Looking to get started with GPU processing

tbret
tbret
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RE: EDIT: The GTX 960

Quote:

EDIT: The GTX 960 and the some flavors of the R9 are in the $200 price range. Any feedback on those?

There is model in each manufacturer's line-up that is the bottom of the top-end (so to speak).

There's a model that has the higher memory bandwidth, or the the better IC.

Then there is a model that is the top of the bottom. Slower in some way.

I don't mean to put my preference off on you, but again, this is a matter of my concern for YOUR possible buyer's remorse. I've seen it over-and-over-and-over.

I have 970s because they are that one, important, step above the 960. I don't have 980s because they are just not enough better at crunching than a 970 for me to justify the additional cost. I don't have 980Tis because they are more than I am comfortable affording.

I have the R9 270Xs because they were seriously cheap at the time.

I wish I had R9 280Xs instead.

So, now to buy the R9 280X cards, I have to almost throw-away the money I spent on the 270Xs which makes them really expensive, not cheap like I thought they were.

Gary's advice is good, as always.

When I urged you to look at the Top Machines I wasn't thinking you'd build a Top 10 to start-with. But it serves very generally to set your expectations and gives you something of an idea of price if you bother to price-out someone else machine.

John Reed
John Reed
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UPDATE: I've dipped my toe

UPDATE: I've dipped my toe in the GPU pool. On a whim I posted a Facebook ad on a local community page asking for people's old and broken computers they were throwing away. To my surprise, I got a working Dell E510 right away, dual-core. Based on what I've learned in this thread, I knew I could fit a 750 TI half size in it without needing to upgrade the PSU(special thanks Zalster!) and that a dual-core could handle it. It was a $109 experiment, but what the heck, the computer was free.

I did have to do some minor surgery to get it in, needed to bend the top and bottom of the mounting bracket because it's a double slot card in the end slot whereby half the card is "out of bounds".

I then installed Ubuntu 14 and had the drivers and such worked out in an evening. So I am indeed up and crunching GPU at minimal cost and maximal learning. It's been great.

Thank you EVERYONE who had contributed to this thread. I've read it start-to-finish at least a half dozen times. It's been that valuable to me.

I know this card is laughable, but I'm pleased. It surpasses my own "top host" by far. And I've gotten a successful first GPU experience, in Linux of all places.

Now I'm pencilling out a moderate build as my next step. I'm thinking a new 6 core AMD(to keep costs down) and a higher end NVIDIA card since I've had success with it already, I'll probably stick with it. Not sure which yet.

Keeping an eye out Cyber Monday. If anyone sees any super deals, please let me know!

Thank you all so very much. Computers are now fun again.

Zalster
Zalster
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John, In your preferences

John,

In your preferences setting, there is a clickable section to allow "Beta" runs of application

There is a Beta for the Parkes that you are currently running.

It's a cuda 55.

They tend to run much faster than the cuda 32 that are currently being crunched by your computer.

You might want to try those, you just have to click the button and update your boinc manager.

It will finish the current Parkes (cuda 32) and then when finished will run the new Parkes (cuda 55)

If you look at my systems, I run those

Good luck.

Edit..

PS congrats on the system

John Reed
John Reed
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RE: In your preferences

Quote:
In your preferences setting, there is a clickable section to allow "Beta" runs of application

Thanks for the tip. Unfortunately I'm unable to locate the clickable region to allow Beta applications. Could you give me some more guidance? Or perhaps it's not available on Linux Boinc Manager?

Thanks,

john

Betreger
Betreger
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Beta is in your preferences

Beta is in your preferences and is called

Quote:
Run test applications?


On my GTX660 I saw a 20% gain with it.

Zalster
Zalster
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Thanks Betreger,

Thanks Betreger,

Edit..

Yes that is what it's called.

in your Einstein@home preference from your account page.

It is after the "use Intel GPU"

Sorry for the confusion.

archae86
archae86
Joined: 6 Dec 05
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RE: Unfortunately I'm

Quote:
Unfortunately I'm unable to locate the clickable region to allow Beta applications. Could you give me some more guidance? Or perhaps it's not available on Linux Boinc Manager?


Go to your account page at Einstein@home

https://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/home.php

You'll need your registered email and password to log in

From the base account page, first click the view link for computers on this account, and on that page note what is shown in the location column for the computer you wish to adjust (the possibilities are home, work, school, or default which looks completely empty on that page, but is shown as a couple of dashes some other places)

Back to the account page, and click the Einstein preferences link.
If you switch to alternate view the preference settings currently set for all four locations (some call these venues) will be shown conveniently for comparison. The Beta option is currently styled "Run test applications?". If there is not a check mark in the box, you don't have them enabled. Don't try to check the box, but instead click the edit link at the bottom of the column for the location of interest. The little box looks the same, but this one you can actually toggle by clicking. When you have the checks you want, click the update preferences link at the bottom.

John Reed
John Reed
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Oh! Duh. I was looking in

Oh! Duh. I was looking in Boinc Manager. Thanks everyone. Let's see what this does :)

When this baby hits 88 miles per hour...

Betreger
Betreger
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Another thought on Nvidea

Another thought on Nvidea GPUs. If running multiple tasks don't mix BRP4 tasks with BRP6 tasks. Somebody, maybe Jason Gee explained how it slows every thing down because the GPU has to spend time loading and unloading the different apps. I saw a significant slowdown on BRP4s when BRP5 became available. So I chose to run BRP5 which has since evolved to BRP6.

Zalster
Zalster
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I didn't mention that to him

I didn't mention that to him yet as I wanted him to be comfortable with the GPU before we started discussing multiple work units on the cards, lol

But that is for a different time.

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