Maximum PC

Im going to attempt to make an easy and productive SMP guide. This is only my second time attempting this so I will do my best.

I use this setup myself and it allows me to make around 4500 PPD on a Q6600 at 3.2ghz. This setup uses VMWare Player and NOTFREDS SMP utility. Also in order to run this setup you will have to have a processor capable of VT technology.
Here we go.

Step 1: Go to http://www.vmware.com/download/player/ and download the latest version(2.5.2). BTW you'll have to register to download.



Next will be this screen requiring you to register before downloading.


Choose the home/personal use options.
Once registered you'll be allowed to download.

Step 2
Go to http://reilly.homeip.net/folding/vm.html and download the virtual machine.


Step 3
Install VM Player from step one. After install restart computer as required.


Step 4
Extract the folding appliance.In my picture I just extract to desktop. You can extract to wherever you'd prefer.


If you are using a dual core then you'll only need to extract once. If using a quad then rename the extracted folder and extract another instance. I renamed both of my extracted folders like shown.


Step 5
Open the extracted folder and doubleclick the bottom file.


This will open the VMPlayer and start the virtual machine. And will bring you to this screen.


At this point the computer is folding and should be reflected in cpu usage. It is not necessary to log in .Now to configure.
Type the Ip address (192.168.1.69 in my case) in your web browser. You should see this if everything is running correctly.


Click Reconfigure then you'll see this screen.


After configuring to your liking click reconfigure at the bottom. The instance will have to be restarted in order for the changes to take affect. Also this is how I set mine up to run two on my Q6600. I chose 2 cpu per smp.

Now go back to the VM Player as it now needs to be restarted for the changes to take affect.


Click VMPlayer>Troubleshoot>Reset.

Now its running and configured. Wasn't so hard even with my lack of skill explaining. If on a Quad and you extracted two folders then do the same setup as the first.

Now for a lil fine tuning.

After I have both running I go to the task manger to set the priority and affinity.


The top two are the virtual machines. Im running two so if only running one you'll only see one. I set them both at low priority and assign two cores for each instance. Setting to low priority does not slow down the client and also stops it from slowing down any gpu clients you may have running.



To monitor with FAHMON or Fahspy simply point either monitoring app to
\\<your ip>\c\etc\folding\1\


I hope this helps people. I hope its not confusing and I will try to make it easier in time.

Like I said at the beginning I get 4000-4500 ppd from my Q6600 at 3.2ghz using this setup. Alot more than Windows SMP.


FahSpy Link http://files.filefront.com/fahspy150zip ... einfo.html (This is another monitoring utility that I really like.)

I posted this in a rush in order that it can quickly be used by those wishing to finish more work units and realize more ppd. I'm sure it's gonna need some editing and fine tuning. I figure as a team we can get this down to a science.
Now get to work.


Once the client starts running it will come to a login prompt. It is not needed to login. I never have yet.

Some people will have positive things to say.

Others will tell you that Pande and group have spoken on the subject matter and say that if you have a quad core, to only run one instance of SMP.

n0b0dykn0ws

VJ isn't going to tell people to use only 2 cores of their quad core CPU. The free versions of VMware can't use more than 2 cores, so your forced to run 2 VMs to use all 4 cores of a quad.

Ruredee, I had seen your link from another forum, and had followed those and these instructions yesterday.
I want to thank you for that link, that thread, and all your hard work both there and here.

One year ago, I got my then-new Biostar mobo, Athlon 64 X2 4200+, and 2GB of RAM, and started folding with the Windows-Deino SMP client.
A little less than a month ago, with JuiceJones' help, I gently overclocked the Athlon by 10%, bumping up my PPD to a max of 880 with 2653WU's.

Yesterday, I started folding with the VM and notfreds SMP client.
After an hour of installing and ironing things out, here are my results:


1500ppd! An increase of 72%. Just in time for the Chimp Challenge!

Pretty far cry from the 30ppd I was getting from my old Athlon 2700+ four years ago!

Guys, if I can successfully do this, anyone can! Thank you again, Ruredee!!

How would this work with a dual core? Just run one instance?

All of u out there running Windows SMP, it's definitely worth trying out!
When it's this easy to boost ur PPD, what's there to think about?

@Muppetmower: I would have to say, yep, just one should do it for you.

I just tried setting it up. I get to the part where I start the virtual machine. It opens, and I type in fold64. Bunch of stuff comes onto the screen and scrolls up. It stops and says:

Failed to download the client from Stanford's website

Please double check your gateway and DNS information
Gateway: 10.76.249.1
DNS servers: 130.39.254.33

EDIT: I live in a college dorm. Could that be a problem?

That's what I'm doing. One instance on my Athlon X2.

Very nice guide Ruredee! I've been thinking of posting up a similar guide, but always get too lazy and just post links.

I'm a huge advocate of running these VMs. The near double PPD of Windows SMP makes once paltry dual-cores into very healthy folders. I net 5200 from my Q6600 at 3.15Ghz, and 2600 and 1800 from E6400s at 3.2Ghz and 2.6Ghz respectively.

Plus, after experimenting with a few third-party programs, I've found this to above and beyond be the best for saving and auto-starting affinities and priorities:

http://www.geocities.com/edgemeal_softw ... _1.2.0.zip

My 29,000 PPD is not a result of big bucks and monster GPUs. It's from finding every little tweak I can to optimize PPD, and this is one of the biggest contributors.

Everyone out there running Windows SMP with a proc that can virtualize, I highly encourage you to give this a try. Plus, if you have cold feet about overclocking, but are running on a home-built system that is capable, be like Ovenmaster and experience the best of both worlds. I'd love to help any overclocking questions anyone may have, whether in threads or PMs. Good luck everyone, and thanks again Ruredee for coming over and making this guide. I hope it sees many to a new level of PPD!

I had a thought during class that maybe I didn't have virtualization enabled. Just checked and it was enabled. Not sure what to do...

OK, I got this all set up and while it seems to be faster than the normal SMP client on my C2D E6850 rig, it shows *Hung* in FAHMON, even though the log file shows it progressing through % steps. Also, since this is a VM, will all the progress be lost if it becomes necessary to shutdown the client and restart it (like in a reboot situation)?

Muppet I had the exact same problem when I tried to start the thing. I also get an error when it first starts up saying VT is capable but not enabled (It is..) and that the VMware is configured to run on a 64 bit OS but I'm running 32 bit Vista Ultimate and it stops at that DNS part you mentioned.

Just update to the newest version of fahmon. When entering the client check the this client is on a virtual machine box.
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Also if you close the virtual machine by using the "x" it suspends the client and you wont lose your progress.

Make sure that the "Client is on a Virtual Machine" button is checked for each client in FAHMon. This fixed the *Hung* issue for me. Seems obvious, yet I missed it initially.

As for VMWare, when you shut it down, it will save the state. So assuming no errors, it will start right back up where you left off, not even having to restore from a previous save point. That being said, if your system crashes, you'll have to restart it normally and it'll go back to your last save point (15 mins intervals by default).

This is a good guide. Someone should sticky it.

Ok this may sound really nubish and I'm over looking something. When it says to put in you ip address in a browser i just get connection timed out.

How i found what i think it is. Was cmd in xp then ipconfig.
Then tryed the VMware network adapter VMnet 1 there is a VMnet 8 that also did not work, soI tried the wireless one, which failed too.

Sorry if i just over looked something.

Edit: ya i fail I did not see the one in the VM window

Two pRoblems. numbeR one, it keeps asking me to type a passwoRd afteR "login" (my ip addRess). Second, installing VMwaRe disables my R key in loweR case. I am using a RazeR taRantula

Does this work on an E4500? If so I might actually turn my SMP back on, since due to temps and low ppd, I have it off. It's starting to warm up down here in San Diego, and 62 C is unacceptable for 600ppd on my proc. However, I would prolly invest in some better cooling or something else for double that.

When it gets to the login screen you dont have to do anything as it is already folding. I have never logged in. As far as the uppercase R I honestly have no idea.


If I remember correctly the e4500 does not support virtualization so it wont work with this setup.

The problem is, how am I supposed to setup folding so I can use my user name and team?