Found an old machine and want to fold with it

[sptn.]

Hey Guys,

I found an old machine of mine on my parents attic. I assume it is around 12 years old.
CPU: Intel Celeron (I guess 1,8 GHz maybe haven‘t checked yet)
RAM: Geil 4GB
Mainboard: Biostar g31d-m7
Power: LC-Power LC420H-12

Does ist even make sense to use this base configuration for Folding? My Plan is to invest into an older GPU and fold exclusively on this.
Would the CPU support the Folding on an GPU accordingly?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

Regards Tobi

[JimboPalmer]

I doubt a 12 year old Celeron can keep any GPU fed.

Try CPU folding, and post the first 100.lines of the log.

[sptn.]

And that‘s the reason I came here. I wanted to consult the experts of there are known cases where it works... or not.

I try to run FaH, I just have to find the time, because my wife does not really Support my ambitions to fold. Thats also why I stopped contributing to BOINC years ago.

Anyway I found out that it is an E1500, 2,20 GHz CPU...

[gunnarre]

It's only dual core, made on 65 nm process and has no AVX. It's not a machine that I would set up just for folding, unless it's as a spaceheater. It's not an energy efficient folding machine.

[MeeLee]

If you'd run Linux on it, the 1,8Ghz could feed a GTX 1050 or 1060 just fine.
Probably the fastest GPU the system could run.
With Windows it would work as well, so long Windows is not using any background activities (like virus scanning, backups, updates, defrags, and other...).
Would be awesome if it could run a 1650 Super, or 1660, as they're more energy efficient, but on an old PC the chances of this GPU being recognized by the BIOS, is quite low.

[sptn.]

It's only dual core, made on 65 nm process and has no AVX. It's not a machine that I would set up just for folding, unless it's as a spaceheater. It's not an energy efficient folding machine.

And that's exactly why I do not want to do. That's why I thought just feeding a GPU could be an option - unless it works.

If you'd run Linux on it, the 1,8Ghz could feed a GTX 1050 or 1060 just fine.
Probably the fastest GPU the system could run.
With Windows it would work as well, so long Windows is not using any background activities (like virus scanning, backups, updates, defrags, and other...).
Would be awesome if it could run a 1650 Super, or 1660, as they're more energy efficient, but on an old PC the chances of this GPU being recognized by the BIOS, is quite low.

In the end it tourned out to be an 2,2 GHz CPU (E1500). I would be lucky when an 1060 would be a suitable option. That's exactly what I found to be my budget-solution. I found some for ~100€ in the bay.
Running a Linux was my plan. I have no experiences setting up a Linux system but can't be rocket science.


Thanks for your comments so far!

[PantherX]

Welcome to the F@H Forum sptn.,

This would be the sequence of events to ensure that you fold on your Nvidia GPU under Linux:
1) Ensure that Linux is fully updated.
2) Install the proprietary drivers by Nvidia
3) Install OpenCL package (sudo apt-get install ocl-icd-opencl-dev)
4) Install FAHClient

Note, I have read some posts which suggests that you need to add fahclient to the render/video group. Other posts mention sorting out python 2 dependencies. However, since I don't have much Linux experience, if you encounter any issues, post here and members who have experience would be able to help you out

[gunnarre]

The python dependencies are just for the Advanced GUI. If you're going to just fold on the old box and use the GUI on another machine to control it, then you don't need to mess around with python.

[sptn.]

Trank you for the input. What Type of Linux should I use. I would use Ubuntu. Because its one of the few Types I know.

[NormalDiffusion]

Ubuntu 18.04 lts is working without problem for me!

Great tutorial by MeeLee. I followed and it worked like a charm. Just don't upgrade to 20.04!
viewtopic.php?nomobile=1&f=16&t=31595

[sptn.]

Alright.

Ubuntu 18.04 lts is working without problem for me!
Great tutorial by MeeLee. I followed and it worked like a charm. Just don't upgrade to 20.04!
viewtopic.php?nomobile=1&f=16&t=31595

Why not the update?

As MeeLee wrote, the CPU can feed at least an GTX 1050. If there are no other opinions I would go for something like this.

Thanks for the help so far. If I find some spare time I try to setup the system accordingly.
If anyone is interested I can post the results.

[ajm]

Why not the update?

Because with version 19 Ubuntu removed support for Python 2, which is required for FAHControl. There are possible workarounds and you actually can fold without FAHControl, but it's not ideal.

[markdotgooley]

Ubuntu 18.04 lts is working without problem for me!

Great tutorial by MeeLee. I followed and it worked like a charm. Just don't upgrade to 20.04!
viewtopic.php?nomobile=1&f=16&t=31595

I upgraded to 20.04 after an update broke things, and couldn’t get things to work with my two GPUs the way I liked. Mint Linux 20 was no better as it has so much in common with Ubuntu. Installed 18.04 again from scratch after doing no folding for nearly a week. Things work again. Scared even to do updates. I used Unix for over ten years, Ubuntu Linux on and off for maybe another twenty, and I can’t remember how to do anything...

[NormalDiffusion]

Same for me. Did the updates yesterday, it deleted the x config. Just reinstalling the Nvidia drivers solved the problem and I was back to folding.

[Joe_H]

Why not the update?

Because with version 19 Ubuntu removed support for Python 2, which is required for FAHControl. There are possible workarounds and you actually can fold without FAHControl, but it's not ideal.

As mentioned support for Python 2 gets removed with Ubuntu 20. Workarounds include adding back Python 2.7, using an unofficial port of FAHControl to Python 3, or not using FAHControl at all. All add additional complexity to the installation and setup.

Ultimately the problems with using a release of Ubuntu or a derivative of it later than version 18.04 LTS is that the last major update to the client code was version 7.5.1 several years ago. Its Linux compatibility was for releases current at the time, in the case of Ubuntu that was 16.04 LTS. 18.04 came out later in the year. The version 7.6 F@h client code is mostly just modifications to include COVID-19 and High Priority as choices for assignment preferences and some bug fixes. So far changes have not included incorporating Python 3 for compatibility with later Linux releases, perhaps one of the unofficial forks for FAHControl will get tested and released later. But the code does need checking, most Python 2 code translates into Python 3, but not all.

Prior to COVID-19 a major rewrite of the client and server code was planned for and started. That included getting the existing client codebase ready to be open source. Much of that was suspended due to the response for COVID-19. But code for FAHControl, Web Control and FAHViewer has become open so far. With some of the volunteer development help work on the rewrite may resume, but any release will probably be sometime next year. Until then relatively minor fixes an be expected to the existing client.