Win2k Pro - v5 the only option?

[Rickajho]

I want to fold on a W2k Pro SP4 machine that's available. Couple questions please:

Is v5.x really the last release that will work? There are so many commonalities between w2k and XP... I've found in the past a lot of 32 bit XP software that isn't officially given a w2k "blessing" installs and runs.

Is it correct that v 5.x does not support Passkey?

Thanks!

[P5-133XL]

To my knowledge there isn't a v5 limitation to W2k Pro. Can't you install .net (a requirement for v7) on that Windows OS?

[Rickajho]

Hi - thanks for the response.

w2k pro supports up to .net v2.0 - think that would do it?

I'm here because anything on the download or docs pages dropped mention of w2k with release 5.x After that v 6 and forward only list XP/Vista and up as supported Win OS's.

[P5-133XL]

The V7 install guide requirements do not specifically mention W2k but rather just says Windows XP or newer of which W2k overlaps with XP. .net 2.0 is also a requirement but no further. You may have some issues with GPU folding mainly because of driver issues (W2k has specialized drivers just for it) though and Core_17 is very unlikely to work because of the lack of OpenCL support in W2k drivers. I do not know what browsers are supported in W2k so that may be an issue with the Web Control but that is an optional component to the folding client. I'd say try it and if GPU folding is the main problem you can shut down just the GPU slots.

[Napoleon]

Welcome to the forum, Rickajho.

Any particular reason not to install Linux on it? W2k Pro is getting a bit long in the tooth, see http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifean35. Quoting the relevant part:

On July 13, 2010, Extended Support for Windows 2000 Professional will end. The product will no longer be publicly supported after this date.

64bit Linux client v7 supports Fermi and newer NVidia GPUs natively (core_17). With a 32bit Linux, the Work Units you'd get to crunch would be more restricted, but you could run a 32bit Windows NVidia GPU client v6.41 and core_15 WUs through WINE. While that isn't officially supported, IMHO setting it up isn't overly complicated.

Up to a GTX 460 level NVidia GPU, your points production would actually be better with the older core_15 work than with core_17. Even a slow CPU and a motherboard with a PCIE v1.x slot would be capable of keeping a moderately powerful GPU fully occupied, and some people have even extended the serviceable life of legacy PCI non-e mobos and CPUs by folding on a PCI GT430 GPU. With an overclock to ~900MHz, they've reported as much as 6000 Points Per Day.

Most likely you'd get many times the PPD compared to folding on the CPU. In fact, aforementioned people rarely bother to fold with the CPU, they just use it to feed the GPU. There still are legacy (uni)core_78 WUs around, but without the Quick Return Bonus points, those aren't particularly attractive to most donors due to the poor PPD/Watt ratio.

[7im]

Recommending Linux is not a good option. I'm sure w2k would have been upgraded already if there was an option to upgrade.

To answer the original question and not go off topic, yes, v5 is the newest fah version supported on Win 2K. And it still works. Install one instance for each processor core on the pc.

[COOLDUDEGAMER]

I am guessing that w/ the V5 since it cannot do Passkeys that it would only get the base credit. Would that be correct?

[bruce]

Correct, but when running single-core projects, you will get a mixture of projects, some using FahCore_78 (which doesn't do bonuses), FahCore_a4 (which conceivably could), and temporary periods of no assignment at all. The core_78 projects still get the same PPD that they did when Win2K was popular, so you're only concern is the inflation that has been going on with the points.

[COOLDUDEGAMER]

lol Makes me wanna try it out on my old Win2K systems as they can be used for space heaters as they produce so much heat.

[7im]

Don't bother wasting any more of your time. All the servers with those work units are still offline after the server maintenance two weeks ago.

[dougwill]

So V5 is no longer available for download for my Win2K machine, or the servers for V5 are no longer sending work units, or both? Can't find a link to "older clients" mentioned in an older post, and the current download page shows v6 as the only earlier version. Like CoolDudeGamer above, my old Win2K machine helps heat my home office in the winter... and I'd like to know if it can't fold anymore before going back to SETI or another distributed client...

[7im]

Servers won't send out work to v5 client so don't bother looking for the download. Grab a win XP license from eBay for next to nothing. Or run Linux which is free. Then run fah again.