Can I use my GTX 680 with my old GTX 285? Optimized apps?

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Message 1324144 - Posted: 3 Jan 2013, 15:54:26 UTC

Hi everyone,

I replaced my old GTX 285 in May with a GTX 680. The 285 has been sitting collecting dust since then and I was pondering putting it back in the computer as a PhysX coprocessor for gaming.

I was wondering if there are any issues with this setup for running BOINC (on Windows 7 x64). Will it recognize the two cards and run WUs on them automatically? Are there problems running the two different architectures side-by-side?

Finally, are there any easy-to-install optimized apps available for Seti that will help with:
1) CPU crunching on my i7 2600k,
2) GPU crunching with the GTX 680 alone,
and 3) GPU crunching in the event I can use the GTX 285 alongside the GTX 680?

My only experience with optimized apps thus far is the Lunatics stuff and, as everyone probably knows already, they're unavailable on Windows right now thanks to licensing issues.
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Message 1324158 - Posted: 3 Jan 2013, 16:38:48 UTC
Last modified: 3 Jan 2013, 16:41:04 UTC

BOINC may or may not want to use both by default. Sometimes it is required to tell BOINC to use all GPU's in the system. You can also tell it to specifically not use a GPU if you would not like it to. All of those options can be set using the parameters in the cc_config.xml, see Client Config, which does not exist by default.

The only issues I would see with using both is that the 200 series cards don't really handle running more than one task at a time. Where your 600 card can run 2 or 3 at once. BOINC does not current have an option to configure app instance per specific device. Only per device type.
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Message 1324165 - Posted: 3 Jan 2013, 16:43:01 UTC

Since you are running stock apps, you can easily put both cards in and use them.

Make certain that your PSU is up to the task though. You will want at least a 850 watt PSU.

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Message 1324529 - Posted: 4 Jan 2013, 10:31:43 UTC

The main problem is with optimizing.....
200 series don't work with trying to run multiple threads per GPU. Higher series sometimes benefit from that and get better loading. That is probably the biggest roadblock.

The apps that work best for the newer cards do not work as well for older generations. You could use the best app for the newer card to optimize it, but you still would not be able to run more than one WU per card.

In my 9 rigs, I have grouped old with old and new with new, so I run different apps and setups on them to work best with what they have onboard.
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Message 1324542 - Posted: 4 Jan 2013, 11:32:34 UTC
Last modified: 4 Jan 2013, 11:32:45 UTC

For better optimizing, look a Vypers site:

http://vyper.kafit.se/wp/index.php/2011/02/04/running-different-nvidia-architectures-most-optimal-at-setihome/

He teach how to run 2 instances of boinc in the same host, so you could make each instance optimized to your kind of GPU. This could avoid the problem related my msattler.

Take a close look, that works and will squizze a lot of more power from your host.
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Message 1324606 - Posted: 4 Jan 2013, 15:33:35 UTC
Last modified: 4 Jan 2013, 15:33:45 UTC

Perfect, thanks for the tips on using the two cards together - I think I understand what needs to be done.


Any ideas on optimized apps for me? Like I said, the only ones I'm familiar with are Lunatics and they're not available at the moment (boo). The only other ones in the optimized apps thread seem to be for different OS/arch combinations.
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Message 1324687 - Posted: 4 Jan 2013, 20:18:42 UTC - in response to Message 1324606.  

Perfect, thanks for the tips on using the two cards together - I think I understand what needs to be done.


Any ideas on optimized apps for me? Like I said, the only ones I'm familiar with are Lunatics and they're not available at the moment (boo). The only other ones in the optimized apps thread seem to be for different OS/arch combinations.

Jason has posted the latest x41zc Cuda apps on his download site,

http://jgopt.org/index.html

For the GTX680 you'll want to run the Cuda5 app preferably, with the Cuda42 app as second choice, and Cuda32 third,
for the GTX285 you'll want to run the Cuda23 app with the Cuda32 app as 2nd choice,
But with drivers later than 301.xx the Cuda32 and Cuda42 apps get a big slowdown, so really you'll want to stick to the Cuda23 app which isn't effected,
But the Cuda23 app is not compatible with Fermi or Keplars so it might refuse to run if it detects one, even if you run two Boinc's,
So you might have to stick with 301.42 drivers and run the Cuda42 for the Keplar and the Cuda32 app for the GTX285

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Message 1324710 - Posted: 4 Jan 2013, 21:35:06 UTC - in response to Message 1324687.  
Last modified: 4 Jan 2013, 21:36:07 UTC

Perfect, thanks for the tips on using the two cards together - I think I understand what needs to be done.


Any ideas on optimized apps for me? Like I said, the only ones I'm familiar with are Lunatics and they're not available at the moment (boo). The only other ones in the optimized apps thread seem to be for different OS/arch combinations.

Jason has posted the latest x41zc Cuda apps on his download site,

http://jgopt.org/index.html

For the GTX680 you'll want to run the Cuda5 app preferably, with the Cuda42 app as second choice, and Cuda32 third,
for the GTX285 you'll want to run the Cuda23 app with the Cuda32 app as 2nd choice,
But with drivers later than 301.xx the Cuda32 and Cuda42 apps get a big slowdown, so really you'll want to stick to the Cuda23 app which isn't effected,
But the Cuda23 app is not compatible with Fermi or Keplars so it might refuse to run if it detects one, even if you run two Boinc's,
So you might have to stick with 301.42 drivers and run the Cuda42 for the Keplar and the Cuda32 app for the GTX285

Claggy

I'm running Cuda5 on the GTX590 12/7, the driver is 306.97 x64 under Win7 Pro.
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Message boards : Number crunching : Can I use my GTX 680 with my old GTX 285? Optimized apps?


 
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