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Need help getting Folding@home to work on Mac Pro


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#1 MichaelGR

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Posted 20 December 2008 - 12:50 PM


I have just tried to install Folding@home on my 8-core Mac Pro.. Here's what happened:

1) Got the 6.20 client ("Mac OS X 10.4+ Intel/PPC Universal Installer w/console (SMP on Intel only)"

2) I install it.

3) Go to system preferences, and then to folding@home to write my username and enable it.

4) From looking at the activity monitor, it seems like it is running 4 instances of FahCore_a1.exe. One of them pegs a core at 98%, and the 3 others are at around 60% (?!?).

There's no way I can see graphics, no app running anywhere in dock or top bar. Only way I know it's running is by looking at activity monitor, though I'm not even sure it's actually doing any productive work or has downloaded WUs.

If I go to applications folder, the Folding@Home icon has a circle with a diagonal bar, and if I click on it, it says "You can't open the application Folding@home because it is not supported on this architecture"

Anybody knows what's going on? I'll admit I expected better from such a mature and popular project.

Back to Rosetta@home for now.

#2 dnamechanic

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Posted 20 December 2008 - 06:23 PM

I have just tried to install Folding@home on my 8-core Mac Pro..

Thanks Michael, you move quickly.

Preface on all comments here: It has been a couple of years since I folded on Mac machines with OSX.

OK on 1), 2) & 3)

4) From looking at the activity monitor, it seems like it is running 4 instances of FahCore_a1.exe. One of them pegs a core at 98%, and the 3 others are at around 60% (?!?).

This seems normal.

One SMP client will generate four instances of FahCore_a1.exe

Because of load imbalances, the instances will show differing percentages with one or more threads in the 90+ percent range.

There's no way I can see graphics, no app running anywhere in dock or top bar.

This was a default in the install setup. It has been a while since I folded with a Mac, but in windows the default is a service install so that it starts automatically and probably doesn't become an obtrusion to those less interested in details.

Only way I know it's running is by looking at activity monitor, though I'm not even sure it's actually doing any productive work or has downloaded WUs.

Please try FahMon it is an excellent third party tool for monitoring Folding clients.

This topic discusses features and setup.

Download: FahMon here

If I go to applications folder, the Folding@Home icon has a circle with a diagonal bar, and if I click on it, it says "You can't open the application Folding@home because it is not supported on this architecture"

Can't help there. Sounds like an OS conflict.

You may need the other Mac version "Mac OS X (Intel) SMP OS X 10.4+ "

http://folding.stanf...nglish/Download

I'll admit I expected better from such a mature and popular project.

Sorry it didn't meet expectations.

F@H has many options and many setups to allow users to trade off convenience and performance.

Mac OS (for Intel CPUs) and Linux are the most stable and best CPU performers in all of F@H.

With an eight core system as you seem have will have several options for optimum performance.

Some options:

- Run at least two clients in two different folders (4 cores per client)
- Run four clients in four folders (2 cores per client)
- Run with only one client (but in order to utilize all 8 cores, I think you must request special work units with a - 8 flag)

(to do this Start the client with "-smp 8" instead of the regular "- smp")

Some of the options above provide substantially more points per day (PPD) than others.

You have a problem that most would envy, that is running 8 cores on a 'nix like machine.

OSX and Linux are closely related and they are very efficient on folding SMP work units.

You have a pretty special machine, you may want to do research a bit in the Folding Forums.

Use search terms like: MacPro, 8-core, SMP -8,

Please post back with questions, will try to help.

#3 MichaelGR

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Posted 20 December 2008 - 06:46 PM

Thanks for the help. I'll read the resources you linked and see if it works.

I'll admit I expected better from such a mature and popular project.

Sorry it didn't meet expectations.


But for now, allow me to elaborate on what I meant; I'm a distributed computing nut, have been crunching since something like 1998. I'll probably figure it out.

But it's disappointing to think that a more casual user with a Mac Pro might give it a try and be faced with this pretty opaque process without much feedback telling him/her about whether or not his/her efforts are working.

Maybe I'm spoiled by BOINC, which isn't perfect, but so far seems more intuitive than this.

F@H has many options and many setups to allow users to trade off convenience and performance.


That's great. It just seems to me like the convenient mode should be the default, and the more advanced modes should be opt-in.

I'll give it another go now. Thanks for the help.

If anyone else has an Intel Mac Pro, please let me know how you got it to work. Thanks.

Edited by MichaelGR, 20 December 2008 - 06:47 PM.


#4 MichaelGR

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Posted 20 December 2008 - 07:10 PM

Okay, I think I got it working, and I can see a bit more what's going on with FahMon (though it doesn't seem to be in real-time -- does it just read the FAG log when you start the program?).

Now trying to figure out how to either have two different smp clients so my 8 cores are used (2 x 4), or use the SMP 8 flag and see if there are WUs that can use 8 cores.

edit: unfortunately, it seems like the last news about porting F@H to the BOINC platform is dated from 2006. Oh well..

edit2: Okay, now I see 4 FahCore_a2.exe in the monitor, and they are all running around 90% (wonder why they don't go higher, because that's equivalent to not using 40% of one CPU). Google around and checked forums to figure out how to simply install two clients in different folders, and couldn't find anything very useful. Official support docs are pretty basic and don't seem to cover this.

Edited by MichaelGR, 20 December 2008 - 07:34 PM.


#5 dnamechanic

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Posted 21 December 2008 - 01:07 AM

...FahMon (though it doesn't seem to be in real-time -- does it just read the FAG log when you start the program?).

The folding directory (or folder) contains at least the following:

- Work (a directory or folder that contains several work related files plus log files)
- Fahlog.txt (the running log of current work progress plus a limited amount of past work)
- machineindependent.dat - For Linux and OSX, contains a unique computer ID in binary form.
Windows default generates this ID in the Windows Registry.
These are not same as machineid discussed below.

- Client.cfg (the configuration file for the client - contains username, team number, machineid & setup parameters)
- The folding client (Fah-xxx.exe or Folding@Home-xxx.exe) This is the executable that starts the folding core.
- One or more cores (FahCorexxxNumber.exe) - these do the folding
- Queue.dat - contents not fully disclosed by Stanford. Encoded data regarding the work unit.
- Unitinfo.txt - a file that shows the name of the protein, download date, & currrent progress, etc.
- SMP folders have a version of the mpiexec (for multiple processing cores)

The filename extensions (.xxx) may not be visible to some users depending on OS setup.

Fahmon, or some versions of it, examines the Work files, Queue.dat files, Fahlog.txt and Unitinfo.txt.

Fahmon does not have a protein display, it mainly tracks progress at update times selectable by the user.

If a protein display is desired, see this post regarding InCrease.

Now trying to figure out how to either have two different smp clients so my 8 cores are used (2 x 4), or use the SMP 8 flag and see if there are WUs that can use 8 cores.

If you choose to use two clients or more, make separate directory (folders) for them. Set up the start-links or start-commands so that the OS cannot get confused because the Folders (directories) will contain executables with the same names.

Okay, now I see 4 FahCore_a2.exe in the monitor,


Seems good, currently Core A2 is the most efficient one.

and they are all running around 90% (wonder why they don't go higher, because that's equivalent to not using 40% of one CPU).

The four threads generated by the client depend on each other to make progress. They cannot be computed independently. Each thread (folding calculation) runs at different speeds. Ultimately the folding speed can be no faster than the slowest thread, thus cores waiting (less than 100% utilization).

Some folders run other clients (could be regular clients or SMP clients) to pick up the unused CPU cycles. There are various combinations that have been tried. Some run one SMP client per core (four threads), in your case that would be 32 threads. One-client-per-core is not the best configuration, but it may be better than some possible setups.

You may have to experiment and find the best combination for your system.

Google around and checked forums to figure out how to simply install two clients in different folders, and couldn't find anything very useful.

This is an attempt to recall the process, and provide a bit of Mac OS guidance, but it may be lacking.

- Copy one complete install into a separate directory.
- Grant appropriate permissions to the copied files, specifically:

The client (Fah6), the cores (FahCore_xNumber.exe), mpiexec, and the Work folder.

Permissions can be granted using the equivalent of "sudo chmod +x", this grants permission to everyone.

Permissions could be related to an inquiry in the first post.

"...can't open the application Folding@home because it is not supported on this architecture"


Windows folders don't have to be too concerned about permissions, just have to be concerned about viruses. ;)

- Change the "machineid" located in the Client.cfg file of 2nd client, as follows:

In the second folding directory (folder):

Open the Client.cfg file with an editor and find "machineid=1"
Change the "1" to "2" and save it. Do not make any other changes, no spaces, no backspaces.
Just insert a 2 in front of the 1 and delete only the 1.


- Set up directed "Start" or "Command" links to the clients to be sure they are local to the OS, use the -local flag to start the clients.

A WinXP illustration of start-links is shown here using -advmethods flag.

In a similar manner as illustrated: Multiple flags can be used such as: -local -advmethods -smp -verbosity 9

Use one space between each specific flag.

Install more clients in a similar manner, increasing "machineid" up to 16.

Official support docs are pretty basic and don't seem to cover this.

Officially, Stanford prefers that SMP contributors fold with a maximum number of cores per work unit. The reasoning is to get a given work unit back to Stanford as quickly as possible. Of course many folders like to maximize efficiency of their computers and also to maximize their points-per-day (PPD)

Edited by dnamechanic, 21 December 2008 - 05:11 AM.


#6 MichaelGR

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Posted 29 December 2008 - 07:24 AM

Well, I guess I figured it out. Am now in the top 10 producers for the team, and think I'll settle somewhere around 6-8.

Glad to be part of an active team. All the other teams I joined before didn't quite have the drive and mission that this one has (and I'd rather support anti-aging than some bullshit meaningless national team - "oh, I live in this country so I should join this team").

#7 kismet

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Posted 29 December 2008 - 11:21 PM

Well, I guess I figured it out. Am now in the top 10 producers for the team, and think I'll settle somewhere around 6-8.

Glad to be part of an active team. All the other teams I joined before didn't quite have the drive and mission that this one has (and I'd rather support anti-aging than some bullshit meaningless national team - "oh, I live in this country so I should join this team").

Thank you for helping out, let's conquer the top 50 and later the top 25 and then...  ;)




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