Odd GPU behavior - terminal window + FAHClient

[SJC_Steve]

I suspect that FAHClient runs properly in any version of Ubuntu once it is installed in an optimum environment and that FAHControl works if Python's version is properly handled.

My novice experience;

When the Client .deb is downloaded and run, it fails with a "unsigned repo"

Next, when I run the Client dpkg -i command, it comes up with a series of dependency errors that have to be solved

The Control .deb didn't work no matter what I did.

The Client finally started up but it wouldn't use the GPU only the CPU even though it saw the GPU, possibly due to OpenCL dependencies.

I didn't even know what the FAHClient command did when I issued it, I just noticed that the GPU starting running so I thought I was done. The GPU ran for days but ended in no work unit credit.

If someone would do a step-by-step on running under Ubuntu 20.04 that would very helpful. I'd be willing to test it for sure.

Thanks,
Steve

[Neil-B]

If someone would do a step-by-step on running under Ubuntu 20.04 that would very helpful. I'd be willing to test it for sure.

Thanks,
Steve

Fairly sure someone has posted one (or links to it) in these forums ... I'll try to find it and post it here - or someone else may beat me to it

Here is a thread which may help ... most of the issues iirc are around FAHControl which is the best interface for managing the FAHClient which manages the conduct of science which is completed by the FAHCores ... FAHClient iirc usually runs but trying to manage it without FAHControl is a pain ... https://foldingforum.org/viewtopic.php? ... 04#p347661

[SJC_Steve]

Fairly sure someone has posted one (or links to it) in these forums ... I'll try to find it and post it here - or someone else may beat me to it

If someone can find the link to the process for allowing the latest FaH release, (Client, Viewer & Control) to work on the current release of Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, that would be great. If not, I'd be willing to be the guinea pig for writing such a process. I'd start with a fresh install of Ubuntu and then do a step-by-step procedure for making it work.

What I need is help from a knowledgeable, Linux FAH user for advice on the problems and not just the advice that the answer is somewhere in the Forums. I can provide screenshots, logs, messages, etc., at each step of the process and then will do the write up of the process for other newbies like me.

Any interest?

Thanks,
Steve

[ipkh]

There are some oddities with the way the service helper is setup. The newer SystemD services are different than the old init.d setup. But it certainly works on my system with 20.10 Xubuntu.
I don't quite remember the details of how i got it working.
This page https://github.com/cdberkstresser/fah-control/releases
Has a build of FAHControl that works once the service is started.

[bruce]

See https://github.com/FoldingAtHome/fah-issues/issues/1626

[Neil-B]

What I need is help from a knowledgeable, Linux FAH user for advice on the problems and not just the advice that the answer is somewhere in the Forums.

Apologies Steve .. really meant to do the forums trawl and find the various threads/posts with what iirc are bits of the whole "solution" partly so that the various linux gurus who posted help would be named .. got side tracked .. going upstairs in next half hour and won't stop till I have found all I can .. it won't be a full guide but I should be able to a fair few parts for it .. and I'm sorry it may be a series of links but as a Windows gpu folder ghat is about all I can do

I'll post more links as I find them: (this will be a work in progress - someone may beat me to it and give you much more directed assistance - but in the mean time I'll keep searching)

https://foldingforum.org/viewtopic.php? ... TS#p347661 ... Postby parkut » Sat Jan 02, 2021 2:52 pm ... the link is to a thread getting FAHControl to work and the code may be how Parkut got it to work.

https://foldingforum.org/viewtopic.php? ... 07#p339160... Postby samcarboni » Mon Jul 06, 2020 9:19 pm ... in the thread linked to above gives link to a reddit that might give some info

https://foldingforum.org/viewtopic.php? ... 04#p335653 ... Postby NRT_AntiKytherA » Wed May 27, 2020 12:46 am ... This implies the poster has things running under 20.04 ... Think this thread might have relevant stuff but haven't eread it allMIght be a useful contact

One of the other issues iirc is that linux drivers can be a pain dependant upon gpu vedor - if you want links to various threads about that type of thing (which would identify folders who may be able to advise say and I'll forum dive for those as well.

https://foldingforum.org/viewtopic.php? ... 04#p340046 ... Postby gunnarre » Wed Jul 22, 2020 3:38 pm ... Mint 20.04 is I guess relevant? ... This thread covers FAHClient.service instead of init.d ... also has Postby Joe_H » Thu Jul 23, 2020 4:38 pm which may well be relevant re user membership of video group which may or may not be relevant to 20.04

https://foldingforum.org/viewtopic.php? ... 04#p339853 ... This thread covers some of the video driver stuff for someone who was running 20.04 ... and also has a post specific to service >>> https://foldingforum.org/viewtopic.php? ... 04#p339973 <<< Postby gunnarre » Tue Jul 21, 2020 6:45 am ... may be a cross post of another but this folder does seem to know variants of 20.04 and getting them to work well ... In fact this might be your goto thread for a head start ??

I'll pause here and finalise this post - hope this helps for starters if only by putting a few names in the frame ... From my perspective, purely as someone who tries to help others find stuff and handles simple windows issues a folder written single, coplete guide to getting 20.04 LTS installed/working that the mods could add to the new user help topic would be awesome - it may already exist - in fact on of the above linked posts seemed quite comprehensive (the one I have highlighted by gunnare) but if it doesn't and you are offering I hope all the linux folders support you and help you make it happen

.. and again apologies I cant actually give you a guide - and didn't provide links earlier

[bruce]

(see my link above)

There are several independent issues. Python and init.d are two that would apply to version after a certain version number. There are also issues that apply to obtaining the right drivers for specific GPUs (AMD vs. nV vs. Intel). From memory, all issues have been solved in one or more of the reports that Neil-B is going to find.

Thanks, Neil.

[SJC_Steve]

Neil-B;
I'll start from a fresh Ubuntu install and using your links, try to pull together a single thread that contains the steps I end up with.
Thanks Much,
Steve

[Neil-B]

Neil-B;
I'll start from a fresh Ubuntu install and using your links, try to pull together a single thread that contains the steps I end up with.
Thanks Much,
Steve

Hope it goes well - looking forward to seeing (and referring people to) the end product ... I am sure the people who posted in any of the threads won't mind you reaching out to them for clarifications/further info if you find you need it (which hopefully you won't).

[SJC_Steve]

There are some oddities with the way the service helper is setup. The newer SystemD services are different than the old init.d setup. But it certainly works on my system with 20.10 Xubuntu.
I don't quite remember the details of how i got it working.
This page https://github.com/cdberkstresser/fah-control/releases
Has a build of FAHControl that works once the service is started.

I'm running a fresh install of Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS and updated. I downloaded the Python3 version of FAHControl and did a dpkg install. It appeared to go through the install but afterwards, there's no Control Process and no Control Icon in my Apps.

Here's the Terminal commands and system feedback;

steve@i7-3700x:/$ sudo dpkg -i --force-depends /home/steve/Downloads/python3-fahcontrol_7.7.0-1_all.deb
[sudo] password for steve:
Selecting previously unselected package python3-fahcontrol.
(Reading database ... 177926 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../python3-fahcontrol_7.7.0-1_all.deb ...
Unpacking python3-fahcontrol (7.7.0-1) ...
Setting up python3-fahcontrol (7.7.0-1) ...
steve@i7-3700x:/$

Any idea how to get this package operating?
Thanks, Steve

[demorgan]

There are some oddities with the way the service helper is setup. The newer SystemD services are different than the old init.d setup. But it certainly works on my system with 20.10 Xubuntu.
I don't quite remember the details of how i got it working.
This page https://github.com/cdberkstresser/fah-control/releases
Has a build of FAHControl that works once the service is started.

I'm running a fresh install of Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS and updated. I downloaded the Python3 version of FAHControl and did a dpkg install. It appeared to go through the install but afterwards, there's no Control Process and no Control Icon in my Apps.

Here's the Terminal commands and system feedback;

steve@i7-3700x:/$ sudo dpkg -i --force-depends /home/steve/Downloads/python3-fahcontrol_7.7.0-1_all.deb
[sudo] password for steve:
Selecting previously unselected package python3-fahcontrol.
(Reading database ... 177926 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../python3-fahcontrol_7.7.0-1_all.deb ...
Unpacking python3-fahcontrol (7.7.0-1) ...
Setting up python3-fahcontrol (7.7.0-1) ...
steve@i7-3700x:/$

Any idea how to get this package operating?
Thanks, Steve

In the terminal:

Code: Select all

FAHControl

To exit the terminal window after it launches it:

Code: Select all

FAHControl & exit

To make a "Show Applications" icon, it's harder than it should be (this is definitely a very bad thing that Canonical messed up on, in my opinion). So, honestly I would just get the program "alacarte", so:

Code: Select all

sudo apt install alacarte

Then run alacarte (I'd just type "alacarte" from the terminal"), and on the left side click on "Science" (or whatever) and then click the button "New Item".

For the field "Name" type "FAHControl" and for the field "Command" type "FAHControl" as well. Then click OK.

If you go to the "Show Applications", it will be at the end of the list (with a generic icon, unfortunately). Or just type "fahcontrol" (don't even have to use the caps) in Show Applications and hit enter.

Edit: I had said "desktop icon" but proceeded to explain how to make a "Show Applications" icon. Sorry. I guess that's what you asked anyways, though. This will tell you how to make a Desktop icon:

https://ubuntuhandbook.org/index.php/20 ... ntu-20-04/

[bruce]

No. You shouldn't be able to start a second client.

Many years ago, you did start multiple clients but FAHClient was rewritten to manage multiple slots (which are essentially separate clients). Each slot has its own attributes.

The GUI interface is shared as well as the internet I/O -- which isn't really active much of the time anyway.

[SJC_Steve]

In the terminal:

Code: Select all

FAHControl

To exit the terminal window after it launches it:

Code: Select all

FAHControl & exit

To make a "Show Applications" icon, it's harder than it should be (this is definitely a very bad thing that Canonical messed up on, in my opinion). So, honestly I would just get the program "alacarte", so:

Code: Select all

sudo apt install alacarte

Then run alacarte (I'd just type "alacarte" from the terminal"), and on the left side click on "Science" (or whatever) and then click the button "New Item".

For the field "Name" type "FAHControl" and for the field "Command" type "FAHControl" as well. Then click OK.

If you go to the "Show Applications", it will be at the end of the list (with a generic icon, unfortunately). Or just type "fahcontrol" (don't even have to use the caps) in Show Applications and hit enter.

Edit: I had said "desktop icon" but proceeded to explain how to make a "Show Applications" icon. Sorry. I guess that's what you asked anyways, though. This will tell you how to make a Desktop icon:

https://ubuntuhandbook.org/index.php/20 ... ntu-20-04/

The above procedure worked just as you said and I finally have FAHControl operating.
Thanks, Steve

[SJC_Steve]

No. You shouldn't be able to start a second client.

Many years ago, you did start multiple clients but FAHClient was rewritten to manage multiple slots (which are essentially separate clients). Each slot has its own attributes.

The GUI interface is shared as well as the internet I/O -- which isn't really active much of the time anyway.

At least on Ubuntu, issuing the FAHClient command starts another client that burns power but doesn't actually get any work done.

Thanks,
Steve

[Joe_H]

There is one reason that you can run FAHClient from the command line while it is also running in the background as a daemon. That can be used to query the running daemon or send commands to it. That is used by some users with headless systems instead of setting up to use FAHControl remotely. See the output from FAHClient --help, especially the FAHClient --send section.