F@H No Hard Drive Required

[Clocker]

FOr you budget FOlders Out there....get your machines going!

I'm going to try this just to see if it works! Several have reported using it with great success!

C

http://www.computeraddict.fsnet.co.uk/overfoldix/download.htm

 

[Clocker]

I hope it lets you specify a team name.....

C

 

[Clocker]

It does let you select Team and ID etc. But, my in not connecting through my network/router. It is supposed to support DCHP but I'm not sure if it is working. It runs v 2.19 of the client btw...

C

 

[Clocker]

in = is

 

[Tea]

I have plenty of hard drives, but it does occur to me that a variation on this theme would be useful. A good many of my machines fold for just a few days, and are there for testing as much as any other reason, so it would be neat to have a CD image that I could boot off which would install an OS (Linux, I presume) with just the bare essentials and as small a number of keystrokes/mouseclicks as possible.

I could make one, but with my Linux skills, it would take me weeks to learn how.

 

[Dozer]

It does let you select Team and ID etc. But, my in not connecting through my network/router. It is supposed to support DCHP but I'm not sure if it is working. It runs v 2.19 of the client btw...

I'm not getting a connection either...it just keeps looking for a connection. Perhaps my NIC not compatible?

 

[Clocker]

Bigger (16MB) 'better'version (more libraries) based off of Mandrake is here and uses F@H 3.0

However, I am not sure how to start this one after I boot. There is a login screen....

http://sourceforge.net/projects/ofdx/

C

 

[Clocker]

Bigger (16MB) 'better'version (more libraries) based off of Mandrake is here and uses F@H 3.0

However, I am not sure how to start this one after I boot. There is a login screen....

http://sourceforge.net/projects/ofdx/

C

It appears to work using this procedure (I'll have to verify work unit progress later today).

How to use Overfoldix (0.3a)

Boot from CD

Login using: root/ ØverfØld1x

Immediately type: foldoff

Type: cd..

Type: cd var/run/FAH

Type: ls

You should see the following files if you’re in the right directory:

FAHlog.txt FahCore_65.exe client.cfg queue.dat work

Type: vi client.cfg

Edit your username/team number (you can always use halo/33 )

Hit ESC and type: ZZ

Type: foldon

Type: foldlog

Check your username/ team #

Fold away…

Thanks to the guys at the F@H Forums...

C

 

[Clocker]

Just to clairfy...the client DID connect to the Net and download a work unit using this Mandrake based client running only in RAM...No HDD required. Even from behind my router.

C

 

[David]

Hi guys,

The www.computeraddict.fsnet.co.uk/overfoldix/ site is out of date, I really should get off my butt and remove it lol :roll:

The 0.3a version works. Its clunky, its big, and I'm sure a lot of it is rather ineffecient. I a/was working on a complete rebuild, but I have been rather busy lately.

0.3a has two users: foldadmin and root. The root password is 0verf01d1x and the foldadmin password I have forgotten.. :-?

Folding@Home starts automatically in the background. foldoff stops it and foldon starts it. cfgfolding allows you to alter username and team.

The original design was taken from HAL91 by myself, and modified and changed a lot to try and fold. However, versions 0.1x and 0.2x had old and outdated libraries which meant that Overfoldix could not get an ID.

Gator, of the Overclockers forums, did a bit of research and managed to get Overfoldix to use /sbin/init instead of /linuxrc at boot, as linuxrc was an unreliable method and let to frequent kernel panics. He also updated a lot of the libraries and binaries to make it work. However, he also set it to default to Gator and team 32... but this is easily changed.

I am working on removing some of the fat from Overfoldix, this may take a month or two.

Enjoy diskless folding - feel free to email me/PM me/post at the OC.com forums/IM me if you have any questions, or would like to see any features added.

David

 

[James]

Thanks for dropping by David!

 

[Clocker]

David-

THANKS!

I'd like to see the ID and Team number be configurable from the very beginning by default.

Also, I'll like to modify my installation so that the ISO CDR I'm using has my ID and team number in there by default. I have loaded Mandrake on one of my machines so I can modify the files. But, I'm not sure HOW to do what needs to be done.

I need to modify the ISO image of the CD so that it has my ID/Team as the default. The goal is....I can leave the CD in the CD drive so that if I have a power interruption and the system restarts, the system will boot off the CD and start folding under my name and ID w/o my intervention....

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Clock

 

[David]

David-

THANKS!

Thank IFMU, he PMed me at OC.com and let me know there was an Overfoldix discussion going on here

I'd like to see the ID and Team number be configurable from the very beginning by default.

Without editing the iso, then you need to use cfgfolding. The reason for this is that folding is started as a process for runlevel 5 (default). This basically means it is started at system startup, before interactive input is allowed.

Also, I'll like to modify my installation so that the ISO CDR I'm using has my ID and team number in there by default. I have loaded Mandrake on one of my machines so I can modify the files. But, I'm not sure HOW to do what needs to be done.

I need to modify the ISO image of the CD so that it has my ID/Team as the default. The goal is....I can leave the CD in the CD drive so that if I have a power interruption and the system restarts, the system will boot off the CD and start folding under my name and ID w/o my intervention....

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Clock

Now that can be done. Here's how:

In Mandrake, place the iso in an empty directory somewhere. Make a directory in this empty directory (lets say /tmp/ofdx/ for example) called iso_contents:
md iso_contents
Then we need to mount the iso, lets use the /cdrom directory
mount -o loop ofdx-0.3a.iso /cdrom/
Then copy the iso's contents to the iso_contents directory we made:
cp -r /cdrom/ /tmp/ofdx/iso_contents/
Then unmount the iso:
umount /cdrom/
Next: edit the initrd.gz (the initial ramdisk filesystem). Gunzip it
cd iso_contents/isolinux
gunzip initrd.gz
There will then be a file called initrd. We mount this, lets use /cdrom/ again.
mount -o loop initrd /cdrom/
Then navigate to the mounted initrd
cd /cdrom/
and then go into the bit of etc that deals with runlevels:
cd etc/init.d
Then edit the file called 'folding'. I will give instructions for vi, as although I prefer mcedit, vi is more common.
Open the folding script:
vi folding
Move the cursor down to the area that has each line of the config file in "s. eg, like "Username=blah".
Press I (shift-i, a capital I is needed). Then delete the current username and team (Gator and 32 by default) and replace them with your username and team. Then type ZZ (hold shift and press z twice) and thats the file edited. Back to the temporary directory:
cd /tmp/ofdx/iso_contents/isolinux
Unmount the initrd.Note the command is 'umount' and not 'unmount'.
umount /cdrom/
Then zip up the initrd:
gzip -v9 initrd
Then delete the boot.cat file:
rm boot.cat
Then come up one directory:
cd ..
And make a new ISO as follows:
su -c "mkisofs -rJ -o ofdx-0.3a.iso -b isolinux/isolinux.bin -c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table ./"

That will make your new CD image

David

 

[David]

Thanks for dropping by David!

No problem, I can't resist a chance to waffle on about Overfoldix/Linux/Computers/Folding/SETI

David

 

[Clocker]

David-

THANKS!

Thank IFMU, he PMed me at OC.com and let me know there was an Overfoldix discussion going on here

I'd like to see the ID and Team number be configurable from the very beginning by default.

Without editing the iso, then you need to use cfgfolding. The reason for this is that folding is started as a process for runlevel 5 (default). This basically means it is started at system startup, before interactive input is allowed.

Also, I'll like to modify my installation so that the ISO CDR I'm using has my ID and team number in there by default. I have loaded Mandrake on one of my machines so I can modify the files. But, I'm not sure HOW to do what needs to be done.

I need to modify the ISO image of the CD so that it has my ID/Team as the default. The goal is....I can leave the CD in the CD drive so that if I have a power interruption and the system restarts, the system will boot off the CD and start folding under my name and ID w/o my intervention....

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Clock

Now that can be done. Here's how:

In Mandrake, place the iso in an empty directory somewhere. Make a directory in this empty directory (lets say /tmp/ofdx/ for example) called iso_contents:
md iso_contents
Then we need to mount the iso, lets use the /cdrom directory
mount -o loop ofdx-0.3a.iso /cdrom/
Then copy the iso's contents to the iso_contents directory we made:
cp -r /cdrom/ /tmp/ofdx/iso_contents/
Then unmount the iso:
umount /cdrom/
Next: edit the initrd.gz (the initial ramdisk filesystem). Gunzip it
cd iso_contents/isolinux
gunzip initrd.gz
There will then be a file called initrd. We mount this, lets use /cdrom/ again.
mount -o loop initrd /cdrom/
Then navigate to the mounted initrd
cd /cdrom/
and then go into the bit of etc that deals with runlevels:
cd etc/init.d
Then edit the file called 'folding'. I will give instructions for vi, as although I prefer mcedit, vi is more common.
Open the folding script:
vi folding
Move the cursor down to the area that has each line of the config file in "s. eg, like "Username=blah".
Press I (shift-i, a capital I is needed). Then delete the current username and team (Gator and 32 by default) and replace them with your username and team. Then type ZZ (hold shift and press z twice) and thats the file edited. Back to the temporary directory:
cd /tmp/ofdx/iso_contents/isolinux
Unmount the initrd.Note the command is 'umount' and not 'unmount'.
umount /cdrom/
Then zip up the initrd:
gzip -v9 initrd
Then delete the boot.cat file:
rm boot.cat
Then come up one directory:
cd ..
And make a new ISO as follows:
su -c "mkisofs -rJ -o ofdx-0.3a.iso -b isolinux/isolinux.bin -c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table ./"

That will make your new CD image

David

David-

Thanks! Will that image that was just created start crunching after the cdr is booted from or will it be required to login first? If login is required, is there a way to automate that so that no interaction is required at all to get started folding?

Thanks,
C

 

[pythagoras]

Hi Guys,

I see the discussion has been carried on here, nice work :lol: :lol: .

Would you mind posting the outcome back on the folding forums?

David, how many forums will we meet on :mrgrn: :mrgrn: :mrgrn: :mrgrn:

Cheers


John.

 

[David]

David-

THANKS!

Thank IFMU, he PMed me at OC.com and let me know there was an Overfoldix discussion going on here

I'd like to see the ID and Team number be configurable from the very beginning by default.

Without editing the iso, then you need to use cfgfolding. The reason for this is that folding is started as a process for runlevel 5 (default). This basically means it is started at system startup, before interactive input is allowed.

Also, I'll like to modify my installation so that the ISO CDR I'm using has my ID and team number in there by default. I have loaded Mandrake on one of my machines so I can modify the files. But, I'm not sure HOW to do what needs to be done.

I need to modify the ISO image of the CD so that it has my ID/Team as the default. The goal is....I can leave the CD in the CD drive so that if I have a power interruption and the system restarts, the system will boot off the CD and start folding under my name and ID w/o my intervention....

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Clock

Now that can be done. Here's how:

In Mandrake, place the iso in an empty directory somewhere. Make a directory in this empty directory (lets say /tmp/ofdx/ for example) called iso_contents:
md iso_contents
Then we need to mount the iso, lets use the /cdrom directory
mount -o loop ofdx-0.3a.iso /cdrom/
Then copy the iso's contents to the iso_contents directory we made:
cp -r /cdrom/ /tmp/ofdx/iso_contents/
Then unmount the iso:
umount /cdrom/
Next: edit the initrd.gz (the initial ramdisk filesystem). Gunzip it
cd iso_contents/isolinux
gunzip initrd.gz
There will then be a file called initrd. We mount this, lets use /cdrom/ again.
mount -o loop initrd /cdrom/
Then navigate to the mounted initrd
cd /cdrom/
and then go into the bit of etc that deals with runlevels:
cd etc/init.d
Then edit the file called 'folding'. I will give instructions for vi, as although I prefer mcedit, vi is more common.
Open the folding script:
vi folding
Move the cursor down to the area that has each line of the config file in "s. eg, like "Username=blah".
Press I (shift-i, a capital I is needed). Then delete the current username and team (Gator and 32 by default) and replace them with your username and team. Then type ZZ (hold shift and press z twice) and thats the file edited. Back to the temporary directory:
cd /tmp/ofdx/iso_contents/isolinux
Unmount the initrd.Note the command is 'umount' and not 'unmount'.
umount /cdrom/
Then zip up the initrd:
gzip -v9 initrd
Then delete the boot.cat file:
rm boot.cat
Then come up one directory:
cd ..
And make a new ISO as follows:
su -c "mkisofs -rJ -o ofdx-0.3a.iso -b isolinux/isolinux.bin -c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table ./"

That will make your new CD image

David

David-

Thanks! Will that image that was just created start crunching after the cdr is booted from or will it be required to login first? If login is required, is there a way to automate that so that no interaction is required at all to get started folding?

Thanks,
C

The image will start folding (now for your username) at boot time. No login is needed. Automatic login may be possible but could be deemed a security risk.

David

 

[David]

Hi Guys,

I see the discussion has been carried on here, nice work :lol: :lol: .

Would you mind posting the outcome back on the folding forums?

Sure, just have

David, how many forums will we meet on :mrgrn: :mrgrn: :mrgrn: :mrgrn:

lol, probably many more

Cheers


John.

No problem