100% CPU usage... recommended?

[cesarsalgado]

I have been a Folding@home user for six years now. My computer is a Windows 7 desktop. I was used to a maximum of 50% CPU usage, but yesterday I installed the new client (version 7.1.52) and it uses 100% CPU by default... and it even says that setting is recommended! May this hurt the computer? I suppose you realize two things, I am neither English-speaking nor a computer expert...

[Ivoshiee]

There should be no issues for you as usually computer equipment is designed and made so it is perfectly able to work even under 100% of CPU load over extended periods of time.

[cesarsalgado]

Thanks for your answer, Ivoshiee. Maybe it is just my superstition, I mean my technical ignorance and lack of skill. In my PC user life, I was used to see 100% CPU usage only when a program was stuck and about to hang, crash and so on. Now if anything gets fire I will blame Folding@home...

[artoar_11]

Thanks for your answer, Ivoshiee. Maybe it is just my superstition, I mean my technical ignorance and lack of skill. In my PC user life, I was used to see 100% CPU usage only when a program was stuck and about to hang, crash and so on. Now if anything gets fire I will blame Folding@home...

No problem with 100% load. My all computers are always 100% in F@H.
You watch for temperatures, with Real Temp or similar.

[7im]

I overclock my computers, so they run at more than 100%.

[Jesse_V]

I overclock my computers, so they run at more than 100%.

Oh it's on now!

[patonb]

You need to maintain your temperature under the recommended Tmax as per Intel/amd specs.

Other than temp, cpus are fine running 100%

[bruce]

Think of one of those old-fashioned floor-lamps with three incandescent bulbs. Depending on how you set the switch, either 3 ro 2 or 1 or 0 light bulbs is on at 100%. Computers are a lot like that -- at any instant, they either are running at 100% or they're waiting for work. Some engineer decided that the lamp with a normal lamp-shade x 100W bulbs. As long as you don't put over-sized bulbs in it or a lampshade that restricts the airflow, it won't overheat and burn out a bulb (or, in the case of a computer, as long as you don't let too much dust plug up the heatsink).

[cesarsalgado]

Real Temp seemed difficult to me, so I installed Core Temp. I know it has less features, but I am no "geek" and found it easier. At least has relaxed my superstition for now. Thanks to all.