OK. Let's start from the beginning, the launch could have gone alot better, there were bugs in it, and they are being ironed out as we speak, which is good. And hopefully it will get a whole lot better, DISCLAIMER: I have never run CUDA before, but, have tried to read as much as possible about it as I can!

I am running a Dell XPS M1530, I have downloaded the latest BIOS driver for said system. BIOS revision A12.

My Graphics Card is a Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT 256MB. I am running the apparent "current" Driver of 179.28.

My CPU is a Intel Core 2 Duo T9300 2.5 Ghz chip.

I am using BOINC Version 6.4.5 for Windows Vista 32-bit.

My Science application is 6.03, with AK V8 SSE3 AP+MB, it has run very successfully since installation.

I have my preferences set to Use 3 multiprocessors (2CPU+1CUDA)

BOINC recognizes a Coprocessor, so does the SETI@home page for my laptop. No crunching (that I know of) is being run by CUDA.

Let's start with the basics... and go from there.

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- Luke.

in order to run the AK V8 SSE3 for MB, your system had to add an instruction file that will not allow the cuda application, or any other new applications from seti@home to be downloaded. You will have to read more about it in the FAQ, and other posts as to fixing that issue. My personal experience with Seti's CUDA software was a once a day graphics card error that caused me to run back to the GPUGrid... I wasn't overheating, as my 9800 GT stayed well below 60 degrees and the system is stable with no overclocking... I would loose horizontal sync, and two or three work units would be closed due to client error... then it would be ok... It was fast! But not stable.

If it is anything like my experience, you can expect:

Poor performance from your GPU because it is starved for regular CPU cycles to manage it unless you keep one CPU idle.

Scheduler starves the GPU for workunits, and sometimes ends up running 3 non cuda workunits on your 2 CPUs.

Hundreds of computational errors until the quota kicks in and you can't get any more work at all.

Graphic driver restarts, snowy screens.

Back to back blue screens.

Frustration and a disabling of the GPU functionality until it is ready for prime time.

My advice would be to wait until the cuda apps are tested properly and ready for use.

Good luck

Boinc 6.4.5 and 6.6.0 (beta) and stock apps.
Core 2 Duo with GTX 280

If it is anything like my experience, you can expect:

Poor performance from your GPU because it is starved for regular CPU cycles to manage it unless you keep one CPU idle.

Scheduler starves the GPU for workunits, and sometimes ends up running 3 non cuda workunits on your 2 CPUs.

Hundreds of computational errors until the quota kicks in and you can't get any more work at all.

Graphic driver restarts, snowy screens.

Back to back blue screens.

Frustration and a disabling of the GPU functionality until it is ready for prime time.

My advice would be to wait until the cuda apps are tested properly and ready for use.

Good luck

Boinc 6.4.5 and 6.6.0 (beta) and stock apps.
Core 2 Duo with GTX 280

Please, don't give such comments if you not use latest CUDA app version.
6.08 doesn't give BSoDs or driver restarts. At least still no such reports for few days testing already. VLAR bug fixed already. Only poor performance with VLAR remains.

If it is anything like my experience, you can expect:

Poor performance from your GPU because it is starved for regular CPU cycles to manage it unless you keep one CPU idle.

Scheduler starves the GPU for workunits, and sometimes ends up running 3 non cuda workunits on your 2 CPUs.

Hundreds of computational errors until the quota kicks in and you can't get any more work at all.

Graphic driver restarts, snowy screens.

Back to back blue screens.

Frustration and a disabling of the GPU functionality until it is ready for prime time.

My advice would be to wait until the cuda apps are tested properly and ready for use.

Good luck

Boinc 6.4.5 and 6.6.0 (beta) and stock apps.
Core 2 Duo with GTX 280

Please, don't give such comments if you not use latest CUDA app version.
6.08 doesn't give BSoDs or driver restarts. At least still no such reports for few days testing already. VLAR bug fixed already. Only poor performance with VLAR remains.

Where does it say what cuda versions he is running?

I am only guessing here, but maybe where he was getting such poor performance with it, he is holding off on using it until cuda has been tested a lot further and is actually ready to be used in the mainstream after the majority of bugs with it have been worked out. Why would you tell someone not to post their comments/experiences with it? isn't it exactly those issues that help get the bugs fixed and make it a better application?

I am only guessing here, but maybe where he was getting such poor performance with it, he is holding off on using it until cuda has been tested a lot further and is actually ready to be used in the mainstream after the majority of bugs with it have been worked out. Why would you tell someone not to post their comments/experiences with it? isn't it exactly those issues that help get the bugs fixed and make it a better application?

Because bugs fixed. So this comment obsolete. That's why I suggest to learn current situation before do some negative posts. Any objections with that? Original question was about current experience if he will start CUDA now, not about how it was at beginning. So that comment is offtopic at least.

Most of us only have access to the OLD version WITH the bugs. When will a new version be available, and what steps will those of us with the inferior version have to take to update our programs, and start getting CUDA work units again?
I believe these are reasonable questions.

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I am running a Dell XPS M1530, I have downloaded the latest BIOS driver for said system. BIOS revision A12.

My Graphics Card is a Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT 256MB. I am running the apparent "current" Driver of 179.28.

My Science application is 6.03, with AK V8 SSE3 AP+MB, it has run very successfully since installation.

I have my preferences set to Use 3 multiprocessors (2CPU+1CUDA)

BOINC recognizes a Coprocessor, so does the SETI@home page for my laptop. No crunching (that I know of) is being run by CUDA.

Let's start with the basics... and go from there.

Is this a Laptop/Notebook? IF so, then you risk overheating. Notebooks weren't designed to run GPU at full tilt for 100% of time.

In the message log, what is the full line that shows CUDA device detection. Hopefully it doesn't say "emulation" anywhere. Just trying to verify that your graphics card is supported.

If you've setup BOINC to use the AK version, then you've got an app_info.xml in your SETI directory. You'll need to change/customize it to allow CUDA apps to be downloaded/run. That's not a trivial task, and is most likely the reason you're not running any CUDA WUs.

---

Mark

When will a new version be available

If all goes well, later today. David seems to be putting in the new scheduler at the moment.

and what steps will those of us with the inferior version have to take to update our programs, and start getting CUDA work units again?

Allow GPU to fetch work when available preference in project preferences should be set to yes (checked).
You should not be running an optimized Seti application (unless you adapted its app_info.xml file), or a modified by Raistmer application.
You should not have the <no_gpus>1</no_gpus> flag set in cc_config.xml under BOINC 6.5.0 or above.
BOINC should not be set to No New Tasks on Seti.

I can't think of anything else. ;-)
Meet all that and when the new application becomes available, upon the next work request for CUDA Seti should upload the new application to you automatically and start using it.

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Most of us only have access to the OLD version WITH the bugs.

All have access to latest stable build. Maybe not all want to do one single step to install it and prefer to wait until it will be automatically deployed, but it's not synonyms.

OK. Let's start from the beginning, the launch could have gone alot better, there were bugs in it, and they are being ironed out as we speak, which is good. And hopefully it will get a whole lot better, DISCLAIMER: I have never run CUDA before, but, have tried to read as much as possible about it as I can!

I am running a Dell XPS M1530, I have downloaded the latest BIOS driver for said system. BIOS revision A12.

My Graphics Card is a Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT 256MB. I am running the apparent "current" Driver of 179.28.

My CPU is a Intel Core 2 Duo T9300 2.5 Ghz chip.

I am using BOINC Version 6.4.5 for Windows Vista 32-bit.

My Science application is 6.03, with AK V8 SSE3 AP+MB, it has run very successfully since installation.

I have my preferences set to Use 3 multiprocessors (2CPU+1CUDA)

BOINC recognizes a Coprocessor, so does the SETI@home page for my laptop. No crunching (that I know of) is being run by CUDA.

Let's start with the basics... and go from there.

I have the same laptop, except mine is the Core 2 Duo T7250 @2.00Ghz.

My drivers are the 174.31, and I cant update as Dell don't have any newer and if I try to use Nvidia ones it just says I have to use Dell, where did you get them and are the CUDA drivers because the 174.31's are not.

Does this app CUDA-Z work and report CUDA 1.0?

I am sure I read somewhere that the "M" cards would not run CUDA sucsessfully, perhaps someone more versed can give an opinion. I know my laptop currently runs quite cool and it is on mostly 24/7, but perhaps CUDA would be a bit over the top.

Bernie

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My drivers are the 174.31, and I cant update as Dell don't have any newer and if I try to use Nvidia ones it just says I have to use Dell, where did you get them and are the CUDA drivers because the 174.31's are not.

What if you try Nvidia's Notebook Drivers?

---

Hi!
This Might be a tiny bit strange ...but...

i Recently upgraded my gpu to an Ati 4850, from an Nvidia 8500.
Now i see that the newest boinc is cuda-enabled. i have two pci-e x16 slots so can i use my old nvidia to just do cuda crunching? At least until Ati/amd gets their thumbs out with their Stream?

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can i use my old nvidia to just do cuda crunching?

Yes and no. Because of a bug you can only use it to crunch Seti CUDA with if it is the primary card. If it is the secondary card and your ATI card is the primary card, this bug prevents the card from being detected correctly. The developers are looking into this.

At least until Ati/amd gets their thumbs out with their Stream?

They won't give support on porting over the applications and such, so you'll be waiting quite a bit longer still.

---

My drivers are the 174.31, and I cant update as Dell don't have any newer and if I try to use Nvidia ones it just says I have to use Dell, where did you get them and are the CUDA drivers because the 174.31's are not.

What if you try Nvidia's Notebook Drivers?

Thank you, I never even knew that existed!! Yet I visit the site often for drivers for my main machine.

Bernie

---

I am running a Dell XPS M1530, I have downloaded the latest BIOS driver for said system. BIOS revision A12.

My Graphics Card is a Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT 256MB. I am running the apparent "current" Driver of 179.28.

My Science application is 6.03, with AK V8 SSE3 AP+MB, it has run very successfully since installation.

I have my preferences set to Use 3 multiprocessors (2CPU+1CUDA)

BOINC recognizes a Coprocessor, so does the SETI@home page for my laptop. No crunching (that I know of) is being run by CUDA.

Let's start with the basics... and go from there.

Is this a Laptop/Notebook? IF so, then you risk overheating. Notebooks weren't designed to run GPU at full tilt for 100% of time.

In the message log, what is the full line that shows CUDA device detection. Hopefully it doesn't say "emulation" anywhere. Just trying to verify that your graphics card is supported.

If you've setup BOINC to use the AK version, then you've got an app_info.xml in your SETI directory. You'll need to change/customize it to allow CUDA apps to be downloaded/run. That's not a trivial task, and is most likely the reason you're not running any CUDA WUs.

It is a Laptop....

Just another question: What happens to be the current CPU Multibeam Science Application? I run AK V8 MB & AP. Science Application 6.03...

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- Luke.

Just another question: What happens to be the current CPU Multibeam Science Application? I run AK V8 MB & AP. Science Application 6.03...

I'm running 6.08. Welcome to the world of wonders and excitement :)

F.

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Just another question: What happens to be the current CPU Multibeam Science Application? I run AK V8 MB & AP. Science Application 6.03...

1) AK V8 is not 6.03 - so you reference on science app 6.03 probably only means you have 6.03 in app_info.xml.
2) Unfortunately, you can't run both CPU and GPU MB on the same host now, but surely you can continue to run opt AP with CUDA MB.

My experience with CUDA has been HEAT & lots of it, I have a new system with a 1 gig geforce 8500 GT. that ran at about 55C b4 CUDA, with CUDA it runs as hot as 71C. So I have to keep the sidecover off & cool my machine with a window fan!
This keeps it down to about 63 C. So i will finish the 80 Cuda tasks I downloaded, then I'm turning CUDA off! Maybe they will come out with a new app that wont be so hard on my video card. Then maybe I'll try again.

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My experience with CUDA has been HEAT & lots of it, I have a new system with a 1 gig geforce 8500 GT. that ran at about 55C b4 CUDA, with CUDA it runs as hot as 71C. So I have to keep the sidecover off & cool my machine with a window fan!
This keeps it down to about 63 C. So i will finish the 80 Cuda tasks I downloaded, then I'm turning CUDA off! Maybe they will come out with a new app that wont be so hard on my video card. Then maybe I'll try again.

LoL :) If it will "not so hard with your video card" it will be slow. Pretty paradoxic wish indeed ;)