I have Folding@home running too, on my iMac with Quad-Core Intel Core i5 from 2017 the process runs with about 30% CPU usage and I don't even notice it. Setting Folding Power to "medium". On my MacBook PRO, also with Quad-Core Intel Core i5 from 2018, the fan starts up after a short time and the FAHCore_7 process shows me a permanent load of 300% in the activity display, in the setting Folding Power on "light". I let my MacBook go through two days like this, but now I let it go, that's too resource consuming for me.
Or is there another possibility to cream the process FAHCore_7, maybe with a tool? Interestingly, the process also displays "nobody" as user. Any advice?
FAHCore_7 process runs the fan at full speed on MacBook 2018
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Michael Mrak
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Joe_H
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Re: FAHCore_7 process runs the fan at full speed on MacBook
The slider has limited control over the CPU usage, with the advanced control FAHControl you can make some finer settings. Under its Configure fountains you can set the CPU folding to use from 1 to as many CPU core/threads as you have. Depending on exactly how the installer configured your folding client, Full will use all cores or threads, Medium all but one, and Light uses half.
If Light was 2 on your MBP and you were comfortable with that, that would still contribute. Even set to 1 core your processor is fast enough to complete work in plenty of time. If you do not already have the MBP elevated to let air under it to aid in cooling, just a few bottle caps under the corners is enough to help without going to any expense for a cooling tray to set it on.
As for user 'nobody', that is a special class of user that gets almost no privileges, less than a normal user, that is available with the OS. Basically, if you don't give the process any privileges, it is limited to just the resources given to it.
If Light was 2 on your MBP and you were comfortable with that, that would still contribute. Even set to 1 core your processor is fast enough to complete work in plenty of time. If you do not already have the MBP elevated to let air under it to aid in cooling, just a few bottle caps under the corners is enough to help without going to any expense for a cooling tray to set it on.
As for user 'nobody', that is a special class of user that gets almost no privileges, less than a normal user, that is available with the OS. Basically, if you don't give the process any privileges, it is limited to just the resources given to it.
iMac 2.8 i7 12 GB smp8, Mac Pro 2.8 quad 12 GB smp6
MacBook Pro 2.9 i7 8 GB smp3
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Michael Mrak
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Re: FAHCore_7 process runs the fan at full speed on MacBook
@Joe_H thanks for the detailed info, also about the meaning of the "nobody" user.
I found a very well working solution. The free tool CPUSetter https://www.whatroute.net/cpusetter.html allows you to change the priority of your processes, and to also limit the maximum CPU usage of any of your processes. Limiting the FAHCore_7 process to 100% did it, it still folds very fast and now the fan does not run on full speed anymore.
I found a very well working solution. The free tool CPUSetter https://www.whatroute.net/cpusetter.html allows you to change the priority of your processes, and to also limit the maximum CPU usage of any of your processes. Limiting the FAHCore_7 process to 100% did it, it still folds very fast and now the fan does not run on full speed anymore.