Anandtech vs Tom's Hardware Folding@Home Coronavirus Race thread

[Markfw]

Aim for a billion lead as a team goal?

Its very possible !

 

[Ajay]

Duh, finally figured out that putting "next-unit-percentage 90" in the extra client settings results getting more WUs in time to feed my two slots.

 

[Soulkeeper]

I had a completed WU and the collection server went down.
The credit was 36,000 now it's like 7,000. So we get lowered credit regardless of why ?

Folding@home Server Stats

140.163.4.231 and 140.163.4.241 have been down for a day.

 

[sswingle]

I had a completed WU and the collection server went down.
The credit was 36,000 now it's like 7,000. So we get lowered credit regardless of why ?

Folding@home Server Stats

140.163.4.231 and 140.163.4.241 have been down for a day.

Last time this happened to me, on 2 systems no less, the server never accepted the WU and I lost it completely.

 

[mopardude87]

I got a Z270 with a hdmi port, is it possible to run Intel HD630 for desktop/light gaming and perhaps set the client and 1080ti for secondary folding? I believe client has defaulted to the -1 slot which is already secondary?

Not at home this second but thought when i got home, i would see if this was possible. Gpu usage and stuf varies as i use it,i rather peg the 1080ti if i could repurpose the HD630.

 

[creed3020]

Duh, finally figured out that putting "next-unit-percentage 90" in the extra client settings results getting more WUs in time to feed my two slots.

I'm trying this out today for the first time, see how it goes. My GPU has been idle over 18 hours now with no WUs.

 

[TennesseeTony]

I know I posted this elsewhere, but if your having difficulty getting work units the following might be helpful:

client-type: advanced might help you (works for both cpus and gpus):
https://foldingathome.org/support/faq/installation-guides/configuration-guide/#advanced-methods

it might be helpful to obtain work units early:
https://foldingathome.org/support/faq/installation-guides/configuration-guide/#next-unit-percentage
Default is to wait until 99% done, but I would suggest setting it to 90%.

edit: Personally, I would implement the first idea, but not make the change to 90%. You lose too many points on the downloaded task (because of the quick return bonus) while waiting for the current task to finish up. But if setting the client to 'advanced' doesn't help, then by all means, explore the 2nd option. If you are REALLY feeling frisky, try 'beta' instead of 'advanced', but there are risks. Advanced seems to be working for a lot of people though.

 

[creed3020]

edit: Personally, I would implement the first idea, but not make the change to 90%. You lose too many points on the downloaded task (because of the quick return bonus) while waiting for the current task to finish up. But if setting the client to 'advanced' doesn't help, then by all means, explore the 2nd option. If you are REALLY feeling frisky, try 'beta' instead of 'advanced', but there are risks. Advanced seems to be working for a lot of people though.

I didn't go with 90, I chose 95 because I want the timing tighter. I'll see how well that works when I can monitor the client closely.

I've added the advanced flag. Based on the description it doesn't really sound like it would help but I'll try anything to keep this rig folding and warming up my office

 

[StefanR5R]

Day 22: Thursday, April 9
14:00 UTC stats
(10 AM EDT, 7 AM PDT)
links: official race stats, TeAm AnandTech at EOC, Tom's Hardware at EOC

Daily production


Our advantage

Aim for a billion lead as a team goal?

You know what this means: No computer games at Easter weekend! >:-)

 

[Ajay]

edit: Personally, I would implement the first idea, but not make the change to 90%. You lose too many points on the downloaded task (because of the quick return bonus) while waiting for the current task to finish up. But if setting the client to 'advanced' doesn't help, then by all means, explore the 2nd option. If you are REALLY feeling frisky, try 'beta' instead of 'advanced', but there are risks. Advanced seems to be working for a lot of people though.

My ppd has gone up using 90% because keeping the slots active is more important than the slightly higher points bonus. Advanced is working out for me with more GPU WUs, even they are still core22. Once I’m comfortable with this setup, I’ll try 95% and keep an eye on my ppd. Ive been doing more gaming lately as an anti stress/boredom distraction and wind up having to pause folding for 2-3 hours a day , which kills the return bonuses.

 

[Assimilator1]

Even on 90% my single client is running out of WUs, so I'm going to stick to that for now.
How do we know what is too long beforehand?

mopardude87
Re some older people, my dad was the opposite end of the scale, he had a PC & was on the internet in '95, 4 yrs before I was! He was often an early adopter, he had a cine camera just before I was born (69), a hi8 camera much later, & got a Betamax player (that didn't work out so well though! ). Now 77 & struggling with Parkinsons he's not so much into tech anymore, but anyway their were early adopters in the old days too of course .

Btw, I've never heard of any games using 12 threads! Which game is that?

 

[1979Damian]

Hi all, long time Anandtech reader but new to folding. Decided to do my bit in helping us hand Toms Hardware a friendly beat down (as well as do something positive whilst we're all on lock down).

I only joined the team Saturday and I'm already up to 461st within the team using my main gaming rig and work laptop so that's been a rather pleasant surprise.

Other than using "Advanced" and the 90% setting to keep everything fed (I was getting lots of idle time initially), has anyone got any other tips or is it just a case of keeping the machines warming my study/office?

(Seeing as I can't have a signature yet I'll post what I've got to work with below, not the most powerful hardware but I guess it all counts)

• Main rig: Intel i7-4790K (slightly undervolted) with a GTX 1070 Ti (+200MHz core)
• Company laptop: Intel i7-8850H with a Quadro P3200 (all stock )

 

[Assimilator1]

It certainly all counts , just make sure the laptop doesn't get too hot!
If you haven't got a favourite monitoring app, Coretemp is a good, quick & easy one to use.
That 1070Ti will certainly crunch through the Work Units nicely , quite a lot quicker than my RX 580! (IIRC, my RX 580 is similar in performance to a 1060/1070 for gaming).

 

[1979Damian]

It certainly all counts , just make sure the laptop doesn't get too hot!
If you haven't got a favourite monitoring app, Coretemp is a good, quick & easy one to use.
That 1070Ti will certainly crunch through the Work Units nicely , quite a lot quicker than my RX 580! (IIRC, my RX 580 is similar in performance to a 1060/1070 for gaming).

I'll be sure to keep an eye on temps although work were kind enough to purchase me a HP Z Book 17 G5 workstation laptop and it seems nicely over engineered. The hottest the laptop GPU has been up to is 75'C and the CPU sits around 90'C, which isn't exactly cool but the laptop is under HP's 3 year corporate warranty so if it craps itself it'll get swapped out free of charge and maybe we also help find a cure for Covid-19 or cancer (so everyone's a winner)

 

[Assimilator1]

Just thought, are you allowed to install any old program onto your work laptop? Wouldn't want you to get into trouble over it! (it's happened before).

 

[1979Damian]

Just thought, are you allowed to install any old program onto your work laptop? Wouldn't want you to get into trouble over it! (it's happened before).

Fair point, thankfully as Lead Tester (software) for a relatively young start up I'm trusted to only install software from trusted sources (I also have administrator access ) and frankly I can't really imagine a better cause, especially considering the current global circumstances.

Admittedly my previous employer (a major banking group) would not have been so "obliging".

 

[borandi]

I had a completed WU and the collection server went down.
The credit was 36,000 now it's like 7,000. So we get lowered credit regardless of why ?

Folding@home Server Stats

140.163.4.231 and 140.163.4.241 have been down for a day.

A number of us had this earlier on in the contest, I had around a dozen. Can't do much until it sorts itself out. It's still points at the end of the day when it does upload, even if it's a week later. Don't bin it, just leave it there.

 

[Markfw]

OK, I am really going out for the team here until next Wed. I had to turn on the AC today. It only got the 75f outside, but it was 87f inside... The AC can't even keep up. Normally I turn 1/3rd of it all off when it gets warm. So for o6 more days, I am sticking it out. OMG I don;t want to see the electric bill this month.... $1000 possible.

 

[Endgame124]

OK, I am really going out for the team here until next Wed. I had to turn on the AC today. It only got the 75f outside, but it was 87f inside... The AC can't even keep up. Normally I turn 1/3rd of it all off when it gets warm. So for o6 more days, I am sticking it out. OMG I don;t want to see the electric bill this month.... $1000 possible.

Does turning off boinc help much, or is all your heat load really coming from vid cards?

edit - don’t know if you own your home, and I imagine you’ve already looked into it, but you might have the fastest payoff possible for home solar...

 

[Markfw]

Does turning off boinc help much, or is all your heat load really coming from vid cards?

edit - don’t know if you own your home, and I imagine you’ve already looked into it, but you might have the fastest payoff possible for home solar...

I own 2 houses outright, no mortgage, one is a rental.
Home solar cost 24k for one house. And wouldn't cover more than $100 a month of my electric. CPUs are now taking some heat, the EPYC boxes do get a little warm (64 cores/128 threads) But a 1070TI produces as much heat as those.

Now if I had an acre or two for a solar farm, thats a different story.

 

[VirtualLarry]

OK, I am really going out for the team here until next Wed. I had to turn on the AC today. It only got the 75f outside, but it was 87f inside... The AC can't even keep up. Normally I turn 1/3rd of it all off when it gets warm. So for o6 more days, I am sticking it out. OMG I don;t want to see the electric bill this month.... $1000 possible.

Be careful, Mark, don't brownout your whole town, LOL.

 

[Markfw]

Be careful, Mark, don't brownout your whole town, LOL.

I know you are jesting, but thats only about 10-20 houses worth of electricity at normal usage. 10 when AC, and 20 when NO AC needed.

 

[mopardude87]

I had a crazy idea about maybe getting a RTX2080TI and holding off on a cpu upgrade till end of year.Would also move back prob to 1440p a few weeks later. Maybe grab a second one discounted and run sli later on? I just hate the price of those things, but would certainly love its performance.

 

[ZipSpeed]

I had a crazy idea about maybe getting a RTX2080TI and holding off on a cpu upgrade till end of year.Would also move back prob to 1440p a few weeks later. Maybe grab a second one discounted and run sli later on? I just hate the price of those things, but would certainly love its performance.

Do it! I'm kinda glad I took the plunge myself. I game at 4K, and the 2070 Super was okay if you turn down the IQ settings. With the 2080 Ti, this thing can run a solid 60 FPS between high and ultra IQ. I'm actually surprised at how well my 2600K has held up, but then again, at 4K, the GPU is the bottleneck the vast majority of the time.

On another note, my 2080 Ti downclocked itself and was running at 1350 MHz a good part of today, so will take a hit on PPD. Had to reboot the computer to resolve the low clock.

 

[Endgame124]

I had a crazy idea about maybe getting a RTX2080TI and holding off on a cpu upgrade till end of year.Would also move back prob to 1440p a few weeks later. Maybe grab a second one discounted and run sli later on? I just hate the price of those things, but would certainly love its performance.

Personally, I think we are close enough to the 3000 series to wait until fall and get one of those. I’ll be upgrading CPUs and playing with some cheaper hardware in the mean time.