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View Full Version : HOWTO: Run G@H as a Service [NT/2000]



JPS
01-09-2002, 10:52 AM
-Genome@Home HOWTO #2-
Using FireDaemon to run G@H and F@H as services

The most effective method of running G@H or F@H in a NT4/W2K environment [XP support is coming] is to run them as a service. This is easily accomplished by using a small utility application called FireDaemon. When G@H or F@H are installed as services, there is no direct user intervention involved and the programs run as soon as the system is turned on, not just when a user logs in. However,

To use FireDaemon, you MUST have Administrator privileges on your system(s).

If you do not have these privileges, ask for them. If they are denied, then you are S.O.L! Now, back to the HOWTO?

First off, download and install a copy of FireDaemon from http://www.firedaemon.com.

Once downloaded, install FireDaemon in your preferred directory. Once installed, start up the program by going Start | Programs | FireDaemon and selecting the UI folder for the graphical install [GUI] or FireDaemon v0.09c from the current folder for the command-line-interface [CLI] install. The following directions apply to either method.

You will presented a screen with some blanks you will need to fill in. Enter the requested information as follows:

Service Name: Name the service something you will remember such as GAH or FAH. Be careful here and do not use any non-standard characters or spaces.

Service Description: This is optional. It is used primarily to help you remember what the service is so something akin to ?Genome@Home? might be what you can type in.

Startup Type: Scroll down and select the ?Automatic? option. That way the service will start whenever the box is booted up.

Interact With Desktop: Do not check this.

Start Immediately: Check this box and the service will begin as soon as you click the ?OK? box at the bottom of the screen.

Auto Restart Application: Check this box and the client application will be restarted if it stops for any reason, which is a good thing.

Application Working Directory: Either type in the path or click on the ??? box to navigate to the directory where the application resides.

Application Executable: Again, type in the path to the client [.exe file] or click on the ??? box to navigate to the .exe file

Application Options: If there are any switches for the executable, you can type them in here. A switch to consider for G@H is the ?nonet switch.

Process Priority: Both of these applications are very CPU intensive. Bearing that in mind, the best selection here is ?IDLE?. Running at ?NORMAL? or ?HIGH? priority could slow your system, if it does not outright lockup.

Processor Affinity Mask: If you only have one CPU, then select the ?CPU0? box. If you have dual CPUs then select ?CPU0? for the first instance of the application. Then, install a second instance of G@H or F@H in a different directory from the first, repeat the above steps, but select ?CPU1? for the second instance. If you are fortunate enough to have a quad-CPU rig [lucky bastard] then repeat the above for each CPU. However, be aware that each instance will eat up more RAM.

Click the ?OK? box and you are all done.

Now, that is it for the setup. If you need to uninstall, you gotta go through the command line, but it is simple. Simply open a command line session, navigate to the FireDaemon directory, and run FireDaemon as follows:

FireDaemon -u servicename

Where ?servicename? is the name you gave the service when you first installed it [in this case ?GAH? or ?FAH?].

CSMan
01-14-2002, 11:02 PM
Does FireDaemon work good? I'd be interested in it once it comes out for XP.
I noticed on their site it says FireDaemon takes up little memory and cpu. I can understand the memory, but I thought with services it basically just starts the program. If that's true why would it use any cpu? Of course I probably have it all wrong. :D

LukeMan
01-15-2002, 02:47 PM
FYI........

It works just fine in XP. Been running G@H as service for upwards of 3 months.

You can also install Genome Monitor if you use it as a service. They work hand in hand then for seemless Genoming.

L.

tril0Byte
02-08-2002, 03:16 PM
Firedaemon works superbly in W2K, though I don't know about XP. The site says not! I use 3 shortcuts on my desktop. One is to services, so I can turn genome/firedaemon on and off easily. Another is to Genome spy, to make monitoring a breeze, and the third is to the genome client itself, for uploading and downloading work, when not running as a service. Simple: check your work with genome spy, stop the service, upload the work, start the service - very quick.