Folding Forum

Dear members of the Folding@Home development group,

Would it be possible to create a client (I am using the nVidia Fermi GPU client) that runs as a screen saver. I would like F@H to be active only when I am not using the computer. As it stands now it appears that F@H is only active when I display the molecule using the viewer. When I hit pause, it does not seem to stop work and there is no resume option. I have to exit the client completely and when I want it to work again I have to restart the client and display the work activity. Displaying the activity prevents my computer from entering hibernation. The screen saver (nVidia GeoForms) does comes on however. If I am going to use a screen saver that consumes more power when the computer is idle than when I am using Windows, it might as well be doing something constructive.

Welcome to the F@H Forum JoeMomma,

Please note that the Viewer that is present in the Systray Version is known to be buggy/resource hog. You don't have to run the viewer for the Client to fold and it isn't used to monitor the Client. To monitor the Client, please visit the tools list and download an appropriate application. The Systray Client has a pause/resume option but I have read that in one version, the pause feature doesn't work correctly and it will be fixed (Details).

JoeMomma wrote:Dear members of the Folding@Home development group,

Would it be possible to create a client (I am using the nVidia Fermi GPU client) that runs as a screen saver. I would like F@H to be active only when I am not using the computer. As it stands now it appears that F@H is only active when I display the molecule using the viewer. When I hit pause, it does not seem to stop work and there is no resume option. I have to exit the client completely and when I want it to work again I have to restart the client and display the work activity. Displaying the activity prevents my computer from entering hibernation. The screen saver (nVidia GeoForms) does comes on however. If I am going to use a screen saver that consumes more power when the computer is idle than when I am using Windows, it might as well be doing something constructive.

Welcome to the forum, JoeMomma

I'm not the "FAH devlopment group" but let's spend a bit of time clarifying what it is that you're asking for.

If your desire for a screensaver is just to prevent hibernation, I suggest you change your power savings options to "always on" and replace the screen saver with "none" and set power savings to "turn off monitor"

If your desire for a screensaver is because FAH seems to be slowing down your computer when you're using it and you want it NOT to run then, there is a good case for a version of FAH that only runs when the computer is idle. It's probably not going to be a high-priority enhancement, though.

I can fill you in on a little history. At one time there was a FAH screensaver which ran pretty much as you're requesting. It was never bug-free, but it did have two semi-related problems which, in my opinion, were by-far the most significant problems.

First, there were a lot of cases where Starting/Stopping the analysis would produce no results or previous progress would be lost. (It takes 15 minutes of progress before the checkpoint files are updated on disk so anything less than that would just resume work from the same point next time.)

Second, it took too long to start or stop folding. If the screen saver came on (starting FAH) and the person watching the screen "immediately" moved the mouse, FAH would still be initializing and would not be at a point that it could be interrupted. This often produced corrupt files, causing the WU to restart from the beginning -- i.e.- produced negative progress. The same might happen after 15 minutes plus one second.

Third, screensavers are unscientific. They display information for long periods of time when nobody is looking at them so the time spend making the display show something useful is wasted. Are you suggesting a static image like this that just moves to a new location every 10 seconds?

Most modern monitors don't burn in images like they did years ago, and those which might be damaged are better off with a black screen anyway.

Your statement: "As it stands now it appears that F@H is only active when I display the molecule using the viewer." is a misconception. FAH runs continuously, and it runs faster when the molecule is NOT being displayed. Roll the mouse over the systray icon and look at the numbers 26500/50000 or whatever yours says. Use the computer for 10 or 15 minutes or leave it idle with a black screensaver and then look at the numbers again. The numbers will have changed showing that it is progressing.

I don't think my F@H GPU client (Fermi) is working properly.
When ever I mouse over the systray icon it says GPU - F@H: Sleeping. I have un-installed and reinstalled but I make no progress unless the display is active. I don't care about hibernation (but I do care about my electric bill). I was just trying to clarify that when the F@H display is active and I can verify that it is folding, my machine does not hibernate (as usual), the nVidia 3D screen saver works and eventually does shut off the monitor. When my machine hibernates normally, my UPS will shut down all of my peripherals plugged into the Master circuit. When It wakes up with moving the mouse I am at the Windows log in screen. When I wake up with F@H displayed, all of the peripherals are still on and the screen goes right to the Windows desktop. I would prefer a client that actually functions without fiddling and when the screen saver comes on it displays the work being performed. Maybe at a low resolution and at one frame per second to minimize wasting resources. A black monitor condition would keep the client active, but when the computer wants to hibernate it should have to wait until F@H has done a clean shut down. Obviously the software is buggy/beta/defective. I want to contribute because I leave my machine on 24/7, but if I have to screw around with it to get it to work, and I have to use the buggy resource hog display to get results, then color me gone. It should be more automated, I am sure I speak for 90% of your users that I have no interest in learning how to run a command line client with advanced options. By the way my Fermi GPU rips through the folding at incredible speed.

If you'd like help in diagnosing a problem (and "sleeping" is a problem) please post FAHlog.txt.