I have a dell inspiron 545 with an intel quad core CPU Q8300 @ 2.50Ghz installed memory 8GB, running Windows 7 64 bit. Graphics Nvidia GT 220 1Gb memory, latest driver updated a week ago. I've been noticing instability (repeated temporary graphics shut down and restore a few seconds later)in my system which only began after updating Nvidia graphics driver for the first time two months ago.
Stability is regained if i suspend all boinc projects.
Can i exclude the Graphics GPU from seti projects, and if so how please? Do you think this may be the correct solution?
Kind regards, AJR. UK.

Can i exclude the Graphics GPU from seti projects, and if so how please?

Yes, there's a setting in BOINC manager to never use the GPU (I believe:-) and you can disable using the GPU on a per-project level (in the SETI@home preferences for instance).

Do you think this may be the correct solution?

No. ;-)

Preferably, you should see if the problem is caused by overheating (check fan speed settings) or driver version.

Gruß,
Gundolf

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Computer sind nicht alles im Leben. (Kleiner Scherz)

SETI@home classic workunits 3,758
SETI@home classic CPU time 66,520 hours

Can i exclude the Graphics GPU from seti projects, and if so how please?

Yes, there's a setting in BOINC manager to never use the GPU (I believe :-) and you can disable using the GPU on a per-project level (in the SETI@home preferences for instance).

Unfortunately there is no such setting in BOINC Manager 6.10.58 (only "Don't use GPU while active").

Disabling GPU from SETI@home preferences will disable in the future receiving new SETI@home tasks for GPU,
but the GPU tasks already in the computer have to be Aborted (if that is the wish of Andrew - to not do any GPU computing).

@Andrew
You can use cc_config.xml:
http://boinc.berkeley.edu/wiki/Client_configuration
http://www.boinc-wiki.info/Cc_config.xml
http://boincfaq.mundayweb.com/index.php?language=1&view=91

<no_gpus>0|1</no_gpus>
If 1, don't use GPUs even if they're present. (+ New in BOINC 6.6+)

<cc_config>
   <options>
      <no_gpus>1</no_gpus>
   </options>
</cc_config>

P.S.
Maybe the PSU of Dell computers is too weak for full load of CPU+GPU?
Do you have problems when running some very heavy 3D game?

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- ALF - "Find out what you don't do well ..... then don't do it!" :)
 

I have a dell inspiron 545 with an intel quad core CPU Q8300 @ 2.50Ghz installed memory 8GB, running Windows 7 64 bit. Graphics Nvidia GT 220 1Gb memory, latest driver updated a week ago. I've been noticing instability (repeated temporary graphics shut down and restore a few seconds later)in my system which only began after updating Nvidia graphics driver for the first time two months ago.
Stability is regained if i suspend all boinc projects.
Can i exclude the Graphics GPU from seti projects, and if so how please? Do you think this may be the correct solution?
Kind regards, AJR. UK.

The newest Nvida driver (270.61) is using CUDA 4.0 to deal with the GPU Workunits, this caused my machine to crash, try the driver (266.58) that should work better even whith the GT 220.

http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=63858

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