I just ordered a GTX660 to replace the OEM ATI card in my W8 machine.
Do I have to empty my 5 day cache of BRP that were sent to the ATI or will the GTX660 run them?
You should allow your cache to drain while you wait for your new card.
If you replace your old card with old tasks remaining, you will get 'missing coprocessor' messages about the old tasks and they will just sit there, unable to be crunched. The apps are totally different and how the tasks are to be crunched is coded in your state file (client_state.xml).
With extensive state file editing, it's probably possible to 're-brand' the old tasks to make them 'compatible' with the new app. It's not something I would even bother attempting myself, because of the amount of work involved, and the potential to overlook something critical. You would need to be very experienced with state file internal structure and editing.
So, just set your cache extremely low and burn off the excess whilst you wait for your order to arrive. When you are ready to install your new card, set NNT and abort (and report) whatever AMD GPU tasks remain. When your new card is working properly (check your BOINC startup messages to ensure that it is properly detected) you won't immediately get new tasks until you change the NNT setting. When you are ready to allow new work, make sure the cache is still very small so that if anything goes wrong with your new GPU, you won't trash a whole bunch of work.
Gary, that is what I thought, thanks for confirming it.
A second question regarding uninstalling the old ATI drivers. Should I uninstall prior to putting the Nvidea card in? I plan on using ATIman uninstall since ATI does not support W8 with their uninstaller or does anybody have a different or better uninstaller?
Sorry, I run Linux and have no idea about what to do in Windows. I imagine you could just ignore the old drivers and install drivers supplied with the new card or get them from the nvidia website. From what I've seen posted, don't get them from Windows update.
You shouldn't need to bother with uninstalling the old drivers first unless you're running something as old as XP.
Agreed. I'd only bother with uninstalling if something goes wrong. And get the current driver straight from nVidia. A new WHQL one arrived just a few days ago.
I would definitely uninstall the ATI drivers, as it will avoid many possible problems that are hard to diagnose. First, go to the Control Panel/Programs and Features and remove the AMD Catalyst entry and reboot (do not use the Device Manager at this point). Then, use a driver cleaner such as Driver Sweeper or Driver Fusion (the latter is newer and picks up more entries) to remove as many of the AMD display entries as possible (some are permanent). Finally, change out the cards and install the Nvidia drivers.
Another couple of points: You don't want Windows to automatically download and install new drivers before you change the cards, or they will replace what you just removed. So go to Control Panel/System/Advanced System Settings/Hardware/Device Installation Settings and select "Never install driver software from Windows Update". And Windows will try to install old drivers that have already been downloaded. So if you have those, then go to Device Manager and removed them for the AMD card, selecting "Delete the drivers software from this device" to get rid of them permanently.
It might work to just change the cards first and then remove the AMD entries later, but I think it is safest to get rid of them before the Nvidia card is even physically installed.
If the computer's motherboard has an onboard graphics chip and VGA connector (as many do nowadays, safest of all might be to
* Remove the ATI drivers
* Shut down the computer and remove the ATI card
* Reboot using the onboard video
* Go through the driver/registry cleanup procedure that others have described
* (that may need a reboot, while still running onboard video)
* Shut down again, and install the NVidia card
* Install new NVidia drivers as needed.
WARNING: I've made up that list myself by just thinking about it - I've never been through the process. It would be wise to get a second opinion before following it.
If the computer's motherboard has an onboard graphics chip and VGA connector (as many do nowadays, safest of all might be to
That is pretty much what I do on the PCs that have the internal graphics, and it works fine. But those PCs don't have any old drivers lying around (that is, previous to the ones currently being uninstalled), so that is why I suggest getting rid of them all from the Device Manager if they are present before removing the old card, though that may be a bit of overkill. Better safe than sorry with drivers though.
The problem here is that Windows will then install drivers for this video chip, even basic ones.
So best is to use Jim's method.
You can leave the ATI card in during all the reboots when removing drivers. The best thing is to use Driver Sweeper or Driver Fusion from Windows Safe Mode, so when done there, just shut down, remove the one card, put the next one in and start as normal, then do Nvidia driver install.
Without removing these drivers (remnants), BOINC can crash, hang, lose communications with BOINC Manager, start up extremely slowly and other freakinii.
New video card ordered
)
You should allow your cache to drain while you wait for your new card.
If you replace your old card with old tasks remaining, you will get 'missing coprocessor' messages about the old tasks and they will just sit there, unable to be crunched. The apps are totally different and how the tasks are to be crunched is coded in your state file (client_state.xml).
With extensive state file editing, it's probably possible to 're-brand' the old tasks to make them 'compatible' with the new app. It's not something I would even bother attempting myself, because of the amount of work involved, and the potential to overlook something critical. You would need to be very experienced with state file internal structure and editing.
So, just set your cache extremely low and burn off the excess whilst you wait for your order to arrive. When you are ready to install your new card, set NNT and abort (and report) whatever AMD GPU tasks remain. When your new card is working properly (check your BOINC startup messages to ensure that it is properly detected) you won't immediately get new tasks until you change the NNT setting. When you are ready to allow new work, make sure the cache is still very small so that if anything goes wrong with your new GPU, you won't trash a whole bunch of work.
Cheers,
Gary.
Gary, that is what I thought,
)
Gary, that is what I thought, thanks for confirming it.
A second question regarding uninstalling the old ATI drivers. Should I uninstall prior to putting the Nvidea card in? I plan on using ATIman uninstall since ATI does not support W8 with their uninstaller or does anybody have a different or better uninstaller?
Sorry, I run Linux and have
)
Sorry, I run Linux and have no idea about what to do in Windows. I imagine you could just ignore the old drivers and install drivers supplied with the new card or get them from the nvidia website. From what I've seen posted, don't get them from Windows update.
Cheers,
Gary.
You shouldn't need to bother
)
You shouldn't need to bother with uninstalling the old drivers first unless you're running something as old as XP.
RE: You shouldn't need to
)
Uninstalling the old drivers made a positive difference on my W7 machine when I switched to an Nvidea GT430
RE: You shouldn't need to
)
Agreed. I'd only bother with uninstalling if something goes wrong. And get the current driver straight from nVidia. A new WHQL one arrived just a few days ago.
MrS
Scanning for our furry friends since Jan 2002
I would definitely uninstall
)
I would definitely uninstall the ATI drivers, as it will avoid many possible problems that are hard to diagnose. First, go to the Control Panel/Programs and Features and remove the AMD Catalyst entry and reboot (do not use the Device Manager at this point). Then, use a driver cleaner such as Driver Sweeper or Driver Fusion (the latter is newer and picks up more entries) to remove as many of the AMD display entries as possible (some are permanent). Finally, change out the cards and install the Nvidia drivers.
Another couple of points: You don't want Windows to automatically download and install new drivers before you change the cards, or they will replace what you just removed. So go to Control Panel/System/Advanced System Settings/Hardware/Device Installation Settings and select "Never install driver software from Windows Update". And Windows will try to install old drivers that have already been downloaded. So if you have those, then go to Device Manager and removed them for the AMD card, selecting "Delete the drivers software from this device" to get rid of them permanently.
It might work to just change the cards first and then remove the AMD entries later, but I think it is safest to get rid of them before the Nvidia card is even physically installed.
If the computer's motherboard
)
If the computer's motherboard has an onboard graphics chip and VGA connector (as many do nowadays, safest of all might be to
* Remove the ATI drivers
* Shut down the computer and remove the ATI card
* Reboot using the onboard video
* Go through the driver/registry cleanup procedure that others have described
* (that may need a reboot, while still running onboard video)
* Shut down again, and install the NVidia card
* Install new NVidia drivers as needed.
WARNING: I've made up that list myself by just thinking about it - I've never been through the process. It would be wise to get a second opinion before following it.
RE: If the computer's
)
That is pretty much what I do on the PCs that have the internal graphics, and it works fine. But those PCs don't have any old drivers lying around (that is, previous to the ones currently being uninstalled), so that is why I suggest getting rid of them all from the Device Manager if they are present before removing the old card, though that may be a bit of overkill. Better safe than sorry with drivers though.
RE: * Reboot using the
)
The problem here is that Windows will then install drivers for this video chip, even basic ones.
So best is to use Jim's method.
You can leave the ATI card in during all the reboots when removing drivers. The best thing is to use Driver Sweeper or Driver Fusion from Windows Safe Mode, so when done there, just shut down, remove the one card, put the next one in and start as normal, then do Nvidia driver install.
Without removing these drivers (remnants), BOINC can crash, hang, lose communications with BOINC Manager, start up extremely slowly and other freakinii.