Page 2 of 5 FirstFirst 12345 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 42

Thread: PS3Grid Clients etc...

  1. #11
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    East-Germany
    Posts
    71
    I tried gpugrid but something more than 2days is too many vor my windows box with its little 8600GS. I think the problem is that it is a OEM gpu wich has not enough power for crunching. The BOINC- and the gpugrid-client look like they are working good.

    When i ever get a better gpu I will triy it again cause a gpu wich does nothing is not in my interrest.
    Linux is like a wigwam. No windows. No gates. Apache inside. http://debian.org

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Vermont, USA
    Posts
    1,379
    Hello txt.file!

    The GPUgrid project forum is kinda jammmed with information (in a random fashion it seems to me). One of the project 'issues' that trip people up, is the 'deadline' for wu completions (4 days). A 'marginal' GPU might complete the wu on time if run 24/7. Some 'marginal' GPU's will not...

    Right now I still have a 8800GS (96 shaders), that takes ~23 hours to complete a wu. While this is an 'acceptable' GPU, it is not actually one of the slower GPU's. This GPU could still complete a wu on time, even if it only crunched for ~8 hours a day.

    I posted a link on the 1st page, that should take you to a page (on GPUgrid) that gives a good listing of GPU's that will work on this project. 8800 series cards do quite well (for GPUgrid and Folding@H).
    Last edited by Bender10; 11-15-2008 at 11:39 PM.
    Logic is the art of being wrong with confidence.


  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Vermont, USA
    Posts
    1,379
    I've mentioned before, that I am running 64 bit versions of both XP and Ubuntu on PS3grid (GPUgrid). And I am also running BOINC 6.3.21 on all my boxes with no ill effects (yeti). Let me run over a few things concerning GPUgrid crunching

    The 6.3.XX client is a custom BOINC client designed to utilize a GPU. The standard client series of 6.2.XX, is the non-GPU client that you should be using if you DO NOT plan on Boinc GPU crunching (on PS3grid). But, as I said, the 6.3.21 client seems to be running fine on my Win (XP64, W2K) and Ubuntu 8.10 boxes. The W2K box is a non-GPU box.


    GPU Client development. (this is a snapshot in time, clients are changing weekly....)

    The Boinc development team is working with Nvidia and PS3grid (GPUgrid) in an effort to devise a client that will allow GPU crunching WITHOUT using (or very little) CPU resources. This means for example: A Quad box (with 1 GPU installed) will be able to crunch 4 'normal' Boinc wu's and the GPU will be able to crunch 1 GPU wu at the same time, without having the GPU consuming CPU cycles. This is looked at as crunching 4+1 (4 cpu + 1 gpu wu's).

    The goal is to have the GPU crunch at top speed, using it's own resources.

    Windows
    They are almost there with the Windows client. Using my Quad example from above, Windows will crunch 4+1 with no special input from the user (if crunching a GPU wu). But the GPU will be using ~15-17% of the cycles from 1 CPU (and it will not be running at top speed). Users can continue to operate their client at 4+1, and GPU wu's will run at reduced efficency for now. But, to get maximum GPU crunching speed using the Windows client, Users have to dedicate 1 CPU to the GPU. Right now, under Windows the GPU requires ~20-35% CPU cycles to crunch at top speed. So for best GPU results (shorter run times), some users are running 3+1 only .

    Linux
    But, they seem to have hit a home run with the Linux client . Linux crunchers can run 4+1 and will see the GPU using only 1-2% cycles from 1 CPU, and the GPU is running at top speed. This does not change even if you force the client to run 3+1.

    Whew!

    That being said. Boinc has released another NEW client (6.3.23) . If you like to experiment.... But it seems to be causing a few problems with Vista (GPU users). I'm going to wait this one out. I'm pretty stable now. Not to say that I won't try being a 'crash test dummy' with a future release...
    Logic is the art of being wrong with confidence.


  4. #14
    AMDave's Avatar
    AMDave is offline Seeker of the exit clause Moderator
    Site Admin
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Deep in a while loop
    Posts
    9,609
    That is an excellent run down.
    Thank you.

    As you point out,new development versions are arriving with great frequency.
    BOINC 6.3.21 has been treating me well on 64 and 32 linux and on 32 XP
    I see that 6.3.23 has started to roll out already for Win and Mac

    The only hurdle I see on the Linux side for the CUDA effort is the terribly poor performance of the NVidia 17x.x desktop drivers causing XOrg to go into a spin and swallow 100% of 1 CPU. This is a multi-distro problem (and not a topic for this thread).

    In the mean time, I must suspend the CUDA client and put up with the NVidia-lag when I want do do something useful.
    But when I plan on doing some real work for a prolonged period, I have to unload the NVidia drivers altogether, which means no CUDA work can get done at all.
    Having a CUDA unit running makes it impractical to use the desktop, but this is not a CUDA issue. The problem derives from the NVidia driver itself.

    Getting CUDA to work with PS3Grid in Linux and still allowing the owner of the Linux boxen to interact with the desktop may be a good incentive for NVidia to finally fix this driver issue.

    I do hope so.
    Last edited by AMDave; 11-16-2008 at 02:51 PM.
    . . . . . ___
    . . . . . . .\___/\______
    . . . . . . . \__AMD___\\__
    ---------------------------------------------

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Vermont, USA
    Posts
    1,379
    Wow Dave,

    That's 1 aspect I don't see. As I don't use my Linux cruncher for desktop work (yeti).

    I'm not sure I have seen anything about that issue posted on the PS3grid forum...
    Logic is the art of being wrong with confidence.


  6. #16
    AMDave's Avatar
    AMDave is offline Seeker of the exit clause Moderator
    Site Admin
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Deep in a while loop
    Posts
    9,609
    Tales of the woeful performance of the 17x.x drivers is all over the place.
    I am glad to hear that it is not in the PS3Grid forum, because it does not belong there.
    . . . . . ___
    . . . . . . .\___/\______
    . . . . . . . \__AMD___\\__
    ---------------------------------------------

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    US
    Posts
    2,229
    Interesting reading indeed!

    It's good that the gpu work is going on, no matter what platform, as at some point there will be bleed-off to other platforms and projects that will benefit from all this development work on this project!

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Posts
    5,642
    Quote Originally Posted by Bender10 View Post
    Windows
    They are almost there with the Windows client. Using my Quad example from above, Windows will crunch 4+1 with no special input from the user (if crunching a GPU wu). But the GPU will be using ~15-17% of the cycles from 1 CPU (and it will not be running at top speed). Users can continue to operate their client at 4+1, and GPU wu's will run at reduced efficency for now. But, to get maximum GPU crunching speed using the Windows client, Users have to dedicate 1 CPU to the GPU. Right now, under Windows the GPU requires ~20-35% CPU cycles to crunch at top speed. So for best GPU results (shorter run times), some users are running 3+1 only .
    On Doomeva's Intel Wolfdale E8400 45nm core 2 duo running at 4GHz under Windows XP Pro 32bit one core is on 3x+1 and utilising 50% the other core is on GPUGrid and it hovers between 41-43% CPU usage, so 7-9% of cycles are "wasted". Its using BOINC v6.3.21. The motherboard is an ASUS P5E-VM HDMI.
    Last edited by vaughan; 11-17-2008 at 06:28 AM. Reason: Add BOINC version number & mobo.


  9. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Vermont, USA
    Posts
    1,379
    I was thinking about putting in a disclaimer (due to me only having 64 bit OS's)... But, I thought I was running a bit long with my ramble.

    The info I am using is from my boxes. The forum (as I have mentioned) is kinda sparse on specific info. Most users don't even post their system specs when reporting a problem. Then someone has to ask them "what OS, driver, client and GPU are you using...", as all these play a part in determining what is happening.

    The only other way to gather some information, is to surf through the 'users' computers (only available if not "Hidden"), and we all know what a secretive lot we crunchers are.....
    Logic is the art of being wrong with confidence.


  10. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Vermont, USA
    Posts
    1,379
    Hey Mitchell...

    You better check your link...

    I've been watching the threads on the cpu/gpu contention thing with the grid boinc client. I'm thinking on buying this monster GPU shortly to add to the fray.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130402
    I might have picked up the last one...
    Logic is the art of being wrong with confidence.


Page 2 of 5 FirstFirst 12345 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •