The Milkway@home quickstart guide

Subliminal Aura

Subliminal Aura

Subliminal Aura

Soldato
Joined
27 Oct 2006
Posts
7,601
Location
London
[1] Hardware requirements

- ATI Radeon graphic card (HD3800 or HD4800 series, Firestream 9200 series)​


[2] Software requirements

- Catalyst 8.12, 9.1 - Catalyst 9.2 needs a tweak (see here)

- The latest version of BOINC

Currently using Catalyst 8.12 due to problems with 9.1. BOINC client is 6.6.12

Also please ensure that BOINC is installed as a service which is achieved by ensuring 'Protected Mode' is NOT checked during installation.

​

[3] Attach to the milkyway@home project

- BOINC Manager > Tools > Attach to project
http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/
​


[4] Install the GPU beta client

- Shut down ALL BOINC services

- Download the GPU client of your choice from http://zslip.com/

- Extract the files and copy to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\BOINC\projects\milkyway.cs.rpi.edu_milkyway
For Windows Vista use C:\ProgramData\BOINC\projects\milkyway.cs.rpi.edu_milkyway or wherever you specified the data directory to be during the BOINC install

- Restart the BOINC service and watch the credits roll in

Currently using version 0.19d for Win32_SSE2
​


[5] *UPDATED* Multi GPU crunching !

- If you're slacking read on ....

- Multi GPU crunching actually works out of the box as of client 0.19d

- Shut down BOINC

- Disable crossfire from CCC

- IMPORTANT Enable a monitor on the secondary or tertiary card by extending or cloning desktops. Typically you need another monitor or use a dummy VGA adapter and that's it.

- Start BOINC and watch your GPUs get loaded to around 90% each
​


[6] *OPTIONAL* Gaming on a multi GPU box whilst continuing to GPU crunch !

- For the slackers only ...

- Shut down BOINC

- Modify app_info.xml or write a batch script to toggle the following option ... <cmdline>x0</cmdline>. This implies that the client should NOT load work onto card 0 ie your primary card leaving it free to game or do whatever. The remaining cards will continue to crunch :D

- Restart BOINC.

- Slackfast
​


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That should really be it, but things are never as smooth as they first appear to be. Typically I had Catalyst driver problems and had to uninstall, re-install and clean. Also I needed to kick in a lot of project updates and resets before it settled into crunching on the GPU.

Good Luck and don't forget to join the team
http://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway/team_display.php?teamid=269
 
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One thing to add, this will not work if you have Boinc running in protected mode (default now)

Also I've had zero for zero luck with a 4850 + Vista64 + 9.2 Ati drivers.

Not sure what it was exactly but I've

1. Uninstalled boinc (lost no work) and reinstalled not using protected mode.
2. Uninstalled Radeon 9.2 drivers and installed 8.12
3. Reset project

Now I just have to wait for some WU's and keep my fingers crossed.
 
I can't find this on vista 64

Extract the files and copy to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\BOINC\projects\milkyway.cs.rpi.edu_milkyway
 
LewisStuart said:
I can't find this on vista 64

Extract the files and copy to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\BOINC\projects\milkyway.cs.rpi.edu_milkyway
Click to expand...

I don't have Vista but I'll hazard a guess to somewhere like this....

C:\Users\Default ..... \BOINC\projects\milkyway.cs.rpi.edu_milkyway :confused:

Remember BOINC must be installed as a service (ie uncheck protected mode)
 
Will reinstall and uncheck :)

edit: that option is unchecked by default

heres what I see in the boinc folder

Capture.JPG
 
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Also remember that if you are on Windows 7 AND/OR using the 9.2 drivers (i'm using both) then you have to copy certain .dll files to your system32 directory.

Full details are at the bottom of the readme.txt that comes with the GPU client.
 
I was hoping to use a couple of idle HD 3450s for this project but I see you need high end cards. Anyone know if this is likely to change?

Also can anyone guestimate what ppd I would get from a Q9300 @ 3Ghz in milkyway?
 
@LewisStuart you need the application data directory NOT the install directory...

Did you not try C:\Users\Default\AppData\BOINC ? (make sure you can see hidden folders)

Can someone with Vista please point it out to him as I don't have Vista...
 
Also can anyone guestimate what ppd I would get from a Q9300 @ 3Ghz in milkyway?
Click to expand...

My Q6600 running 24/7 @ 3.1 is worth about 6400ppd.

There is a cap on the max number of WU you can download ATM I think its 6 per core so getting work can be slow and I frequently run out, so a back up project is needed..

No sure how the GPU side works, I’ve read that the record for a workunit is <1sec

This project is also prone to reducing credit every time Dr A of SETI complains.:mad:

6 months ago I was getting 12000+ ppd from the same Q6600 ::eek:
 
How can I make it use my GPU and CPU on the same system?

I tried to install another boinc but that automatically removed the old one. :(
 
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