Why only 3 CPU's with Core 2 Quad CPU?

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dillin02

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Message 915781 - Posted: 8 Jul 2009, 18:19:49 UTC

Sorry if this topic has already been covered. I looked but could not find it.

I am running a Core 2 Quad Q9400 @2.66 CPU.

Boinc says that my preferences are set to limit it to 3 CPU's. Why is that? I want it to use all of them. Preferences has no option for setting number of CPU's.

Also, In my task window. The task's that are working under the status pane say "working (0.11 CPUs, 1 CUDA) Could anyone please axplain?

I don't know if I F'd up something or this is normal.

Dillin
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Message 915783 - Posted: 8 Jul 2009, 18:31:10 UTC - in response to Message 915781.  

Sorry if this topic has already been covered. I looked but could not find it.

I am running a Core 2 Quad Q9400 @2.66 CPU.

Boinc says that my preferences are set to limit it to 3 CPU's. Why is that? I want it to use all of them. Preferences has no option for setting number of CPU's.

Also, In my task window. The task's that are working under the status pane say "working (0.11 CPUs, 1 CUDA) Could anyone please axplain?

I don't know if I F'd up something or this is normal.

Dillin


Have you checked your account settings on the website here?
Under "When and how BOINC uses your computer"
Find
"On multiprocessors, use at most"
Make sure it's set to.
100 % of the processors

Also check the settings by going to Advanced > Prefs on the BOINC client.
Then on the "processor usage" tab check "On multiprocessors, use at most x% of the processors" setting there too.
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Richard Haselgrove Project Donor
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Message 915785 - Posted: 8 Jul 2009, 18:38:12 UTC - in response to Message 915781.  

You need to tell us which version of BOINC.
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dillin02

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Message 915786 - Posted: 8 Jul 2009, 18:40:36 UTC

Thank you Hal.

Any ideas on the (0.11 CPUs, 1 CUDA) thing?

Dillin
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dillin02

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Message 915788 - Posted: 8 Jul 2009, 18:44:46 UTC

Sorry,

Running Vista HP 64 bit. Boinc 6.6.36. GeForce 9800 GT Cuda card w/ latest driver.

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Message 915790 - Posted: 8 Jul 2009, 18:47:33 UTC - in response to Message 915786.  
Last modified: 8 Jul 2009, 18:48:39 UTC

Thank you Hal.

Any ideas on the (0.11 CPUs, 1 CUDA) thing?

Dillin


You have a video/graphic card in your PC that is capable of running CUDA tasks, which run on the GPU in your video card, not on your CPU. So it's taking up part of one CPU (.11 or about 10%) and all of the GPU to run a work unit (WU).

This is normal for a CUDA WU from the GPUGRID project.

As mentioned earlier, be sure your CPU and Multiprocessor preferences are set to 100%, and you should be running 4 CPU based (normal) WU and 1 CUDA WU on your C2Q.

Mark
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dillin02

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Message 915794 - Posted: 8 Jul 2009, 18:54:59 UTC

Thank you very much Mark.

I am glad to hear that all is normal. I did have the % of CPU set to 95%. Not sure how that happened. Once I set it to 100% all was good.

Thank you to all that helped.

You can all now continue crunching. :)

Dillin
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Message 915802 - Posted: 8 Jul 2009, 19:10:04 UTC - in response to Message 915786.  

Thank you Hal.

Any ideas on the (0.11 CPUs, 1 CUDA) thing?

Dillin


I am in advanced view.
Then I goto the tasks tab.
Highlight the cuda wu.
Select properties.
The window displays for Resources "0.01 CPUs, 1 CUDA"

I'd guess the 0.01 CPUs might be based on the GPU in some way, or maybe that value is based on the WU. the system I jsut looked at is using a GF8500GT


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Message 915804 - Posted: 8 Jul 2009, 19:16:50 UTC - in response to Message 915790.  

Thank you Hal.

Any ideas on the (0.11 CPUs, 1 CUDA) thing?

Dillin


You have a video/graphic card in your PC that is capable of running CUDA tasks, which run on the GPU in your video card, not on your CPU. So it's taking up part of one CPU (.11 or about 10%) and all of the GPU to run a work unit (WU).

This is normal for a CUDA WU from the GPUGRID project.

As mentioned earlier, be sure your CPU and Multiprocessor preferences are set to 100%, and you should be running 4 CPU based (normal) WU and 1 CUDA WU on your C2Q.

Mark


Ah that's that that bugger is. I hadn't really had the time to find out exactly what that is. Given that it's the CPU usage guess lower is better then for the "0.01 CPUs" bit then.
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dillin02

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Message 915806 - Posted: 8 Jul 2009, 19:26:03 UTC

You have all been very kind for helping.
So, to abuse your kindness I ask one more question.
If my CPU is being used to crunch WU's at 10% each and the rest of the WU to be crunched by the CUDA. Why do I only crunch 5 WU's at a time? Seems to me that should be 10 WU's

I am sure someone who knows way more then me can answer this but I am confused.

Thanks again for all your help,

Dillin
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Message 915807 - Posted: 8 Jul 2009, 19:30:06 UTC - in response to Message 915806.  
Last modified: 8 Jul 2009, 19:30:39 UTC

You have all been very kind for helping.
So, to abuse your kindness I ask one more question.
If my CPU is being used to crunch WU's at 10% each and the rest of the WU to be crunched by the CUDA. Why do I only crunch 5 WU's at a time? Seems to me that should be 10 WU's

I am sure someone who knows way more then me can answer this but I am confused.

Thanks again for all your help,

Dillin


I think that means is that 10% of your CPU cycles were being used for handeling CUDA. With you processing 5 wu's now that number might change.
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Message 915815 - Posted: 8 Jul 2009, 19:51:44 UTC - in response to Message 915807.  

Hal had it right. When the project sent out the GPU based WU, it estimated that it would use about 10% of a CPU to help run that WU. For the "normal" CPU based workunits, probably coming from a project like SETI, they each will use 100% of a CPU or core. So when you see 5 WU's running, you should be running 4 CPU based WUs, and 1 GPU/CUDA based WU.

Based on that slight overhead in the CUDA WU, I typically do run my Q6600 @ 80% multiprocessor utilization. This allows my box to run 3 CPU-based WU and 1 GPU based WU, and leaves some time for the real user of the box (me!) to do things on the screen as well.

To fully cover every possibility, be aware that some BOINC projects, like AQUA@home, now have a multi-threaded application, which can use multiple CPUs for one WU. So those will show up as (3 CPU's, 0 CUDA), and so you'll see only 2 or 3 WU running on a quad processor machine.

Mark
Mark

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Message boards : Number crunching : Why only 3 CPU's with Core 2 Quad CPU?


 
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