F@H Settings via Command Line?

Zxcs

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Sep 11, 2004
Messages
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I was wondering if it is possible to set up the text-only console via the command line only. Basically I mean instead of having to config each item (user name, team etc.) seperatly, can you just run
Code:
fah.exe -config -(insert team name etc here)

Also if I am installing FAH on more than one machine with the EXACT same settings needed for each machine, can I just copy the client.cfg file over from one machine to another?
Seeing if I can cut any corners when I install on all my machines.
 
As long as you have access to the registry, you can grab the console client and and client.cfg and place them in the same folder. You can then run the console with the -local switch and it will grab the information from the client.cfg. You have to have access to the registry inorder for the machine to generate an ID. If you're looking for more of a permanent solution, you can use unhappy_mage's remote installer for all your configuration needs.

Edit: One thing I forgot to mention, the method I've outlined will not install it as a service, now if you were wanting to do that, you could place all of them in the same place and create a reg file with the information for the service install.

 
Yes, you can copy the client.cfg to each machine, and it will cause no problems. As for setting up the client as a service, p[H]antom's suggestion may be a good one--get the source for u_m's installer, change all the defaults, and recompile. Then it should be a pretty easy couple-of-clicks to install, without needing to change any values.

You wouldn't by any chance be bringing 35,000 ppd to the table, would you? OCAU is kicking our trash, thanks to their two top contributors
 
p[H]ant0m said:
Edit: One thing I forgot to mention, the method I've outlined will not install it as a service, now if you were wanting to do that, you could place all of them in the same place and create a reg file with the information for the service install.

Didn't think about the service install. Few friends agreed that they might let me borg their machines and I got a lanparty coming up soon so would be cool to have the installer on a thumb drive. What would I need in the registry file?

Edit: Followed the link you gave me and found the instructions, however the downloadables (batch and reg) are unavailable, could you please post what was in them, thanks.
 
I haven't had a chance to test it, but if you go to HKLM\System\ControlSet0001\Services\FAH@... on one of the machines you've got the service setup on, export that entire key. Then you should be able to merge that file into the registry of any subsequent machine you want to install it on. You just have to make sure that the files are placed in the same location on each machine as the one you got the reg file from.

Also, you need to enable the -local in the Image Path Variable as such:

Code:
"ImagePath"="C:\Program Files\Folding@Home\FAHConsole-5.04beta.exe -svcstart -forceasm -loca

You should then be able to restart.

Again though, I haven't had time to test this, so for ease of use, you might want to consider mage's remote installer and just tell people to replace the default name with yours.

 
Oh my bad, I meant mage's installer, http://userpages.umbc.edu/~willm1/setup-fold/

He's posted directions on how to use it and everything, and information if you would want to make changes. The most important thing using his installer is to make sure they have an internet connection when running it as it downloads and initializes the client on install.

The best information on it is in the last two pages of that thread. It sounds tailor made to what you're looking for. :D

 
The remote installer that I made (batch file + reg file)(in the first post of the linked thread) is vastly inferior to unhappy_mage's, which is linked later on. Not to mention that we switched ISPs, so that user page no longer exists. Still have to figure out new ISP hosting stuff. Here it is.

Edit: Oop, p[H]antom beat me to it.
 
Exported the registry file. Was wondering if this would work:

Copy fah.exe and client.cfg to C:\FAH
Import Registry file (with dir set to C:\FAH)
Use the NET START command to start folding.

Would that work without one having to restart the computer?

EDIT: With regards to the installer, some are my friends are really paranoid and won't run most installers I give them (probably due to past experiences lol).
 
That should work fine. That's basically what my batch file originally did.

What do your untrusting friends want you to do? Walk them through the installation over the phone? (although, I certainly would be a bit hesitant to install a program someone gave me instead of getting it directly from a website)
 
Zxcs said:
Exported the registry file. Was wondering if this would work:

Copy fah.exe and client.cfg to C:\FAH
Import Registry file (with dir set to C:\FAH)
Use the NET START command to start folding.

Would that work without one having to restart the computer?

It should in theory, but if you're creating a service, it might require a reboot to be available to Windows. I know deleting requires a reboot before it will disappear.


 
Thanks for the help guys. Instead of the net start command I made a batch which runs console.exe with the -forceasm and -svcstart options, would that work instead (cant test atm since can't reboot any of the computers in my vicinity).
 
Do NOT copy the client config straight from one boxen to another without useing the -config flag afterwards.

You need to generate a new unique machine ID for each boxen as Stanford records which work unit is sent to which user id.
If Stanford looses track of the work unit because of multiple boxen with the same ID then you wont get credited with the points.

Be warned this has happened when people have just cloned a drive with FAH on andjust set it to run.

Luck................. :D
 
Tigerbiten said:
Do NOT copy the client config straight from one boxen to another without useing the -config flag afterwards.

You need to generate a new unique machine ID for each boxen as Stanford records which work unit is sent to which user id.
If Stanford looses track of the work unit because of multiple boxen with the same ID then you wont get credited with the points.

Be warned this has happened when people have just cloned a drive with FAH on andjust set it to run.

Luck................. :D

I thought the user ID came from the reg key?
 
marty9876 said:
I thought the user ID came from the reg key?

As best I know that is correct, I just checked my boxen, and the regkey at HKLM\SOFTWARE\PandeGroup\Folding@Home has a Binary entry for User ID and even though the machine ID is 1 for all of my machines, the User ID key is different on each of my boxen.

 
What I do (these are from images)-

Install folding in all regards, grab a WU and everything. (nstalls the service, I edit the reg keys for forceasm)
Kill the client, delete all (move WU) files but FAHconsole and config file
Delete the user ID from the reg key
Snap image

Then new machine is imaged I don't have to touch the config/reg (the client starts up, first thing is grabs a new ID from Stanford).

This is all basically not exactly revelant to the OP.

For this-
Grab the FAHconsole and config file and export the reg key with -forseasm if you want.(install it in same place as you want all the rest of the installs to be c:\folding or what ever).
Copy console/config to local drive, start>run>console -configonly hit return twice (will pick up user/team) say yes to pop in the service, then hmmer the return key till done. Control panel>admin>services and start the service.

This is for console service only, no graphical stuff (I don't use that).

I'm sure there are much easier ways then this.
 
p[H]ant0m said:
As best I know that is correct, I just checked my boxen, and the regkey at HKLM\SOFTWARE\PandeGroup\Folding@Home has a Binary entry for User ID and even though the machine ID is 1 for all of my machines, the User ID key is different on each of my boxen.


The machine ID you enter in the config is only with regards to running multiple instances on same boxen. This is also where the -local flag comes in most handy.

Actually I've moved the reg user ID around a ton too in order to keep my CPU count true- I've since given up total hope on that one.
 
marty9876 said:
Actually I've moved the reg user ID around a ton too in order to keep my CPU count true- I've since given up total hope on that one.
and just gave 'em all to me :rolleyes:

I think the batch file here might suit your purposes better. Mohonri, do you still have it around? If nothing else, it'll make a good basis for OP to work off.

 
I still have it, although you'll have to wait until I get home from work--if my firewall here were not so doggone tightwadish, I'd VNC in and post it.

The only problem with the batch file I wrote is that it expects to have the F@H client in the same directory. You could zip everything up in one .zip or .rar, but distributing the client is a violation of the EULA. If you have all four required files on a thumbdrive (client, batch file, reg file, client.cfg), you might be legal, but don't take my word for it.

The batch file is only about half a dozen lines long, and the client.cfg is easy to edit. I would suggest you run your own -configonly to make sure you get exactly the settings you want, and take the client.cfg from that.

I'll post it when I get home tonight.
 
unhappy_mage said:
and just gave 'em all to me :rolleyes:

Actually, since I don't have a Domain/AD enviroment here what I do is make a "master" config (with whom ever's name in it for example) remote desktop on to all the machines via their statis IP's, copy this config file over from a shared drive, and reboot the boxen.

Kinda a huge pain in the butt....
 
Mohonri said:
Why don't you just restart the service?

sometimes I do, the last time I did this just a few days ago the machine had been running (doing nothing but folding) for 56+ days. It is windows after all... ;)

56 days, I guess it's burnt in by then huh.
 
Uploaded the batch, reg, and client.cfg files.

I would have linked the directory, but my ISP doesn't allow directory listings....stupid, I know. I'll have to pester them about it sometime.
 
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