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Re: GPU2 Client performance -> important information

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 1:14 pm
by SNM
It looks to me like the PhysX release came with 177.83, and that's gotta be a WHQL release because it installed on my Vista 64 system. ;)

I haven't been getting 4600ppd on my 8800GT, but then again I've been playing several hours of COD4 each day, and still getting well over 2900.

Re: GPU2 Client performance -> important information

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 2:01 pm
by TheEmrys
axeman wrote:
I thought I'd start a separate thread for this, I started rambling about my 8800GT 512MB not getting the PPD it should have in the "call to arms thread". And the solution was:

MAKE SURE YOU ARE USING THE LATEST DRIVERS if you want the best possible output from the GPU2 client.

In the middle of a WU, I upgrade my drivers from the "current" WHQL 175.19 drivers to the latest beta NVIDIA has publicly available, 177.79

With the same WU, PPD went from ~2900 to ~4600 Avg. time per step went from over 2 minutes to 1:30 :D


This is odd. It isn't that the latest drivers are what you want, its the latest CUDA drivers you need. I don't believe 175.19 was EVER recommended. The recommended CUDA driver was 177.35. As long as the drivers are a CUDA driver, you should be fine. Also, the latest physix/CUDA drivers are great. Gave my 9600GT a bump from 3700ppd to 3800ppd.

Re: GPU2 Client performance -> important information

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 4:31 pm
by Ragnar Dan
TheEmrys wrote:
[...] The recommended CUDA driver was 177.35. As long as the drivers are a CUDA driver, you should be fine. Also, the latest physix/CUDA drivers are great. Gave my 9600GT a bump from 3700ppd to 3800ppd.

And thus the natural question for those of us who don't normally play around with updating drivers: where does one find these latest CUDA drivers? All I can find on nVidia's site are the 177.35 version which I've had since July 10 or so when I began using them in my 8800GT-256MB.

It shouldn't have to be said that if one is going to claim a thread has important information, it would be helpful to include such things. Even if you're replying with a correction.

Re: GPU2 Client performance -> important information

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:00 pm
by heyal256
I think there was another thread that mentioned that you needed to get the latest driver (177.83) from this link
http://www.nvidia.com/content/forcewith ... wnload.asp

Re: GPU2 Client performance -> important information

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 7:33 pm
by Ragnar Dan
Thanks for the link. :)

Re: GPU2 Client performance -> important information

Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:52 am
by jeffry55
Good thread Axeman! :P here are some links from the Folding@Home forum on setting up a 9800 GX2.

by grumpydaddy on Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:44 pm

It's been said elswhere but to get me and my evga 9800gx2 ssc up and running I used the info in these:
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1330889
http://forum.xcpus.com/folding-home-...e-nv-gpus.html
http://www.forums.pureoverclock.com/sho ... php?t=3929

When only one GPU was folding I reinstalled the 177.79 drivers TWICE (each card needs setting up with drivers) This in turn allowed Rivatuner to "see" the base clocks and I was able to both Fold and overclock on each card.

Re: GPU2 Client performance -> important information

Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 12:00 pm
by jeffry55
axeman wrote:
jeffry55 wrote:
Good thread Axeman! :P


Thanks, it's nice to contribute to the cause! GPU-based folding has really renewed my interest in folding, especially after being frustrated by SMP issues, and the output from the standard client as far as PPD goes is so little by comparison now. I know it's for a good cause, and the standard clients are still important, but we all know the competition of the whole thing is really what drives interest in it.

As an aside, I've started to wonder if this whole effort is a wise use of resources... Cancer research is important, but is conserving energy usage (global warming, not to mention rising energy prices) something that should take precedence in the short-term? I've made my decision based largely on the fact that I end up leaving at least a couple of machines on 24/7 in my house already as it is, so the added energy consumption is probably negligible, especially compared to the kWH the A/C uses this time of year. And in the winter, we need to heat the house anyhow... :D ; Although electricity is more expensive than the natural gas the furnace uses, it is somewhat more likely to come from a more renewable source (hydro-electric), though it could come from coal (even worse, at least from current coal plants). Not to mention I drive a 12 year old V8-powered gas guzzler on my daily commute, so I'm probably just a hypocrite.


12 years old?! That's no gas guzzler............................. that's a classic!! :D

Re: GPU2 Client performance -> important information

Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 5:22 pm
by Usacomp2k3
jeffry55 wrote:
axeman wrote:
Not to mention I drive a 12 year old V8-powered gas guzzler on my daily commute, so I'm probably just a hypocrite.


12 years old?! That's no gas guzzler............................. that's a classic!! :D

So my 19-year old V6 is beyond classic? Technically 25 is when it can be considered a classic in Florida, I believe.

Re: NVIDIA GPU2 Client performance -> important information

Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:35 am
by CampinCarl
How much are the GPU WU's worth? I just turned in my first one for a whopping...480 points. Plus it took 10 hours to complete. Is that pretty normal for an 8600GTS?

Re: NVIDIA GPU2 Client performance -> important information

Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:47 am
by Pegasus
Sounds about right for that card. Although doing a quick search of 8600GTS ppd shows a few doing 1400 or 1700 ppd with that model. 7-8 hours time. What drivers are you using? Search cuda 177.35 drivers or maybe the newest ones that came with the physX stuff.

Re: NVIDIA GPU2 Client performance -> important information

Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:39 am
by CampinCarl
I'm running 177.83. But at least it's performing as it should. Go go gadget FOLD!

Re: NVIDIA GPU2 Client performance -> important information

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 10:58 pm
by Ragnar Dan
axeman: You'll have to decide on the value of your energy use and its cost for yourself, but if you're concerned about the media-popularized worries of the day about energy scarcity or AGW, I'd just say there are ways to find out the truth about such matters. Official theories (politically chosen, taxpayer-funded outside of the normal competitive pressures proper science faces) don't have a very good track record over extended periods. Of those two, the latter is now hanging by a thread, and only doing that well because of such funding.

Re: NVIDIA GPU2 Client performance -> important information

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 12:24 am
by Pegasus
Have you guys noticed different WUs for the Nvidia client giving different PPD results.
For example, Project 5504 has been showing up in FahMon at ~400ppd higher than most of the other WUs. On both my 8800GTS 512MB and 8800GT 256MB cards.

Re: NVIDIA GPU2 Client performance -> important information

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 12:47 am
by SNM
Ragnar Dan wrote:
axeman: You'll have to decide on the value of your energy use and its cost for yourself, but if you're concerned about the media-popularized worries of the day about energy scarcity or AGW, I'd just say there are ways to find out the truth about such matters. Official theories (politically chosen, taxpayer-funded outside of the normal competitive pressures proper science faces) don't have a very good track record over extended periods. Of those two, the latter is now hanging by a thread, and only doing that well because of such funding.

Okay, ignoring Dan's insane and R&P-diving-into opinions, the amount of energy you use on folding on one computer can't even come close to the amount of energy used in transporting yourself and your goods, or on your A/C, etc.
And we need to go nuclear anyway, so why worry about power? ;)

Re: NVIDIA GPU2 Client performance -> important information

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 10:35 am
by jeffry55
Pegasus wrote:
Sounds about right for that card. Although doing a quick search of 8600GTS ppd shows a few doing 1400 or 1700 ppd with that model. 7-8 hours time. What drivers are you using? Search cuda 177.35 drivers or maybe the newest ones that came with the physX stuff.



177.92 is now the latest edition.