Folding Forum

which windows is faster for fah?

Whatever version that you legally have on your system

Currently, there's no significant difference between the various versions of Windows. However, there is a difference between Windows and Linux where Linux seems to have the upper-hand so far. This may or may not change in the future.

Just note that you need 64-bit Windows. Although the client is 32-bit the cores that run the simulations are 64-bit.

Humm... I do think that CPU WUs can run on 32-bit Windows. GPU WUs would require 64-bit OS due to Vendors dropping 32-bit OS few years ago.

PantherX wrote:Humm... I do think that CPU WUs can run on 32-bit Windows. GPU WUs would require 64-bit OS due to Vendors dropping 32-bit OS few years ago.

Oh, I thought all the cores were 64-bit.

From the F@H web site at https://foldingathome.org/start-folding/

Windows (All versions, 32 & 64 bit)

Is there a 32-bit version of Core_A8 for Windows available? There was a 32-bit Core_A7 available, but I haven't checked in a while to see if it was still available. Core_A4 had both 32 and 64 bit versions, but projects using that core finished up within the last year or two.

The FAHClient is 32-bit on Windows, an attempt at a 64-bit version a few years ago ran into some issues where it had errors in the 64-bit version that did not exist in the 32-bit code. I don't recall if the source of those errors was found, it could have been in the client code itself or one of the supporting libraries. The client would download 32 or 64 bit versions of the folding cores as needed.

GPU folding cores have been 64-bit only for several years since both AMD and nVidia ended support for 32-bit drivers that supported OpenCL. The Linux and OS X clients are also 64-bit only, 32-bit Linux support ended several years ago. A 32-bit download of FAHControl only for Linux was still available for version 7.5.1 for remote monitoring only.

jrweiss wrote:From the F@H web site at https://foldingathome.org/start-folding/

Windows (All versions, 32 & 64 bit)

... and you trust the FaH website to be up to date? ... it isn't even close and whilst it will at some point no doubt get the tlc it needs for the here and now I would really recommend people don't use it as a source of truth.

@Joe_H .. I notice the windows client download on the start folding page is showing 7.6.20 .. hadn't spotted any announcement that a new client was out .. is this official or is the link a bit ahead of the curve as it happens to also be the same link as the beta download page?

Neil-B wrote:@Joe_H .. I notice the windows client download on the start folding page is showing 7.6.20 .. hadn't spotted any announcement that a new client was out .. is this official or is the link a bit ahead of the curve as it happens to also be the same link as the beta download page?

When I go to the download pages I just see 7.6.13. The version currently on the Beta page is close to being released, but no announcement has been made so far that I know of. It is possible an edited page getting ready for that became visible before it should have, but as I mentioned is not showing up now when I check.

I would recommend checking out Linux, as it does seem to be better at Folding than Windows.

It's on both the beta page and the main page now.
So hopefully they'll make an announcement soon.
It usually takes a few days for an official forum post to go up.

The announcement was being prepared this morning and the links were being put in place. It's planned to be a Release, not a Beta.

I have not tried it yet. Where did you find the link?

Bruce,
I just found the link by happenstance. I looked at the beta page on a whim and saw it there first. I went back through the start folding page later on. I double checked when I read the previous posts. So for me, the Start Folding link takes me to the Linux page with 7.6.20 links up. Hitting alternative downloads shows Windows and Mac at 7.6.20 as well.

Do know that older Windows (XP, 7) are no longer supported by Microsoft.
Windows 8 should update to 8.1 automatically, will still receive security updates until Jan 2023, while Windows 10 will be supported until 2025.
While current FAH clients work with all those Windows (64 bit) versions, future client upgrades may drop support on older Windows systems.

If you still have an older Windows system, you could still find tutorials online to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. I recently upgraded one of mine (about 6 months ago).
It's harder to find, but still fully legal to apply for the free upgrade (as opposed to pay for an upgrade). MS offers both options, but the free upgrade is not advertised.