Folding@Home 5.04 October 18, 2005 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- RECENT CHANGES: 5.04: - Allows configuration of the amount of memory to indicate available, especially useful when running multiple "big unit" clients on a single machine. - Allows for the setting of -advmethods as a persistent option through the Configuration. 5.02: - Error checking on queue, related to big packet option. - OpenBSD branding fix. (5.01) 5.00: - Collection server support. If a client finishes a work unit from a Work server with this feature enabled, then if 2 upload attempts to that server fail, the client will return to the work unit to a Collection server. Pending credit will be given for the unit, becoming final when the Work server comes back up and verifies what the Collection server has received. All work servers will eventually be associated with a Collection server, and many already are. - Configuration option to allow downloads and uploads greater than 5 MB in size, which some new projects will require due to the size of what they are simulating. - G@H configuration option reworded to be "No deadline" option. - Print executable name and launch directory to log. - Fix for bug where queue slot could get stuck "Fetching" - MyFolding links updated. - -forceSSE flag removed, since even with older clients, the flag had become meaningless because recent Core_78's give SSE priority over 3DNow automatically. - OpenBSD support: If give flag -openBSD, client will automatically make elf2olf system call on downloaded Cores. 4.00: - Configurable minimum checkpointing frequency (3-30 minutes).* - If client run with verbosity of at least 5, FahCore_78 will print out a message whenever a timered checkpoint occurs.* - -configonly flag added to configure then exit. - -oneunit flag added to exit after completing one unit. - -forceSSE flag added. Returns -forceasm to its former meaning of forcing assembly generally, and takes on the function of forcing SSE specifically.* - Warnings printed if -forceasm/-forceSSE flags given. - Benchmarking not done except at start of normal operation (for example, not if only configuring, listing queue, deleting unit, etc.). - Warning if attempt to run client with Machine ID of already running client (catches most common cases, including if running same client twice) - Web site printed updated. - Upon finishing a unit, if fails to return the result but succeeds in getting new work, immediately tries sending all results again. - Checks user name and team number for legality of use in statistics. - Queue info properly outputted to FAHlog.txt. - "Ask before connecting" change on Linux -- ignores typeahead and asks for "C" - Proxy password written out in binary (upon reconfiguration) - Assignment/work server request authentication - Send all message altered ("sent x of y" if x not 0, or "no units...") - CPU usage default of 100 printed out during Configuration. - Tags in MyFolding page changed to better adhere to HTML standard - Maximum machine IDs raised to 8. - Upload and download bandwidths estimated to send to AS. - If fails to post data, includes server and port in message. Also outputs HTTP status code (before this was only done if I.E. settings used). - Bug fixed where performance fraction could exceed 1. Of interest to Genomers: - Batch networking option for G@h (Network when less than 2 units ready to work on or more than 5 results to return, and when network, both get up to 10 units and send any results. Also attempt to get new units at startup.). - If set G@h preference, reflected in acknowledgment message. * Items with an asterisk require FahCore_78.exe v. 1.53 to be functional -- certain work servers are already forcing downloads of this core. ------------------------------------ OLDER CHANGES: 3.24 (Dec. 23, 2002): - Benchmarking improved in consistency and uniformity. At beginning now, but in future, with other improvements, can be moved again. - Support for sending a measure to the assignment server of time taken on past work units (a weighted average), to use as a predictor of how large a work unit can be handled. Can view this measure using verbosity 4 after finished units, but AS not using yet. - If bad arguments given, will exit only after a key press. - If upon startup, FAHlog.txt exceeds 50Kb and a is to be started, the old one is retained under the name FAHlog-Prev.txt. - Deadline information included with work (Printed to unitinfo.txt and available in queueinfo). Active units checked for expiration periodically all others checked for expiration at autosend time. Configuration option of ignoring deadline information (to use if system clock is bad -- not just telling incorrect absolute time, but having an incorrect conception of what one second is, for instance) if so desired. - MyFolding.html page written out by client with useful links (which Linux and Win. console users did not have easy access to before) - If specify -freeBSD flag, downloaded cores will automatically be branded as Linux (should make usage seamless on FreeBSD platform). - In making request to server for work, inform on whether have units done waiting to be uploaded to server. If so, servers running new code will give a new unit instead of giving same (servers will shift over as projects come up). - If a work unit is rejected for any reason, server now returns reason to client, which prints it out. (In this client, and servers will transition to the new code as projects come online.) If work unit is fatally flawed, then deleted from queue. - "Could not transmit unit" statement now also includes date unit was completed ("Could not transmit unit x (Completed xxxx)"). - Checks for bad URL, port on reception of work unit, deleting it before even starting work if bad. - Time stamp on every line of FAHlog. - Arguments to client printed to log. - Some log messages modified (like the requested, and deserved, "Thank you" added!). Some further spacing changes may be desired. - File "unitinfo.txt" printed and updated, with information and progress for current work unit. (Had been requested for use by 3rd party people.) - Answers to Configuration questions now validated. One letter answers (i.e. "y" or "Y" instead of "yes") allowed. 3.14: - fixed bug in configuration of core priority. - -forceasm command line option supported to force assembly optimizations (could be offed again by core if problems) IF current work unit is a Core_78 WU. - If fails to connect to assignment server, client will no longer just go back t o previous work server, since that server may no longer be appropriate for this client. - Fixed message where if run "-send all," user was incorrectly told that failed. - If FAHlog.txt is locked by OS, FAHlog2.txt started. - -advmethods option added for users wishing to try the newest cores and/or WU's . - Advanced Configuration option of disabling optimized assembly code added. - Send/autosend conflict resolved. - If CORE_OUTDATED situation arises, and remains even after a new core is downloaded, the current work unit is deleted. 3.12 Release: - No changes from 3.12 beta. 3.12b: - Rather than in the /tmp directory, the User ID is stored in the same directory as the client, in a file called machinedependent.dat. 3.11 Release: - If Client-core communications error occurs, current work unit and work files deleted. - If 5 consecutive cores that have been downloaded during the current execution of FAH fail to complete a work unit (they exit out for some reason), the client will sleep for 1 day. When it wakes up, it give one more downloaded core a chance to run and complete a WU before sleeping again. - FAHlog.txt is appended to (until it reaches 50 Kb) instead of overwritten. 3.1 Release: - Preference of project added to Configuration's Advanced tab. 3.01: - Fixed bug which prevented windows non-admin users from saving their user id 3.0 Release: - Implemented service fix (Core now stops running if it detects client has died)... needs latest core for this. - Removed expiry date 3.0b4: - Revised expiry date for extended testing 3.0b3: - Autosend set to 6hrs, screen logging reduced - User ID problem fixed (machine ID now stored in registry, selectable by user) - Port 80 fixes (now deals with unexpected 100 Continue messages, reinstated "\n" fix) - Console mode service fix (must now use -service argument to run as a service) - Win GUI: "Paused" now displayed in main window when paused, rather than "Working..." 3.0b2: - Autosend enabled properly - Fixed NT core verification crash bug - Windows GUI client: Less unnecessary opengl drawing, click on systray icon brings display window to front. 3.0b1: - Fixed several network problems (including send work/ core download) - Fixed a number of win32 graphics related memory issues - Added support for proxy username/passwords - Added adjustable core priorities - Added user-selectable CPU usage level - Added customizable graphics options (draw rate, visualization type, etc) 2.18: - Networking fixes ("0x0A0D" proxy prepend problem) - Misc bugfixes & optimizations 2.17: - Improved networking code - Added timestamps to log file (NOTE: these are GMT, i.e. London) - Added "View log file" feature to About Window - Added "Pause when current unit completed" feature to systray menu - Fixed OpenGL "left behind objects" bug - Config window reinstated for first startup - Mouse cursor is now (usually!) hidden in fullscreen mode - Fixed bug: windows client froze if couldn't contact server for ID - Clicking on systray icon when main window already open now closes it - Default proxy behavior set to not use any proxy (previously used IE) 2.16: - Fixed bug: Didn't use proxy when it tried to get a machine ID 2.15: - Default configuration used on first startup (doesn't prompt users) - All: Work queue handled differently (kills some checkpointing bugs) 2.14: - Added 'Use Internet Explorer Settings' option to config window - Added License agreement to installer 2.13 (internal): - Improved security on Core autoupdate, now uses validation keys - Automatically loads default user configuration on first run 2.12: - Network code changes to fix connection problems