billford wrote:But that is, there's no chance of me going back to Windows- decision made for me
The GPU drivers are the issue here. The default drivers in both Linux and OS-X don't provide a sufficiently robust version of OpenCL to support FAH on GPUs on those platforms. The exception is a proprietary version of the NVidia drivers that can be installed on Linux which solves this problem. Someday (soon?) there will be more robust drivers. [The Windows drivers still have some areas that need improvement but they're sufficiently complete today.] Once again, FAH is on the cutting edge of technology, waiting on other people to supply the infrastructure they require to support solid science.
Although I might wait until a backup GPU assignment server is sorted out… I'm a complete newbie with GPUs, not a lot better with Linux, and I'd rather not have too many known potential unknowns all at the same time
bruce wrote:
The GPU drivers are the issue here. The default drivers in both Linux and OS-X don't provide a sufficiently robust version of OpenCL to support FAH on GPUs on those platforms.
This is beginning to get discouraging…
The exception is a proprietary version of the NVidia drivers that can be installed on Linux which solves this problem.
On my Ubuntu system, I just searched for drivers and downloaded the latest. For other distros, I don't know but the first thing I'd try is going to the NVidia download page.
(The open-source purists may object to proprietary drivers, but nobody can predict when the open-source drivers will support FAH so they have to make a tough choice.)
bruce wrote:On my Ubuntu system, I just searched for drivers and downloaded the latest. For other distros, I don't know but the first thing I'd try is going to the NVidia download page.
OK thanks, I'll go hunting.
(The open-source purists may object to proprietary drivers, but nobody can predict when the open-source drivers will support FAH so they have to make a tough choice.)
I'm a pragmatist, not a purist- open source is cheaper and doesn't tie me in (much) to how other people think I should use my computers
I got my NV-driver from here: https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-x-swat/+archive/x-updates
Once I had issue with downgrade and used a different semi-official PPA but can't remember the link right now (need to check later the box).
Original NV-web page-driver can be a bit more pain to install but works too.
And depend on the GPU version some versions of driver work better them others. Once you have a GPU decided let us know; we can suggest details.
I really like to fold with a ubuntu on my white boxes ... Kind of "fire and forget" with natural remote capabilities.
ChristianVirtual wrote:
And depend on the GPU version some versions of driver work better them others. Once you have a GPU decided let us know; we can suggest details.
Thanks, I suspect that will be one of several questions I'll be asking
I really like to fold with a ubuntu on my white boxes ... Kind of "fire and forget" with natural remote capabilities.
I tried Ubuntu, but for no reason I could quantify I didn't feel comfortable with it. Currently using Mint 16 which is Ubuntu based, though not sure if that helps with drivers etc.
Mint, just like Ubuntu, has a very easy driver installation. Just select additional drivers and enable them and you are good to go. However, during my Mint/Ubuntu GPU folding, the latest drivers worked wonderfully for GTX 660 Ti and GTX 650. However, I think that now the latest drivers may cause a performance loss on GPUs which aren't GTX 780 Ti so you may run into the possibility of uninstalling the latest drivers and installing an older version.
ETA:
Now ↞ Very Soon ↔ Soon ↔ Soon-ish ↔ Not Soon ↠ End Of Time
I've pretty much settled on a GTX 650 Ti (and an uprated PSU!), a Gigabyte version with 1032MHz core clock and 2GB memory, unless anyone thinks it would be a bad choice?
The only Linux drivers I can see on the NVidia site are the latest (331.20) and a legacy release (304.117), would the earlier one be a better bet?
I'm running 319.49 on my 660Ti and Ubuntu 13.04. Happy camper with that combination. The newer driver mostly gives you lower performance; based on experience. Try the earlier one.
Budget won't run to a 660Ti and the even more uprated PSU I'd need
I've downloaded a copy of the 304 driver (in case they change their mind and pull it ), I should be able to order the bits in a few days, that'll probably give me a while to install and play with it until the new client becomes available.
I don't think waiting for the new client is essential. GPU assignments have been handled by a single Assignment Server for many years and while getting an operational backup AS will be an important step forward, you can still get assignments a lot of the time in spite of the recent unreliability of the primary AS. To me, folding XX% of the time is better than folding 0% of the time, even if XX < 100.
bruce wrote:I don't think waiting for the new client is essential. GPU assignments have been handled by a single Assignment Server for many years and while getting an operational backup AS will be an important step forward, you can still get assignments a lot of the time in spite of the recent unreliability of the primary AS. To me, folding XX% of the time is better than folding 0% of the time, even if XX < 100.
I get the feeling that, if you could, you'd be leaning over my shoulder as I opened the box saying "Come on, get on with it then"
But it's a fair point and, as the new client is likely to include some other new bits and pieces, I'll probably have less unknowns to worry about if I stick with the current one for a while, even if the new one does become available.
billford wrote:I get the feeling that, if you could, you'd be leaning over my shoulder as I opened the box saying "Come on, get on with it then"
Point taken.
I've also lived through a lot of high priority client upgrades that didn't arrive as quickly as I would have liked and I guess my impatience is showing again. (This in no way is a prediction for the future ... just a historic observation.)
