What is the best way to run FAH only when idle (win32)

[newblood]

I don't mind contributing towards FAH, I just don't want it to interrupt the normal flow of my computer (coding, rendering, web browsing, gaming, etc.).

When idle, I would like to give FAH access to all available resources. When I'm actively working on my computer I would like FAH to either pause, or work at such a low priority that coding, rendering, web browsing, gaming, etc. would not be effected.

I have been recommended to try this solution.
folding.stanford.edu/English/WinSMPGuideMPICH

What are your thoughts?

[P5-133XL]

Both the uniprocessor and the SMP clients already run at a very low priority so that everything already take precedence. Folding should not interfere with your normal flow of your computer!

Things are a little different with the GPU clients in that there really isn't a priority system in place for the GPU. My suggestion there is to use the systray client and manually pause the GPU client before doing any 3d-game and the resume it when you are done.

[newblood]

Sounds good.

BTW the systray only seems to use 2 of my 4 cores.

Is the beta high resource applications the only way to maximize my folding?

[P5-133XL]

A single uniprocessor client should actually only be using one core (not two) and the SMP client should use all four. So I'm not sure how you are getting two cores.

The SMP client will be the way to maximize folding unless you also can GPU fold. do note that the SMP and GPU clients typically needs far more hand holding...

If you don't want to do as much periodic manual intervention, you can always try multiple copies of the uniprocessor client (each one with a different machine ID and in a different folder). It won't be as productive but generally it is a set and forget operation. Especially if you run it as a service.

[synergymuse]

Both the uniprocessor and the SMP clients already run at a very low priority so that everything already take precedence. Folding should not interfere with your normal flow of your computer!

Things are a little different with the GPU clients in that there really isn't a priority system in place for the GPU. My suggestion there is to use the systray client and manually pause the GPU client before doing any 3d-game and the resume it when you are done.

with all due respect I see people say this all the time and I personally find it imposing. The question wasn't answered. Personal I find a real need to start and stop FAH. Even though the client does give up CPU cycles it doesn't release memory resorces. This can be a problem in memory intensive applications. I personally use the windows scheduler to schedule FAH to run only when my system is idle. This works very nice with uniprocessor but for some reasons doesn't work smp client doesn't perform very well with the schdeduler. Maybe someone has some insight on that.

[P5-133XL]

If you read his post, the actual question was "what are your thoughts" and I answered him as to what my thoughts were. Perhaps, if you had been around at that time, then you could have given your opinion and then he could have chosen which answer was better for him.

At least I answered. Do you really think it would have been better, if the question had gone unanswered for two weeks while he waited for you to give your opinion?

[synergymuse]

No I wasn't there at the time but does that mean the my opinion is of less value or less useful. No! The OP can use my advice now or in the future. I meant no disrespect but when even I try to get help with running FAH only when idle (from the title of the post) I encounter this opinion and no help. I'm just noted respectivly that it isn't always helpful to say you shouldn't need to run it "only when idle," because there are valid reason to run only when idle included but no limited to personal preference. I've struggled greatly with this in the past thats why I commented although two weeks late for those who are searching for clues especially since this topic is at the top of googles hits on this topic.

[jrweiss]

BTW the systray only seems to use 2 of my 4 cores.

Is the beta high resource applications the only way to maximize my folding?

To "maximize" the use of 4 cores, you would normally run 1 GPU client and 1 SMP client. However, there is a lower-resource option: run 4 CPU clients, all as Services.

The advantages of the CPU clients are that they're stable, they can be configured (or are configured, by default) to run Work Units that take less RAM, disk space, and network bandwidth, can be run as Services so they are totally out of sight and run even when nobody is logged in, and can be run at a reduced CPU load to increase computer response and reduce operating power and temperatures.

To install multiple CPU clients, see the Wiki at http://fahwiki.net/index.php/FAH_%26_SM ... le_Clients

To configure for lower resource usage, for each instance enter your name and team number, and select "small" Work Units. In the Advanced Options, reduce the CPU usage to about 95%, increase the interval between checkpoints to 30 minutes, reduce memory available to 512 MB (384 or 256 might work for small WUs), set the Machine ID (1-4), opt to launch automatically (run as a Service), and add -forceasm as an additional client parameter. Restart the computer after all 4 instances are configured.

You will earn fewer points per day, but you will likely not notice F@H is running at all.

[codysluder]

Personal I find a real need to start and stop FAH. Even though the client does give up CPU cycles it doesn't release memory resorces. This can be a problem in memory intensive applications. I personally use the windows scheduler to schedule FAH to run only when my system is idle. This works very nice with uniprocessor but for some reasons doesn't work smp client doesn't perform very well with the schdeduler. Maybe someone has some insight on that.

The SMP client is "beta" which means it does have a whole list of known problems. Several are associated with starting and stopping, so don't use SMP.

The release of RAM is rarely important, but if it is in your system, the ideal option is multiple CPU clients. The SMP client is a high-performance client and does use more RAM than four CPU clients. The previous post pointed out ways to further reduce RAM requirements with the CPU client and that may be sufficient for you. If it isn't, then use the scheduler to start and stop FAH services when the computer is idle and active. (You've already found the answer to your question.)