GPU will not run/restart work using "mouse/keyboard in use" settings.
9 Dec 2013 1:16:02 UTC
Topic 197301
(moderation:
I am having trouble with several Linux machines failing to use GPU's according to my preference settings. I am using the default "1 minute after mouse/keyboard activity" setting, but unless I override that setting with the localhost "use GPU always" setting, the GPU's never run. When I select "use GPU always" it comes on instantly. Some of my computers are dedicated crunchers, so on those units I don't care and run them full blast; but one unit in particular also serves as a computer for my wife, so the slow, jerky graphics associated with the GPU doing BOINC processing is annoying. I'm pretty sure I have all the settings correct, as there are not that many to choose from. I am having trouble with both Lubuntu and LinuxMint. Any ideas?
GPU will not run/restart work using "mouse/keyboard in use" set
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It works fine for me on BOINC 7.2.28 and Ubuntu 12.04 with USB mouse and keyboard. A couple of possibilities:
1) Are you setting the "1 minute after mouse/keyboard activity" setting in the website preferences or in the preferences in BOINC Manager? If you have set prefs in BOINC Manager they will override prefs set on the website.
2) If you are using website prefs then you need to check which of the 4 possible venues the machine in question is configured to use. If you are setting prefs for the "home" venue but the machine is configured to use the "school" or "work" venue then settings changes will be ignored.
3) There was an old and very tenacious bug in BOINC that prevented BOINC from detecting mouse/keyboard usage on Linux. There was a Trac ticket submitted. They declared it fixed several times only to find that it reappeared later. IIRC they got it to work with PS/2 but not USB devices, and then vice-versa and back and forth and round and round a few times. Then it worked with Debian derivatives but not Fedora and then vice-versa. That went on for over a year.
I believe the last time it was declared fixed they really did fix it but given the history, maybe it's returned. Or maybe you are running a BOINC/Linux version that causes the problem. Checking the versions in your List of Hosts it appears to me all your stuff is recent enough to have the necessary fixes but if nothing else works you might try updating to the very latest.
Probably it's the "confusion" I mention in 1) and 2). That gets a lot of people. If you're absolutely sure you have that sorted then consider 3). If updates to the latest stuff don't help then I would report back with your mouse/keyboard type (PS/2 vs. USB). Maybe the Trac ticket needs to be re-opened.
Also, modern optical mice can be extremely sensitive. Though you may not be moving it with your hand, bumping your desk with your knee even slightly can move the mouse enough to make the system think you are using it. Could that be the problem?
All of my computers are set
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All of my computers are set to the "home" location, as are all the preference settings. It's not a matter of local settings overriding website preferences: I have the same problem with a fresh install without having made local selections. The optical mouse can also be eliminated because I have the same problem even when the mouse is not plugged in. Finally, I don't have this issue on any of my machines running Windows XP. Consequently, it has to be something else specific to Linux.
I agree, something to do with
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I agree, something to do with Linux, probably. Is it a USB mouse/keyboards or PS/2? The USB spec is rather complicated and lots of hardware manufacturers don't implement it fully and/or correctly. Microsoft tends to program around that but Linux devs seem to say "well, if you're not going to conform to the spec then go to hades".
If you feel like reopening the Trac ticket on the issue go ahead but my impression is the BOINC devs are adopting the only approach they can given their limited resources. They gave it a good effort but I think their response at this point might be something like "it works on Ubuntu LTS, that's all we are committed to doing and all we have time for, if you want to run a non-mainstream distro then sorry but you're on your own". Or they might respond more favorably, who can say for sure.
Please understand that I don't think of Lubuntu or Mint as non-mainstream, just suggesting the BOINC devs might.
Possible workarounds:
*Have your wife manually stop and restart GPU crunching. Even if she logs in on a separate user account with no root privileges, there are ways to give her sufficient privs to manage BOINC client through BOINC manager. Exactly what you need to do depends on how you installed BOINC. Is it a standard Berkeley installation or from repos?
*Designate the apps your wife runs as exclusive apps. When BOINC client sees those apps start it will suspend crunching in general or perhaps there's a way to have it suspend only GPU crunching.
*Somehow renice the GPU apps when she gets on the computer.
*Ask Lubuntu and Mint devs/gurus what you/they need to tweak to make it work.
RE: *Designate the apps
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Use exclusive_gpu_app and only GPU apps will suspend:
[url=]http://boinc.berkeley.edu/wiki/Client_configuration#Options]Client configuration[/url]
You'll have to edit your cc_config.xml manually to add the exclusive_gpu_app(s) as the GUI only does the exclusive apps.
Claggy
Thanks for the
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Thanks for the suggestions.
Since I presently have twelve computers crunching Boinc projects, the simplest solution has been to simply install Windows XP to that unit and reserve Linux for my dedicated crunchers. I'm not willing to turn off all of the crunching while any computer is in use, and my wife won't use the computer if she has to manually stop and restart the GPU computing. At this point, the problem is more academic: I just want to know what the problem actually is, in case I have to work around it later. For now, however, alls well.