Cold without Folding@Home, GPU issues
I realized the software for Folding@Home was not set up since I reformatted, so I took care of that today. There was of course a small hurdle.
It’s been fairly cold lately in San Francisco, and I have used my space heater a few times lately. My room on Haight Street was usually quite warm, especially since my computer was always contributing to distributed computing research projects. Then it occurred to me to check if the FAHControl app was was even installed. It opened, so I apparently did incorporate that into my dotfiles setup scripts, but I noticed it was not processing a work unit and the profile said “Anonymous”.
This was not the first time I inadvertently stopped contibuting. In searching my email for the username and passkey, I found a chat with Walter from Saturday, August 6, 2016:
i just realized my room is so cold this week because i forgot to have my computer resume processing for Folding@Homeafter i paused it a week ago
Once I configured it with my information, it still did not seem to be working. I did a bit of searching and was delighted to see PS3EdOlkkola make a similar reference in a forum Re: “Empty work server assignment” - Linux GPU’s:
In Texas, it’s starting to get cool in the mornings. I’d rather turn on the heat by folding, not with HVAC ;)
I suspected there was a problem with the installation since my script installed the client via Homebrew Cask. The version installed seemed to be the most recent, though. I saw someone mention work units for single cores were not available at some point recently, and the fix was to specify more than one core. I configured mine for 4 as a test, but it still didn’t seem to work. I also tried to add a GPU core, but it did not automatically detect my GPU despite my having the NVIDIA CUDA drivers installed.
[COLLAPSE=FAHControl log]
*********************** Log Started 2017-05-23T18:16:54Z ***********************
18:16:54:************************* Folding@home Client *************************
18:16:54: Website: http://folding.stanford.edu/
18:16:54: Copyright: (c) 2009-2014 Stanford University
18:16:54: Author: Joseph Coffland <joseph@cauldrondevelopment.com>
18:16:54: Args: --child --lifeline 74 --respawn
18:16:54: Config: /Library/Application Support/FAHClient/config.xml
18:16:54:******************************** Build ********************************
18:16:54: Version: 7.4.4
18:16:54: Date: Mar 4 2014
18:16:54: Time: 20:27:54
18:16:54: SVN Rev: 4130
18:16:54: Branch: fah/trunk/client
18:16:54: Compiler: GNU 4.2.1 (Apple Inc. build 5666) (dot 3)
18:16:54: Options: -std=gnu++98 -O3 -funroll-loops -mfpmath=sse -ffast-math
18:16:54: -fno-unsafe-math-optimizations -msse3 -arch x86_64
18:16:54: -mmacosx-version-min=10.6
18:16:54: Platform: darwin 10.8.0
18:16:54: Bits: 64
18:16:54: Mode: Release
18:16:54:******************************* System ********************************
18:16:54: CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4790K CPU @ 4.00GHz
18:16:54: CPU ID: GenuineIntel Family 6 Model 60 Stepping 3
18:16:54: CPUs: 8
18:16:54: Memory: 32.00GiB
18:16:54:Free Memory: 30.02GiB
18:16:54: Threads: POSIX_THREADS
18:16:54: OS Version: 10.12
18:16:54:Has Battery: false
18:16:54: On Battery: false
18:16:54: UTC Offset: -7
18:16:54: PID: 231
18:16:54: CWD: /Library/Application Support/FAHClient
18:16:54: OS: Darwin 16.5.0 x86_64
18:16:54: OS Arch: AMD64
18:16:54: GPUs: 0
18:16:54: CUDA: Not detected
18:16:54:***********************************************************************
18:16:54:<config>
18:16:54: <!-- Folding Slots -->
18:16:54: <slot id='0' type='CPU'/>
18:16:54:</config>
18:16:54:Trying to access database...
18:16:54:Successfully acquired database lock
18:16:54:Enabled folding slot 00: READY cpu:7
18:16:54:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get IP address for assign3.stanford.edu: nodename nor servname provided, or not known
18:16:54:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
18:16:54:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get IP address for assign3.stanford.edu: nodename nor servname provided, or not known
18:16:54:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
18:17:54:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
18:17:56:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
18:17:56:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
18:17:57:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
18:17:57:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
18:19:32:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
18:19:33:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
18:19:33:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
18:19:34:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
18:19:34:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
18:22:09:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
18:22:11:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
18:22:11:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
18:22:12:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
18:22:12:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
18:26:23:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
18:26:25:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
18:26:25:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
18:26:26:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
18:26:26:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
18:33:15:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
18:33:17:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
18:33:17:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
18:33:20:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
18:33:20:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
18:44:21:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
18:44:22:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
18:44:22:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
18:44:24:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
18:44:24:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
19:02:18:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
19:02:19:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
19:02:19:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
19:02:21:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
19:02:21:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
19:31:20:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
19:31:21:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
19:31:21:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
19:31:23:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
19:31:23:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
20:18:19:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
20:18:20:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
20:18:20:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
20:18:22:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
20:18:22:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
21:34:20:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
21:34:21:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
21:34:21:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
21:34:23:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
21:34:23:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
23:37:19:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
23:37:22:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
23:37:22:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
23:37:24:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
23:37:24:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
******************************* Date: 2017-05-24 *******************************
02:56:20:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
02:56:22:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
02:56:22:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
02:56:24:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
02:56:24:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
08:18:20:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
08:18:22:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
08:18:22:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
08:18:23:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
08:18:23:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
******************************* Date: 2017-05-24 *******************************
14:18:20:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
14:18:23:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
14:18:23:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
14:18:25:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
14:18:25:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
14:57:56:Saving configuration to config.xml
14:57:57:<config>
14:57:57: <!-- Network -->
14:57:57: <proxy v=':8080'/>
14:57:57:
14:57:57: <!-- User Information -->
14:57:57: <passkey v='********************************'/>
14:57:57: <user v='Charlie_Gorichanaz'/>
14:57:57:
14:57:57: <!-- Folding Slots -->
14:57:57: <slot id='0' type='CPU'/>
14:57:57:</config>
14:58:15:Saving configuration to config.xml
14:58:15:<config>
14:58:15: <!-- Network -->
14:58:15: <proxy v=':8080'/>
14:58:15:
14:58:15: <!-- User Information -->
14:58:15: <passkey v='********************************'/>
14:58:15: <user v='Charlie_Gorichanaz'/>
14:58:15:
14:58:15: <!-- Folding Slots -->
14:58:15: <slot id='0' type='CPU'/>
14:58:15:</config>
15:00:10:FS00:Paused
15:00:17:Saving configuration to config.xml
15:00:17:<config>
15:00:17: <!-- Network -->
15:00:17: <proxy v=':8080'/>
15:00:17:
15:00:17: <!-- User Information -->
15:00:17: <passkey v='********************************'/>
15:00:17: <user v='Charlie_Gorichanaz'/>
15:00:17:
15:00:17: <!-- Folding Slots -->
15:00:17: <slot id='0' type='CPU'>
15:00:17: <paused v='true'/>
15:00:17: </slot>
15:00:17:</config>
15:00:20:FS00:Unpaused
15:00:20:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
15:00:22:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
15:00:22:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
15:00:24:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
15:00:24:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
15:01:18:Saving configuration to config.xml
15:01:18:<config>
15:01:18: <!-- Network -->
15:01:18: <proxy v=':8080'/>
15:01:18:
15:01:18: <!-- User Information -->
15:01:18: <passkey v='********************************'/>
15:01:18: <user v='Charlie_Gorichanaz'/>
15:01:18:
15:01:18: <!-- Folding Slots -->
15:01:18: <slot id='0' type='CPU'/>
15:01:18:</config>
15:01:57:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
15:01:59:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
15:01:59:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
15:02:01:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
15:02:01:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
15:02:56:Saving configuration to config.xml
15:02:56:<config>
15:02:56: <!-- Network -->
15:02:56: <proxy v=':8080'/>
15:02:56:
15:02:56: <!-- User Information -->
15:02:56: <passkey v='********************************'/>
15:02:56: <user v='Charlie_Gorichanaz'/>
15:02:56:
15:02:56: <!-- Folding Slots -->
15:02:56: <slot id='0' type='CPU'>
15:02:56: <paused v='true'/>
15:02:56: </slot>
15:02:56:</config>
15:03:06:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 231
15:03:08:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 231
15:03:10:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 231
15:03:12:Caught signal SIGPIPE(13) on PID 231
15:03:20:Saving configuration to config.xml
15:03:20:<config>
15:03:20: <!-- Network -->
15:03:20: <proxy v=':8080'/>
15:03:20:
15:03:20: <!-- User Information -->
15:03:20: <passkey v='********************************'/>
15:03:20: <user v='Charlie_Gorichanaz'/>
15:03:20:
15:03:20: <!-- Folding Slots -->
15:03:20: <slot id='0' type='CPU'>
15:03:20: <paused v='true'/>
15:03:20: </slot>
15:03:20:</config>
15:04:34:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
15:04:36:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
15:04:36:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
15:04:38:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
15:04:38:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
15:08:49:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:8080
15:08:50:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.67.108.45:8080': Empty work server assignment
15:08:50:WU00:FS00:Connecting to 171.64.65.35:80
15:08:52:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Failed to get assignment from '171.64.65.35:80': Empty work server assignment
15:08:52:ERROR:WU00:FS00:Exception: Could not get an assignment
[/COLLAPSE]
Then I overwrote the /Library/Application Support/FAHClient/config.xml with the config from my backup before I formatted. That put it back how it was this morning (with the cores set to auto) as far as I can tell, but strangely it started working soon after.
Then I wanted to see about getting the GPU aspect working, but I ran into more problems. My macOS preference pane for the NVIDIA “web drivers” would not open.
Unable to open the NVIDIA Driver Manager.
Please try again or re-install the NVIDIA Web Driver package from the NVIDIA website.
It worked previously after reformatting, so I am not sure what change might have caused that to break. The prefrence pane for the CUDA info worked fine, and reported the driver version of the GPU web driver:
CUDA Driver Version: 8.0.83
GPU Driver Version: 10.17.34 (378.05.05.05f02)
I searched Google for the latest version of the web driver, but didn’t notice the top result was actually an older version. So I installed 10.17.34 (367.15.10.45f01), observed the preference pane still did not work, and then checked for the actual latest version. Confusingly, 378.05.05.15f01 was released a few weeks after the version I had, 378.05.05.05f02. I then noticed 378.05.05.15f01 was for macOS 10.12.5, which was recently released, and I was still on 10.12.4. I was not keen on upgrading, since accidentally upgrading previously caused me to need to reformat, but I took a chance and did it anyway. I spent all that time making my dotfiles for automatically setting up my computer, so I figured I might as well allow myself some peace knowing it would be easier to get back up and running in the worse case. Alas, upgrading to 10.12.5 and then the NVIDIA web driver to 378.05.05.05f01 still did not solve the problem.
For future reference, since I could not find it through NVIDIA’s driver search, the web drivers are apparently posted on this page and this feed.
It was only 11 a.m., but I had strangely been up since 7:30 and the day was indeed slipping away, so I gave up for now on trying to get Folding@home working on my GPU. I had no other apparent video problems (aside from a probably unrelated app freezing issue when videos are displayed, but I think that has to do with the CPU and encoding). Perhaps I will revisit this if the NVIDIA panel revives itself. At least I might have a slightly warmer room, now. :-)
