Folding@Home

[PlayeR]

recently, I got interested in PC stuffs. I joined few forums and there is this team called Folding Team

I read abt it and had a look at some links provided such as http://folding.stanford.edu/

But still I dont quite get it..

Can someone explain what this is?
it is said to help scientists to find cure for some diseases and Cancer...

[clocker]

Folding@Home is a distributed computing client.
You download and install a small program and your home PC becomes a node in Stanford's cloud supercomputer.

Basically, your PC periodically requests a "project" from the home server, works on it till completion then sends the results back to Stanford.
Then you get another small chunk to process and the cycle repeats ad infinitum.

You - and by extension, your team- are awarded points for each piece of work done.

This worker program runs in the background and utilizes all the unused CPU cycles, so your CPU will be running at 100% all the time.

It is a benign and unobtrusive program but you have to be aware that your PC is basically always running a stress program...heat can be an issue- which is why Folding was once used to test the efficiency of cooling setups (there are better ways to do this now).

[PlayeR]

I see..I was gonna join the Folding Team

but if it will make my PC exhausted too much then I will think twice abt it.

are/were you in Folding Team, clock?

[clocker]

The decision about joining should have nothing to do with "exhausting" your PC...it doesn't hurt the hardware at all.

Assuming you have a properly specced, constructed and configured machine, running it at 100% shouldn't hurt.

I have been a folder at various times and set both my parent's PCs up as clients (with their approval)...my mother's unit folded for nearly two years till I upgraded her to a new PC.
During this time I doubt she even noticed and after a while I forgot as well, so I don't know how she did, points-wise.
Which is basically irrelevant anyway...she hoped to contribute to a project that interested her (I mean really...curing cancer!) and this was an easy way to do it.

My personal PC is a continuing work in progress, it rarely stays in one piece for longer than a few weeks and thus is not very suitable for a long term, ongoing project like Folding.
This is a lame excuse but it's all I got.

[tesco]

I see..I was gonna join the Folding Team

but if it will make my PC exhausted too much then I will think twice abt it.

are/were you in Folding Team, clock?

It won't ruin any hardware, you won't even notice it running.
It runs at the lowest cpu priority so any other app that needs CPU time automatically gets it, slowing only the folding.
The one downside is the heat generated by your CPU since it is running under load at all times. This can be annoying in the summer time or if you have a temp-controlled cpu-fan.

I started folding when i first heard about it in 2004, then stopped after a few months because I wanted a silent system and that required a cool CPU.
I started up again about 2 weeks ago with GPU folding (vid card). Since my vid card has no fan and runs at a reasonably low temp I decided to let it run full time folding.

[Chewie]

If you're going to start folding, please consider joining the FST team 34905 (listed under it's original name, KLF).

@Ross:
So that's how you manage so many points/day.
I'll have to take a look at GPU clients over the weekend but I doubt my 8600GT would be up to the job.

Edit:
Actually, I've just taken a look at your listed specs, Ross, and you show a 6800GT. Hope for me, then.

[tesco]

If you're going to start folding, please consider joining the FST team 34905 (listed under it's original name, KLF).

@Ross:
So that's how you manage so many points/day.
I'll have to take a look at GPU clients over the weekend but I doubt my 8600GT would be up to the job.

Edit:
Actually, I've just taken a look at your listed specs, Ross, and you show a 6800GT. Hope for me, then.

8800gt* must be a typo. Still not that far off from yours...

GPU seems to outperform cpu by a lot.

[PlayeR]

so it really does not harm your pc at all, eh?
because when you say your PC will run on 100%, I thought it will harm the PC..
so for how long do you usually leave your PC on when Folding? is it 24/7 on??

@tess, what is your PC temp when Folding?. and when idle?

I heard ATi is not good for folding, anyone can clarify?

If you're going to start folding, please consider joining the FST team 34905 (listed under it's original name, KLF).

really? I didnt know FST has folding team

[tesco]

@tess, what is your PC temp when Folding?. and when idle?

I heard ATi is not good for folding, anyone can clarify?

For my vid card (since i'm gpu folding not cpu) the idle temp is around 40 and while folding it's around 53.

Couldn't tell you if ati is good or not, you could always just try it and see.

[Chewie]

Installed the NV GPU2 client and idle has shot from 60 to 67
CPU core temps have dropped from 40/42 to 30/36 though.
(EVEREST readings)