New client for GPU [Archive] - AMD Users.com

BlackAdder

12-02-2006, 03:08 AM

Folding at Home has a new client for ATI GPU's which support the X1600, X1800, and X1900 cards. A Dll was needed for it to run ( on mine ) which can be googled and installed to /windows/system if you get the error prompt...I'm running it now so I'll test it for the Team and report how fast it is.....:)
Happy Crunching !!!!!

mitchellds

12-02-2006, 03:16 AM

yep, I downloaded it also, and am trying to complete a wu on my 1900 series card, I'm at stage 14 whatever that means. I wonder how long this should run for.

vaughan

12-02-2006, 05:07 AM

drezha

12-02-2006, 12:01 PM

BlackAdder

12-02-2006, 12:01 PM

My folding client is saying it takes 5.9 seconds to complete a frame, but it has 25000 frames to complete !!! Should be done on Sunday for the first WU...since I can't seem to get my GeForce 6800 ultra to fire up I'll keep my ATI x1600 Pro working on this :)

BlackAdder

12-02-2006, 03:24 PM

I've noticed something odd...in windows task manager for performance it shows the kernel usage to be near 100% with cpu at 100% also (expected) wonder what gives with the kernel usage??? this has only happened since the GPU client has been running.

Nflight

12-02-2006, 04:38 PM

Windows is not used to this diverse use of hard ware, I would say there is no problem at this time. Different uses in areas not foreseen with the OS's will be expected to startle everyone till this becomes normal.

What is normal ?

BlackAdder

12-02-2006, 08:37 PM

Yes indeed...what is normal ??? In Star Trek TNG Jordie was told that normal was what everyone else was and he was not...

mitchellds

12-03-2006, 04:48 PM

Well I finished my first ATI GPU unit, it tool a day, and they gave me 385 credits. Is that about normal? I'm 17% into a second unit. Has anyone overclocked their ati GPU yet? I see that it can be done. I might hook it up in line with my water cooler.

BlackAdder

12-03-2006, 05:38 PM

My first wu finishes in about an hour, just about a day on my X1600 Pro. ATITool can overclock the GPU and memory as I have done with mine, F@H says to do this before the start of the WU, or close it and apply the OC and restart the WU, but not during the folding process.I think I read that the max credit for one of these wu's would be 400 per day...... :)So far so good but it seems to cause a slight delay in other things starting such as the browser while running.

BlackAdder

12-03-2006, 07:27 PM

Dave what ATI card are you running ??

BlackAdder

12-03-2006, 07:54 PM

My first wu just got posted at F@H and I got 330 points for a day's work. :)

Brucifer

12-03-2006, 09:24 PM

Also a new SMP client was released for those of you running dual core linux 64 or dual core Mac.

Think about 8 hours a unit was the default. But you get something like 600points a unit for 8 hours work... my 3500 can get 600point units that take 2.5days to do....

Interesting.... However it does raise some questions/issues. I would imagine of course that in the overall scheme of things that they will get more work done. On the other hand though it may end up discouraging people that are running the older iron in that they work for ever and don't get anywhere in the points thing while John Fat Cat with the big pockets gets the latest and greatest and just walks away with more points in a week than the other person gets in several months. The point? Well I would imagine that you will see some people leaving that have beenw ith the project for a long time as they just get discouraged. So what's the answer? I don't really know, but with car races the handicapping sets up different classes. Oh well.... it gets a little too deep to spend much time pondering things like that....... :dontknow:

mitchellds

12-03-2006, 10:25 PM

yep I've noticed the delays in mouse movements, etc, while running this. I'm on a OC'd conroe running at 3.5ghz. Are you saying that you can still finish one of these gpu wu's in a hour, or only the first one? If thats the case then I'm doing something wrong, cause it looks like another full day to process this next wu I'm running now. I'm at 37% and its been running for about 8 hours already.

drezha

12-03-2006, 10:54 PM

Interesting.... However it does raise some questions/issues. I would imagine of course that in the overall scheme of things that they will get more work done. On the other hand though it may end up discouraging people that are running the older iron in that they work for ever and don't get anywhere in the points thing while John Fat Cat with the big pockets gets the latest and greatest and just walks away with more points in a week than the other person gets in several months. The point? Well I would imagine that you will see some people leaving that have beenw ith the project for a long time as they just get discouraged. So what's the answer? I don't really know, but with car races the handicapping sets up different classes. Oh well.... it gets a little too deep to spend much time pondering things like that....... :dontknow:

Thats a problem there having to cope with. Some of the older folders are getting a bit disenchanted. They might change the points at some point, they may not. We'll see what happens.

mitchellds

12-03-2006, 11:15 PM

well I think that, if in fact the GPU folding is more efficent and powerful than cpu folding it should be awarded more points. I wouldnt expect to receive more points running a slow cpu in comparision to someone running a faster cpu, I would expect to offset the faster cpu's gain with a greater # of slowing cpu's, or just to upgrade.

BlackAdder

12-04-2006, 01:26 AM

Dave, It took my xp3200 and ATI X1600 Pro mildly overclocked at 529 for the core (500 stock) and 436 for the memory (405 stock)...about 23 hours to complete the first WU. The screensaver says the next one will take one day and 8 hours to complete (estimate)....and I got 330 points for 23 hours of work on the first WU.....I do agree with Brucifer about the points situation but I also see Vijay's point of awarding more points for these WU's because we are using both the CPU at 100% and the GPU probably at 100% too, since we are giving more of our computer resources then we should be rewarded appropriately....

BlackAdder

12-04-2006, 01:30 AM

Oh this may be splitting hairs but should we all not exclude these clients we use for DC work from being scanned by the Anti-virus programs ??? It should help some with resources shouldn't it ??

Brucifer

12-04-2006, 02:00 AM

Thats a problem there having to cope with. Some of the older folders are getting a bit disenchanted. They might change the points at some point, they may not. We'll see what happens.

Yep, we'll see! :)

@mitchellds -- Don't get me wrong as I'm not saying points should not be related to hardware capability. I am saying that there's going to be some people leaving. The reality of this game is that to play in it and wrack up the big points you spend bucks for a healthy sistem, big bucks for a healthy video card that sucks up *much* more electricity, and at this point in time also requires windows which is more bucks. the old way allowed linux (free), no graphics, etc. Much less investment. Technology moves really fast and people's financial pockets don't refill as fast as the tech changes. So they will lose people as they fade off to something else that isn't catering to the latest and greatest. How many? Who knows. It's also going to be a really expensive game for farmers. I don't have the bucks for it. But there will be a changing of the guard in this, and from what Drezha mentioned on some other forums, it's already in the wind. So you can bet other projects will be watching it too. But change is the constant here, and time marches on. I used to think that my jeeping &4x4 activities were expensive, but in reality it's just a drop in the bucket to what my computing costs are as they have been climbing. Granted the horsepower of crunching increases, but costs are beginning to put a damper on things. I sure won't have a farm of windows systems w/hi-cost GPUs, etc. Maybe I'll just end up turning it all off and sitting in the park with the rest of the old farts watching the hotties jog by for a new hobby. :)

mitchellds

12-04-2006, 03:50 AM

Hi Blackadder, I have a 1900 running at 650/594. Yes I turn off AV stuff as well. I'm not sure that I can tell a difference though. I've been running the console version instead of the graphics version along with one boinc instance on a dual core. seems to run ok.

Brucifer, yep this is getting to be a expensive hobby I agree. Your right, this def. sucks up the resources. I like your new hobby idea of the park and hotties. I've been doing that this myself this past summer on the beach and on the water. Cheers !

Steve Lux

12-04-2006, 09:59 PM

If the GPUs are indeed performing significantly more work for F@H than CPUs then I think more credit should be awarded. It shouldn't be significantly more, but it should be enough to encourage people to invest in the newer techniques - so that F@H can accomplish more science in the same amount of time.

Not providing enhanced credit would be counter-productive and would provide no incentive for most crunchers to make the investment.

mitchellds

12-05-2006, 01:37 AM

Well I've done 3 Wu's and now have 715 points awarded on my ati 1900. How does that compare to running 3 wu's in a windoze or linux client point wize?

drezha

12-05-2006, 02:58 AM

Point wise depends.

How long did they take? I estimate a CPU client (standard) would be doing about 110 points a day...or more precisely thats Standford's benchmark machine. Therefore 6 or 7 days.

Also depends on the WU's. I have had 3600+ points in 3 work units before but those were 7 day moster's on linux that took about 1 hr 30mins per frame..

mitchellds

12-05-2006, 12:58 PM

Hi Drezha,
The first wu completed real quick, then the second 2 took over a day each, probably somewhere around 12-15 hours.

btw: is there a way to tell after the wu's have been turned in to tell how much time was spent on each wu after the fact ?

drezha

12-06-2006, 03:13 PM

http://home.comcast.net/~wxdude2/rph/fah.html

Those may help.
I use FAHChart, FAHMon, EM3 and UDMon to monitor a few.

Currently using UDmon and FAHChart on my laptop and FAHMon on my main rig...Used EM3 before. Third party apps but they can tell you afterwards yes, if you enable logging. I personally like FAHChart for completed unit info. Very nice.

mitchellds

12-07-2006, 02:23 AM

cool, I'll give your suggested favorite a whirl. thanks.

BlackAdder

12-16-2006, 07:17 PM

Hi ALL, Just a note on my F@H GPU client. I bought a ATI X1950 XGE for AGP, and so far I am crunching two wu's a day for 660 points per day. Is anyone else getting the same or better results ?? It seems to average 2.0 sec. per frame, where my X1600 pro was 5.2 sec. per frame and completed a wu every 1.5 days...quite an improvement with the new card !!! :)

Brucifer

12-16-2006, 09:28 PM

And what did the card set you back? And what AGP version? Can any of them be purchased that will work on the old socket A motherboards?

BlackAdder

12-17-2006, 01:06 AM

Brucifer, Unfortunately the X1950 was $280 on Ebay, I think it retails for around 300 if I'm not mistaken. It is AGP 8X, and I am running it on a Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe MB, which is socket A.I think as long as it is 8X your fine, but this is a VisonTek card so you may want to check their web site for more info. Which is here http://www.visiontek.com/products/cards/retail/x1950pro_AGP.html
To run F@H on it you need special drivers too
http://support.ati.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=894&task=knowledge&questionID=23354
good luck !!!

LeBo

06-15-2007, 09:01 PM

Anyone still running the GPU client? Is it running good or bad ?

BlackAdder

06-15-2007, 11:20 PM

I'm running two GPU's right now, no problems as long as you use the right drivers, I use the 7.2 version . I get at least three wu's and sometimes four a day done between the two cards. thats 990 points or 1320 per day...not bad I think. :)

LeBo

06-21-2007, 06:23 PM

Do you run the regular client on one core while running the GPU client. Do you think you can get more PPD running the SMP client than running one client + the GPU client?

velociraptor

11-15-2007, 07:03 AM

hi,
on what i read in this thread the gpu client is only running on ati-cards....
is this stil correct????
it is freaking cool here and i have a geforce 7600 to heat my room :icon_twisted: .....
sebo

BlackAdder

11-15-2007, 09:01 AM

Hi 'rapter, As far as I know only ATI cards work on GPU workunits. Still only the X1600 thru X1950's, not any of the brand new ones yet :(

velociraptor

11-15-2007, 10:41 AM

thanks for the quick answer,
then i´ll have to wait until it comes out...
have a nice day, vel...

drezha

11-15-2007, 12:08 PM

nVidia support wont be around for a while and a 7600 definetly wont be able to crunch. It's to do with the different architectures that nVidia and ATI use. Ati's is useful for the FAH project, nVidia's isn't.

velociraptor

11-15-2007, 02:14 PM

:sad5: , so you say i have generally the wrong GPU, and i can never ever crunch with it???
really bad news....... :eusa_wall:
i really have to do something about this......
hope i will find something usefull to do with it.....
vel

drezha

11-15-2007, 03:23 PM

:sad5: , so you say i have generally the wrong GPU, and i can never ever crunch with it???

Currently, thats right. No plans to get nVidia's working with folding.

Frederic Brillouet

11-15-2007, 05:06 PM

I did hear that nVidias 8800 series could run distributed.net (not useful anyway)

BlackAdder

04-12-2008, 03:23 PM

Hi all, Folding at Home released a Beta GPU client for the newer X2000 and X3000 GPU's, it runs good but the WU'S are short and the credits are so far 97 points each. My 3870 does a frame in 1.14 minutes average, and they have the standard 100 frames. There is no display yet but progress can be checked with FahSpy and maybe the others too. Happy Crunching !!
:qgreenjumpers:

vaughan

07-09-2008, 06:34 AM

... progress can be checked with FahSpy
Here is the link to FAHspy. (http://www.fahspy.com/index_eng.shtml) Its a useful application.

BlackAdder

07-10-2008, 01:44 PM

Hi guys, Since my last post on this the updated beta ATI GPU clients will show a display which you can toggle thru different modes with the "F" keys. Do not keep the display running long as it takes most of the GPU resources to run it , there is also an Nvidia client too which I hear runs pretty good, but has no display mode yet.
These new video cards smoke thru work units, but I think that just as the X19xx cards got very hot running F@H,I burned up two cards myself, the new cards will also so watch the fan speeds and temps while crunching, I have used ATI Tool for this.The overdrive section of the ATI control panel will show you temp and percent of use of the GPU but will now allow you to increase fan speed.I have completed 737 wu's with my HD3870 with dual orb coolers and so far so good, my card averages around 51c while crunching in an air conditioned bedroom.I hope all this does some good...... :)

vaughan

07-10-2008, 02:24 PM

Yes Blackadder the nVidia client is brilliant. :)

I'm gradually adding all my 8XXX and 9XXX cards to Folding. The nVidia driver is approx 70MB d/l so I put it on a USB flash drive with the GPU2 FAH client and FAHspy and just do the installs. You have to uninstall the existing nVidia Forceware drivers, re-boot, then install the new CUDA client then the FAH app and FAHspy.

My cards are running at about 65C according to Hardware Monitor and they have stock cooling fans on them. Ambient is 22-24C.

I have doubled my Folding @ Home score in 9 days.

wavetrex

07-15-2008, 06:05 PM

Running on a slightly overclocked Radeon 4870 since yesterday. My scores aren't so big as the ATI client is far from optimised, but they are definitely alot bigger than on the CPU only.

liuqyn

07-15-2008, 07:03 PM

same here with my 4850, not even running cpu client. hope they get optimized soon.

jugraham

07-24-2008, 02:09 AM

Anyone have one of the new ati 48XX cards and are they much faster than an ati 38XX card? I have a x1900 which i can not use anymore:( and have been thinking about getting one of the new cards to start crunching again with with a gpu and for better fps in my games:).

jugraham

07-25-2008, 03:16 PM

No replys. So guess not.

AMDave

07-25-2008, 03:36 PM

Jugraham

The two posts above yours show wavetrex and liuqyn, both have the cards you refer to.

Although they have not been on the forum since your post, if you send them a PM I am sure one of them will get a notification and reply.

vaughan

07-25-2008, 11:27 PM

I read somewhere that the 4870 gets about 2000-2500 PPD.

My nVidia Inno3D 8800GT OC gets 4000-4100 PPD. It was running at 69C so I asked my hardware guru (Doomeva) to install one of these Zalman HSFs (http://www.zalman.co.kr/ENG/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=283) and the temps are now 45C running 24/7

liuqyn

07-25-2008, 11:32 PM

my 4850 gets about 1500-1900 ppd when I dedicate one cpu core to it, 192 ppd if I don't. I hope they'll update the app to better use the cards soon. can't compare to older cards as this is the first I have ran it on.

jugraham

07-28-2008, 01:56 AM

Thanks for the info. I think I am going to go with the 3870. I can get one at Newegg for $100 after rebate. :)

BlackAdder

07-28-2008, 01:59 AM

Good choice, I've had good luck with mine, as of now I've done 861 work units with it and no problems. :)

jugraham

07-28-2008, 02:38 AM

Here is what I bought and it has a copy of NeverWinter Nights 2. I bought it through the Support AMDUsers link to help support our team. :icon_razz: Maybe by this weekend I will have it up and crunching.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125086

Impaler

07-31-2008, 10:05 PM

Whats the cpu % usage at when using the gpu for folding? Still high?

liuqyn

07-31-2008, 11:55 PM

running my 4850 it will quite happily use up one entire core all for itself, leaving me the other three for other projects. phenom 9600BE by the way. if run in low priority mode, it uses very little cpu time, but doesn't get much done either.

vaughan

08-01-2008, 06:00 AM

100% of 1 core on my Q6600s running nVidia CUDA client on 8600, 2x 8800GT oc (separate boxes), 8800GTS.

If I load 4x SOB instances or let BOINC take 4 cores then Folding on the GPU gets throttled from ~4,000PPD to the low 100s.

Impaler

08-01-2008, 02:58 PM

Thx again!

vaughan

08-02-2008, 11:22 AM

As the GPU2 Beta client expires August 2nd you'll need to update. I found this
posted by 7im on the Arsians forum and it is useful information:

New v6.20 client replacements are now available.
CPU/Linux/MAC: http://folding.stanford.edu/English/Download
SMP/GPU 4 Win: http://folding.stanford.edu/English/DownloadWinOther
Change log is posted to the Stanford News page. http://folding.typepad.com/news/

Note: You MUST uninstall the v5.xx service before updating to v6.2x and installing that service, i.e. run with -configonly, and answer Yes to the question about removing the service install.

vaughan

08-06-2008, 10:48 AM

I ordered an Inno3D GTX260 oc and a Corsair 620W modular p/s today to replace my 8800GTS that keeps on giving EUE failures. Not sure what's wrong with it, tried under-clocking with Ntune but still fails. Will be interesting to see how a 260 does at Folding.

I originally ordered a Sapphire HD4850 but changed the order when I researched how appalling the ATI cards are at Folding. Shame really.

vaughan

08-08-2008, 12:08 PM

Hum ... looks like the combination of ensuring that BOINC didn't steal the CPU cycles from Core 4 on my Quads by setting the affinity in process Manager and adding a Gigabyte 9800GT (a more expensive version of the 8800GT) got me an extra 7,000 or so Points Per Day today.

Let's see what difference the humongous Inno3D GTX260 o/c card makes tomorrow. It took a bit of re-configuring the innards of my Thermaltake Soprano DX case to fit the new GPU card in. These things are huge.

Next thing is to install the drivers and Folding's GPU2 client and better check on the temps I guess.