SPCR Folds Team Blog

[aristide1]

Can I ask what that Mac cost Neil?

[aristide1]

Wow, what's going on?

My E6400 has been folding P2653's for some time, and nicely at 14 minutes per checkpoint. But now, I've had several that have taken 20 minutes per checkpoint, and yes they are also 2653's.

6*100 = 600 minutes, that's an extra 10 hours.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hello Aris,

Can I ask what that Mac cost Neil?

I don't know -- it is in the office of my church, where I do some tech support work. I think they got it from MicroCenter:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_produ ... id=0244103

All work units are not the same -- so even the same project can take differing time.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hello Aris,

Can I ask what that Mac cost Neil?

I don't know -- it is in the office of my church, where I do some tech support work. I think they got it from MicroCenter:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_produ ... id=0244103

All work units are not the same -- so even the same project can take differing time.

[ryboto]

well, I attempted to install the SMP client on one of these core 2 machines as a service, but it wont even let me start it up, it says it only detects one cpu, so it just stops and wont let me set it up. Sure enough, in the task manager, windows is only showing one graph for cpu usage. What needs to be done for it to recognize two cores? CPU-z says the system has a core 2 inside...

[NeilBlanchard]

Hello,

I'm pretty sure that the beta SMP client won't allow you to install it as a service. You have to put a shortcut in the Startup folder.

[ryboto]

Hello,

I'm pretty sure that the beta SMP client won't allow you to install it as a service. You have to put a shortcut in the Startup folder.

Well, regardless, before I even get to the option, it says it can't detect more than 1 core.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hello,

You have to install the .NET software, and you have to run the Install.BAT before starting the Windows SMP client?

[aristide1]

Hello,

I'm pretty sure that the beta SMP client won't allow you to install it as a service. You have to put a shortcut in the Startup folder.

Well, regardless, before I even get to the option, it says it can't detect more than 1 core.

Are you running Windows (which one?) and a dual core AMD? Depending on which version of OS you either need to update a driver or download the AMD Dual Core Fix directly from microsoft.

[ryboto]

Hello,

I'm pretty sure that the beta SMP client won't allow you to install it as a service. You have to put a shortcut in the Startup folder.

Well, regardless, before I even get to the option, it says it can't detect more than 1 core.

Are you running Windows (which one?) and a dual core AMD? Depending on which version of OS you either need to update a driver or download the AMD Dual Core Fix directly from microsoft.

Like I said, it's a Core 2 processor. CPUz recognizes it. I've run the Install.bat, it says it's working just fine, both lines display. The system has the most recent .Net files, it's XP with up to date service packs. Task manager only displays a processor loading graph for 1 core, not 2 like I'm used to seeing with dual cores.

[aristide1]

Like I said, it's a Core 2 processor.

Sorry, I just forgot.

If the OS was installed on a single processor and then you upgraded to a dual-processor you may need to update one of the CPU drivers.

Right click on my computer and then choose properties.

Go to device manager and click on + sign in front of the computer icon.

I think it should say "ACPI Multiprocessor PC". You can right click on that and try to run scan for hardware changes.

On my roommates dual core (AMD) with XP I right click on "ACPI Multiprocessor PC" and I get another pop up. I click on the driver tab and then driver details. It lists the following files:
hal.dll
ntkrnlpa.exe
ntoskrnl.exe

All in the system32 folder and all appear to have come from SP2, file version 5.1.26xx.xxxx

[Plissken]

Like I said, it's a Core 2 processor. CPUz recognizes it. I've run the Install.bat, it says it's working just fine, both lines display. The system has the most recent .Net files, it's XP with up to date service packs. Task manager only displays a processor loading graph for 1 core, not 2 like I'm used to seeing with dual cores.

The lastest Windows SMP release seems much more stable. I don't think I've ever lost a WU, and I only lost a few with the older client.
Can you give more details of the system and the error? You said Core 2, so you mean Core 2 Duo, right? Or Core Duo? CPU part #? 32 or 64 bit OS? What is the exact error message?

[ryboto]

it's a core 2 duo based Dell. I did NOT upgrade this, it's a factory system. CPUz detects a 2.13ghz C2D. It doesn't give much info, I'll get back to it tomorrow. I just know that the SMP client doesn't start it says something like only 1 core detected...then displays a message about multiple processors being required. Again, I didn't upgrade, or change any hardware settings, it's as it was provided to me by the school, but it's in the lab, so I don't have direct access to it now. I can check the device manager tomorrow, maybe if I get to go to that lab. It could be because the university loads all systems with a image disc that installs the exact same OS environment on all PC's, they do the same for their Mac and linux systems. So, that's probably it. Kinda silly, since it cripples the machines if it's disabling multiprocessor support.

[aristide1]

Hey Bolek, you OK?

The man stopped folding in his tracks!

[Plissken]

it's a core 2 duo based Dell. I did NOT upgrade this, it's a factory system. CPUz detects a 2.13ghz C2D.
...
It could be because the university loads all systems with a image disc that installs the exact same OS environment on all PC's, they do the same for their Mac and linux systems. So, that's probably it. Kinda silly, since it cripples the machines if it's disabling multiprocessor support.

Are all the other machines the same Dell and have the same symptoms?
If you only see one processor in task manager, and you suspect you are only using one core, try the following:
1. In the view menu of task manager, under CPU History, select "one graph per cpu" (instead of "one graph for all")
2. On the "About" tab of CPU-Z, select "Registers Dump (txt)". The logfile may give you some clues, like if one core is disabled.
3. Next suspect is ACPI, like aristide1 has said.
4. See if there is a BIOS update available. Earlier versions may not have supported two cores.
5. Same with chipset. See if there are new drivers available.
Good luck!

[aristide1]

Yikes, our team average is nose-diving

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

My brother's machine should be back soon -- somehow the user name and team number were erased. It was Folding, but w/o credit to anybody in particular.

[aristide1]

We're down almost 100ppd per contributor.

Bolek where are you?

[KansaKilla]

so if you went from a dual core to a quad, would you have to update the acpi or would the OS automagically detect and use all four cores since it recognized multiple cores at the install?

[aristide1]

I believe the ACPI is uni or multi.

[ryboto]

so, I've added a few machines, but my main home desktop is having issues. I use ctrl+C to close the client, and until last week, i've never had an issue starting it back up again. But now, if I stop the client and restart it, randomly I get the FILE_IO_ERROR, ERROR 0x1. Really not sure what's causing this...I've lots two WU's so far, kinda annoying. Guess I'll just have to keep it running until a WU is finished.

[KansaKilla]

Have you tried reinstalling the client? I've done that when things get screwy. See if that makes a difference.

[ryboto]

Have you tried reinstalling the client? I've done that when things get screwy. See if that makes a difference.

I might give it a whirl, though I'm going to let this WU finish first. I also had another issue with the other X2 I have SMP folding, it just stopped at 24% through a WU. All 4 folding cores were not present in the task manager. It's sat that way for about two days until I checked it today. The dang thing had been going for a month, submitted a bunch of WUs, then, stopped. I want a FINAL release dammit!

[aristide1]

Our team count is dropping faster than the dollar.

We'll be down another tean position in about a week.

Welcome back to the top 20 Ryboto.

[Dutchmm]

But have you looked at his stats? He is sometimes doing 4 or 5 WUs a day, for a total of 588 to 1200 points. He must have the mother of all machines to get through so many low scoew WUs. If we could persuade him to run SMP, he would be worth at least 500 ppd more.

And if we could all find a way of doing 500 ppd more, we would not be threatened with 29 ...

Mike

[ryboto]

But have you looked at his stats? He is sometimes doing 4 or 5 WUs a day, for a total of 588 to 1200 points. He must have the mother of all machines to get through so many low scoew WUs. If we could persuade him to run SMP, he would be worth at least 500 ppd more.

And if we could all find a way of doing 500 ppd more, we would not be threatened with 29 ...

Mike

If you're referring to me, I can't install the SMP client on the majority of the machines I use because I don't have direct access to them 24/7, they're in another building, and others use the machines. Since the SMP client doesn't behave well when installing as a service(I know this, because I've tried on multiple machines), I have to use dual standard console clients. I'd use the new v6 beta, but getting that passkey, is annoying, plus the fact that the clients will expire and I'll have to update all the machines. I don't work in a computer lab, so I don't have a lot of time to set them up. Even if it was still in beta, but they got the service setup working with the SMP client I'd do it, because I know the gains would be that much better, but as it is, most of the computers will be unattended by myself for 1-2 weeks. Instead of hoping the SMP WUs complete, I can know for a fact that the console WUs will. It's a pinch of a sitiation.

[Dutchmm]

I was talking about another folder about to hit the 300K milestone.

I accept we can't all use the SMP client. But we need everyone to consider it.

Mike

[ryboto]

I was talking about another folder about to hit the 300K milestone.

I accept we can't all use the SMP client. But we need everyone to consider it.

Mike

I might...*might* be able to get one of the 3 X2's I have folding to switch to the SMP...that way all 3 of those machines would be using an SMP client. Only issue is that I'd have to hope my girlfriends mother wont forget about it, and close the client when she gets up from the machine...

[Dutchmm]

slimming, or delaying ageing ...

That should make it seem important ...

[aristide1]

Yuck, where did these 1329 pointers come from?