!

All my PCs are desktops and run the BOINC Windows client version 6.10.58 as a user application. WCG is my only project. I always close applications when I leave the PC. Each system is on about 16 hours per day and never goes into sleep mode. I am not signed up for beta testing.
On two of my machines the BOINC client identifies a GPU, presumably suitable for BOINC. One machine is a dual-core with Windows XP. According to the BOINC client, it has NVIDIA GPU 0: GeForce 8300 GS (driver version 19038, CUDA version 2030, compute capability 1.1, 128MB, 15 GFLOPS peak). Another machine is a quad-core with Windows 7 64-bit and ATI GPU 0: ATI Radeon HD 2300/2400/3200 (RV610) (CAL version 1.4.636, 256MB, 40 GFLOPS peak).
I have not updated the drivers, except for whatever was pushed by Windows Update. I do not game or overclock and have never seen evidence of overheating. I do not remote into these PCs. In the last few weeks I have not noticed any GPU units running, I guess there are none out of beta. I read these threads and the BOINC GPU computing wiki. To draw it together, here are some questions about GPU usage:
1. What should my preferences be? Currently they are:
a. "Use GPU while computer is in use" is not checked. What does “in use” mean? Activity from mouse and keyboard? Playing a video?
b. Only after computer has been idle for 3 minutes. What does idle mean? No mouse or keyboard activity?
c. While processor usage is less than 25%. Does that mean non-BOINC usage? Because if BOINC is running the processor usage will never be that low.
d. Every day between the hours of 00:00 and 00:00.
e. On multiprocessor systems, use at most 100% of the processors.
2. On Activity should I use GPU based on preferences or always? It feels strange to carefully setup preferences and then override them in a different menu. If my system is idle most of the time, it should not make any difference, right?
3. Must I add <use_all_gpus>1</use_all_gpus> to the options section of cc_config.xml?
4. How can I tell if my BOINC client is running WCG GPU units right now?
5. Since the BOINC client started running, how can I tell if it finished and uploaded any GPU units?
6. If BOINC runs GPU units, will it impact my computing experience?
7. During a month, about how many CPU units should I expect BOINC to complete for every GPU unit? 10? 100? I realize that it depends on the detailed specification of my PC, and on current WCG projects.
8. If BOINC is running no GPU units or fewer than expected, how can I fix that?
I did not find these answers in a single place, so can I suggest making a GPU FAQ thread with the answers to the questions? Thanks!

Hello markhl,
Currently there are no WCG projects running on a GPU. We are doing some Beta testing on GPU code. So if you are not checked for Beta testing, you have never received any GPU work from WCG. Eventually, you will need to check a GPU box to receive any GPU work. Only time will tell if it is unreasonable to suspend the GPU during mouse/keyboard activity. So your questions are mostly premature. You seem to have accepted the default profile settings, which are extremely conservative and designed not to interfere with a laptop. If you have a desktop, you might consider switching to the Maximum Output profile.

1. What should my preferences be? Currently they are:
a. "Use GPU while computer is in use" is not checked. What does "in use" mean? Activity from mouse and keyboard? Playing a video?
I would check 'in use'. Playing a video is more tricky. I have no general answer.

b. Only after computer has been idle for 3 minutes. What does idle mean? No mouse or keyboard activity?
You've got it! But only a few systems give problems so always compute through user activity unless your particular system gives trouble.

c. While processor usage is less than 25%. Does that mean non-BOINC usage? Because if BOINC is running the processor usage will never be that low.
non-BOINC. You figured that out. Personally, I am set to suspend at 90%. It will probably never happen, but I might someday do something really weird. A few systems may have an add-on board with wonky device drivers that act up if the computing gets hot and heavy. Otherwise, this particular setting is meaningless. A number of settings are like that. We have to include them to accommodate a handful of -challenged- computer systems.

d. Every day between the hours of 00:00 and 00:00.
Or 1 to 1 or 12 to 12. It just means all day.

e. On multiprocessor systems, use at most 100% of the processors.
Now this can be useful. If you have 4 cores with hyperthreading, 100% will load 8 programs into memory, but 50% will load only 4, which will deliver about 85% the throughput of 8 slower programs and leave plenty of spare capacity for other things you might be doing. Of course, most people in this situation just need internet access and can cheerfully run 8 work units.

2. On Activity should I use GPU based on preferences or always? It feels strange to carefully setup preferences and then override them in a different menu. If my system is idle most of the time, it should not make any difference, right?
I got caught that way myself. Right now our website is not yet thoroughly integrated with GPU usage. It's just Beta testing. Temporarily, set to ALWAYS if you are Beta testing. Eventually our preferences will catch up and you can go back to Run on Preferences.

3. Must I add <use_all_gpus>1</use_all_gpus> to the options section of cc_config.xml?
Not unless you are a brave Beta tester who wants to run at least 2 GPUs on a computer. Ave Ceasar!

4. How can I tell if my BOINC client is running WCG GPU units right now?
5. Since the BOINC client started running, how can I tell if it finished and uploaded any GPU units?
6. If BOINC runs GPU units, will it impact my computing experience?
7. During a month, about how many CPU units should I expect BOINC to complete for every GPU unit? 10? 100? I realize that it depends on the detailed specification of my PC, and on current WCG projects.
8. If BOINC is running no GPU units or fewer than expected, how can I fix that?
We are not Beta testing today. Perhaps toward the end of the week. Watch the Results Status page filtered for Beta. Look at the name of beta programs and work units and look for phrases such as amd or nvidia (Maybe even ati). Eventually experience will allow some of these questions to be answered.

Lawrence

Thanks everyone. I will wait and see what happens with GPUs. If my system does not have a usable GPU, should BOINC say "no usable GPUs found"?

Hi markhl,

You do not get that message because it is a usable GPU to BOINC but not for this science app at this project (WCG). BOINC knows nothing about WCG but that it is a project it is running.