@Pre-FERMI nVidia GPU users: Important warning

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Ulrich Metzner
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Message 1583474 - Posted: 8 Oct 2014, 14:56:08 UTC - in response to Message 1583466.  
Last modified: 8 Oct 2014, 15:06:13 UTC

(...)
Trouble is, I have never had anything but pain when it comes to downgrading video card drivers. I do not want to downgrade just for this. Is there a way to stop using the GPU for AP tasks while still allowing it to be used for S@H?

As i see, you are running anonymous platform, this is easy to accomplish.
Simply remove the Nvidia AP application(s) from your app_info.xml and restart BOINC.

[edit]
Although, i would - no, i did - downgrade the driver to version 337.88, which is working fine.

[edit2]
If you decide to downgrade, make sure, you tick the "New Installation" checkbox in the installer.
Aloha, Uli

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Richard Haselgrove Project Donor
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Message 1583480 - Posted: 8 Oct 2014, 15:05:31 UTC - in response to Message 1583466.  

I am running a 9800GT and the Nvidia 340.52 drivers. I noticed three AP tasks that quickly errored out when using the GPU. My normal S@H tasks seem to be working fine. So it seems I have the problem that is described in this thread.

Trouble is, I have never had anything but pain when it comes to downgrading video card drivers. I do not want to downgrade just for this. Is there a way to stop using the GPU for AP tasks while still allowing it to be used for S@H?

For you (running optimised applications): remove the AP/NV section from your app_info.xml file, or re-run the installer without selecting the AP/NV section - rather depends how you installed the apps in the first place.

For everyone else (running stock applications): if you only have a 9800GT or similar vintage card, AP work shouldn't be allocated by the server (though we can only test that for AP v7 once new work has been split). If you have a mixture of old and new cards, you should exclude AP work from the older card manually, using cc_config.xml

I've been upgrading and downgrading between a 337 and 340 series driver under Windows7/64 to test this. Doesn't seem to be a major headache: for downgrading, use the 'Programs and Features' control panel to uninstall the "NVIDIA Graphics Driver 340.xx" - just the single top-level entry, don't need to do anything with the other sub-components. Reboot at end. Wait for system to settle down after reboot (may try to find a replacement driver - give it time), then install the older driver as normal. Will require a second reboot, so allow plenty of time, but only one 'uninstall' and one 'install' step seem to be needed.
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Message 1583824 - Posted: 9 Oct 2014, 6:25:48 UTC - in response to Message 1583480.  
Last modified: 9 Oct 2014, 6:56:43 UTC

...I've been upgrading and downgrading between a 337 and 340 series driver under Windows7/64 to test this. Doesn't seem to be a major headache: for downgrading, use the 'Programs and Features' control panel to uninstall the "NVIDIA Graphics Driver 340.xx" - just the single top-level entry, don't need to do anything with the other sub-components. Reboot at end. Wait for system to settle down after reboot (may try to find a replacement driver - give it time), then install the older driver as normal. Will require a second reboot, so allow plenty of time, but only one 'uninstall' and one 'install' step seem to be needed.

Some people DO have a Major Problem with the nVidia Uninstaller in the nVidia Drivers. Including Myself, the Person who developed Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU), and many others. Like others, I've narrowed it down to when the nVidia driver uninstalls the existing driver. I just went another 10 rounds with this joke on my Windows 8.1 machine. It started by simply going to the Control Panel and having it Uninstall the nVidia driver. The Screens went black with the flashing cursor and that was it. Waiting DOES NOT HELP. The machine wouldn't even boot after a few attempts, after a few seconds of loading Win 8.1 the machine would just turn itself off. This has been going on since I installed Windows 8.0 long ago. Later I was able to get it to boot by Removing the GTS 250, and placing the Win 8.1 Install DVD in the DVD drive. Then I made it to Safe mode and used DDU to remove ALL the drivers, including the AMD one. From there I was able to install the GTS 250, nVidia 337, and AMD 14.9. Seems to be working fine again, Computer 6796475

So, for those with the Older nVidia cards, I would recommend using Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) to remove 340 and install 337. DDU recommends using Safe Mode but will work in standard mode as well.
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Richard Haselgrove Project Donor
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Message 1583854 - Posted: 9 Oct 2014, 8:52:42 UTC - in response to Message 1583824.  

Useful extra information. Looks like the difference is between the versions of Windows - 7 seems to be more forgiving. Users will be able to plan accordingly.
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Message 1583857 - Posted: 9 Oct 2014, 9:32:13 UTC - in response to Message 1583854.  

In the past using Win Vista & Win7 I've had no problems using the Nvidia driver installer, and using the Clean installation option to remove the existing driver & install the new one with no problems.
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Message 1583864 - Posted: 9 Oct 2014, 10:01:52 UTC - in response to Message 1583857.  

In the past using Win Vista & Win7 I've had no problems using the Nvidia driver installer, and using the Clean installation option to remove the existing driver & install the new one with no problems.

Including for downgrades? I'll have a new version to test this evening, so I'll try it then and report back.
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Message 1583907 - Posted: 9 Oct 2014, 12:27:18 UTC - in response to Message 1583864.  

In the past using Win Vista & Win7 I've had no problems using the Nvidia driver installer, and using the Clean installation option to remove the existing driver & install the new one with no problems.

Including for downgrades? I'll have a new version to test this evening, so I'll try it then and report back.

I always do a clean install when I downgrade, don't recall ever having any problems in Win7.
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Message 1583921 - Posted: 9 Oct 2014, 13:16:26 UTC

I simply re-ran the lunatics installer and unchecked the options for running AP on the GPU. I can still run AP on my CPU and leave the GPU to run normal S@H tasks which is fine for me.
You will be assimilated...bunghole!

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Message 1584505 - Posted: 10 Oct 2014, 7:18:28 UTC - in response to Message 1583864.  

In the past using Win Vista & Win7 I've had no problems using the Nvidia driver installer, and using the Clean installation option to remove the existing driver & install the new one with no problems.

Including for downgrades?

Yep.
When I got my new GPU hardware I upgraded the video driver on my system that still had an older card in it as well. Crunching dropped off slightly, so I tried to go back to the driver version I had previously (I didn't keep a copy & after trying about 5 or 6 I gave up & just went with the current one at the time).
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Message 1590523 - Posted: 23 Oct 2014, 3:24:11 UTC

Hi Folks,
Nvidia has just released a new whql driver 344.48
Have'nt installed it yet, not sure if it will screw up BOINC, the last 2 driver
releases stopped some other cuda using programs working, so I'm a bit leary about upgrading my present [pre 344 driver].

Regards,
Cliff,
Been there, Done that, Still no damm T shirt!
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Message 1590588 - Posted: 23 Oct 2014, 7:04:19 UTC - in response to Message 1590523.  

Hi Folks,
Nvidia has just released a new whql driver 344.48
Have'nt installed it yet, not sure if it will screw up BOINC, the last 2 driver
releases stopped some other cuda using programs working, so I'm a bit leary about upgrading my present [pre 344 driver].

Regards,

I don't have any notifications about this new driver at this time...
Wait and see with NVIDIA GeForce Experience
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Message 1590603 - Posted: 23 Oct 2014, 8:22:06 UTC - in response to Message 1590588.  

Hi Thomas,
The driver is being advertised on several tech websites.
As for GF experience I don't install it on my rigs.

Regards,
Cliff,
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Message 1590604 - Posted: 23 Oct 2014, 8:32:59 UTC - in response to Message 1590603.  

Hi Thomas,
The driver is being advertised on several tech websites.
As for GF experience I don't install it on my rigs.

Regards,

You're right Cliff :)


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Message 1591199 - Posted: 24 Oct 2014, 4:53:37 UTC

Hi Folks,
Just encountered a major problem.
I installed the latest Nvidia driver all seemed well BUT my rig has started locking up big time, as soon as BOINC has been running a few mins my rig locks up.
I don't know if this is something specific to my rig or if that driver will screw up any rig running BOINC!

I've reinstalled a prior driver, but my rig still locked up again.

Its possible BOINC has been compromised by my having had to manually do 3 system resets with BOINC and clients active:-(

So I'm going to try a reset and see it that sorts it out, I'll remove ap_info.xml 1st and save the data folder and see if it gets sorted.

Regards,
Cliff,
Been there, Done that, Still no damm T shirt!
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Message 1591200 - Posted: 24 Oct 2014, 5:01:55 UTC - in response to Message 1591199.  

Hi Folks,
Just encountered a major problem.
I installed the latest Nvidia driver all seemed well BUT my rig has started locking up big time, as soon as BOINC has been running a few mins my rig locks up.
I don't know if this is something specific to my rig or if that driver will screw up any rig running BOINC!

I've reinstalled a prior driver, but my rig still locked up again.

Its possible BOINC has been compromised by my having had to manually do 3 system resets with BOINC and clients active:-(

So I'm going to try a reset and see it that sorts it out, I'll remove ap_info.xml 1st and save the data folder and see if it gets sorted.

Regards,

Cliff, neither of your video cards are "pre-Fermi" so I really don't know why you are posting in this thread. ;-)

Cheers.
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Message 1591214 - Posted: 24 Oct 2014, 6:00:00 UTC - in response to Message 1591200.  

Sorry Wiggo,
Thought it 'might' be a good place to post a warning about the latest NV driver.

Have moved to a new thread now

Regards,
Cliff,
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Message 1592833 - Posted: 27 Oct 2014, 7:09:30 UTC - in response to Message 1583907.  

In the past using Win Vista & Win7 I've had no problems using the Nvidia driver installer, and using the Clean installation option to remove the existing driver & install the new one with no problems.

Including for downgrades? I'll have a new version to test this evening, so I'll try it then and report back.

I always do a clean install when I downgrade, don't recall ever having any problems in Win7.


I've never had a problem doing clean or regular downgrade installs on any Windows earlier than 8. I've done a LOT of the backwards nVidia driver installs.

Eventually, you have to freeze the driver as nVidia, and other companies doing regular driver updates, tend to break older hardware with new releases and aren't at all concerned about the issues. They want you to upgrade the hardware and spend the $$$ on new hardware.
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Message 1593096 - Posted: 27 Oct 2014, 20:49:14 UTC - in response to Message 1592833.  

Someone mentioned there were other drivers with computational errors like ver 295.73.

Is there an updated white or black list of drivers pinned somewhere? I had the misfortune to have these 340.52 drivers installed on 2 machines, wondering why I was receiving no GPU units, and when trying to correct the issue dropped down to another blacklisted driver.
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Message 1593100 - Posted: 27 Oct 2014, 21:07:52 UTC - in response to Message 1593096.  
Last modified: 27 Oct 2014, 21:21:15 UTC

Someone mentioned there were other drivers with computational errors like ver 295.73.

Is there an updated white or black list of drivers pinned somewhere? I had the misfortune to have these 340.52 drivers installed on 2 machines, wondering why I was receiving no GPU units, and when trying to correct the issue dropped down to another blacklisted driver.

IMO, the best Driver for the older cards in Win 7 and below is 266.58 WHQL. That driver doesn't use the Full CPU core to run AstroPulse tasks the way newer drivers do. No need for the -sleep switch or anything else, great for Dual core CPUs. It also works fine with CUDA versions up to 3.2. This host is using it; All tasks for computer 6813106 It also works fine with my GTS 250.

The XP Link is here, http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp-266.58-whql-driver.html
You'll have to search for the other OS versions.
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Message 1593108 - Posted: 27 Oct 2014, 21:20:21 UTC - in response to Message 1593100.  

Someone mentioned there were other drivers with computational errors like ver 295.73.

Is there an updated white or black list of drivers pinned somewhere? I had the misfortune to have these 340.52 drivers installed on 2 machines, wondering why I was receiving no GPU units, and when trying to correct the issue dropped down to another blacklisted driver.

IMO, the best Driver for the older cards is 266.58 WHQL. That driver doesn't use the Full CPU core to run AstroPulse tasks the way newer drivers do. No need for the -sleep switch or anything else, great for Dual core CPUs. It also works fine with CUDA versions up to 3.2. This host is using it; All tasks for computer 6813106 It also works fine with my GTS 250.

The XP Link is here, http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp-266.58-whql-driver.html
You'll have to search for the other OS versions.

Or just use http://www.oldapps.com/nvidia.php
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Message boards : Number crunching : @Pre-FERMI nVidia GPU users: Important warning


 
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