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This client is a screen saver module. It cannot run as an application.
Download Link: X Saver (160 KB)
- Download the client. If the file did not unstuff automatically, unstuff it by dropping it on either Stuffit Expander or OpenUp. Experienced users can also unstuff it with the command line utilities.
- You will have an install package called "FoldingSS-3.12.pkg" on your desktop. The version number will change as later clients are released. Doubleclick it to launch the Installer.
- The Installer will likely ask for an administrator password. Click on the lock icon, and give it a stolen password.
- It will presently ask you to select the destination volume. If you have multiple partitions, select your OS X boot partition.
- The installer will do it's thing, and optimize your system afterwards. When finished, you can quit the Installer. A reboot is not required.
- Go to System Preferences, and select the Screen Saver pane. There will be a new screen saver with the unlikely name Folding@home. Select it, then click the Configure button. A sheet will come down with three new tabs.
 
- Select the Identity tab. Enter your Folding@home screen name or email. Be sure to enter "16" as the team number for Team MacNN. Once Folding units are returned, you cannot change the team that they are assigned to. The default "0" is a null team. Unlike most other projects, Folding@home does not allow you to crunch individually and later assign the units to a team of your choice. They have to be assigned before they are returned. If you allow a work unit to be returned with the "0" team setting, it will be permanently assigned to the null "0" team.
Note: This is the way to join Team MacNN on Folding@home. Return a work unit on our team number 16, and you will appear on the team. Also, you can modify these settings later if you wish. They are not final for a particular work unit until the finished unit is actually uploaded.
- You may want to enter settings into the Network tab if you are behind a firewall, otherwise you can ignore this tab. The Settings tab allows you to select how you want to view the molecule graphic. Click the OK button when you are done with the Configure Sheet tabs.
- Back in the Screen Saver preference pane, select the Activation tab. Choose a suitable time before the saver will activate.
- Close or quit System Preferences.
- The next time the screen saver kicks in, Folding@home will connect to the project server to obtain an agent ID code. It will also try to download a crunching core called "core_65.exe", along with a work unit. Note, since these initial steps are needed, make sure you are connected to the internet the first time the Folding@home screen saver kicks in. Further note, if you have previously run the Folding@home GUI app, the needed files will already be present and will not be fetched from the project server.
- You are now crunching on the Folding@home project.
Folding@home crunches 50-400 "Frames" per work unit. Results are saved to disk only when a frame finishes. For this reason, it is a good idea to leave the screen saver running for an extended period of time. Running it for a few minutes here and there will get very little work done.
The screen saver is installed in /Library/Screen Savers/
Data and config files are stored in /Users/(your user name)/Library/Folding@home/. This is the same location used by the GUI Folding@home application. This implies that you cannot use the application and the screen saver at the same time.
If you open that folder, you will see several new files.
client.cfg is the preferences file. You can edit it with BBEdit if you like. Core_65.exe, despite the name, is a PPC crunching core. FAHlog.txt is a log of the current session startup to shutdown. It does not include the work unit progress, which is separately logged inside the Work folder. queue.dat contains a log of completed units, along with completed units that have not been uploaded yet. Work contains the actual work units until they have finished being crunched.
The Work folder contains a variety of files, which will change over time. The most interesting is the logfile_01.txt - the number varies by what unit you are crunching. This file shows your progress on the current work unit.
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