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Nflight
05-31-2014, 10:59 AM
I have started my new system on using both the CPU's and my GPU which happens to be crunching what seems like an eternal GPU work Unit. Does anyone have any experience running these work units? As my first WU is nearing 42 hours in length and showing less then 43% completed? I could sure use some advice about now! :sad5:

Nflight
05-31-2014, 01:24 PM
I guess I figured this out for myself. It seems the ATI GPU is starved for CPU power running WUProp@home and Quake Catcher Network at the same time as the 7 Work Units of Einstein and now that I have only 5 CPU work Units running and the GPU we have increased speed of completion. It now is increasing 30 times a second. IN other words the GPU work Unit will finish in about 40 minutes, not the 7 hours it states currently. I am learning the new system and the new ways to accomplish so much. WOO Hoo :blob3:

Dirk Broer
05-31-2014, 02:26 PM
It's not WUProp or QCN that's choking you CPU, it's the OpenCL Einstein application. Running 7 Einstein GPU WUs -Einstein CPU WUs were always a waste of resources IMO- would need several cores (perhaps as much as seven) just for Einstein alone, in order to let it run without any slowing down of other WUs. This holds true for each and every project that uses OpenCL applications. Check the various fora for the best app_info.xml or best app_config .xml to be placed in the project's directory.
On my Llano Quads I let the HD 6670 and the internal HD 6650D crunch each two Einstein WUs and suspend all other activity apart from WUProp. System responds real sluggish then.
Nowadays I let the HD 6670 and the internal HD 6650D crunch each one Einstein WUs and have two cores free. nVidia is somewhat better in crunching Einstein in my opinion, at least it has less draw on resources.
Then again my best AMD card is still the old venerable Sapphire HD 4770, with its relatively great double precision capability and its mere 80 Watt tdp.

Nflight
05-31-2014, 09:51 PM
OK Dirk I am listening; I need to figure out how to get just six cores working on one project while I crunch GPU work units from another project. How do I go about doing this? Actually right now i am frustrated as I must baby sit each and every work unit, turn them on and turn them off if needed. I can't go on like this! Please Help :blob3:

AMDave
05-31-2014, 11:13 PM
You can do GPU work on the desktop client and run another client inside a VM for the CPU only work.
VirtualBox makes that easy to do.

Dirk Broer
06-01-2014, 12:59 AM
There's more ways to Rome than the virtual one!
Let's for the moment asume you want two WUs of Einstein running on your GPU. This can be arranged in two ways:

1. Choose to run GPU-only WUs for Einstein and in the Einstein project settings choose 0.5 as setting for GPU utilization factor of apps in http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/prefs.php?subset=project.
This will run only two Einstein GPU WUs, but has a severe performance hit as it will not use the CPU most efficiently (it will try to run too many other -CPU- tasks along the GPU ones).

2. Again choose to run GPU-only WUs for Einstein, then via an app_config.xml:
<app_config>
<app>
<name>einsteinbinary_BRP4</name>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>0.5</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>1</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
<app>
<name>einsteinbinary_BRP5</name>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>0.5</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>1</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
<app>
<name>einsteinbinary_FGRP</name>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>0.5</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>1</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
</app_config>

You can then choose to run the six free cores for another project by suspending all others (except for the nci ones).

The advantage of this approach is that you do not need to 'pay' for the performance hit of running one or more VMs.

Jason1478963
06-01-2014, 01:47 AM
you could also create an app_config.xml file for other projects for the cpu to limit them to a certain amount of cores. It has helped me on systems with not enough memory when running rosetta with WCG.

Nflight
06-03-2014, 12:23 AM
Thanks Dirk and Jason, its a learning curve!
:blob3:

Nflight
06-09-2014, 01:34 PM
More learning curve, seems I have a water cooled CPU but an air cooled GPU, and my fan is running and running and running. The temperature label reads 46°C is this high and dangerous? If not how high is too dangerous to run? New at this since I am now armed with a serious crunching machine.
:blob3:

P.S. I am seriously considering installing the virtual BOINC platform. been reading.

Dirk Broer
06-09-2014, 07:40 PM
46°C is actually quite cool for a GPU while crunching -provided it is the ASUS R9 270 that you planned to buy-, start worrying when it is double that value (http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/amd_radeon_r9_270_review,9.html)

The virtual BOINC platform: great to run e.g. Linux only projects in your case.

Nflight
06-16-2014, 06:44 PM
AMDave I went to Virtual Box, I have downloaded the BOINC Client and I am running Atlas at this time. Seems I did enough of it correct that the work units are working effectively. I never gave up on what you stated in this thread I have been under some serious alterations in my life at this time and am starting to catch up to important items I pushed to the side days or weeks ago. I didn't forget what you stated I just needed time to find the time to complete the tasks at hand. :blob3: