Need a little help optimising please.

[kelliegang]

I've been folding for a while but only on the GPU and Uniprocessor clients... I recently purchased a decent laptop which I now fold with, I was hoping it would be capable of the SMP folding but I havent managed to figure out how to get that working...

I intend to run the machine 24/7 to fold, currently it is running an SMP client [probably not set up properly] and a GPU client [which seems to be pumping out the units quite well].

I need a little help optimising my clients, I ran the CPU-Z and it shows:
Processor - Intel Core i7 740QM (4 core, 8 threads)
4096MB DDR3 Dual Channel Memory
NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M (1120 shaders, 1024 MB Memory)

Is my computer capable of effectively running the SMP client or should I stick with a few uniprocessor clients, also what would be the best way of configuring my clients considering I want to run it 24/7

Below are some snippets of the CPU-Z log, cheers for all your help

Code: Select all

CPU-Z TXT Report
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Binaries
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

CPU-Z version			1.57

Processors
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of processors		1
Number of threads		8

APICs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Processor 0	
	-- Core 0	
		-- Thread 0	0
		-- Thread 1	1
	-- Core 1	
		-- Thread 0	2
		-- Thread 1	3
	-- Core 2	
		-- Thread 0	4
		-- Thread 1	5
	-- Core 3	
		-- Thread 0	6
		-- Thread 1	7

Processors Information
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Processor 1			ID = 0
	Number of cores		4 (max 8)
	Number of threads	8 (max 16)
	Name			Intel Core i7 740QM
	Codename		Clarksfield
	Specification		Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU       Q 740  @ 1.73GHz
	Package (platform ID)	Socket 989 rPGA (0x4)
	CPUID			6.E.5
	Extended CPUID		6.1E
	Core Stepping		B1
	Technology		45 nm
	TDP Limit		45 Watts
	Core Speed		931.0 MHz
	Multiplier x FSB	7.0 x 133.0 MHz
	Rated Bus speed		2128.1 MHz
	Stock frequency		1733 MHz
	Instructions sets	MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, EM64T, VT-x
	L1 Data cache		4 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
	L1 Instruction cache	4 x 32 KBytes, 4-way set associative, 64-byte line size
	L2 cache		4 x 256 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
	L3 cache		6 MBytes, 12-way set associative, 64-byte line size
	FID/VID Control		yes

	Turbo Mode		supported, enabled
	Max turbo frequency	2933 MHz
	Max non-turbo ratio	13x
	Max turbo ratio		22x
	Max efficiency ratio	7x
	TDC Limit		37 Amps
	Core TDP		37 Watts
	Uncore TDP		8 Watts
	Power @ 7x		13 Watts
	Power @ 8x		16 Watts
	Power @ 9x		20 Watts
	Power @ 10x		24 Watts
	Power @ 11x		30 Watts
	Power @ 12x		37 Watts
	Power @ 13x		45 Watts
	Max bus number		255
	Attached device		PCI device at bus 255, device 2, function 1
	Attached device		PCI device at bus 255, device 3, function 4
	Attached device		PCI device at bus 255, device 2, function 1
Chipset
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northbridge			Intel DMI Host Bridge rev. 11
Southbridge			Intel HM55 rev. 06
Graphic Interface		PCI-Express
PCI-E Link Width		x16
PCI-E Max Link Width		x16
Memory Type			DDR3
Memory Size			4096 MBytes
Channels			Dual
Memory Frequency		665.0 MHz (2:10)
CAS# latency (CL)		9.0
RAS# to CAS# delay (tRCD)	9
RAS# Precharge (tRP)		9
Cycle Time (tRAS)		24
Row Refresh Cycle Time (tRFC)	74
Command Rate (CR)		1T
Uncore Frequency		1995.0 MHz

Memory SPD
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIMM #				1
	SMBus address		0x50
	Memory type		DDR3
	Module format		SO-DIMM
	Manufacturer (ID)	Elpida (7F7FFE0000000000)
	Size			2048 MBytes
	Max bandwidth		PC3-10700 (667 MHz)
	Part number		EBJ21UE8BDS0-DJ-F 
	Serial number		8A9608E1
	Manufacturing date	Week 31/Year 10
	Number of banks		8
	Nominal Voltage		1.50 Volts
	EPP			no
	XMP			no
JEDEC timings table		CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-tRC @ frequency
	JEDEC #1		5.0-5-5-14-19 @ 380 MHz
	JEDEC #2		6.0-6-6-17-23 @ 457 MHz
	JEDEC #3		7.0-7-7-20-27 @ 533 MHz
	JEDEC #4		8.0-8-8-22-30 @ 609 MHz
	JEDEC #5		9.0-9-9-25-34 @ 685 MHz

DIMM #				2
	SMBus address		0x52
	Memory type		DDR3
	Module format		SO-DIMM
	Manufacturer (ID)	Elpida (7F7FFE0000000000)
	Size			2048 MBytes
	Max bandwidth		PC3-10700 (667 MHz)
	Part number		EBJ21UE8BDS0-DJ-F 
	Serial number		859608DF
	Manufacturing date	Week 31/Year 10
	Number of banks		8
	Nominal Voltage		1.50 Volts
	EPP			no
	XMP			no
JEDEC timings table		CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-tRC @ frequency
	JEDEC #1		5.0-5-5-14-19 @ 380 MHz
	JEDEC #2		6.0-6-6-17-23 @ 457 MHz
	JEDEC #3		7.0-7-7-20-27 @ 533 MHz
	JEDEC #4		8.0-8-8-22-30 @ 609 MHz
	JEDEC #5		9.0-9-9-25-34 @ 685 MHz

Graphics
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of adapters		1

Graphic APIs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

API				NVIDIA I/O
API				NVIDIA NVAPI

Display Adapters
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Display adapter 0	
	Name			NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M   
	Revision		A1
	Memory size		1024 MB
	PCI device		bus 1 (0x1), device 0 (0x0), function 0 (0x0)
	Vendor ID		0x10DE (0x1043)
	Model ID		0x0DF0 (0x1522)
	Performance Level	Default
		Core clock	50.5 MHz
		Shader clock	101.0 MHz
		Memory clock	135.0 MHz
	Performance Level	2D Desktop
		Core clock	202.5 MHz
		Shader clock	405.0 MHz
		Memory clock	324.0 MHz
	Performance Level	3D Applications
		Core clock	560.0 MHz
		Shader clock	1120.0 MHz
		Memory clock	800.0 MHz


Software
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Windows Version			Microsoft Windows 7 (6.1) Home Premium Edition   (Build 7600) 
DirectX Version			11.0

[JimboPalmer]

I really recommend the V7 Beta client, it will guide you through SMP setup and that will really increase your Points Per Day.

viewtopic.php?f=67&t=18302

[P5-133XL]

Yes, the machine is good for SMP folding. If anything the weak portion is the GPU. Matter of fact I don't think I would even bother GPU folding on it. With the current v6 CPU client smp folding is built in so all you need to do is add -smp to the additional parameters section during configuration. Make sure you get and configure in a Passkey.

I personally think that the v7 client is unlikely to work well if you plan on GPU folding. I doubt that that specific GPU has been white-listed yet. It may be fun to play with though. You might want to try out FAH tracker for easy configuration of the v6 clients.

That being said, you are folding on a laptop and that brings in some special issues. The first one is using the battery -- Don't. make sure that you set the do not fold on battery option in the config. That way, if your laptop ever accidentally gets unplugged from the power outlet folding does not drain your battery prematurely.

Next is heat. Folding generates a lot of it especially if you are GPU folding. You need to monitor temps for not all laptops can handle it well.

[Amaruk]

NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M (1120 shaders, 1024 MB Memory)

FYI, the 425M only has 96 shaders. That number from CPU-Z is their speed. (1120 MHz in 3D mode)

If you could post the SMP's log (especially the first 30 lines or so) , that would be the best way for us to see if it's working properly.

[Jeannie]

I have that same CPU on my laptop and it folds regular SMP workunits just fine, It's too slow for the BIGADV work units, tho.

[Zagen30]

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the GPU's folding prowess- I have an i7-720QM (1.6 GHz)/GT 230 (48 shaders) laptop. The i7 gets around 4000 PPD while the GPU gets around 2000-2500, which is a not-insignificant amount. The 740M will be faster, yes, but double the number of GPU shaders will improve that bit as well.

I'm salivating over the day 1120 nVidia shaders is considered low-end.