Help increase my BOINC output.

HankScorpio

HankScorpio

HankScorpio

Associate
Joined
28 Apr 2011
Posts
2,158
Location
North West
Running BOINc gpu only and SMP 4 F@H on my rig below at the same time bottlenecks my gpu. I've been thinking of putting SMP to 3 but then my resource monitor shows only like 75-77% usage and I don't like that 20% wastage.

I've tried setting priorities to boinc.exe+manager to high/realtime and F@H to low and it doesn't change/increase the gpu load. Depending on the current F@H WU the gpu load can drop to the mid 60% and obviously I want it running near 99% since it only uses 0.05% cpu.

Anyone got any ideas how to remedy this?

CPU set to 4.6Ghz,
memory 2133Mhz 10-10-10-28-1T
GPU 1050 Core (will increase to 1175 when new cooler arrives this week, but the gpu load% drops on higher clocks currently, obviously hits 100-99% when F@H is turned off.)
 
Last edited:
Free up one of your CPU cores with something like Bill2's Process manager and your GPU usage should jump right up.
 
What projects on the 7970?

There isn't any way around the fact that if you assign one of the cores to just serve the GPU you will see only 75% CPU usage for Folding. As derv says the best thing is to use a process manager that will lock the folding process to certain cores and the boinc processes to the remaining core. You will still have to do SMP 3 however with Folding and yes one core will go to waste.

Its not so bad with hyperthreading CPU's because you can assign just one HT "core" to the boinc threads and you don't lose much out for folding.

Have you tried running multiple simultaneous units on the 7970? You can do that for both Seti and Milkyway, that might bump up your output on the 7970.

Also its no point assigning priorites to the boinc.exe and manager process you need to assign priorities or cores to the application process that boinc spawns for whatever project you are running.
 
Just using MW@H for the 7970, how do I do this multiple units on the 7970? You mean run Seti+MW at the same time on the same card, can that be done?

Also I prioritise F@H so don't want to lose a core for 1% usage of that core for the gpu, even if it does give a big boost in gpu output :(

Will using a program like Bill's2 allow me to still use smp4 and get the gpu to 99% ?
 
You can run two MW tasks at the same time. This means when the CPU is doing the bit at the start and end of the WU the GPU doesn't go idle because it can work on the other task. This is particularly helpful on MW because the WUs are so short. Create a file called app_info.xml in C:\ProgramData\BOINC\projects\milkyway.cs.rpi.edu_milkyway containing the following

Code: 
<app_info>
 <app>
 <name>milkyway</name>
 </app>
 <file_info>
 <name>milkyway_separation_1.02_windows_x86_64__opencl_amd_ati.exe</name>
 <executable/>
 </file_info>
 <app_version>
 <app_name>milkyway</app_name>
 <version_num>102</version_num>
 <flops>1.0e11</flops>
 <avg_ncpus>0.05</avg_ncpus>
 <max_ncpus>1</max_ncpus>
 <plan_class>ati14ati</plan_class>
 <coproc>
 <type>ATI</type>
 <count>0.5</count>
 </coproc>
 <cmdline>--gpu-disable-checkpointing</cmdline>
 <file_ref>
 <file_name>milkyway_separation_1.02_windows_x86_64__opencl_amd_ati.exe</file_name>
 <main_program/>
 </file_ref>
 </app_version>
</app_info>

Then restart boinc and you should have two MW tasks running at once. When I first start boinc up i suspend and resume one task when they are at 50% so the two tasks then run offset.
 
create a txt file, paste that into it, save then change the name.

are you sure you are looking in ProgramData and not program files? ProgramData is a hidden system folder and you will have to type it in unless you have set windows not hide system files.
 
tbh your better just running MW@H as from what i've been told (mainly by Biffa) ATI cards are a lot better at MW than SETI.
 
Good man!

Is it using 100% of the gpu now?

With a 7970 you can run 3 at a time really :) Just change the <count>0.5</count> to 0.3
 
Last edited:
Getting some system crashes with using this now. I remember making a thread awhile back and was told my 500w psu might be the culprit. Well now I've replaced it with an 850w and still getting crashes. Had 2 so far, one was overclocked crash I assumed (1175 clocks) and just now was on my card stock '1050' core not 925.

Anyone know what the problem might be? The card was running 100% for about 30 hours.

Should I up the voltage, or lower the clocks?
 
I have mine with the powercontrol in CCC up to 20

Try lowering the memory clocks to around 1450 then if you still have problems 1400, won't affect the crunching. Also did you get the cooler? I watercooled my 7970 and it runs 24/7
 
I'll try with that power on 20 good thought.

Yeah just got the cooler and the fan's aren't very good with it, the temps steadily rise and they don't make any sound at all 1200rmp ones. won't be folding with it until I get better fans as the 2 vram temps go very high, up to 100c!
 
Can I just ask for anyone who is folding with a 7970 how are you temps?

GtaZT.png


Are these normal? I remember they were like this with my stock cooler so I'm a bit annoyed I spent £65 on a new cooler that hasn't reduced my temps at all, or only slightly. This might be because the fans just aren't good enough to shift the heat, as the massive rad is very hot and the 1200rpm fans don't push much air through. I imagine if I switched to 2000rpm or above the temps would drop.

Just asking what other temps 7970 users are getting so I can compare.
 
I have two 7970s in the same system on stock coolers using custom fan profile both at 1125/1250 MHz

The top one is at 1112mV and currently at 67C with 48% fan

The bottom one is at 1049mV and currently 66C with 46% fan
 
yeah that's ****. on a cold boot the temps hover around 45-50c for a while before slowly climbing up so I'm assuming it's just the fans at this point.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom