two FAH in one system

[antipop]

I've heard that if you run two FAH on your sys, you can fold faster (more wu/day). How can you do that? I've installed it twice in two separate folder but when i launch the second one it tells me that there already a copy running

[poopygood]

you have to configure each instance, one as machine ID#1 and the other ID#2.

Are you using the GUI or the console?

[antipop]

Originally posted by poopygood
you have to configure each instance, one as machine ID#1 and the other ID#2.
How do you do this?

ps i'm using the gui

[JBELL]

GUI is hard to do - switch to console and it is real easy.

[antipop]

i'll dl the console and i'll post back when i'll be done (i'm waiting for the wu to finish)

[Tweaked!]

After you dl the console, create two seperate folders in program files. Direct the the dl into the first folder, then copy and paste it into the second folder. Then create a shortcut of each version and leave the shortcut in the folder. Right click on the shortcut and choose properties. Add whatever flags you're wanting to run in the command line and hit ok. Then go ahead and initiate the first instance, add your user name and team number, then when asked if you want to go into adv properties, choose yes. Then go down to machine id and for the first instance choose 1, for the second instance, choose 2. Thats all there is to it:D

[antipop]

how do you go inside the properties as i already have the gui installed it starts the folding right away?

[Tweaked!]

Thats why you have to use the console version for dual clients. I don't know how to use teo gui's on one machine, as far as I know, it can't be done.

[antipop]

i'm using the console but i don't know how to get to the properties

[poopygood]

you have to add a flag into the shortcut. -config


go to your F@H folder, and create a shortcut to the file:
FAH3Console

now with the file called "Shortcut to FAH3Console", right click, and go to properties.

You will see a section called "Target", with something like this:
C:\Fold@Home\FAH3Console.exe

You have to add "-config" at the end of this line.

So the new taget will be:
C:\Fold@Home\FAH3Console.exe -config

apply that.
then start F@H with the new shortcut, then it will start up with the with the config open, you will have to remove the flag later also.

[JupiterSSJ4]

if your system has only one CPU, it will make each folding use 50% of cpu, instead of one using 100%. It wouldn't increase your folding speed, unless you have 2 procs, then you would assign a f@h to each one, then it would fold twice as fast.

[poopygood]

actually, for some proteins, running 2 instances of F@H on a single CPU system does slightly increase your production.

here's my personal example on a single XP Tbred @ 1910 mhz system:

One instance:
p530 was folding at ~1:36 per frame = 63 pts per day

Now with two instances running together:
p530's fold at ~2:48 per frame = 71.1 pts per day


on the p530 & p531's this works out the same.

I haven't tried it out on the latest run of 541/2's yet though...

[antipop]

Does that works for the 6xx because that what i'm mostly folding
and is there a way to put the console inside the tray?

[poopygood]

I have found it doesn't work on ANY TINKER proteins, and only on some GROMACS. (the pts increase)

There are some programs that can hide the console version.

Hideit X
http://home.attbi.com/~wxdude1/emsite/hideitx.html

EM task manager
http://home.attbi.com/~wxdude1/emsite/emtm.html

Or just Electron Microscope 3, a monitoring program that can also hide the folding console. My recommendation. :)
http://home.attbi.com/~wxdude2/download/EMIII.zip

[antipop]

Originally posted by poopygood
I have found it doesn't work on ANY TINKER proteins, and only on some GROMACS. (the pts increase)
Would that hurt the score if you fold a tinker?

[poopygood]

It doesn't hurt the score for the protein, but it does slow them down, so you will get less points per hour/day.

[antipop]

one last question
I've installed EM3 but it doesn't show if the soft is folding well the scroll bar are stuck! but the windows task manager shows that both fah are using 50% of the cpu

[poopygood]

just wait a bit more, EM3 "predicts" how long it will take to fold each frame, and if just started it up, it will be out of sync. Remember that now you are folding 2 wu's on one cpu, it will take nearly twice as long per frame for each wu.

If it is still stuck after 20 minutes or so, or if you know that it has completed new frames, post again...

[Tweaked!]

You'll also gain a slight advantage running two instances on a uni proc system when one instance is busy submitting, the other is getting closer to 100% and keeping the system busy the entire two to three minutes that it takes for the first instance to get busy on another wu.

[antipop]

it was stuck even after 20 minutes but i'm mostly folding tinker, i don't think it's a good idea two run two instances