Folding Forum

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

Understood.

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.

Where/how does one get these drivers?

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.

In my Windows setups (W7 and XP), the GTX 780 Ti required 33x drivers to run.

The GTX 780 would fold on both 32x and 33x drivers, with the same PPD.

Everything else I have (GTX 460 - GTX 660 Ti) would fold on 33x drivers, but took a huge PPD hit.

Current drivers used for max PPD
XP, GTX 660 Ti- 327.23
W7, GTX 460, GT 640, GTX 660 Ti- 320.49
W7, GTX 780 Ti- 331.82

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.

I get around 65kPPD on project 8900; TPF 5:31

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.

Then I'll be back with more questions, I'm sure

Many thanks to all for the help and advice.

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.)

bruce wrote: Point taken.

No worries, it just struck me as amusing... but then, I've often been accused of having a very odd sense of humour at times

And a kick up the backside is a good antidote to vacillation, which I'm sometimes prone to when starting something new to me.