How do you fold?

[HagaWaga]

I am curious how other people fold/run folding@home. Through this forum I can see some use PS3 (game station? Sorry I do not play tv games), PC, graphic card’s processor, etc.

Do you run your hardware 24/7 or fold Only when you do something/are beside (in front of) your ‘computer’? Do you keep hardware running on purpose just to fold (and get points=ego) or folding is just one of background (and very useful) tasks while you actually use hardware for purpose (playing games, work, internet, movies)?

I fold at work 24/7. Corporations WASTE energy left and right. So 100W on top of megawatts they waste just for office lighting during night when NOBODY (not even cleaning staff) is there will not make a difference.

[John Naylor]

Before I answer your question... do you have written permission from your bosses to run that client? People have been fired for doing so without permission on company machines....

As to how I fold...

I have a total of 3 dual cores, 2 quad cores, 2 GPUs and 2 PS3s that fold for this project (most of them are not mine, but family members who agree that the project is a worthwhile idea and allowed me to install it). Only one dual-core is 24/7 (a home server) and the others all run folding only when they are used... or perhaps left on for a few hours folding to themselves As a result I stick to the uniprocessor clients on the CPUs and rack up my points the old-school way... I've been folding since March 2006 and am still only just about to hit 800,000 points. (for me the points are secondary to the science being done, so I'm happy)

[Zagen30]

I wouldn't necessarily call dedicating hardware to folding egotistical. Many of us believe in the project enough that we want to contribute as much as possible, with the points being a side benefit. I'd almost certainly contribute even if there were no points system.

To answer the original question, I run everything I can get my hands on 24/7. I run 1 PS3, 1 dual-core, 2-quad cores (one of them's an i7 w/HT), 3 single-cores, and 4 GPUs.

[FlipBack]

Folding 24/7 is not egotistical. If you fold 24/7 more science gets done. Generally, the more points = the more science accomplished (I said generally, I know turn around time, etc, are important too).

[jrweiss]

Computers are tools. I buy and run computers to do useful work for me. F@H is useful, but not worth significant extra cost to me. So, I run F@H on the computers I would keep running anyhow, plus a low-power spare laptop that doesn't cost much electricity.

[MoneyGuyBK]

Being a believer in the project and having lost my Dad and uncles to Alzheimer I proudly Fold 24/7 on everything I have.
Some of my machines are built for F@H exclusively and run the bigger clients like SMP and GPU2
Others that are mere work stations at my work run the very minimal console clients in the background.
Sure my electricity bill is higher because of F@H but IMO it's for a good cause and may help my son if not me (genetics give us a good chance of being struck as my relatives were)
PS there has been no ill effect on my machines over the almost 3 years of me Folding.

Welcome to Folding Forums and F@H, keep strong.






Peace

[Grandpa_01]

I fold on 4 Quad core machines 1 - bigadv and 3 smp + 6 GPU clients 24/7. I fold for the belief that I am doing something to help out mankind. Alzheimer's and Cancer both run in my family lines and hopefully folding will help to find a cure or treatment for these diseases before they possibly afflict my children or grandchildren. I build computers as a hobby, and I love to push them to the max, 3 out of 4 of my machines are running at 4Ghz or more 24/7 And yes I game (not very good though) And yes it cost me a little extra electricity but I have worked hard all of my life and I enjoy building computers and folding in the winter when there is nothing else to do. And folding has not broken a single machine (But I Have I am really good at it). Any way there are probably as many different reasons to fold as there are people folding. Hopefully we will do some good for the human race.

[HagaWaga]

Thank you for your answers. My motive is humanitarian as most of yours. Points? I found about them maybe 8 months ago. I started folding about 3 years ago but was inactive for a year or so until I figured out how to be more productive (sneakernet?). My current average is about 2.5 WUs per day.

Word ego for me means: a person's sense of self-importance. Not egoistic. I use word ego describing people who buy BMW, Mercedes, Rolex, etc. just to show off/brag about his/her ‘achievements’ in life. (money vs. brain). You get a point.

[kiore]

I use all my own stuff, built and payed for as part of my commitment to the project. Have 3 dedicated machines which run 24/7 when powercuts and internet allow. Did not intend to have 3 only wanted 1, but actually enjoy the experience of not just contributing to research but learning stuff myself. This has definitely been a 2 way street for me and I've got a lot out of it, currently my project is to watercool and overclock my i7 920, the benefit to the project is I can do big advanced units, the benefit to me as a hobbyist is I learn to work with the hard and soft ware. Also I really want to be contributing to this project, as a health professional I see the devastating effects of these diseases. I know this is not a 'why we fold' thread, but it is difficult to separate these things. Would still take part without the points system, but appreciate the 'payment' that it generates, and know that it does play a part in my motivation.

[Nathan_P]

I came across the project by accident when I was doing some research on the Blu-ray forum, started with my GPU in in my main machine and then went from there, added the cpu client, then in May 09 decided to build a dedicated machine from 2nd hand bits bought on the bay. I learn't a lot along the way about component choices and would do things a lot differently now. The only things left from the original build of a e6600 and a pair of 8800gt's is the HDD and PSU (the one thing i didn't skimp on.). Both 8800's have been replaced one by a GTS 250 and the other by an EVGA GTX 275 coop as has the cpu - now an athlon II x4, and M/B. Memory got swapped when i started running notfred. I now run 3 GPU clients (will add my 3rd 8800GT that i bought at a later date when i upgrade the PSU) and the new SMP client on the folding rig. My main rig now only has the GPU client running.

My next build will replace both current rigs. My current folding rig will replace my main gaming rig and my new folding rig is planned to run all types of WU

Some tips for new people looking for idea's.

Don't skimp on the PSU - I thought 650w would be enough - thats due for replacement by a 950w unit. ( a 2nd GTX 275 is planned)
Get decent branded memory
Use win XP for multple GPU clients
Get a decent m/board with plenty of fan headers and PCIe slots (if you are GPU folding)
cpu - doesn't matter unless you are planning on smp folding.
HDD - if a dedicated rig as small as possible

[Grandpa_01]

Don't skimp on the PSU - I thought 650w would be enough - thats due for replacement by a 950w unit. ( a 2nd GTX 275 is planned)
Get decent branded memory
Use win XP for multple GPU clients
Get a decent m/board with plenty of fan headers and PCIe slots (if you are GPU folding)
cpu - doesn't matter unless you are planning on smp folding.
HDD - if a dedicated rig as small as possible

You may want to reconcider this statement since the release of the bigadv and a3 WU's.

cpu - doesn't matter unless you are planning on smp folding.

My CPU's put out more PPD than my GPU's do now and use less electricty and create less heat.I do believe that now the CPU choice has become quite important. You can buy a I7 920 for $288 and Memory and Motherboard for another $300. Thats about the same cost as a GTX295 Graphics card that I believe produce less than the CPU. (I am not sure about that I don't own one) My guess is that now the CPU's are very competive as far as $$$ per WU goes.

I7-920 @ 4.2Ghz folding bigadv = 30,000+PPD
Q9650 @ 4.2Ghz Folding SMP a3 = 13,000+PPD
Q9650 @ 4Ghz folding SMP a3 = 11,000+PPD
Phenom II 940 @ 3.5Ghz folding SMP a3 = 7,000+PPD
4870X2 = 6500+PPD
3870X2 = 4000+PPD
2-3850's = 3000+PPD

[toTOW]

This post made me think about people who fold because they (or their family) are affected by one of the domains studied by FAH ... if you're interested about sharing your story, you should read this news and get involved : http://en.fah-addict.net/news/news-0-13 ... tories.php

[djchandler]

We have 3 computers at the moment running 24/7. I'm not into it for points, but seeing the points is feedback that the work getting done on my computers has been received in a timely manner and integrated into the various assigned projects.

All are CPU clients, a quad and a dual both running one iteration of the 6.29 client with SMP enabled so we can run the new SMP2 Core_A3. There's one single core Linux 6.24 client that started as a prototype for possibly expanding to hosting a "farm" with a minimal use of power but it just keeps running even though that idea has been shelved. I was hoping to experiment with running it off a battery recharged by solar cells or wind power just for fun. Now it's looking like I'm going to need help to do some of the work as I'm getting less physically able.

I have a rare and incurable hereditary neurological disease. Using my computer hobby to contribute to these projects gives me a feeling of empowerment over what could be a depressing and bleak future. It may help one of my children or grandchildren some day if a cure for this disease or even another similar enough to it is found.

[k1wi]

How do I fold...

Well I first got into folding not so long ago when I built an i7 920 based computer - it runs as a home server for me as well as a HTPC (located under the lounge on the garage and connected to our TV). I'll admit I've never been a fan of turning computers off (say what you will, although they do run services that need to run 24/7;), so I don't have many qualms with running my computers 24/7.

I fold because it's a challenge - it has allowed me to improve my knowledge and understanding of computers, even if it's work arounds such as VMs to get the most out of my hardware. It's also encouraged my latest pet project, which is a rather insane watercooling loop (10m long :O)

The points are nice - I feel better about creating a team and getting another 56 team members to fold with me though and point earning plays a big part in getting them to fold.

I don't have anyone particularly close to me who have been affected/afflicted by the illnesses by what folding aims to understand better and hopefully cure, but I do get a sense of reward from feeling like I'm doing something worthwhile.

k1wi

[ra40]

Have and had family members with the diseases that are being researched by Stanford and this F@H project. I run my 2 machines 24/7-365 stopping to clean dust or when forced by a power outage or other similar event. If I had more I'd donate more, this is what I can do within my limits balancing hardware and the electricity running the machines.

2-8800GT cards with a 7750 X2 CPU SMP
1-GTX260-c216 and a 550 X2 CPU SMP