Folding@Home VMware

[geokilla]

So I've been running F@H for quite a long time now, and I've noticed that there really isn't a tutorial or anything related to F@H VMware in a while. I was hoping this could be a thread dedicated to F@H Vmware. What do you guys think? Running F@H SMP clients via VMware seems to be getting a bit more common now. Plus there's the added fact that you don't need MPICH or DEINO clients, and you get the new FahCore_A2, which seems to be a LOT faster than the Windows client. It's also more stable too.

So anyways, let the thread begin!

P.S. @LOUIS. You could run VMware on your Q6600. Just make two VMware clients on your machine.

 

[Insidious]

I'd enjoy understanding more from people that go the VMWare route too. I tried it some time ago and didn't have the greatest success. I assumed it was 'operator error', and gave up.

The VMWare seemed to hijack my PC resources pretty severly and the gains of a Linux client seemed to be pretty much cancled out as windows struggled to run it all.

I'm all ears if there's a better way to fold than I am now, but I actually use these PCs and don't want to give that up.

 

[Foxery]

Bump for love. I'm upgrading to Windows 7 soon, and adding enough RAM to do things like this. This summer it's either return to SMP point production, or stop wasting electricity on my main rig at home, and let the office machines do the heavy lifting.

 

[geokilla]

Hmm, guess I'd contritube even though I'm not good with VMware.

@Insidious. Try following this guide to setting up SMP folding via VMware. I've never tried it myself but people from Legit Reviews have gotten SMP folding to work under Linux using that guide. Keep in mind that there's a new Linux client available.

 

[Insidious]

Thanks Geokilla

I did get it running, but I did not get a "payoff vs. pain in the arse" ratio that was worth it. (Not even close)

WXP can only use 3GB of ram and while Linux doesn't use very much, VMWare sure does.

Right now I have two SMPs and two GPUs running in each of my 2 PCs. They are averaging very nearly 15,000 PPD each. (some days slightly over that)

With the crippling effects of VMWare, I would need to understand how my PPD would go up at least 2,000 PPD per machine for it to even approach a reasonable crunching method.

Linux and VMWare are just too large of a pain.

(only one cruncher's opinion)

-Sid

 

[geokilla]

If you get it setup correctly, then it's well worth it. The A2 cores are simply that fast. Of course you need a good enough computer as well.

 

[Markfw]

They can do 15000 ppd ? on a Q6600 ? (the A2 cores)

 

[geokilla]

Originally posted by: Markfw900
They can do 15000 ppd ? on a Q6600 ? (the A2 cores)

Well the Linux A2 core is definitely faster than the Windows varient. I get around 1800PPD from my CPU if I leave it on 24/7 without touching it, and what's with the A1 core. If I could get Vmware to run, I'd definitely run it.

And where'd you get 15 000PPD for a Q6600? They're fast, but they're not faster than the GPU clients...

 

[geokilla]

Some guides for VMware SMP Folding.

Here is an excellent guide from the EVGA Forums

And another similar and equally excellent guide from XtremeCPU Forums

The Official SMP Installation Thread : Legit Folding

Happy Folding!

 

[Insidious]

Originally posted by: geokilla

And where'd you get 15 000PPD for a Q6600? They're fast, but they're not faster than the GPU clients...

Right now I have two SMPs and two GPUs running in each of my 2 PCs. They are averaging very nearly 15,000 PPD each. (some days slightly over that)

 

[geokilla]

Seems that there aren't much people who are willing to run VMware here.

@Insid. Those include GPUs I assume? xD

 

[PCTC2]

I run VMware, but not for folding. I run it for work. Test systems, images, and keeping clients off my hosts. I'd prefer to just run straight Linux on my computers. If you're not running VMWare ESX, then the overhead of VMWare is not worth it IMHO. I'd prefer to just keep everything native. My gaming computer is the only computer I have on Windows. Everything else is linux, except for my Active Director server. But that's another story.

 

[geokilla]

I'd just like to say that I tried the EVGA method for installing VMware folding. It wasn't working as well as I hoped, so I'll be trying the Legit Reviews method later this week.

So no love for Folding@Home VMware?

 

[filibusterman]

There could be love once I find out what you guys are talking about! LOL . I have some rigs at my work that I have installed Ubuntu on that are running bionic currently but i am not that familiar with linix so even getting that to work was fun. I do notice, however on some machines I have both folding and bionic on that both the fahcore11 and 78 both take up one core on this q6600. I know my vid card on this rig sucks (HD2400xt) but it seems to be offering no benefit since I thought it was supposed to take load off of the cpu.

NE1 got any linkies so I can read up on this VMware beyond what is easily read or found on a search engine? Does it require or work better with a certain version of linix?

Thanks, I'm just getting my feet wet in this DC thing.

 

[filibusterman]

Ok I read that guide and it suggests that you install a virtual machine such as ubuntu 8.04 server x64 for doing this. I have never tried this I might have to give it a try. Also, is there another way to get folding to utilize all of a computers cpus that is simpler?

 

[geokilla]

Originally posted by: filibusterman
Ok I read that guide and it suggests that you install a virtual machine such as ubuntu 8.04 server x64 for doing this. I have never tried this I might have to give it a try. Also, is there another way to get folding to utilize all of a computers cpus that is simpler?

You don't have to use ubuntu 8.04. Heck you can use the custom created F@H clients that utilize VMware folding. Just have to make sure that it's all stable and everything works well at the end of the day.

What do you mean by get folding to utilizie all of a computer's CPUs that are similar?

For your folding rigs, some have found using VMware folding to be easier than using the Windows SMP folding, and vice versa.

Switch your dual core CPUs to at least SMP folding if you can so that you will get the most PPD out of it. Make sure your computer is on for at least 10 hours a day.