How to raise CPU Utilization

NM Kevin
NM Kevin
Joined: 11 Feb 20
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Topic 220866

Hi all,

I am running an Alienware Aurora R6 with a 4-core Intel® Core™ i7-7700 Processor, 64GB RAM, and an 8GB GTX-1080

I am only seeing ~8-10% CPU utilization though my prefs are set to 100% with no fallback for "in-use".

(Couldn't paste or insert an image, so I am entering the results as text)

Process           CPU     Private Bytes     Working Set     PID     Description     Company Name
boinc.exe        0.02    13,636 K           18,036 K         5044    BOINC client   Space Sciences Laboratory
einstein          10.96   546,768 K         545,984 K       31572
conhost.exe               6,424 K             7,856 K           34364
einstein          10.76   300,324 K         301,420 K       35912
conhost.exe               6,436 K             7,856 K           29476
einstein          10.34   1,126,328 K      1,121,616 K     17784
conhost.exe               6,432 K             7,852 K           42224
einstein          10.66   1,071,448 K      1,066,736 K     28456
conhost.exe               6,436 K             7,884 K           31104
einstein          10.56   1,037,184 K      1,033,184 K     30608
conhost.exe               6,428 K             7,884 K           43704
einstein          10.77   985,016 K         980,512 K       43304
conhost.exe               6,432 K             7,884 K           43364
einstein          10.09   973,492 K         971,356 K       28656
conhost.exe               6,432 K             7,896 K           37796
einstein          10.93   618,412 K         620,064 K       41168
conhost.exe               6,396 K             10,640 K         14068

Using SysInternals Process Monitor 64-bit, I cannot set the priority higher than normal either.  I am using Web Prefs and they are all set to maximum. I even tried a manual config to no avail.  Einstein simply wont load my CPUs any higher than 10% and work units are taking over a day to compute.  As well, no GPU utilization though I have it configured to use a project that can use it.

Any help out there???

Thanks,
Kevin

Richie
Richie
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If you look at the host page

Hi! If you look at the host page of your computer there's "Coprocessors: ---". Boinc hasn't recognized your GPU at all. That means the GPU won't be available to any kind of crunching at the moment.

It's most likely a simple GPU driver problem. You run Windows 10 and it may have installed a crippled version of a Nvidia driver which is then lacking important components.

 https://www.nvidia.com/Download/driverResults.aspx/157539/en-us 

There's a fresh driver. Download, run the installer, choose custom installation and check "clean install". Reboot after installation.

Joseph Stateson
Joseph Stateson
Joined: 7 May 07
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The CPU column with the small

The CPU column with the small numbers is the kernel usage which is always small.  The actual CPU usage is the sum of the kernel and the user space shown as "green" it a plot.

Note that boinctasks shows %95 usage for most of the the WCG tasks, but the sysmon (ie: procexp64.exe) shows small number like 4.x   with the graph shown the 4.x as red plus the green going to the top for the %99 or so.

Your system is working fine.   You may want to use your nvidia board as it can run 100x more efficient than the cpu.

 

Thanks for mentioning those tools, I was unaware of them and found that Microsoft had bought into them.

Gary Roberts
Gary Roberts
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Kevin M Kupcho wrote:....  As

Kevin M Kupcho wrote:
....  As well, no GPU utilization though I have it configured to use a project that can use it.

There are two different GPU searches available.  Make sure you have just one selected in your preferences whilst you are getting used to how Einstein works.  The gamma-ray pulsar GPU search will have estimates that are too high.  The GW GPU search will have estimates that are too low.  Since Einstein uses duration correction factor (DCF) to adjust estimates and since there is only one of these, the two searches will tend to conflict with each other and cause estimates that can fluctuate wildly.  Until you get used to how this plays out, you will find it easier to stick to just one GPU search.

Once you have a GPU search selected, the main reason you wouldn't be getting GPU tasks would be that BOINC hasn't detected the OpenCL capabilities of your GPU.  Check the first 30-50 lines in the event log when BOINC starts up to see that the OpenCL capability of your GPU is clearly detected and listed.  If not, you don't have a proper driver installation.

Another thing to check is the scheduler contact log.  If you go to the website and look at your list of hosts attached to the project, the far right hand column is a link to the details of your host's most recent contact with the scheduler.  Click that link and you can see the full details.  Don't be put off if there happens to be a lot of strange stuff.  Just look in the early part for what is recorded about the work your host asked for.  Here is an example of what I'm talking about, taken from your machine just now.  There are not many lines since the machine was just returning a task and not asking for anything new.

  ... <excess snipped> ...
2020-03-04 03:03:27.4746 [PID=18468] [send] effective_ncpus 7 max_jobs_on_host_cpu 999999 max_jobs_on_host 999999
2020-03-04 03:03:27.4746 [PID=18468] [send] effective_ngpus 0 max_jobs_on_host_gpu 999999
2020-03-04 03:03:27.4747 [PID=18468] [send] Not using matchmaker scheduling; Not using EDF sim
2020-03-04 03:03:27.4747 [PID=18468] [send] CPU: req 0.00 sec, 0.00 instances; est delay 0.00
2020-03-04 03:03:27.4747 [PID=18468] [send] work_req_seconds: 0.00 secs
  ... <excess snipped> ...

The scheduler is being told that effective_ncpus is 7 and effective_ngpus is zero.  It would appear that your GPU is not being detected -OR- your preferences have excluded it.  You need to check that.

You can also see the CPU work request is 0.00 sec.  There is no entry for a GPU work request.  Your BOINC client isn't asking for GPU work.  It's either that preferences don't allow it or you are missing the OpenCL libs in your driver installation.  I'm guessing the latter since I think there should be an entry for 0.00 secs for the GPU if it had been detected but didn't need any work - just like for the CPU cores.

Cheers,
Gary.

NM Kevin
NM Kevin
Joined: 11 Feb 20
Posts: 7
Credit: 8384400
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Thank you Richie. I will look

Thank you Richie. I will look into this!

NM Kevin
NM Kevin
Joined: 11 Feb 20
Posts: 7
Credit: 8384400
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Thank you J! Yes, the

Thank you J! Yes, the SysInternals tools are really good. Been using them for years.

Thank you you for your advice and information

NM Kevin
NM Kevin
Joined: 11 Feb 20
Posts: 7
Credit: 8384400
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Thank you Gary.  Good gouge.

Thank you Gary.  Good gouge. I will investigate this after work.  I was going to put two more 1080's on my system but found out that I can only run 3x 5GB versions as my system won't support 3x 8GB 1080s.  Bummer.  I'll probably just move up to an RTX Titan X and solve it with one board.

Joseph Stateson
Joseph Stateson
Joined: 7 May 07
Posts: 173
Credit: 2921670968
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Kevin M Kupcho wrote:Thank

Kevin M Kupcho wrote:
Thank you Gary.  Good gouge. I will investigate this after work.  I was going to put two more 1080's on my system but found out that I can only run 3x 5GB versions as my system won't support 3x 8GB 1080s.  Bummer.  I'll probably just move up to an RTX Titan X and solve it with one board.

I am curious about your problem with the 5gb limit.  The reason I ask is that I have three P102-100s which are "5gb limited" versions of the gtx-1080ti.  I have been wondering if I can unlock the extra memory on these "mining only" cards.  They can co-exist with other gtx boards and are cheaper than the RTX though they require 8+6 power.

NM Kevin
NM Kevin
Joined: 11 Feb 20
Posts: 7
Credit: 8384400
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I read the manual just now

I read the manual just now and it looks like I can only have 2 PCIx16 cards of up to 12GB combined

NM Kevin
NM Kevin
Joined: 11 Feb 20
Posts: 7
Credit: 8384400
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Thank you J.  Duh... I should

Thank you J.  Duh... I should have just looked at Task Manager.  They are all ticking over near 95-100%. Thanks

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