Optimum number of threads

[Fubli]

I just installed F@H on a system with dual Xeon X5670 chips and a Quadro 5000. I noticed that the CPU's were not being fully utilized, so I added a second CPU slot and gave each one 12 threads instead of having one slot with 24 threads. Are there any cons to doing this? In the configuration options, it says "More CPUs on one slot can complete simulation trajectories faster than many single CPU slots," but has nothing about whether there is a turning point where too many cores will result in inefficiency.

[Taswell]

It all depends on what the software is and if it supports that kind of hardware. 

 

Most software these days only know how to use about 4 threads (cores) and even the majority of that can only use two. 

 

Professional applications are usually pretty good about scaling performance when it comes to high end systems so your application probably will benefit from it especially if it advertises supporting more than a quad core.

[bcredeur97]

I dont think there are any cons to splitting it up like that; however, I do find it kind of strange how some of your threads aren't being utilized. It may be because you just started but im not sure(i notice when its completing the first couple work units on a new install it tends to not use all the available system resources, ive even had to reboot after a couple days on some computers I folded with to get it to work)

 

 

You folding for LTT? thats gonna make a lot of points lol... nice setup

[Whaler_99]

You only want one CPU with as many cores assigned to it as possible. You will want to exclude one core for each GPU you have. There is not point of inefficiency. The more cores you have cores you have, the faster it gets done. Have two CPU slots, each with some cores is actually worse. You do get some scale in Folding. So, I would click Finish on the second CPU slot, let it finish it;s current WU and delete it. One the first, click Finish as well. Once it is done, you can add the extra cores back to it. (Adding cores while having an active WU can cause it to fail.)

[Fubli]

Thanks. I'll switch back to one CPU slot, then let it go for a few days and see how it works. BTW, the system is not as powerful as it might seem at first glance. I picked up the system used, and the X5670 is from early 2010, so even with two of them it's about equal to an i7-4930K. Also, the GPU is about equal to a 650Ti.