation of Ubuntu with other programs.
No one has fully tested if they worked without issues.

I guess I'm nobody then. As I replied to you before none of my installed programs have stopped working, updates are still coming in normally and being applied without the package manager apt wanting to remove the libraries installed from the temporarily enabled bionic repositories rather than focal. But I guess/hope you mean nobody official from the F@H project rather than being sniffy about who reports what behaviour from their systems here. They are not flagged for autoremove in synaptic either.

Have you tried every program, and every case scenario?
If not, then don't consider yourself 'nobody'.
Nobody means nobody.
Not a single person did extensive testing to see if force installing these packages breaks compatibility somewhere down to the software level.
It may work for you, and your applications, but it may bring issues that call dependencies related to the dependencies you force installed.

[NRT_AntiKytherA]

Of course I have not tried every single package available for Ubuntu 20.04. I have however tried every single package installed by the Ubuntu 20.04 LTS ISO plus the ones I added on top. Here's a list of installed packages on pastebin, too many characters for this forum. It will not be there for ever but long enough for the purposes of this reply.

You cannot expect any end user to install every package and test for compatibility just like no linux distributor expects them to either. That is why multiple QA, alpha and beta testers are required and not just one. The full responsibility is on the individual user concerned to see whether anything they use breaks or not. It is always prudent to take a backup prior to installing these extra libraries (heck make that any apt transaction because that is just plain common sense). That way should something break they can easily reverse the changes.

[Burlingtonian]

Thanks to all for your replies. After exploring both Ubuntu and Mint I have decided to jump into the deep end of the pool and go with Arch. My new hobby.