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World Community Grid Forums
Category: Completed Research
Forum: Help Conquer Cancer
Thread: HCC GPU APP HAS LAUNCHED. |
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Thread Status: Active Total posts in this thread: 363
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
I can't tell if you're actually using the <*_ncpu> settings, but if I were you, I'd stick to changing the <count> setting, not messing with the <*_ncpu> settings. For me, I have to use the <*_ncpu> setting or else I'm limited to running 4 max with the FX4100. |
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Bearcat
Master Cruncher USA Joined: Jan 6, 2007 Post Count: 2803 Status: Offline Project Badges: 
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The max _ncpus can be left at 1, it's the avg_ncpus that tells BOINC Manager how much CPU to allot to a task. I'm running 8 tasks on a 7870 with an FX-4100. To get this, I set avg_ncpus to 0.5 to get 8 instances on 4 cores. It's been running smooth for more than 48 hrs now with no errors or invalids. If I set this to 1, to use a full core, will this speed up the wu portion on the cpu? Since I have plenty of cores to spare, wouldn't mind adjusting for better performance.
Crunching for humanity since 2007!
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
No, I found out that it uses what it uses, no matter what you set. This number only tells the Manager how many tasks you can run on the machine.
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Bearcat
Master Cruncher USA Joined: Jan 6, 2007 Post Count: 2803 Status: Offline Project Badges:
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The max _ncpus can be left at 1, it's the avg_ncpus that tells BOINC Manager how much CPU to allot to a task. I'm running 8 tasks on a 7870 with an FX-4100. To get this, I set avg_ncpus to 0.5 to get 8 instances on 4 cores. It's been running smooth for more than 48 hrs now with no errors or invalids. Can you post crunching times doing 8 along with temps and fan speed? I have a 7870 ghz edition and crunching 4 would complete around 3 min. Just raised it to 6 and my times jumped to around 4:30. What CPU you have? 3 mins is high (i get that too with oolldd quad cpu and 7950, and i know im hardly stuck on low CPU power). dont think it will help more to raise the instances. 2 X5670 2.93ghz westmere processors. Crunching 1, 2 or 3 crunches around the same time around 2:30. Going above 3 will add time. Think this server board is controlling the pci bus but not sure. I looked in the bios and don't see anything for adjusting.
Crunching for humanity since 2007!
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Totalgeekdom
Cruncher Joined: Feb 8, 2011 Post Count: 10 Status: Offline Project Badges:
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The max _ncpus can be left at 1, it's the avg_ncpus that tells BOINC Manager how much CPU to allot to a task. I'm running 8 tasks on a 7870 with an FX-4100. To get this, I set avg_ncpus to 0.5 to get 8 instances on 4 cores. It's been running smooth for more than 48 hrs now with no errors or invalids. Been looking for something like this, I'll be in the same boat here shortly with the ability to run more tasks on the GPU than I have CPU cores. I have a 7970 on loan for testing but sadly the only rig with an open slot for testing right now is my HTPC with a Phenom II 925. Sounds like this is what I need to try and see how it goes. Based on what you've listed if I change the avg_ncpus to 0.5 I'll be able to run 8 tasks on the 7970 while the CPU splits each core so I can have 8 CPU instances available. Am I understanding that right? I saw on XS somewhere that someone had been running a 6 or 8 gpu tasks but on a quad CPU. They said they just let the processor scheduler figure it out and it worked. Did you try running 8 tasks on your FX-4100 without modifying the avg_ncpus line by chance? I'm curious what the system does when it has more GPU tasks than cores? I know the CPU only handles the start and finishing of a GPU task, so I wonder how the spacing of CPU time used versus GPU would workout with less CPU cores than GPU? I think the old Phenom II is gonna have trouble keeping up and hurt production quite a bit, but it's all I have right now to test on. |
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pirogue
Veteran Cruncher USA Joined: Dec 8, 2008 Post Count: 685 Status: Offline Project Badges: 
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From what I was told, memory speed is a big factor on times. I have 1600 ram, but was told 1800 is minimum to keep things going as fast as they can. I just tried using 1866MHz RAM and saw virtually no difference. Maybe it makes a difference when you're running 1 or 2 WUs, but when running 8 at once, I don't see a difference between 1600 and 1866. |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
Been looking for something like this, I'll be in the same boat here shortly with the ability to run more tasks on the GPU than I have CPU cores. I have a 7970 on loan for testing but sadly the only rig with an open slot for testing right now is my HTPC with a Phenom II 925. Sounds like this is what I need to try and see how it goes. Based on what you've listed if I change the avg_ncpus to 0.5 I'll be able to run 8 tasks on the 7970 while the CPU splits each core so I can have 8 CPU instances available. Am I understanding that right? I saw on XS somewhere that someone had been running a 6 or 8 gpu tasks but on a quad CPU. They said they just let the processor scheduler figure it out and it worked. Did you try running 8 tasks on your FX-4100 without modifying the avg_ncpus line by chance? I'm curious what the system does when it has more GPU tasks than cores? I know the CPU only handles the start and finishing of a GPU task, so I wonder how the spacing of CPU time used versus GPU would workout with less CPU cores than GPU? I think the old Phenom II is gonna have trouble keeping up and hurt production quite a bit, but it's all I have right now to test on. If I changed the <count> lower than 0.25 (4 units on one GPU) while leaving <avg_ncpus> at 1, only 4 units would run. You need to adjust both values to tell the Manager that you want to be able to run more. Even if you do change both, whichever limit is reached first will govern From what I was told, memory speed is a big factor on times. I have 1600 ram, but was told 1800 is minimum to keep things going as fast as they can. I just tried using 1866MHz RAM and saw virtually no difference. Maybe it makes a difference when you're running 1 or 2 WUs, but when running 8 at once, I don't see a difference between 1600 and 1866.Thanks for the info, I don't feel the need to look for new RAM now. |
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Totalgeekdom
Cruncher Joined: Feb 8, 2011 Post Count: 10 Status: Offline Project Badges:
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Thanks rjbelans,
I'll give it a try when I get the 7970 and see how it acts trying to crunch 8 tasks with only 4 cores. |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
No problem. FYI, these are the settings I'm running.
----------------------------------------. . . <avg_ncpus>0.5</avg_ncpus> <max_ncpus>1.0</max_ncpus> <coproc> <type>ATI</type> <count>0.125</count> </coproc> . . . EDIT: Now trying 6 units to see how much of a difference it makes for me. . . . <avg_ncpus>0.75</avg_ncpus> <max_ncpus>1.0</max_ncpus> <coproc> <type>ATI</type> <count>0.166</count> </coproc> . . . [Edit 1 times, last edit by Former Member at Nov 1, 2012 2:22:35 PM] |
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Totalgeekdom
Cruncher Joined: Feb 8, 2011 Post Count: 10 Status: Offline Project Badges:
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Thanks rjbelans
Let me know what you end up with for results with the change in tasks. I'm hoping I'll get my loaner 7970 tonight and can try it out. Hopefully my PSU is up to the task. |
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