Ultimate Guide To Folding@home

Just a few questions;

1) Is there any risk to my P.C me running this? I normally leave it on overnight downloading is this roughly equivalent or does it use alot more CPU power to fold? MY P.C's not going to melt halfway through the night or die under stress?

2) If I wish to remove the program I can just remove it without any bits remaining and running after I have done so?

3) What is the information gleamed going to be used for? Is it just to be used by Standford University or the scientific community as a whole? Is there a chance that this insight into proteins allow people to perform nastier tasks (Stuff like cloning - I know this is DNA modification but proteins and amino acids often tie in pretty closely - or creation of harmful biological weapons)?

4) Is this actually worthwhile or will the whole thing be discredited in a years time when the scientists find there actually doing something a bit wrong and all this folding info is useless?

5) Are the pics on the user interface the actual pics of the protein being folded or are they just random images?
 
INSTALLATION GUIDE
Step One: Installing the Client
The first step is to download the Folding@Home GUI client from the Folding@Home client download page. Log in as Administrator (if necessary), and double-click on the downloaded file to start the installation. You will see a welcome screen as shown below. Click next at that screen, and then proceed to click through the license and readme screens.
gui_1_intro.png

Next, you must enter the username you wish to use to be identified in the Folding@Home statistics. If this is the first system you are setting up for Folding@Home, you should check to see whether or not the username that you want to use is already used by someone else (it is ok, however, to use the same username on multiple computers that you own). Go to the Folding@Home User Rankings page and use the box next to the search button to see if the name you want is already taken. If it isn't, you're ready to proceed on to the next screen.
gui_2_username.png

Now, you can choose what folder to install Folding@Home to (the default is fine), and what you want the Start menu group to be called. The next screen asks you to confirm your settings before the installation begins. Finally, after the installation is complete, uncheck "View Readme" and press "Finish."
gui_6_finishinst.png


Step Two: Client Configuration
After the installation has been completed successfully, a configuration panel window will appear. You may adjust your settings in this window. If at any time you wish to change these settings in the future, you may access the dialog again from the menu obtained by right clicking on the Folding@Home system tray icon.

Your username should already be filled in properly if you entered it correctly while installing the Folding@Home client. If it is not, here is your chance to change it. For the team number, enter "34905"
gui_7_cp_user.png

On the Connection tab you will find the network settings. These will probably not need to be changed, however it is a good idea for you to check them out anyway to make sure.
gui_8_cp_net.png

Finally, on the Advanced tab, you will find more in-depth settings. Most of them do not need to be changed, but you should set the Client Type to Folding@Home.
gui_9_cp_adv.png


Step Three: The Client in Action
After Ok-ing the Configuration dialog, the client will begin running as an icon in the system tray. You can right click on it and choose display to observe it as it sets up files and prepares to work on a unit.
gui_10_systray.png

Immediately after configuration, the client will attempt to download the scientific core and begin to process a work unit. If you display it soon enough after configuration, you will see it downloading the core as shown in the screenshot below.
gui_11_core.png

Once the core has downloaded, the Folding@Home client will download its first work unit and begin to process it. When this happens, you will see a screen similar to the one shown below. You can safely minimize the client to the system tray by clicking on its "X" button. To restore it, right click on its icon, and choose Display.
gui_12_fah.png


and thts it...i will be adding GROMACS and other stuff soon..
 
Originally posted by Livy@25 February 2004 - 14:48
try updaating your graphics driver,

has it always done this? or just recently?
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with my driver.
I happened this morning after my modem resets himself.

If i leave the Icon alone it's ok. Right-clicking is allowed, left is not.
As long as it's running it fine by me.
Hoovering over the icon gives all the info i need anyway.


Thanks for your help Ivy. ;)
 
I'll make a KLF forum sig as a supporters banner type thing tomorrow which people can feel free to use.

By the way, can you explain gromacs? ..

I installed the installer linked to in the first thread, set username and left running ... now it shows:

17/400 ..... 4%

Am I doing everything right or is there more to it?
 
and just to prove how much this helps look at the team stats page...

i used to be in 25th or 26th place and look at me now..... ;)

im geting like 4WUs done in 24hrz sometimes even 5WUs :)
 
Each type has it's own core, that's the very thing that differentiates them.

I've got a core 79 on one machine and I'm pretty sure that's Dgromacs. Not sure what cores Ambers and QMDs use.

QMD cores may use up to 1GB of main memory (source), possibly even more, but they will only run on Intel chips.
 
Originally posted by 4th gen@19 March 2004 - 07:56
Just got my first 2500 part WU. My other 4 up until now have been 500 parts, so this one is gonna take a long, long time...

Just out of interest, how long (on average) does it take you chaps to complete a 500 part WU, and what CPU have you got?
Click to expand...
 
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