# Strange A3core PPD on Q6600's



## oily_17 (Feb 2, 2010)

OK guy's I have a strange problem...I have 2x Q6600's folding with the GRO-A3 core.

Both are clocked to 3.4 with a single stick of 2GB RAM @756MHz, SS below -













Now according to HFM Folder1 is getting ~7000PPD and Folder3 is getting ~5000PPD 

That is a 2000PPD difference and seems to be the same with different projects.

Anyone have any clues as to what is going on ?? The only difference is that one is Vista and the other W7 (both x64)


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## niko084 (Feb 2, 2010)

Wait a minute the SMP client kicks out that many points on a clocked Q6600?

Are you running these from within VMs or stand alone systems?

I'm a little intregued I have a board I was going to build a folding machine with and put a Q6600 I have sitting around in it, if I could get the cpu folding for that many points that would be kinda cool.


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## oily_17 (Feb 2, 2010)

Yeah, I am getting those figures with the new SMP client.I am running it just in Windows.

The new A3 core gives these better PPD but you can still get the older work units which receive far less PPD.

EDIT: See here for more info -

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113698


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## niko084 (Feb 3, 2010)

Nice thanks...

As for your question, do you have them locked to specific cores?
If they are running numerous pieces at once you wont get very steady numbers.
Obviously it also matters on your time and the size of the WU.

I get numbers from 4500-6800 on my GTS250 for instance depending on a lot of various stuff.
On WCG my PPD jumps around on some systems from 400-800, now some of these systems are used through the day which helps change that but there is a lot that can cause it.

I probably wouldn't worry about it too much unless you are seeing failures or a really severe difference in your PPD.


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## oily_17 (Feb 3, 2010)

They are both running all four cores on the SMP client, 24/7 with nothing else running on them.

The thing is, that it seems to be a steady PPD for each rig no matter what project they are running, be it a 2721, 2413 pointer or what ever.

Just has me puzzled and was wondering was it an OS problem, although I dont think so.

EDIT: You gave me an idea with other things running on the PC.I dont have a monitor hooked up to these rigs but used UltraVNC to keep an eye on Task Manager and found Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service (wmpnetwk.exe) popping up regularly using 25% CPU.

I have now disabled it and will keep an eye on PPD.

EDIT2: Seems to have worked, PPD increasing, an extra 2000PPD for 20 minutes work


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## niko084 (Feb 3, 2010)

oily_17 said:


> EDIT2: Seems to have worked, PPD increasing, an extra 2000PPD for 20 minutes work



Sounds good, ya it doesn't take a lot to make a big difference when you are using your cpu already maxed out.


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## oily_17 (Feb 3, 2010)

niko084 said:


> Sounds good, ya it doesn't take a lot to make a big difference when you are using your cpu already maxed out.



All is OK now, both at same PPD.Didn't think that one service in the background would give such a performance hit 

I never really go through the Services, and disable unwanted ones, when I set up a rig now.

But I checked and disabled it on all rigs.Maybe it would be worthwhile to cut down the services when setting up a Folding/Crunching-only machine from now on.


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