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Message boards : Graphics cards (GPUs) : Very slow performance using GPU

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Message 6314 - Posted: 2 Feb 2009 | 17:39:09 UTC

I have been running Rosetta for a while, having no problems using Vista and Linux. I bought a 8500GT to improve the computing. Found out the hard way that it wouldn't work on Linux, but I also have problems on vista.

I downloaded the most current version of BOINC and the 8500 driver. BOINC recognizes the CUDA device. Everything sounds OK up to this point. I have my processor usage set to 100% when idle and 95% when in use.

When I added gpugrid to use the 8500GT:
The gpugrid task stole one of the processors using only 0.07% (no other task could use the processor) and running CUDA.

But I was only getting 1 cpu second on this task about every minute. Did I miss something? I do have my monitor on the 8500GT.

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Message 6316 - Posted: 2 Feb 2009 | 17:54:48 UTC - in response to Message 6314.

I have been running Rosetta for a while, having no problems using Vista and Linux. I bought a 8500GT to improve the computing. Found out the hard way that it wouldn't work on Linux, but I also have problems on vista.

I downloaded the most current version of BOINC and the 8500 driver. BOINC recognizes the CUDA device. Everything sounds OK up to this point. I have my processor usage set to 100% when idle and 95% when in use.

When I added gpugrid to use the 8500GT:
The gpugrid task stole one of the processors using only 0.07% (no other task could use the processor) and running CUDA.

But I was only getting 1 cpu second on this task about every minute. Did I miss something? I do have my monitor on the 8500GT.


When you say the most current version of BOINC, which version is that? (ALWAY give the version number) ... also it is not clear to me which system you are attempting to work with now... Vista? 32-Bit or 64-Bit? Lastly, which version number of video driver?

The *GENERAL* experience here is that BOINC Manger version 6.5.0 is about the best to run CUDA and non-CUDA tasks on a machine.

The 0.07 number is just an estimate BTW, the actual usage if you are running 6.62 tasks should be virtually non-existent CPU load on both Windows and linux.

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Message 6317 - Posted: 2 Feb 2009 | 18:04:19 UTC - in response to Message 6314.

Please note that tasks run on an 8500GT will be very slow even under the best of circumstances.
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Message 6318 - Posted: 2 Feb 2009 | 18:31:24 UTC

Remember, CPU load is not the same as GPU load. Also, keep in mind that the settings for CPU usage don't affect GPU usage running CUDA. That's a problem many have seen, their graphics cards run full tilt non-stop for CUDA processing, even if thier CPU's are almost idle, so they need to be sure to keep the video card cool. Otherwise, the card may overheat and become unstable giving driver errors or even BSOD's. But if you can do that, yeah, CUDA apps can run on the video card leaving your CPU almost idle to run non-CUDA apps or tasks.

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Message 6359 - Posted: 3 Feb 2009 | 20:28:57 UTC - in response to Message 6318.

Remember, CPU load is not the same as GPU load.


That's exactly the point. The GPU is crunching along and since app 6.62 it doesn't need major support from the CPU any more.

If you set BOINC for 100% CPU use you should get your normal number of cpu tasks (1, 2, 4 .. whatever number of cores you have) and an additional GPU task. By the way, if you're only running on the cpu you shouldn't be able to notice a difference between 95 and 100% - thanks to scheduling and task priority black magic ;)

However, with a 8500GT running GPU-Grid your system *should* come to a crawl, which is caused by the low speed of that card due to the small number of stream processors (32). No BOINC settings are going to change this.

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Message 6362 - Posted: 3 Feb 2009 | 20:50:35 UTC - in response to Message 6359.


However, with a 8500GT running GPU-Grid your system *should* come to a crawl, which is caused by the low speed of that card due to the small number of stream processors (32). No BOINC settings are going to change this.


The 8500GT is actually a 16 shader card, and thus, will also have trouble making deadlines.

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Message 6367 - Posted: 3 Feb 2009 | 21:18:42 UTC - in response to Message 6362.

Oh dear, I should go to bed.. :D
But thanks for spotting!

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Message 6370 - Posted: 3 Feb 2009 | 21:51:50 UTC - in response to Message 6367.

Oh dear, I should go to bed.. :D
But thanks for spotting!

MrS


Um, one more point ...

with 6.5.0 you will get all cores and the GPU ... with 6.4.5 and prior most have to make that odd little config file to get cores + 1 operation ...

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Message 6541 - Posted: 10 Feb 2009 | 19:48:18 UTC

Upon my learning of CUDA,I replaced the 256MB ATI graphics card that came with my computer with a 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 9400 GT graphics card. The GeForce 9400 GT card works fine with seti@home and seti@home beta. However when I added GPUGRID to the the boinc projects that run on my computer, completion of GPUGRID projects proved to be inpossible. For this reson I am not taking any GPUGRID projects until the problem can be corrected.

Recently, it has come to my attentio that the GeForce 9400 GT has a low number of shader units and thus not listed in the overview of NVIDIA graphics cards. It appears that my experience confirms the observation of the person who made the posting. Any comment?
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Message 6547 - Posted: 10 Feb 2009 | 20:53:14 UTC - in response to Message 6541.

For this reson I am not taking any GPUGRID projects until the problem can be corrected.


That's perfectly fine and not a problem, it's actually by design. GPU-Grid advises a card with more than 50 stream processors (shaders) for good reason.. and your card has only 16. So if you're fine with running seti on the card then everyone is happy ;)

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Message boards : Graphics cards (GPUs) : Very slow performance using GPU

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