Question about points - actual and est

[crodgers]

I am running a CPU wu (PRCG 8582 (0,3,91) ). In the Advanced Console while running on Medium (7/8 cores), I see the following information:
Base Credit: 1665
Estimated Credit: 11709
Estimated PPD: 15358
Estimates TPF: 10 mins 58 secs

If I push the slider up to Full (8/8 cores), I see:
Base Credit: 1665
Estimated Credit: 11669
Estimated PPD: 15304
Estimates TPF: 10 mins 58 secs

Why did my Estimated Credit and Estimated PPD drop when I added the 8th core?

[bruce]

All estimates depend on running at a uniform speed for several frames -- long enough to stabilize performance. Do not trust any estimate unless your system has been running at the selected settings for a while. The estimates grow more accurate when the system is left undisturbed.

When you change the slider, the analysis is stopped briefly and restarted with the new settings so immediately there's an interruption in progress during the restart process.

[Joe_H]

It can take a frame or two before the estimated figures will settle down and factor in the change as well as the pause and restart used to change the number of cores assigned. In addition WU's from some projects are known to not get consistent estimates from the client. The figures are only estimates, not instantaneously correct numbers.

If you want to get more exact figures you need to examine the log over several frames to get an average TPF. There are a number of bonus point calculators you can then use to get a more reliable figure for PPD based on that TPF.

[P5-133XL]

In addition to the above, when you add the last CPU core you eliminate any spare CPU capability for your own use. That means that any non-folding CPU usage will now causes a folding thread to suspend and because of the synchronized nature of the SMP cores the other folding threads just sit in an idle-loop waiting for the suspended thread to come back. The end result is that even small amounts of non-folding CPU usage can cause significant drops in TPF, PPD, and estimated credit that were not likely with a surplus CPU core available for the non-folding CPU usage.

My point is that adding a CPU core to folding is not inherently beneficial. Your mileage may vary depending upon your own personal computer usage and that is in addition to the above 3-frame median-average calculations that the client does to estimate those numbers

[crodgers]

Thanks for the insight.

So I recently switched teams. I have completed over 1700 wus on my old team, but I am brand new to my new team. I started fresh with a new PC, new install of v7, etc, just a couple of days ago. When I installed v7, I also set up the passkey into my client. Someone mentioned that you will not receive bonus until you have at least 10 WUs and maintain 80% completion rate. So, when you switch teams, it starts you back at 0, right? So it is a min requirement per user/team pair? Then I will really get 11,000 points instead of 1,600 points for this wu in the future? That is a huge multiplier just for having passkey... or a huge hit for switching teams...

[bollix47]

As long as the user name and passkey combination are qualified for QRB it should not matter what team # you are using. You should still get your bonus.

Your statistics show only 7 work units completed so far with your user name and passkey combination:

http://folding.extremeoverclocking.com/ ... =&u=641697

It would appear that your 1774 work units done for your previous team were processed before the passkey requirement existed and have no effect on your current QRB qualification.

Keep in mind that core_15 GPU work units do not receive a bonus and do not count towards the 10 work units needed to qualify your passkey. Also, any work units using the a4 core are currently receiving a 10% bonus regardless of QRB status.

[crodgers]

good to know, thanks. So the 10 minimum is 10 new ones under the passkey system. I did have a GPU wu for something like +3000 points. If that does not count, then I am only at 6 wu's for bonus. I just finished another one for 1600+ points. If I keep getting those, then it will be 4 more days until I fulfill the bonus requirement. I think i did notice the 10% on some smaller WUs.

[PantherX]

The bonus applies to the Projects using the following FahCore:
CPU -> FahCore_a3, FahCore_a4, FahCore_a5
GPU -> FahCore_17

Completing WUs from those Project will count towards your 10 WUs requirement.

[crodgers]

Thanks! The GPU i did must have been FahCore_17, because I started receiving bonus points on my 11th WU. The GPU was a bit too much heat for my room, so I shut it down after the first WU. But running 7/8 CPU cores is now getting me about 11,000 PPD. I am now up to page 6 of my team and in the top 10% of the FaH project.