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.

While we try to make the install guides clear and concise, it is possible one or more steps may not be understood. Additional Help is available.

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 decision 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:

* CPU 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 CPU client, 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. This is also the best client for computers running not running all day every day. 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 experts and/or computer enthusiasts with computers dedicated to running only the FAH clients. Beginners can also install and run these clients, but may need more assistance with the jargon and technical processes than can be provided in an install guide.

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. Additional Help is available.

Installation Guides List

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

Windows

• CPU Uniprocessor (classic) clients
• SMP client (v6.30 and later)
• SMP client (MPICH) (deprecated, v6.29 and earlier)
• SMP client (DEINO) (deprecated, v6.29 and earlier)
• GPU clients
• FAH V7 beta (CPU, GPU, SMP)

Linux

• CPU Uniprocessor (classic) clients
• SMP clients

Macintosh

• SMP clients (Intel)

Playstation 3

• Playstation 3 client

Additional Help For Installation Problems

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

When one or more steps are difficult to comprehend, you can ask for help on the Folding Support Forum. Someone will provide the answer or help you to complete the installation. In some cases, you may have additional questions after the installation. Feel free to Search the Guides and FAQ pages for answers. You can also Search the Forum for answers or Tools, post a new question, or read through the FAH FAQs and the FAH WIKI.

When asking for help in the forum, please let us know which install guide you are using so we can follow along. And if you know your computer specifications and the client type you are trying to install (i.e. operating system, version, client type, drivers, and Systray or Console, etc.) please list these with your question. This information is not required, but will help us answer your questions more quickly.

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.

I found a better way to install a client, where can I make a suggestion?

The install guides are written and updated by the folding community, and managed by the Pande Group. Please post any suggestions, corrections, or update recommendations to the corresponding Guides topic in the Folding Forum. And thank you for helping to improve the install guides.

• Official CPU Install Guides topic
• Official GPU Install Guides topic
• Official Linux Install Guides topic
• Official MAC Install Guides topic
• Official SMP Install Guides topic

For More Information, Please See:

• FAH FAQ
• Folding Support Forum

Last Updated on March 29, 2011, at 11:30 AM