Folding Forum

I have a macbook (2gHz duo core) and an interest in at least trying this out (hopefully helping some too). I just have a couple questions:
1) When I first came to the site (around Sept.) I saw they did not reccomend installing F@H on the macbooks (pro or not). Has this changed?
2) I hear about deadlines and I understand that work must be done on time. What is the deadline for a work unit?
3) Is there a way to "take a break" from accepting work units? I sometimes need to be away from the internet or turn the computer off for extended periods of time.
4) Does F@H really not work well with Leopard? I still have Tiger so far but hope to upgrade...this century...maybe.

Any help would be great. I at least need answer to the first one, the rest I could probably figure out

I can only help with numbers 2 and 3.

2- Deadlines will vary depending on your hardware and the client you decide to use. SMPs are 3-4 days. Some of the cpu client WUs are 2 months. Here's the current projects with point values and deadlines to show you the range.
http://fah-web.stanford.edu/psummary.html

3- One of the flags available to place in the command line for the client is -oneunit, which tells the client to finish what it's doing, upload the results, do not download any more work, and shut yourself down.

I can answer 1 and 4

I'm having no problems running on a MBP, though I installed a fan utility to give me added control over temperatures. I've been folding on it for over a year now, first on Tiger, and now on Leopard. If anything, I'd say it folds a touch faster on Leopard.

What flavor of problems are we talking about? I don't know if you're specifically talking about overheating or maybe software problems from the fan utility. I'm not trying to play computer dr here, just seeing if its a problem I can live with.

No problems at all... I just believe in being safe. I run between 70-75C on the processor temp.

Well then, I'll start folding...after the end of the semester.

FWIW, I running folding on a MacBook almost 24/7.

I have the Macbook running nicely with plenty of ventilation available, it isn't sitting on a shag-carpet, its vents are clear and there's lots of room for the (somewhat) warm air to ventilate.

The only thing to take into consideration when you use a Macbook (or any Mac for that matter which has network connections that may change) is that if you run folding@home you should 'quit' it before you move the Mac to another location. In my case I run the console version and just leave a terminal window open. Then:

going to move the computer to another location (library, work, starbucks/whatnot) where it will get another IP#:

type 'ctrl-c' in terminal and all folding stops

when the Macbook gets its new IP#, I just hit up-arrow once in terminal and hit return and the command:

~/Library/Folding@Home/fah6 -smp

is started up and off it goes.

closing the macbook:

ctrl-c

open, up-arrow and return

and so on.

that's the only 'quirk' I have run into with fah6 and the MacBook.

the rest is just a matter of common sense. If you want battery life, don't run folding@home while on the battery. If you're worried about heat, don't block the ventilation ports and also give the bottom of the computer and the sides lots of room for ventilation.

hope this helps

Ok I started folding last night. I got the non-console smp client. It ran all night and now what? I don't really see a place for me to tell it to stop unless I disconnect from the network, let it finish, and then disable folding.And honestly I don't think I know enough to get the console version to work.

Edit: I disconnected the network connection to test this theory that it would just finish the WU and wait for the next one. I came back a min or two later to notice the fan has spun down and F@H (Nice) was not running. Sooo yeah, I'm kind of lost. Can someone either explain how the non-console version works and how to change the preferences, or explain the console version and what commands I need. I'm relatively new to the Mac world and even newer to this distributed computing stuff. I thought it was simpler than it is...or maybe I'm dumb.

Second edit: I found the information on where to find the log. I'm understanding now.

Hey NursinMac - Welcome to Folding and to the forum.

Stopping the "Stanford Installer" client is simple, but non-intuitive. You have to open up System Preferences of all things. There in the window you'll see the "green flower protein" icon of Folding@Home. Clicking on it brings up a window that allows you to disable Folding.

It can be tricky to fold on laptops, even one as powerful as your new macbook. A number of things conspire against success:

- as you've noticed, heat dissipation is poorer in laptops than in desktops, so the machine gets hotter

- it's often turned off or on battery power hence not folding, so can miss deadlines more easily

- it jumps from one internet connection to the next - and dthose jumps can kill a work unit. it's bet to stop Folding before shutting down.

Keep posting your questions & experiences -= we'll do our best to assist.

tmpchaos wrote:No problems at all... I just believe in being safe. I run between 70-75C on the processor temp.

When I first started folding with my macbook, my load temperatures were above 80C, even with the fan control fix. However, I found a program called Coolbook that allows you to adjust voltages to your processor. Since then, F@H temperatures have averaged 65C.

Yes, Coolbook costs money, and no, I'm not affiliated with it at all. I just wanted to give a shout out because I wouldn't be folding on my macbook had it not been for this program. In my opinion, it is very well worth the $10 it costs.