6.24 only uses half of processor power?

[toTOW]

There is probably no WU available for 8 cores machines so the server sends you what it has (a 4 core WU ... which is shown in the core call, the "-np 4" part : [14:26:14] - Calling './mpiexec -np 4 -host 127.0.0.1 ./FahCore_a2.exe -dir work/ -suffix 08 -checkpoint 15 -verbose -lifeline 346 -version 624')

[bruce]

I'm definitely using the -smp 8 flag. However, the very first time I ran it I left that flag out. I wonder if its possible that that inadvertently set some sort of persistent preference for four cores?

I really doubt there is any persistent preference but I do think I know what happened. You probably had -smp without the 8 at the time that the WU was downloaded. It's not unreasonable to assume that at the time it downloaded, the WU configured itself for 4 even though you had 8 available at the time. I'd be interested to know if the next WU that you get for A2 will work with the 8 that is presumably now set. Do look at FAHlog for the last time FAH was restarted and confirm that the proper parameters are reported. (See "Arguments:" a few lines before your UserName and TeamNo.)

[mattyf]

Yes, I did make that exact mistake initially, but the latest a2 WU was downloaded after FAH was started with the correct args, and is still using only 4 cores. So something strange is happening. I think tomorrow I'll just uninstall everything completely and reinstall from scratch to see if that fixes it.

[bruce]

I'm running it on a 2 x 3.2GHz Quad Core Intel Xeon, running 10.5.5, with 8 Gigs RAM.

I wouldn't reinstall yet. I wonder if the FAH software is correctly identifiying this system as a dual-quad or if somehow it thinks you've only got a total of four processors.

[mattyf]

Well, looking back through the terminal output, when I first run FAH it reports that 8 cores are detected. So it is seeing the system correctly. Is anyone else out there experiencing this issue?

[kasson]

Just for the heck of it, try placing the -smp 8 at the end of your argument list.

[mattyf]

Just for the heck of it, try placing the -smp 8 at the end of your argument list.

Tried this yesterday. Overnight it started a new a2 WU, same results: only 4 cores going.

[mattyf]

I guess there is some sort of bug in 6.24... I uninstalled and reinstalled everything, and a2 WUs still only grab 4 of my 8 cores. Oh well.

[jecrawford]

I might buy a new MacPro as a Folding machine, but I won't if it can only yield 50% of its power.
Is there no hope of a simple resolution to this situation? For someone who is not a F@H expert?

John

[susato]

The easiest solution, which I personally use, is to run two instances of Folding, each using the -smp 4 flag.
If you are comfortable running the Console client, just set up a second instance in a Console window and leave it minimized.

If you prefer a GUI (Graphical User Interface) using mouse clicks instead of controlling Folding from the command line, install InCrease - I have used it since 2004 through many updates and am very happy with it. It installs best if no other Folding files are on your machine, so here's what to do:

- Stop Folding with your existing client, open Activity Monitor to be sure all Folding related processes have stopped (fah6, FahCore_a1.exe (or ...a2.exe), and mpiexec. Then restart Folding adding the -oneunit flag so that it shuts down at the end of your current work unit. Open client.cfg, copy out your 32-character passkey and send it to yourself in email.

- Once Folding has stopped, scrub out every trace of Folding from your computer. If you are running the Stanford Universal Client (the one controlled from the System Preferences panel) go here and follow the directions to uninstall it completely.

- Browse to http://www.calxalot.net and download InCrease. Drag it to your Application folder and Dock. Open it. From the Groups menu at the top of the screen choose "Create Local Group". This will download a new copy of the client and open its configuration window (or you can configure it yourself in InCrease Preference; select to use 4 cores.) 

- Once this first instance of Folding is running, go back to the Groups menu and select "Create More Units". This will create another instance of Folding which you can proceed to configure as before. (For those reading this months or years later, Create More Units will create new units until you have one instance of Folding running for every 4 hardware cores in your machine).

- After you create the two units you can monitor them through InCrease, as its monitoring capabilities are even better than its installation capabilities. FahMon will also work fine.

[jecrawford]

Thank you, Susato.
That was very helpful.

John

[mattyf]

Ok, this is a really stupid newbie question:

Do you have to do anything other than open a second terminal window and run the command again to start a second instance? When I tried it, it warned me that Process 446 is currently running and may also be a client with Machine ID 1. Sorry for such a basic question!

[toTOW]

Change your Machine ID to 2 in advanced configuration of the second client.

[susato]

Besides changing the machineID, you should set up your second client in a different folder than the first client, e.g.

First client: ~/Library/Folding@home/
Second client: ~/Library/Folding@home2/

Here's what to do.

Create the new folder and copy the client (fah6) and mpiexec into that folder. Then open a Terminal window, declare the new folder to be your working directory, then run the client with the -local flag every time you use it. The -local flag is REQUIRED because you are now running FAH in a non-default directory. Here's code:

Code: Select all

Dobby:~ susato$ cd  ~/Library/Folding@home2
Dobby:~/Library/Folding@home2 susato$ ./fah6 -local -configonly

Using local directory for configuration

Note: Please read the license agreement (fah6 -license). Further 
use of this software requires that you have read and accepted this agreement.

Using local directory for work files
Folding@Home User Configuration

2 cores detected


--- Opening Log file [April 2 12:38:10 UTC] 


# Mac OS X SMP Console Edition ############

Then the client goes through the whole configuration routine in your new folder. Be sure to select YES when it asks about advanced configuration options, and select a machineID different from the machineID of your first instance when you see the line

Machine ID (1-16) [1]?

(Mattyf, your existing process had machineID 1; just pick a different one) At the end of the configuration process Folding will exit and return you to the prompt, e.g.

Code: Select all

[12:42:42] + Requesting User ID from server
[12:42:42] - Machine ID: 2
[12:42:42] 
[12:42:42] -configonly flag given, so exiting.
Terminated
Dobby:~/Library/Folding@home2 susato$ 

at which time you can start your second unit by typing

Code: Select all

Dobby:~/Library/Folding@home2 susato$ ./fah6 -smp -local -verbosity 9

Note that you need the -smp flag to run SMP units, the -local flag to designate the current directory as your Folding directory for that second client, and we always recommend -verbosity 9 to give you the maximum detail in your FAHlog.txt in case you have to troubleshoot at any future time. You can also add the -advmethods flag if you like.

Hoping that the extra detail is helpful.

[jecrawford]

Thanks again, Susato.

Regards
John