Ultimate Guide To Folding@home

[Hesham Al-Rousan]

Originally posted by 4th gen@16 March 2004 - 17:22
Twice now since I've been using F@H, it's crashed taking hours of CPU time with it. The first time I lost about 71% of a work unit, due to a communications error with the server:

"[06:21:45] Completed 355000 out of 500000 steps (71)
[06:33:02] CoreStatus = 1 (1)
[06:33:02] Client-core communications error: ERROR 0x1
[06:33:02] Deleting current work unit & continuing...
[06:33:22] - Preparing to get new work unit...
[06:33:24] + Attempting to get work packet
[06:33:24] - Connecting to assignment server
[06:33:27] + Could not connect to Assignment Server
[06:33:27] + Could not connect to Assignment Server 2
[06:33:27] + Couldn't get work instructions.
[06:33:27] - Error: Attempt #1 to get work failed, and no other work to do.
Waiting before retry."

Which prompted me to stop using it. I retried it the other day, got one WU completed. My PC crashed again today, and no surprise, F@H lost its WU again:

"[16:33:30] Completed 480000 out of 500000 steps (96)"

The first bit (up to [06:33:02]) indicates some sort of file system error, not a communication error. Basically it could not write the results to the disk, presumably because it thought the file was corrupt. Rather than send bad results back to the source it deleted them.

The next part (up to [06:33:27]) is an attempt to get another WU. First of all it has to connect to an assignment server. This then routes the request to a Work Unit server, but as the error messages suggest it could not even connect to the assignment server.

Both of these events occuring together suggest you have some inherent instability in your system, which is causing the crash. I'm guessing that you are using FAT32 file system. When your system crashes with FAT32, the last part of the file will be lost (just like with Kazaa). So F@H thinks your results are corrupt and discards them (again, like Kazaa downloads).

Suggestions:
Convert to NTFS if you are using FAT32. It won't cure the crash but it may stop you from losing your work.
Sort out your system instability - I've found from experience that raising Vcore slightly (0.025V is usually enough) can cure this problem, even though the system is theoretically running at the correct settings. Watch your temps though.

[crraazzyy]

Originally posted by bawa@Klite_user@31 July 2004 - 14:41
will my work unit reset if i reboot my pc? or it will continue?

It will continue where it left off.

[Rrrrrrrrrrrrr]

Im back doing this now... my pc's much better now.

3.4GHZ with HT
1gb off ram

Im going to pwn you all :01:

my AMD XP-M@ 2.44Ghz pwns that...according to Sandra software :lol: :lol:

[cutie bug]

9 nigel123 10054.3

I have (finally) reached 10,000!

[Kris young]

Just a few questions;

1) Is there any risk to my P.C me running this? I normally leave it on overnight downloading is this roughly equivalent or does it use alot more CPU power to fold? MY P.C's not going to melt halfway through the night or die under stress?

2) If I wish to remove the program I can just remove it without any bits remaining and running after I have done so?

3) What is the information gleamed going to be used for? Is it just to be used by Standford University or the scientific community as a whole? Is there a chance that this insight into proteins allow people to perform nastier tasks (Stuff like cloning - I know this is DNA modification but proteins and amino acids often tie in pretty closely - or creation of harmful biological weapons)?

4) Is this actually worthwhile or will the whole thing be discredited in a years time when the scientists find there actually doing something a bit wrong and all this folding info is useless?

5) Are the pics on the user interface the actual pics of the protein being folded or are they just random images?

[Michael Jackson Lover]

I didn't notice mine when it happened either.

[Rayan H]

Now folding.

[PeachD]

Originally posted by summerlinda@25 January 2004 - 14:36
You have to take better care of that Protein of yours, nurture it, talk to it, feed it etc.
....

Mmmmm, :frusty: always thought proteins were supposed to nurture ME

[Kribensis lover]

Folding...

[Jahman]

1 Virtualbody1234 50121.1 928 !!!

50000, nice one Virtualbody1234...keep on folding, the 100000 is in sight.