Folding@home Client Installation Guides

Table of contents

Introduction

Welcome to the Guides section! This section provides a centralized location to find information and help installing or troubleshooting the installation of the various Folding@home (FAH) clients.

Which client is right for me?

This is the hardest question to answer because everyones's situation is different, and everyone's computer is different. You will have to answer this question for yourself, but the information and guidance found here will make this easier.

Operating System?

This first part of the client selection process is the easiest to answer. The guide documents listed below are first grouped by operating system:

If the computer you want to use for FAH has Windows, then you will follow one of the Windows client install Guides; likewise for Linux or Macintosh or PS3.

Client Type?

After operating system, the installation guide documents are organized by client type:

* Uniprocessor clients (single CPU/core, i.e. classic, Console, CLI, or Systray, etc.)

* SMP clients (multiple CPU/cores, i.e. duals, quads, etc.)

* GPU clients (AMD and nVidia, both Console and Systray)

The single processor, or uniprocessor client is almost always the best place to start when first joining the project. It is the easiest to install, run, and maintain. It is also uses the least amount of computing resources, although that can be adjusted. It is called the Set And Forget client for those reasons and more. There is a basic no nonsense command line version of the uniprocessor client, and a more user friendly graphical systray version.

High Performance?

After becoming more familiar with the FAH clients, the work units, and how the project operates in general, you may want to move up to the SMP and/or the GPU type of client. The SMP and GPU clients are considered High Performance clients. These are typically run 24 hours a day, are more technically challenging to install and maintain, and use considerably more computing resources. These clients also contribute completed work units to the project much faster than the Uniprocessor client, and the points rewarded are appropriately higher. These clients are not set and forget, and are typically run by FAH or computer enthusiasts with computers dedicated to running only the FAH clients.

Not all operating systems have each or all of these client types. See the guides listed below for the available options in each client type.

Note: The guides pertain to the latest version of the clients currently available. If older clients are still available to download, guides may be available on the same page as the current guide, or annotated at the bottom of that page. And while the guides were written to follow an easy "step by step" setup process that someone new to the project could follow, some technical knowledge is assumed, especially in regards to the more advanced client types.

Installation Guides List

Each of these pages include the guides for the Console and Systray clients where applicable.

Windows

• Uniprocessor (classic) clients
• SMP client (MPICH)
• SMP client (DEINO)
• GPU clients

Linux

• Uniprocessor (classic) clients
• SMP clients

Macintosh

• Uniprocessor clients (Intel/PPC)
• SMP clients (Intel)

Playstation 3

• Playstation 3 client

Additional Help For Installation Problems

How can I get installation help if I have a problem?

While we try to make the guides clear and concise, it is possible one or more steps may be difficult to understand due to inexperience, software changes, etc. You can ask for help on the Folding Support Forum. Someone will provide the answer or help to complete the installation. In some cases, you may have additional questions after the installation. Feel free to search the Forum for answers, post a new question, or read through the FAQs and FAH WIKI.

When asking for help in the forum, please state which guide you are using so we can follow along. Please also list the computer specifications and the client type you are trying to install (i.e. operating system, version, client type, drivers, and Systray or Console, etc.).

Do I need administrator privileges to install the FAH client?

In most cases, Yes. If you do not have administrator privileges or cannot access an administrator account, this indicates that you do not own or manage the computer. Most clients need to have some administrative access to complete the installation. If you do not have the rights, you are advised to ask for permission before going any further.

It is against the FAH End User License Agreement (EULA) to circumvent these restrictions without the expressed permission of the computer's owner. If you are the owner and do not know how to use administrator privileges, please ask someone with more experience to help you.

For More Information, Please See:

• FAH FAQ
• Folding Support Forum

Last Updated on December 16, 2009, at 09:22 PM