F@H 3.3.18 on iMac M4 won't run in background

[gibhenry]

F@H 3.3.18, iMac M-4 (2024), MacOS 15.2

I was running F@H 3.3.18 on my previous iMac Intel where it ran as expected. I replaced the machine with an iMac M-4 using Migration Assistant. Now, F@H will not run at all if “Only When Idle” is checked. It will run continuously when that box is not checked (but I don't want it to!).

What I have tried:
• all 8 combinations of “Scheduling Options”
• rebooting
• reinstalling F@H 3.3.18 (without stopping/deleting)

Any insight as to why it fails to run in the background if “Only When Idle” is enabled?

[calxalot]

On macOS, idle is when the login window has the screen, or when the system blanks the screen.
If you just lock screen or have screensaver running, that is not detected as user idle.

In any case, I recommend the latest beta for you
https://foldingathome.org/beta/

[gibhenry]

Thanks, but the machine goes idle after 20 minutes (and overnight!), but F@H does not run. Trying the beta, will report in the morning. Thanks again!

[calxalot]

Registration for some events (display power, console user) sometimes fails.
There should be a warning in the log if that happens.

I haven't tested on idle for maybe a year.
There could be a regression.

[gibhenry]

There should be a warning in the log if that happens.

No warnings that I can find. I tried the latest beta, but no change across reboots.

[calxalot]

Please try logging out or just switching to login window.

[calxalot]

If you made an account and linked the machine, you can monitor from your phone web browser.

[gibhenry]

Please try logging out or just switching to login window.
If you made an account and linked the machine, you can monitor from your phone web browser.

Logged out and back in. Monitoring on iPhone (neat trick, thanks!), will check while iMac is idle tonight (possibly sooner).

[calxalot]

Side note: I believe the client will stay paused if it thinks it’s on battery and you have deselected on battery. Battery can be a usb-connected uninterruptible power supply.

[calxalot]

I’m saying leave computer logged out tonight

[gibhenry]

Side note: I believe the client will stay paused if it thinks it’s on battery and you have deselected on battery. Battery can be a usb-connected uninterruptible power supply.

I do have a UPS; but then again, I had that with the Intel iMac which the M-4 iMac replaces. It worked as expected on the Intel iMac, but even with all three Scheduling options selected, it doesn't run on the M-4 machine.

I’m saying leave computer logged out tonight

I'll try it, thanks.

[calxalot]

If you set fold on idle, you should see folding start about 1 min after logout from your phone.

[calxalot]

Unable to reproduce on my intel Mac Pro
v8.4.9, macOS 15.2
Both loginwindow and screen sleep triggers work for idle.

I did initially forget to click fold on the group I set to on idle.
If there are no WUs, there is no indication of waiting for idle.

[gibhenry]

Unable to reproduce on my intel Mac Pro v8.4.9, macOS 15.2
Both loginwindow and screen sleep triggers work for idle.

…as it did on my previous Intel iMac on MacOS 15.2. But it failed to fold again last night. Hmmm…maybe an ARM problem? It started again as soon as I turned off "Only When Idle" at 15:59Z today, though it got a new work unit instead of continuing the same one from 55%.

Do you see anything indicating a problem in this log snippet?

Code: Select all

20:31:04:I1:WU9:Completed 68750 out of 125000 steps (55%)
    [Here's where I turned on "Only When Idle"]
20:31:19:I1:WU9:Caught signal SIGINT(2) on PID 5324
20:31:19:I1:WU9:Exiting, please wait. . .
20:31:22:I1:WU9:Folding@home Core Shutdown: INTERRUPTED
20:31:23:I1:WU9:Core returned INTERRUPTED (102)
13:01:49:I1:Machine state fold
13:02:29:I1:Machine state fold
13:02:44:I3:WU9:Dumping uw3FaC-u1uo1mC3AAVEFetBjAmXUMiZJzYS7AYl3h_I
13:02:44:I1:WU9:Sending dump report
13:02:44:I1:OUT6:> POST https://highland2.seas.upenn.edu/api/results HTTP/1.1
13:02:44:I1:OUT6:< HTTP/1.1 200 HTTP_OK
13:02:44:I1:WU9:Dumped
    [This is the next day, this morning, when I turned off "Only When Idle"]
15:59:39:I1:Default:Added new work unit: cpus:3 gpus:
15:59:39:I1:WU10:Requesting WU assignment for user GibHenry team 236284
15:59:39:I1:OUT7:> POST https://assign1.foldingathome.org/api/assign HTTP/1.1
15:59:40:I1:OUT7:< HTTP/1.1 200 HTTP_OK
15:59:40:I1:WU10:Received WU assignment qtdSMix1WOWyVntrP-P5sjGiwNZi83vrWDniZSw-21E
15:59:40:I1:WU10:Downloading WU
15:59:40:I1:OUT8:> POST https://highland2.seas.upenn.edu/api/assign HTTP/1.1
15:59:41:I1:OUT8:< HTTP/1.1 200 HTTP_OK
15:59:41:I1:WU10:Received WU P18212 R10805 C9 G14
15:59:41:I3:Running FahCore: "/Library/Application Support/FAHClient/cores/fahcore-a8-osx-64bit-aarch64-0.0.12/FahCore_a8" -dir qtdSMix1WOWyVntrP-P5sjGiwNZi83vrWDniZSw-21E -suffix 01 -version 8.4.9 -lifeline 597 -np 3
15:59:41:I3:WU10:Started FahCore on PID 84793
15:59:41:I1:WU10:*********************** Log Started 2025-01-10T15:59:41Z ***********************
15:59:41:I1:WU10:************************** Gromacs Folding@home Core ***************************

[calxalot]

The dump is unexpected and unexplained.

Please install the v8.4.9 debug build.
You might want to set finish and wait for everything to upload before installing.

Change log levels by modifying

Code: Select all

/Library/Application Support/FAHClient/config.xml

For now, just add

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  <log-domain-levels v='OSXOSImpl:5 Group:5 Groups:5 Unit:5 Units:5'/>
  <log-domain v='true'/>

If you don't have config.xml, the contents would be

Code: Select all

<config>
  <log-domain-levels v='OSXOSImpl:5 Group:5 Groups:5 Unit:5 Units:5'/>
  <log-domain v='true'/>
</config>

It is probably easiest to copy the file to your Desktop folder, edit it there, then copy it back replacing the old file.
You will be asked for an admin password to replace.

I will try to test on my M4 Pro mac mini.
I access it thru screen sharing, so I might not be able to test everything.