Message boards :
Number crunching :
BOINC as a service and GPU
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Author | Message |
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Belthazor Send message Joined: 6 Apr 00 Posts: 219 Credit: 10,373,795 RAC: 13 |
I have a PC, but often I haven't direct access to it, so BOINC was installed as a service. Because of it, BOINC doesn't found a GPU processor out. It is rather vexing that that GPU is wasting. Might be there any way out? |
Dave Stegner Send message Joined: 20 Oct 04 Posts: 540 Credit: 65,583,328 RAC: 27 |
Boinc as a service runs fine with GPU. Which of your machines are you speaking of? Dave |
Belthazor Send message Joined: 6 Apr 00 Posts: 219 Credit: 10,373,795 RAC: 13 |
Boinc as a service runs fine with GPU. When there was BOINC standart installation, GPU was ok. Somebody on this forum told me that GPU doesn't supported when BOINC runs as a service. And really, now when it checking hardware after starting, compatible GPU doesn't founded. Which of your machines are you speaking of? http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/show_host_detail.php?hostid=5737901 |
Dave Stegner Send message Joined: 20 Oct 04 Posts: 540 Credit: 65,583,328 RAC: 27 |
From your application details, it looks like you ran some cuda (gpu) at one point in time. I would go here: http://lunatics.kwsn.net/index.php?module=Downloads;sa=dlview;id=284 Download the Lunatics unified installer and run it. What kind of GPU do you have? Dave |
Raistmer Send message Joined: 16 Jun 01 Posts: 6325 Credit: 106,370,077 RAC: 121 |
"Microsoft Windows 7 " AFAIK GPU not supported in service mode for this OS. It supported for WinXP and Windows 2003 server. |
LadyL Send message Joined: 14 Sep 11 Posts: 1679 Credit: 5,230,097 RAC: 0 |
Under Vista/Win7 service (aka protected execution) installs will not recognise the GPU - something to do with how windows organises what's allowed what. Under XP AND Boinc version prior to 6.12.38 GPUs will run on service installs. So if you've installed BOINC as a service under XP don't upgrade past 6.12.37, because that has http://boinc.berkeley.edu/trac/changeset/24273. Unless whatever ATI buggered up this time gets fixed and that changeset revoked and the stuff backported/updated in some future 6.12 version. Sorry Anthony, if you want to use the GPU, you can't install as a service under Win7. If you can only install as service, the GPU can't be used. @ Dave Stegner: It doesn't matter what apps you throw on the host (stock or Optimised) if the GPUs aren't recognised in the first place. Anthony explained that he had the GPU working when it was a normal (non-service) install. |
Belthazor Send message Joined: 6 Apr 00 Posts: 219 Credit: 10,373,795 RAC: 13 |
It's so pity! My hopes were that something was change in that point. Am I understand rightly, than next versions of BOINC predetermined will not help me? |
LadyL Send message Joined: 14 Sep 11 Posts: 1679 Credit: 5,230,097 RAC: 0 |
If I understood correctly, it's a Windows thing, not a BOINC thing. Something to do with privileges prgrams get iirc. boinc as a service simply doesn't get access rights to the GPU, so nothing that could be done in newer boinc versions. Sombody correct me please if that is wrong - I'm neither omniscient nor do I speak ex cathedra. |
OzzFan Send message Joined: 9 Apr 02 Posts: 15691 Credit: 84,761,841 RAC: 28 |
The video drivers were moved out of the Windows kernel space and into the user space. As such, the video drivers are not loaded until the user logs in. Because of this, BOINC cannot crunch on the video card without the video driver loaded. This is not something BOINC can fix, this is a Windows thing. By moving the video drivers out of the kernel space, it allows Windows to be more stable so that a video driver crash does not bring down the entire system due to it not running in the kernel space. |
Belthazor Send message Joined: 6 Apr 00 Posts: 219 Credit: 10,373,795 RAC: 13 |
So BOINC can start with CPU only, and lately mount GPU after user will log on. Why not? |
Raistmer Send message Joined: 16 Jun 01 Posts: 6325 Credit: 106,370,077 RAC: 121 |
So BOINC can start with CPU only, and lately mount GPU after user will log on. Why not? This should involve interaction between service profile and user session. Not sure that it technically possible for service, to hook into user session. Windows just doesn't provide access to needed driver part perhaps. Also, it will prevent to use GPU even when user logged on via RDP - windows substitudes some generic video driver (that provides console I/O redirection to network) instead of GPUs driver. Actually both these problems can be solved if driver manufacturers will not mark driver as video driver. AFAIK NV did this for their Tesla driver support. Try to search internet, maybe some hackers already fit those drivers to ordinary GPUs.... But I didn't hear that AMD provide anything like this. |
OzzFan Send message Joined: 9 Apr 02 Posts: 15691 Credit: 84,761,841 RAC: 28 |
So BOINC can start with CPU only, and lately mount GPU after user will log on. Why not? That's a good question. Perhaps we could ask the BOINC developers to add in a routine that periodically checks for the existence of a video driver and then start running GPU tasks. Though I suspect that this can cause tremendous scheduling issues. For example, if a user doesn't log into a machine for three days, tasks marked as GPU won't get crunched and could run the risk of missing deadlines. This could be solved by adding yet another stat such as "Amount of time GPU is available for crunching", but I imagine that adding another layer of complexity might only confuse people who already don't understand how BOINC works and insist on pushing more buttons to make it work the way they want it to. |
LadyL Send message Joined: 14 Sep 11 Posts: 1679 Credit: 5,230,097 RAC: 0 |
So BOINC can start with CPU only, and lately mount GPU after user will log on. Why not? Already there (since 6.12.x iirc) <time_stats> <on_frac>xxx</on_frac> <connected_frac>xxx</connected_frac> <active_frac>xxx</active_frac> <gpu_active_frac>xxx</gpu_active_frac> <last_update>xxx</last_update> </time_stats> |
OzzFan Send message Joined: 9 Apr 02 Posts: 15691 Credit: 84,761,841 RAC: 28 |
So then I guess all that's left is to add code to BOINC to routinely check for the presence of a proper OpenCL video driver. |
ML1 Send message Joined: 25 Nov 01 Posts: 20283 Credit: 7,508,002 RAC: 20 |
... If I understood correctly, it's a Windows thing, not a BOINC thing. On most Linux distros, Boinc normally installs as a service and runs fine, including for GPU use for those projects that support your GPU. Try taking a look? Happy fast crunchin', Martin See new freedom: Mageia Linux Take a look for yourself: Linux Format The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3) |
Jord Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 15184 Credit: 4,362,181 RAC: 3 |
On most Linux distros, Boinc normally installs as a service and runs fine, including for GPU use for those projects that support your GPU. Perhaps so with the Berkeley installer, but not when installed from repositories, unless you configure the OS extra. Only nVidia GPUs are doable, the ATI GPUs have so far eluded all attempts to get them working with BOINC as a daemon. |
ML1 Send message Joined: 25 Nov 01 Posts: 20283 Credit: 7,508,002 RAC: 20 |
On most Linux distros, Boinc normally installs as a service and runs fine, including for GPU use for those projects that support your GPU. Are you sure you're not thinking "Windows"?... When last I looked for (K)Ubuntu, Mandriva, Mageia, Sabayon, Gentoo, the repositories for each of those distros had Boinc nicely packaged to run as a daemon ("service"). Note that the version of Boinc for those for GPU working likely only works for nVidia GPUs... Usual config file hack needed for s@h for GPU working. Other projects are automatically supported. Please let me know if you know different and for when. Happy crunchin', Martin See new freedom: Mageia Linux Take a look for yourself: Linux Format The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3) |
Jord Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 15184 Credit: 4,362,181 RAC: 3 |
I have my sources... and they tell me: GPU detection always works when BOINC is installed by the Berkeley installer. The reason is Berkeley installer installs BOINC on your personal account therefore BOINC runs on your personal account. That works because all regular users have access to the X-session which is the session the video and CUDA drivers run in. (BTW, X is not a variable/unknown in this case, X is the name of the video sub-system. Anything to do with graphics runs on top of X. If you boot to a CLI then you don't need to start X, a more primitive video sub-system is sufficient and lowers overhead.) |
Khangollo Send message Joined: 1 Aug 00 Posts: 245 Credit: 36,410,524 RAC: 0 |
You can easily run cuda applications with *no* X server running and that under a separate account, too. All you need to do is to LOAD the nvidia kernel module manually (or put it into init script): nvidia-smi -pm 1 No X-session necessary or anything. Just original nvidia drivers (which require basic X11 libs to be installed, IIRC also kernel-devel packages). |
John McLeod VII Send message Joined: 15 Jul 99 Posts: 24806 Credit: 790,712 RAC: 0 |
So BOINC can start with CPU only, and lately mount GPU after user will log on. Why not? It is possible, for the service to interact with the user session. However it is a thorough pain and involves leaving the service with full system rights (including a couple that are not normal for administrators). BOINC WIKI |
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