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[Windows 7] Setting up the SMP client (v6.34)

111K views 1K replies 256 participants last post by  error-id10t 
#1 ·


*DISCLAIMER: v6 is rather outdated, and v7 should be considered instead*

This guide will cover how to install the SMP client, and how to configure it to receive SMP2 or -bigadv WUs (for CPUs with 8 or more cores/threads). It will also cover how to set up HFM.NET to monitor the client, as well as how to use TrayIt! to minimise the SMP client to the system tray.

This version of the SMP client folds WUs which have bonus points. To receive these bonus points, you must first fold 10 eligible WUs. After these 10 are completed, you will start getting a bonus from each WU completed before the Preferred Deadline. The also bonus depends on how fast you finish it, so the faster it's compelted, the bigger the points boost you will get.
Again, you will need to submit 10 SMP WUs before you begin getting bonus points.

SMP Guide:

Files Needed:

1) Windows SMP Client. The 7th client in the list, under "SMP2 client console version".
(Direct Link)

2) HFM.NET. Under "Featured Downloads".
(Direct Link)

3) TrayIt!. Optional. Used to minimise the console to the system tray.
(Direct Link)

Prerequisites:

1) Make sure the account is an Administrator.

2) Request a folding passkey from Stanford from here. This is necessary for WU bonuses:



Installation:

1) Go to C> Users> [Your User]. Create a new folder called "Folding".

2) Move the Folding@home-Win32-x86.exe file you downloaded into this new folder.

3) Make a shortcut of the .exe file into the "Startup" Folder in the Start Menu. Rightclick the shortcut and choose Properties. At the end of the "Target" field, add a space and -smp, as below:

i7 users, if you wish to Fold -bigadv WUs, add the -bigadv flag after -smp (with a space). It should look like this:
Folding@home-Win32-x86.exe" -smp -bigadv

However, if this is your first time Folding, only Fold normal SMP WUs for the first 10 WUs. Then, you will qualify for bonuses, and then add the -bigadv flag.



Configuration:

4) Run the shortcut (not the application itself). You'll now be asked to enter some information. Press "Enter" unless the answers are in bold.

  • User name [Anonymous]? [Your Folding Name]
  • Team Number [0]? 37726
  • Passkey []? [Your Passkey]
  • Ask before fetching/sending work <no/yes> [no]?
  • Use proxy <yes/no> [no]?
  • Acceptable size of work assignment and work result packets <bigger units may have large memory demands> -- 'small' is <5MB, 'normal' is <10MB, and 'big' is >10MB <small/normal/big> [normal]? big
  • Change advanced options <yes/no> [no]? yes
  • Core Priority <idle/low> [idle]?
  • CPU usage requested <5-100> [100]?
  • Disable highly optimized assembly code <no/yes> [no]?
  • Pause if better power is being used <useful for laptops> <no/yes> [no]?
  • Interval, in minutes, between checkpoints <3-30> [15]? (If you're certain your OC is stable for Folding, you can change this to 30. Otherwise, leave at 15.)
  • Memory, in MB, to indicate <xxxx available> [xxxx]?
  • Set -advmethods flag always, requesting new advanced scientific cores and/or work units if available <no/yes> [no]? yes (Leave as no if planning to Fold -bigadv WUs.)
  • Ignore any deadline information <mainly useful if system clock frequently has errors> <no/yes> [no]?
  • Machine ID <1-16> [1]?
  • Launch automatically, install as a service in this directory <yes/no> [no]?
  • *The following options require you to restart the client before they take effect
  • Disable CPU affinity lock <no/yes> [no]?
  • Additional client parameters []?
  • IP address to bind core to <for viewer> []?

A picture in case you need a reference (note the "-smp" argument):



5) You're now ready to fold! You should start getting FahCore_a3 WUs now. Once you've completed 10 of these WUs, you'll start getting bonus points.


6) If you wish to change your settings at a later date (change username, add passkey, etc), simply add the -configonly flag in place of the -smp flag. When you run the client it will go through the set up again, then close. Now put the -smp flag back in and you're sorted.

NOTE: If you are also folding on an ATI GPU, make sure to check this guide too.

Take a look below on how to configure HFM.NET and TrayIt!.
 
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6
#2 ·
HFM.NET Guide:

1) Install HFM.NET.

2) Here's what you're first presented with:

7.png

Now click on Clients> Add Legacy Client (v6). Fill in the following information.

Instance Name: [Your choice]

Log Folder: C:\Users\[Your User]\Folding\

*Leave the rest of the info as default

It should look like this:

12.png

5) Next, you need to save a config file. Go to File> Save Configuration As. I save it as "config.hfmx" in the HFM installation Folder.

6) Go to Edit> Preferences> Startup & External. Check the "Load Configuration File" box, and browse to the file you just saved:

10.png

7) Finally, head to Edit> Preferences> Web Settings. By default, this is set to the info of the developer of HFM. To set it to your own info, search for your username on EOC (link here). The number at the end of the URL is your ID. Your user ID is your Folding name, and the team number is 37726.

8) And you're done. Feel free to rightclick on some of the columns to make it look a bit more compact. Here's the info I keep (you can remove decimal points in Edit> Preferences> Options):

13.png

If you wish, you can also export your stats to a website through DropBox, using this guide:

http://www.overclock.net/t/865541/guide-making-a-website-with-dropbox-hfm-dyndns/0_100

Check below for TrayIt! information.
 
#3 ·
TrayIt! Guide:

1) Extract the files from the zip file to a folder of your choice (C> Program Files> TrayIt! works quite nicely
).

2) Run the TrayIt!.exe, ignore the Windows warning, and press OK on the Welcome screen. Make sure the SMP client is running.

3) Rightclick the SMP client and choose "Place in System Tray":



4) To save this, go to Edit> Options. Check the "Always start minimized" and "Load TrayIt! at Startup" boxes:



Now minimise TrayIt! and you'll never need to see it again.
Simply double click the protein icon in the system tray to open the SMP client again.

If you wish for the SMP client and TrayIt! to start up minimised, follow these instructions. Thank you lordikon:

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordikon View Post
First, make sure you have TrayIt! installed. And I also made sure to run F@H once so that I could setup TrayIt! to work with F@H. After TrayIt! is setup, do this:

1.) In the directory that the SMP client.exe is in, create a text file in Notepad.
2.) Put this in the file (for Vista/Win7 users), or the equivelent for you installation:

Code:

Code:
START /min C:\\Users\\[B][Your User][/B]\\Folding\\Folding@home-Win32-x86.exe -smp 4
3.) In 'Save As...' in Notepad, change file types to "All Files".
4.) Name your file whatever you'd like, but make sure to put .bat at the end of it (you're wanting a batch file, not a .txt file).
5.) Now close your batch file, right click on it in Windows and click 'Copy'
6.) Now, go find the windows startup directory and open it, it is located here; AppData is a hidden folder:

Code:

Code:
C:\\Users\\[B][Your User][/B]\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup
7.) Now inside of that folder, right click and choose 'Paste as shortcut'.

Now when Windows starts up, it will run the shortcut to your batch file, and the batch file will startup your program minimized, which will cause TrayIt! to place it in the tray.
 
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#4 ·
Right, it's ready to go.


As always, if I've made any mistakes, you don't understand something, or you can think of some improvements let me know and I'll fix it as soon as possible.
 
#8 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by repo_man View Post
Great guide mate! Free bump.

Thanks.


Quote:

Originally Posted by cyanmcleod View Post
make sure use account control is turned off. i couldnt get it to work with it on.
I'll add that in, thanks.


Quote:

Originally Posted by usmcz View Post
good guide - just to be clear:

Core Priority <idle/low> [idle]? yes

Do you mean to keep it at idle?
Yeah, the SMP client is meant to use the idle cycles. Now, you can changethe priority of the FahCore in Task Manager and it speeds up the WU, but it does impact on computer performance. I normally bump the FahCore_a3.exe up to "Above Normal" or "High" in Task Manager and it cuts a few hours off the time.
 
#10 ·
I dunno... I will add the environmental variables, but I really don't think there's much need for SetPriority anymore. Unless you still see a PPD drop without it? (In which case the 5xxx series runs fine with the variables and the 4xxx series needs SetPriority)
 
#11 ·
i notice a drop without it but that could be any number of reasons. the 4xxx cards could be to blame but i have set it up so they dont hog the cpu anymore. i just need to stay on top of things or for whatever reason my cpu seems to get slowed down while everything else in the background runs.
 
#12 ·
Well over the past few weeks I have been noticing less and less people needing SetPriority. But if it does come back into common use again, I'll add it.
 
#16 ·
Very nice guide! I was having a heck of a time trying to figure that SMP stuff out! I'd give you REP if I could, instead I'll give you a free bump!!!
 
#17 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Meta-Prometheus View Post
Very nice guide! I was having a heck of a time trying to figure that SMP stuff out! I'd give you REP if I could, instead I'll give you a free bump!!!
you can give him rep still
 
#18 ·
Great info!
Folks will get started folding quicker and will a lot less confusion now.
 
#19 ·
zodac, I did not input -smp in the method you showed in this most current guide. I put it in in the 6.29 configuration steps. Since I am getting a3 WU's can we conclude that although I did do it different (but according to the guide at the time) all is well for me? You know how I have that "worrying " habit.

I conclude the step to turn off UAC is the step that made running "install.bat" possible without the round about way I did it?

It was at the "additional client parameters' step that I put -smp

What is the current correct response when you get to the "additional client parameters' step?

OH yes I fully agree, great guide and it should pull in more people to help with the work, guaranteed. I have to ask, don't you have to also go to work? (I don't ,just 13 cr hrs of school, but it is not as bad as having to go to work) where do you find the time? I hope the load on you lightens up some.

Last thing is we must change that "Pentium D" in your sig rig.

OH and what about my "Million Point" indicator? It will happen tomorrow
 
#20 ·
Ok, so for the first step I made a second windows user account on my computer called F@H, should I log into my first account or F@H?

Edit: when I try to log into my F@H account I get
"Credentials for F@H (account) rejected connecting to (my pc)
Aborting: Unable to connect to (my pc)
Press any key to continue..."
 
#21 ·
Just solved my own problem >.<

You have to log into Install.bat with your Main (that would be the first account you made in windows) credentials regardless of the account your installing it in.

Might want to add that in for n00bs like me who don't know better, and want a account without to much stuff running in the background to get the most folding done.
 
#22 ·
Quote:
Just solved my own problem >.<

You have to log into Install.bat with your Main (that would be the first account you made in windows) credentials regardless of the account your installing it in.

Might want to add that in for n00bs like me who don't know better, and want a account without to much stuff running in the background to get the most folding done.
How did you fix it? I'm having the same problem.
 
#23 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by xEzekialx View Post
How did you fix it? I'm having the same problem.
On your first account you made in windows(the master account), set up a password for it. Then when running install.bat use your username/password set up for that first account(master account) NOT for the account your logged into.

Hopefully that made sense :/
 
#25 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by xEzekialx View Post
Hmm I tried that but still doesn't work... Damn this is weird.
DO you mean i actually need two accounts for this?
No just what I did so I don't have a ****load of stuff running in the background.
You are filling in something for your windows user account password?
 
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