Folding Forum

There are a variety of F@h Clients that are targeted towards specific user-groups. There isn't any hard and fast rule about which F@h Client should be used, rather it depends on the donor to choose what F@h Client they want to run on their hardware. Please remember that regardless of what F@h Client you choose to install and run, you are contributing scientifically valuable data. Hence no F@h Client is "less valuable" than another.

To help facilitate you decision about "Which F@h Client Should I Use?" there are some basic questions that you should answer which will help to choose the appropriate Client. This is followed by a list of available F@h Clients along with some details about it and what system it is targeted towards.

This is the hardest question to help you answer because everyone's situation is different, and everyone's computer is different. You will have to answer this question by yourself, but the information and guidance found here will make this easier. Making the "right" choice depends both on you and on your computer.

First: Decide how many hours per day you plan to fold, and how complex you want your initial installation to be?

Second: What hardware do you have, (Type of CPU, type of Video Graphics processor you have, etc.), and which Operating System you have (Windows, Linux, MacOS-X, or PS3)? If you are unsure about your system specifications, you can use CPU-Z and/or GPU-Z (both freeware) to give you a summary of your system.


How Many Hours Per Day/Week?

Many computers run only a few hours per week and are either switched off or the power-saving features kick in and put it into a dormant state until you choose to use it again. FAH cannot run when the computer is switched off or in a dormant state (although the monitor can be switched to a power-saving mode). Many people who run FAH choose to set their computers to run Folding@home continuously. We can help you with either option.


Which Options / How Complex?

FAH does have many options, but we recommend that you start simple .... get comfortable with that ... and then move to something more complex if and when you choose to, though we're happy to help with the added complexity of seeking the highest possible Folding@home performance from your system.


Client Type?

The choice of client type depends on what type of hardware you have.

* CPU Uniprocessor clients (single CPU/core, i.e. Classic, CLI, or Systray, etc.)
* SMP clients (multiple CPU/cores, i.e. duals, quads, etc.)
* GPU clients (AMD and Nvidia, both Console and Systray)

The single processor CPU client, or classic/uniprocessor client is almost always the best place to start when first joining the project. It is the easiest to install, run, and maintain. It also uses the least amount of computing resources, although that can be adjusted. It is often called the Set-And-Forget client for those reasons and more. There is a basic no nonsense command line version of the uniprocessor client, and a more user friendly graphical systray version. Either one can be installed on hardware with one or more CPU/cores.


Operating System?

The last part of the client selection process is the easiest to answer. There are guide documents (listed below) for each operating system. You can find detailed installation guides for each of those types of systems.

* Windows: Windows clients installation guides
* Linux: Linux client installation guides
* Macintosh: MacOSX clients installation guides
* PS3: Playstation 3 client installation guide

Within each installation guide, you'll find sections devoted to each client type: <Click>

Note: Not all operating systems have each or all of these client types. Please see the guides for the available options in each client type.

• F@h Classic Client

This F@h Client is targeted towards new F@h donors. The Client is stable on a large variety of hardware and can be considered as a set-and-forget-Client. This Client is designed to use a single CPU regardless of how many your system has. It doesn't effect any of you daily applications and will use only free CPU cycles. It has the least impact on your system resources.

Supported Operating System:
Windows XP (32 bit & 64 bit)
Windows Vista (32 bit & 64 bit)
Windows 7 (32 bit & 64 bit)
Linux (32 bit)

Targeted System:
1) System isn't running 24/7
2) You want a set-and-forget client that doesn't need any monitoring
3) You would like to contribute with the least amount of effort
4) Points aren't your priority
5) You want F@h to remain unobtrusive
Note: If you have a powerful system but runs for <15 hours, you can install multiple Classic Clients (one per Physical Core) If you have Hyper-threading enabled CPU, please run 1 instance of Classic Client per real Core. For example, if you have an Intel Core i7-860, it has 4 physical cores and 4 virtual cores. For this CPU, it is best to run only 4 instances of Classic Client rather than 8 instances of Classic Client. (Details)

Available Versions:
Systray - A GUI (Graphical User Interface) which you can use to configure the Client. You can pause and resume the Client through the taskbar.
Console - It is configured through a Command Prompt window and doesn't have the pause and resume feature. Instead you have to exit and start the Client.

Installation Guides:
Detailed Guide For Systray Version (Windows): <Click>
Detailed Guide For Console Version (Windows): <Click>
Detailed Guide For Multiple Systray Version (Windows): <Click>
Detailed Guide For Multiple Console Version (Windows): <Click>
Detailed Guide (Linux): <Click>

Related Sub-Forums:
Windows: <Click>
Linux: <Click>

• F@h GPU2 Client

This F@h Client is targeted towards users that have a basic know-how of the F@h Project. This is a high performance Client so it will be using some of your system resources, specifically, the GPU will be used which may effect some of your applications that use the GPU. The Client is mostly stable on a variety of hardware configurations but an occasional bug may be expected.

Supported Operating System:
Windows XP (32 bit & 64 bit)
Windows Vista (32 bit & 64 bit)
Windows 7 (32 bit & 64 bit)
Note: Linux (32 bit & 64 bit) is unofficially supported through the implementation of Wine.

Targeted System:
1) You have a discrete GPU (Fermi GPUs aren't supported)
2) System is on for 15+ hours
3) Would like to get some more points with some effort

Available Versions:
Systray - A GUI (Graphical User Interface) which you can use to configure the Client. You can pause and resume the Client through the taskbar.
Console - It is configured through a Command Prompt window and doesn't have the pause and resume feature. Instead you have to exit and start the Client.

Installation Guides:
Detailed Guide For Systray Version (Windows): <Click>
Detailed Guide For Console Version (Windows): <Click>
Detailed Guide For Multi-GPU Systems (Windows): <Click>

Related Sub-Forums:
General GPU Issue: <Click>
ATI: <Click>
Nvidia: <Click>
Wine: <Click>

• F@h GPU3 BETA Client

This F@h Client is targeted towards users that have a good understanding of the F@h Project and are willing to test a BETA Client. This is a high performance Client so it will be using some of your system resources, specifically, the GPU will be used which may effect some of your applications that use the GPU. The Client is in BETA Stage so one can expect some rough edges.

Supported Operating System:
Windows XP (32 bit & 64 bit)
Windows Vista (32 bit & 64 bit)
Windows 7 (32 bit & 64 bit)
Note: Linux (32 bit & 64 bit) is unofficially supported through the implementation of Wine.

Targeted System:
1) You have a discrete GPU
2) System is on for 10+ hours
3) Would like to get some more points with some effort
4) Accept the risk of using a BETA Client

Available Versions:
Systray - A GUI (Graphical User Interface) which you can use to configure the Client. You can pause and resume the Client through the taskbar.
Console - It is configured through a Command Prompt window and doesn't have the pause and resume feature. Instead you have to exit and start the Client.

Installation Guides:
Detailed Guide For Systray Version (Windows): <Click>
Detailed Guide For Console Version (Windows): <Click>
Detailed Guide For Multi-GPU Systems (Windows): <Click>
User Written GPU Guide (Windows & Linux): <Click>

Related Sub-Forums:
GPU3 BETA Client: <Click>
Wine: <Click>

• F@h SMP2 BETA Client

This F@h Client is targeted towards users that have a good understanding of the F@h Project and are willing to test a BETA Client. This is a high performance Client so it will be using some of your system resources, specifically, the CPU will be used which may effect some your applications that use the CPU. The Client is in BETA Stage so one can expect some rough edges. This Client can be used in the following flavors:
1) No Flag = It will become a Classic Client
2) -smp Flag = It will become a SMP2 BETA Client that folds normal WUs
3) -smp -bigadv Flags = It will become a SMP2 BETA Client that folds extra-large WUs (Details)

Supported Operating System: (with -smp flag)
Windows XP (32 bit & 64 bit)
Windows Vista (32 bit & 64 bit)
Windows 7 (32 bit & 64 bit)
Linux (64 bit)
OSX (32 bit & 64 bit)

Targeted System: (with -smp flag)
1) You have a powerful system
2) Know your way around with F@h cores
3) System is on 24/7
4) Would like to contribute significantly to F@h in terms of scientific value and get the advantage of high points
5) Accept the risk of using a BETA Client
Note: If you have a Hyper-Threaded CPU, you can enable HT (Details)

Related Sub-Forums:
Windows: <Click>
Linux: <Click>
OSX: <Click>

Supported Operating System: (with -smp -bigadv flags)
Windows XP (32 bit & 64 bit)
Windows Vista (32 bit & 64 bit)
Windows 7 (32 bit & 64 bit)
Linux (64 bit)
OSX (32 bit & 64 bit) Suspended

Targeted System: (with -smp -bigadv flags)
1) You have an extremely powerful system (A minimum of 8 Physical Cores is recommended)
2) 100% familiar with F@h cores
3) System is folding 24/7
4) Would like to contribute the most to F@h in terms of scientific value plus get the advantage of massive points
5) Accept the risk of using a BETA Client
Note: If you have a Hyper-Threaded CPU, you can enable HT (Details)

Related Sub-Forum:
Windows/Linux/OSX: <Click>

Available Versions:
Console - It is configured through a Command Prompt window and doesn't have the pause and resume feature. Instead you have to exit and start the Client.

Installation Guides:
Detailed Guide For Console Version (Windows): <Click>
Pictorial Guide For Console Version (Windows): <Click>
Detailed Guide (Linux): <Click>
Detailed Guide For Installer (OSX): <Click>
Detailed Guide For Console (OSX): <Click>
User Written Guide (Windows with -smp -bigadv flags): <Click>

• F@h PS3 Client

This Client is designed to only run on PS3.

Supported Operating System:
PS3 system version 1.6 or later
Note 1: If you are using a version prior to 1.6 please perform a system upgrade.
Note 2: Folding@home is now included in the "Life With Playstation" application.

Targeted System:
1) Users that have PS3 and would like to fold overnight.

Installation Guides:
Detailed Guide: <Click>

Related Sub-Forum:
PS3: <Click>

• Importance Of Deadlines

Each F@h Client will download a WU which has a Preferred Deadline and a Final Deadline. You can run any supported F@h Client(s) as long as you can return the WU before the Preferred Deadline. Below is the relationship between the WU assigned to you and its deadlines:

Classic Client WUs:
Before Preferred Deadline - You will get assigned Credit
Exceed Preferred Deadline - WU will be reissued. You will get assigned Credit
Exceed Final Deadline - WU is useless. You won't get any Credit

GPU2 Client WUs:
Before Preferred Deadline - You will get assigned Credit
Exceed Preferred Deadline - WU will be reissued. You will get assigned Credit
Exceed Final Deadline - WU is useless. You won't get any Credit

GPU3 BETA Client WUs:
Before Preferred Deadline - You will get assigned Credit
Exceed Preferred Deadline - WU will be reissued. You will get assigned Credit
Exceed Final Deadline - WU is useless. You won't get any Credit

SMP2 BETA Client WUs: (normal and bigadv)
Before Preferred Deadline - You will get Bonus Credit (The Bonus varies from system to system and increases for faster completion and return)
Exceed Preferred Deadline - WU will be reissued. You will get Base Credit (It is much less when compared to Bonus Credits)
Exceed Final Deadline - WU is useless. You won't get any Credit

Note: Credit is granted for completed WU and often for WUs which cannot be completed because of an error. In all cases, they will not appear in the official stats pages until at least an hour or more after the results are uploaded.