How can I optimize this to complete projects faster?

Carl Brown
Carl Brown
Joined: 27 Sep 07
Posts: 2
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Topic 196517

I just started back with the Einstein@home. I would like to do as much as I can with my computer.
Are the benchmarks results where they should be for what I have? How can I change my settings to improve performance?

CPU type

GenuineIntel
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3820 CPU @ 3.60GHz [Family 6 Model 45 Stepping 7]

Number of processors

8

Coprocessors

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 (4095MB) driver: 30479

Operating System

Microsoft Windows 7
Professional x64 Edition, Service Pack 1, (06.01.7601.00)

BOINC client version

7.0.28

Memory

16360.37 MB

Cache

256 KB

Measured floating point speed

3525.62 million ops/sec

Measured integer speed

12415.46 million ops/sec

Average upload rate

24.37 KB/sec

Average download rate

984.58 KB/sec

Average turnaround time

0.15 days

Maximum daily WU quota per CPU

32/day

Logforme
Logforme
Joined: 13 Aug 10
Posts: 332
Credit: 1714373961
RAC: 0

How can I optimize this to complete projects faster?

First of all you should run more than one workunit at a time on your powerful GPU. Set this up on this web page:http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/prefs.php?subset=project. Set the "GPU utilization factor of BRP apps" to 0.5 for 2 simultaneous WUs, 0.33 for 3 and 0.25 for 4. You will have to experiment to find which works best for you.

Also make sure you have enough CPU power reserved to feed your GPU. I have 8 processors (actually 4 cores with hyper threading). I reserve 3 of the "processors" to feed the 3 GPU WUs I run simultaneously (and to make the machine somewhat usable). You set up this in the BOINC manager menu "Tools - Computing preferences", in the "On multiprocessor systems, use at most x % ..." field. Again, experiment to find the level that suits you.

Fred J. Verster
Fred J. Verster
Joined: 27 Apr 08
Posts: 118
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RE: First of all you should

Quote:

First of all you should run more than one workunit at a time on your powerful GPU. Set this up on this web page:http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/prefs.php?subset=project. Set the "GPU utilization factor of BRP apps" to 0.5 for 2 simultaneous WUs, 0.33 for 3 and 0.25 for 4. You will have to experiment to find which works best for you.

Also make sure you have enough CPU power reserved to feed your GPU. I have 8 processors (actually 4 cores with hyper threading). I reserve 3 of the "processors" to feed the 3 GPU WUs I run simultaneously (and to make the machine somewhat usable). You set up this in the BOINC manager menu "Tools - Computing preferences", in the "On multiprocessor systems, use at most x % ..." field. Again, experiment to find the level that suits you.

In most cases even on High End GPUs running more then 2 makes little
sense, not much gain. Besides they'll also run hotter, GPU load is higher.
And when running 2 you'll have 'free' 1 CPU core(or 2 threads;HT).
Einstein does need 0.5CPU + 1 or 0.5/0.33(etc.) GPU.

When 2 or 4 E@h WUs are running on my ATI(5870s), 1 CPU core is fully used
by EINSTEIN, regardless of the CPU-% setting in BOINC 'feeding' the GPU(s).
(SETI needs 1 cores (out of 4)atleast on ATI GPU, cause processing Time_Limit_Exceeded(a SERVER-side setting) stopped the computation, resulting in a failliar).

In other, shorter words, I'd run 2. (On GTX480 & 470 and 2 HD5780 GPUs)
On all FERMIs/KEPPLERs with >12 Compute Units/Cores. (x32 gives # of CUDA cores;High End FERMIs, IMHO)

Carl Brown
Carl Brown
Joined: 27 Sep 07
Posts: 2
Credit: 33167
RAC: 0

Thanks guys

Thanks guys

Fred J. Verster
Fred J. Verster
Joined: 27 Apr 08
Posts: 118
Credit: 22451438
RAC: 0

RE: Would you run more than

Quote:
Would you run more than two on a GTX670 superclocked? I switched my settings to .5 as the first post suggested. The temperature on my GPU is stable at 76c right now. I am wondering if anyone in the community has the same GPU... perhaps they could tell me what they are doing.

No, not even on a GTX480/580/680 I would not run more then 2 WUs!
Running more gives more room for errors, GPU gets hotter, more CPU FLOPS
are needed to load and unload(writing output file{s}checkpointing,etc.).

I did notice increase in power consumption resulting in extra heat and
, also more constant and high GPU load! (~95%). PCIe bus traffic also increases.

(@ SETI@home people compained about the drop in performence using the latest
drivers, > 300.xx. 290.xx series with the 'sleep-bug'. I still use 275.33).

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