Folding Forum

New folder here so there's a lot to take on board...

I'm worried that each evening when I stop folding I may be losing work as I simply click 'stop folding' on the web app and there's a message implying it would be better to finish the unit before stopping.

I'm really enjoying knowing my PC is doing useful work when it's on but when I need to put it off it needs to go off then. Am I losing work or is all ok? I found something in the advanced settings saying work is saved every 15 mins (by default) but I didn't want to change this as it says it effects efficiency of the folding.

Any pointers gratefully received.

Craig

If you have multiple cores, use the desktop client instead and let the computer sleep, if it really has to sleep.
Why do you stop folding each evening, why not let the computer fold during the night? Is it some kind of bedroom?

The only work lost is what was done after the last checkpoint. These are usually every 2-5% or time based depending on unit and/or core type. No big deal.

A couple more facts:

1) If you suspend folding long enough, all WUs will expire. See the deadlines listed in http://fah-web.stanford.edu/new/psummary.html
(This isn't applicable if you resume folding the next day.)

2) Bonus points are specifically designed to keep you folding. Any time you have an active WU suspended, the bonus you'll receive is decreasing. If, on the other hand, you Finish an active WU, the result will be uploaded for a maximum bonus and a new WU will not be downloaded until you restart that slot (or client) the next morning.

3) When the computer sleeps (or is shut down) the elapsed time clock is still running on the active WU(s) so even though no work is actually lost, bonus points are being lost.

My PC is in my bedroom and I can't sleep with the noise it makes so I have to turn it off over night. Many thanks for the pointers. I will pay more attention to the % completion now and try and plan ahead so a unit is finished and not started when I only have time to do a few % but in some ways I'm sad as I'll do less folding this way.

Some folding is better than no folding, same goes for lost folding... If the computer folds 16hours per day and you loose up to 15minutes, 1.5% that is all you lose.
The setup you run is not really ment for points-collecting, but instead doing good for research, right? Then don´t worry about lost "bonus points".

are you folding with CPU only or also GPU ? If CPU only you might could switch to the Chrome NaCL client. That one has shorter WU and easier to time for a shutdown.

Running CPU and GPU but not really in it for the points. I just like the idea of helping research happen so will just keep going as I am. Thank you for all the pointers they're much appreciated.

If you don't want to spend the $$ on quieter fans, try pausing either the CPU or GPU slot, and see if the machine gets quiet enough. Then try pausing the other slot, and see what's quieter.

If running the GPU slot (with CPU paused) is sufficiently quiet, then try the CPU slot as well, at the Medium or Light setting.

Depending on the machine and your familiarity with the fan PWM settings, you may be able to regulate the fan speeds to keep it quiet enough at reasonable temperatures with a reduced CPU and/or GPU load.