I had the same luck with the Windows clients Rolling . Both the GUI and SMP clients, so much so that i lost heart and gave up folding for weeks.

During that time off, i was dabbling with Linux, but couldn't be without Windows for long periods. I decided to give Linux (ubuntu) under VMWare for Windows a try. Linux runs as guest OS. As Zevi has mentioned, it doesn't quite utilize 100% CPU power in both cores (around 90%) but i seem to do ok scoring wise with it.

I start and stop the client as i choose and never once has it failed to restart at the shutdown point, or failed to send the results. And for me, i have no issues running other Windows or Linux tasks while the client is running and DVD burning is not a problem.

Plus i learned a little about Linux in the process.
BTW: Linux is NOT hard to learn and nearly every distro is free.

[EDIT] And a screen shot.

Maybe try Dee's Linux idea? ...I'm sure she'd give you a hand

I appreciate the advice Dee. It would take me a year to learn Linux with my no knowledge of it. If i knew someone personally that uses it maybe i would get the hang of it but none of my friends use it.

Seriously, Linux is dead easy and no more difficult to install and use than Windows.

You could even try it if you had a spare 10GIG hard drive (thus not upsetting your Windows install). ubuntu is quite happy on a small hard drive.

Added screenshot of the ubuntu desktop running under Vista 64/VMWare workstation, above.

That looks sweet Dee - I have a spare 20 gig Maxtor lying around, I must say I'm tempted myself

It can't hurt to try it
Get it for free here http://www.ubuntu.com/

I'm running 32 bit XP Pro. To cheap to buy 64 bit I have a few partitions and hdd's to put it on. I have no idea which one to try. There's always 50 different versions, downloads and i never know which one i need. Can you be running both XP and Linux at the same time?

Hope this is not to far off topic.

vmware allows you to run 64bit linux within 32bit windows

Can you be running both XP and Linux at the same time?

Yes Here it is under Vista.

huh so you install it on the same C: drive as XP is on?

Nope, it runs as a Virtual Machine, its actually installed on VMWare (running on Vista).
You can of course run Linux as a primary OS by installing it on a separate partition or Harddrive.

if you check out Dee's screen shot it is linux running inside a vista window...pretty cool stuff, its not emulating either, its actually running 2 OS's side by side at the same time

edit: Doh! too slow again

ok i give up. How do you install it? Just throw the disc with the image on it in and away you go while still booted in XP?

Which version do I want, Dee? (OK so I'm dense )

So i need VMware also? If so i just grab the beta?

you'll need vmware server
http://www.vmware.com/download/server/

then register to get your free key code so you can install it...then download 64bit ubuntu and mount the image in vmware. I'm still trying to work the bugs out of mine, so Dee or zevia can probably help you more than me

If your p4 is 64bit, then the 64 bit version, if you only want to play with Linux, the 32bit version will be fine. I would suggest Ubuntu rather than Kubuntu and the desktop version rather than server.
You need the 64bit version if you want to run the Linux SMP client.

They are both Live CD's. They boot into Linux without installing them, so you can try them. If you want to do anything useful, you will have to install Ubuntu later.

For the Linux SMP client, you also need 32 libraries (cant remember the extact ones atm).

Thanks Dee

This is going to be fun

ok gotcha. You getting all this Arachne? So far everything is free provided you give out you name and address.

Thank you Dee. If i can get my animals and wife off my back i'll be set so i'll probably have to try all this later

I faked it on mine