me at [email protected].Join team CADavis in the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search! (GIMPS)
If you have any questions, please me at [email protected].
Step 1: Download the software called Prime95. Pentium, Pentium II, and Pentium III users should use version 23.8. All Athlon, Opteron, and Pentium 4, Pentium M, Celeron, etc. users should use version 24.14.
Step 2: Unzip the prime95.zip file to "hard drive"/Program Files/Prime95
Step 3: Run the file 
PRIME95. This will run the configuration (all files are already unzipped).
Step 4: Click "Join GIMPS!"
Step 5: Enter your name and email address in the boxes titled "Your name:" and "Your email address:".
Step 6: VERY IMPORTANT! In the box "Your user ID:" enter in "CADavis" (without the quotes) exactly as it is shown here, with captial letters and lowercase. In the box "Your password:" enter "drewdrew" (without the quotes) in all lowercase letters.
Step 7: In the box "Your computer ID:" enter a name for your computer that will show up on the Team Account Report. It could be your name or something related to your computer, or leave it blank to have a random alphanumeric name assigned to you. Click OK.
Step 8: On the next screen enter the number of hours that you think your computer is usually turned on everyday (preferably 24 hours). Enter the amount of RAM you are willing to let the program use (at least 8 in the day, and preferably at least 16 at night). You can change the day and night times to better reflect the time in which you are not at your computer during the night. Click OK.
Step 9: On the next screen, make sure that the box "Use PrimeNet to get work and report results" is checked. If you use a dial-up connection to connect to the internet, check that box. Enter the number of days that you estimate your computer goes between connecting to the internet. If your computer is always connected to the internet, enter the number 1. Leave the box checked that is titled "Request whatever type of work makes the most sense". Click OK.
Step 10: Open the Options menu, then select Preferences. Change the number of "Days between sending new end dates" to the same number that you entered in Step 9 (enter the number 1 if you are permanently connected to the internet). If you are using a laptop, you can select to not run Prime95 when running on battery power, but this could drastically effect the rate at which the program progresses. Click OK.
Step 11: Under the Options menu, make sure there is a check mark next to "Start at Bootup". The program will start with Windows, even if no users are logged in (Windows XP). The program should have contacted the server, and should now be running a series of self tests. From here on out the program runs on its own. You can check on it whenever you want by double-clicking the program icon in the system tray or a shortcut.
Uninstallion: If you should ever decide you do not wish to continue to be a part of the GIMPS program, please do not simply uninstall the program. Follow these instructions: Under the Advanced menu, select Quit GIMPS. Follow the prompts on-screen. After that is finished, you can use Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel to uninstall the program, or you can use its own uninstall program in the installion folder. Please send me an and let me respond BEFORE you quit and uninstall.
The Prime95 program is designed in such a way that you should have to interact with it very seldomly. It is also designed to never degrade system performance in ANY way, as it only uses your CPU when NO OTHER PROGRAMS are currently using it. (It uses the spare/unused CPU cycles, so it still may use the CPU at the same time as another program if the program doesn't have 100% CPU usage)
If you are lucky enough to find a Mersenne Prime, the goal of the project, then you could be qualified for up to a $100,000 prize!
Frequently Asked Questions on the GIMPS home page
Some great questions answered such as:
Will the program interfere with my normal work?
Will running my computer 24 hours a day shorten its lifespan?
What are Mersenne primes? How are they useful?
How long will it take? What are my chances of finding a prime?
And many more.
Last modified March 22, 2006
© 2005 Charles (Drew) Davis
