Folding Forum

I've been using F@h on my ps3 for a while now, however I recently added the software to my laptop. It seems to be taking a long time for the first WU to be completed (765/1500 frames complete with the WU ending ~15 days). I don't run it constantly, but this seems to be really slow.

Here are my laptop specs:

HP Pavillion dv6000
AMD 64 2 GHz
1 Gig of RAM

Is there anything I can do to get it quicker?

Don't trust GUI client WU estimates ... they're often unrealistics

The only way to improve your folding is to let it run constantly ...

Well, since my first post (9 hours), it has only completed 20 frames. At this rate it probably will take 15 days. Is this common? I know the ps3 will finish one WU in about 8 hours, what should I expect from my laptop?

It depends on the WU and the CPU...

WUs may take from several hours (very small WU on very fast CPU) to a couple weeks (large WU on a slow CPU). I suspect there's quite a bit more variety of WUs sent to PCs than there are to PS3s...

Check your log to see if it's running standard loops (usually from a bad shutdown). If so, stopping and restarting should shift it into high gear.

I fold on 2 laptops, both running the v6.0 beta console client, and both @ 1.6GHz. Things to avoid with laptops are sleep and hibernation. Make sure that closing the cover only turns the monitor off, and doesn't suspend computer operation. I get a wide range of WUs that take an average of from 2 to 4 days.

Which project do you have?

Ok, I stopped and restarted and it said I have 990 frames completed. Even now, it says it has 29 minutes until the next frame ends, but it seems to be counting down more quickly than that. I guess those times aren't too accurate.

By the way I am working on:
p3660_Seq24_Amber03
GROMACS core

Sorry about the basic questions, like I said, I've just been using the ps3 so far and it is pretty straightforward. After reading about the project when I finally got the ps3 hooked up to the network I wanted to do all that I could to help.

I haven't had a 3660, but the times I have on 10 different 36xx are 37-42 minutes per frame (1% of total)(OC 2.3Ghz Athlon XP 3000+ desktop). For you, figure the time to finish 15 "frames" and see how it compares. Find your FAHlog.txt file and look for either "using standard loops" or "Extra SSE boost OK". The first indicates starting the client after a bad shutdown in slow speed. The second means you're folding to the max cpu potential.

Another thing that will affect speed- what did you set for cpu usage %?

With the 5.03 client, it takes running at least 3-5 continuous frames before the time to finish display is even close to accurate.

I looked at the log and found "Extra SSE boost OK" a ways up on the file.

I set the usage at the far right or 100%.

I'll let it run for the night and see where it is in the morning.

Thanks for the help

I wasn't sure if I should create a new post under "Issues with a specific WU" but I thought I would try it here first. My computer seemed to really pick up the pace today (the frames went from 29 minutes to 3 minutes) and it finally finished the first WU about 30 minutes ago.

The problem is that it now says "core download error (currently #10), waiting before retry".

Any suggestions?

Jason4225 wrote:The problem is that it now says "core download error (currently #10), waiting before retry".

Any suggestions?

Try stopping and restarting the client.

Which core is it trying to download? Others have had some problems lately with a couple cores.

Not sure which one it is trying to download, it just finished 3660. I have tried quitting and restarting twice, but to no avail. It was on step 63 the last time I restarted.

Check your log for this section to see which one it is.

[10:34:51] Core required: FahCore_82.exe
[10:34:51] Core not found.
[10:34:51] - Core is not present or corrupted.
[10:34:51] - Attempting to download new core...
[10:34:51] + Downloading new core: FahCore_82.exe
[10:34:51] Downloading core (/~pande/Win32/x86//Core_82.fah from http://www.stanford.edu)
[10:35:06] Could not download 'www.stanford.edu'
[10:35:06] + Error: Could not download core
[10:35:06] + Core download error (#2), waiting before retry...

[10:35:23] + Downloading new core: FahCore_82.exe
[10:35:23] Downloading core (/~pande/Win32/x86//Core_82.fah from http://www.stanford.edu)
[10:35:31] Initial: AFDE; + 10240 bytes downloaded
[10:35:33] Initial: B394; + 20480 bytes downloaded
[10:35:34] Initial: C21D; + 30720 bytes downloaded
[10:35:35] Initial: A1B2; + 40960 bytes downloaded
[10:35:35] Initial: 50A4; + 51200 bytes downloaded
[10:35:36] Initial: FAEA; + 61440 bytes downloaded

Here is most of my log file. Maybe this will help.

I am somewhat confused as to why my log file has not changed and why the last date in it is January 1.

Also, my current queue info has a different number than the one listed on this log.


22:15:04] Verifying core Core_80.fah...
[22:15:04] Signature is VALID
[22:15:04]
[22:15:04] Trying to unzip core FahCore_80.exe
[22:15:05] Decompressed FahCore_80.exe (2392064 bytes) successfully
[22:15:05] + Core successfully engaged
[22:15:10]
[22:15:10] + Processing work unit
[22:15:10] Core required: FahCore_80.exe
[22:15:10] Core found.
[22:15:10] Working on Unit 01 [January 1 22:15:10]
[22:15:10] + Working ...
[22:15:11]
[22:15:11] *------------------------------*
[22:15:11] Folding@Home Gromacs SREM Core
[22:15:11] Version 1.02 (Dec 15, 2006)
[22:15:11]
[22:15:11] Preparing to commence simulation
[22:15:11] - Looking at optimizations...
[22:15:11] - Created dyn
[22:15:11] - Files status OK
[22:15:11] - Expanded 425275 -> 1976912 (decompressed 464.8 percent)
[22:15:11] - Starting from initial work packet
[22:15:11]
[22:15:11] Project: 3660 (Run 23, Clone 6, Gen 11)
[22:15:11]
[22:15:11] Assembly optimizations on if available.
[22:15:11] Entering M.D.
[22:15:17] Protein: p3660_Seq24_Amber03_Extended
[22:15:17]
[22:15:17] Writing local files
[22:16:02] Extra SSE boost OK.
[22:16:03] Writing local files
[22:16:03] Completed 0 out of 1500000 steps (0)
[22:16:12] Opening http://vspx27.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/main ... sonAlter...
[22:16:38] Opening C:\Program Files\Folding@Home\MyFolding.html...
[22:53:51] Writing local files
[22:53:51] Completed 15000 out of 1500000 steps (1)
[22:55:37] Printing Queue Information
CURRENT QUEUE:
00 EMPTY
01 *ACTIVE "Folding@Home" (80) 171.64.122.72:8080 January 1 22:15 | April 6 22:15
02 EMPTY
03 EMPTY
04 EMPTY
05 EMPTY
06 EMPTY
07 EMPTY
08 EMPTY
09 EMPTY
[22:55:56] Opening C:\Program Files\Folding@Home\MyFolding.html...
[23:31:35] Writing local files
[23:31:35] Completed 30000 out of 1500000 steps (2)
[00:09:08] Writing local files
[00:09:08] Completed 45000 out of 1500000 steps (3)
[00:46:39] Writing local files
[00:46:39] Completed 60000 out of 1500000 steps (4)
[01:24:21] Writing local files
[01:24:21] Completed 75000 out of 1500000 steps (5)
[01:25:09] Printing Queue Information
CURRENT QUEUE:
00 EMPTY
01 *ACTIVE "Folding@Home" (80) 171.64.122.72:8080 January 1 22:15 | April 6 22:15
02 EMPTY
03 EMPTY
04 EMPTY
05 EMPTY
06 EMPTY
07 EMPTY
08 EMPTY
09 EMPTY
[01:25:34] Opening C:\Program Files\Folding@Home\MyFolding.html...
[02:35:33] Writing local files
[02:35:33] Completed 90000 out of 1500000 steps (6)
[03:56:29] Writing local files
[03:56:29] Completed 105000 out of 1500000 steps (7)
[04:14:56] + Working...
[04:44:52] Writing local files
[04:44:53] Completed 120000 out of 1500000 steps (8)
[02:55:57] + Working...
[13:04:42] + Working...
[00:19:33] + Working...
[02:30:19] Writing local files
[02:30:19] Completed 135000 out of 1500000 steps (9)
[02:59:46] + Paused
[02:59:47] Suspending work thread...

Have you kept the log open somewhere, or gone back into your folding folder and opened it again? When the log is open, the client will be writing to it, but you won't see it. You have to close and reopen. I keep a shortcut to the log on the desktop for quick access.

You said you had a core download error, but it isn't in this log.