SMP and ATI client?

[CoW]8(0)]

If I have an ATI card and a dual core CPU, would it be best to run both the ATI and the SMP client on the same machine?
Or would I get the best results running one of them. I remember awhile back the ATI client also drained alot of CPU resources. Is this still true?

 

[Tigerbiten]

If I have an ATI card and a dual core CPU, would it be best to run both the ATI and the SMP client on the same machine?
Or would I get the best results running one of them. I remember awhile back the ATI client also drained alot of CPU resources. Is this still true?

Its possible and depending on the CPU & vidio card you may get more points.
BUT .......
For it to work you need to manualy set the affinity of each client to its own core.
The GPU client stays set to its core when it starts a new protien.
The SMP needs to be reset for each new protien.
This means that its no longer set & forget.

When I tried this comboof clients my hardware was a C2D cpu @ 2.75 Ghz and an X1950xtx vid card @ 3d speeds.
I was getting around 200 PpD more than just running a single SMP client.

Luck ............

 

[ICE_9]

I would just stick with SMP. Better PPD and lower wattage used by the video card.

Setting affinity on an SMP client? That sounds like it defeats the purpose of the client.

 

[CoW]8(0)]

But would the ATI client interfere with the SMP client? I'm not really concerned with PPD, I just want to get as much folding as I can out of a machine. From what I remember, the ATI client does significantly more folding than the regular client (about 30 times more IIRC), but can only do very specific folding tasks...

Would the ATi client also interfere with me using my computer normally? If I were to do word processing or watch TV?

 

[Tigerbiten]

But would the ATI client interfere with the SMP client? .......
Would the ATi client also interfere with me using my computer normally? If I were to do word processing or watch TV?

Its the other way around.
The GPU client needs an empty core so that it can load it to 100% so that Dx9 can poll the vid card.
If thats happening the kernel load on that core hits around 90%.

The only way you'll do more work running both clients, is if you can get both results in before the first deadline.
Because the next generation of protiens depend on the results of this generation, Stanford likes you to get the work back as fast as possible.
Hence they like you to run only one copy of the CPU client on a HT P4 insted of two, even thou two copies do more work.
So if running the two client makes you miss the first deadline on the SMP client then its bad for the science as that work unit get reassigned to someone else.

If runninng the GPU client slows down your box depends on the vid card.
If you have 512 meg of memory on the card then you'll probably be ok, if only 256 meg then you may suffer from slight slow downs/ hitches.

Luck .............

 

[CoW]8(0)]

So I should be able to do other tasks while having the two clients running? The graphics card will still be able to give a display to my monitor?

But should I just run one regular (non SMP) client on one CPU core and one ATI client to occupy the GPU core and the other CPU core?

That way neither client would interfere or delay the work of the other client.

 

[Tigerbiten]

Whats your exact hardware ?

If your CPU is a C2D then its easy, run the SMP client only and get +1,000 PpD.
If your CPU is an X2 and you've a X19** then the CPU client plus the GPU client could give ~900 PpD.
With a lower vid card then the SMP client may be a better option for ~700 PpD.
Running 2 CPU clients will net you ~250 PpD.

Two points to remember about the beta clients.
The SMP client will stop running if you loose your network connection.
The GPU client will shut down if you change screen resolution or log in remotely.

Luck .............

 

[Crosshairs]

Whats your exact hardware ?

If your CPU is a C2D then its easy, run the SMP client only and get +1,000 PpD.

I need someone to point me to a noobie guide to get the SMP client working in my C2D.... 1,000 PPD sounds pretty sweet..

Im a retard when it comes to this stuff..

 

[Xilikon]

I need someone to point me to a noobie guide to get the SMP client working in my C2D.... 1,000 PPD sounds pretty sweet..

Im a retard when it comes to this stuff..

It's pretty easy, just follow http://folding.stanford.edu/FAQ-SMP.html and don't forget the mandatory install.bat execution before you run the client and it's suggested to not enable service mode. If you still insist of running in service mode, you need to first make the initial setup working fine and I'll explain how.