Folding issues on my PC

[amdphenomkde]

Hi everybody,

I run Folding@home occasionally on my (main) computer for fun and even when it's on "Full", the GPU folding doesn't start (it's stuck at 0.00%). I have a Radeon HD 6670, which I know isn't a high-performance video card, especially for folding, but it's worked well for folding in the past (about a year ago) and it works well for my basic dual-monitor desktop use, so I don't think it's a hardware problem (at least for the video card), luckily. I've also noticed that the computer's been running more slowly when it's folding at "Full" than it used to be. It's really slow to use, which is understandable, when it's at that setting, and in SpeedFan, which I like to keep open while it's folding, the icons refreshing with the up/down/flame arrows next to the temperatures is pretty slow, while it normally refreshes instantly. The CPU load also drops from 100% to various percentages from the 70s to 90s every few seconds after leaving the folding at "Full" for more than a couple minutes. The CPU folding seems to be working well, other than that. Please tell me what might be wrong, and how I can fix these issues. I've noticed the issue with the CPU load dropping and the computer being slower while at "Full" since last fall when I got my current motherboard (Asus M5A97), which replaced the board (which died) I had when folding was working perfectly. It's an identical model though, and I've reinstalled Windows since last fall, so I don't know if the board might be the culprit. The PC has Catalyst 13.12 video drivers, and I haven't tweaked any of the folding settings.

Thanks for your help!

[bollix47]

Welcome to the folding@home support forum amdphenomkde.

If you could please post part of your log including the System Info and Config sections (see the link in my signature) we may be able to offer some suggestions. Also, it has been reported that the 14.4 Cat drivers do show some improvements in GPU folding.

[amdphenomkde]

Hi, bollix47, and thanks for the welcome and quick response-sorry it took me a while to respond. Here's the log below. I started folding on "Medium" at the end, so please disregard the part where it starts again at the bottom of the log, unless you find it useful. I think the reason it seems to be slow is because of the GPU folding, since when the GPU is at load the GUI slows down (e.g. the cursor freezes). It only starts freezing and dropping the CPU load after running for a couple minutes. My real concern is with the GPU folding, though, and why the CPU load drops from 100% every several seconds when the GPU is folding (though stuck at 0.00%), especially since I think I first noticed this when I got this board last fall and when I was using an older Catalyst driver that I used with both the old and new board with the same Windows installation (and I've reinstalled since). This board hasn't seemed to have any major issues with stability, though, and I ran Prime95 on it for an hour (which, admittedly, isn't that long) and Furmark on it a couple weeks ago for about 10 minutes with no crashes I observed. When I run it at "Full" with just the CPU and with the GPU not folding, it doesn't freeze and the CPU stays at 100%. When I ran F@h at "Full" on this computer about a year ago (with GPU folding), I could hardly tell it was folding because it ran so well. When I run Furmark along with the CPU folding, the GPU stays at 100% even though the GPU is being taxed (though the computer is still usable unlike when the GPU has been folding lately), which makes me think that the CPU is slowing down to keep pace with the struggling GPU since it dedicates one of its four threads to the GPU when it's folding. I suppose I could try that new driver; it's just strange that 13.12 probably works for most folders. Sorry if I contradicted myself anywhere in the post, and I really appreciate your advice.

Code: Select all

*********************** Log Started 2014-05-25T22:31:53Z ***********************
22:31:53:************************* Folding@home Client *************************
22:31:53:      Website: http://folding.stanford.edu/
22:31:53:    Copyright: (c) 2009-2013 Stanford University
22:31:53:       Author: Joseph Coffland <joseph@cauldrondevelopment.com>
22:31:53:         Args: --open-web-control
22:31:53:       Config: C:/Users/Yoshi/AppData/Roaming/FAHClient/config.xml
22:31:53:******************************** Build ********************************
22:31:53:      Version: 7.3.6
22:31:53:         Date: Feb 18 2013
22:31:53:         Time: 15:25:17
22:31:53:      SVN Rev: 3923
22:31:53:       Branch: fah/trunk/client
22:31:53:     Compiler: Intel(R) C++ MSVC 1500 mode 1200
22:31:53:      Options: /TP /nologo /EHa /Qdiag-disable:4297,4103,1786,279 /Ox -arch:SSE
22:31:53:               /QaxSSE2,SSE3,SSSE3,SSE4.1,SSE4.2 /Qopenmp /Qrestrict /MT /Qmkl
22:31:53:     Platform: win32 XP
22:31:53:         Bits: 32
22:31:53:         Mode: Release
22:31:53:******************************* System ********************************
22:31:53:          CPU: AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 965 Processor
22:31:53:       CPU ID: AuthenticAMD Family 16 Model 4 Stepping 3
22:31:53:         CPUs: 4
22:31:53:       Memory: 7.96GiB
22:31:53:  Free Memory: 6.24GiB
22:31:53:      Threads: WINDOWS_THREADS
22:31:53:  Has Battery: false
22:31:53:   On Battery: false
22:31:53:   UTC offset: -6
22:31:53:          PID: 2892
22:31:53:          CWD: C:/Users/Yoshi/AppData/Roaming/FAHClient
22:31:53:           OS: Windows 7 Home Premium
22:31:53:      OS Arch: AMD64
22:31:53:         GPUs: 1
22:31:53:        GPU 0: ATI:4 Whistler [AMD Radeon HD 6600 Series]
22:31:53:         CUDA: Not detected
22:31:53:Win32 Service: false
22:31:53:***********************************************************************
22:31:53:<config>
22:31:53:  <!-- Folding Slot Configuration -->
22:31:53:  <power v='full'/>
22:31:53:
22:31:53:  <!-- Network -->
22:31:53:  <proxy v=':8080'/>
22:31:53:
22:31:53:  <!-- User Information -->
22:31:53:  <passkey v='********************************'/>
22:31:53:  <user v='Yoshi'/>
22:31:53:
22:31:53:  <!-- Folding Slots -->
22:31:53:  <slot id='0' type='GPU'/>
22:31:53:  <slot id='1' type='CPU'>
22:31:53:    <cpus v='-1'/>
22:31:53:  </slot>
22:31:53:</config>
22:31:53:Trying to access database...
22:31:53:Successfully acquired database lock
22:31:53:Enabled folding slot 00: READY gpu:0:Whistler [AMD Radeon HD 6600 Series]
22:31:53:Enabled folding slot 01: READY cpu:3
22:31:53:WU01:FS00:Starting
22:31:53:WU01:FS00:Running FahCore: "C:\Program Files (x86)\FAHClient/FAHCoreWrapper.exe" C:/Users/Yoshi/AppData/Roaming/FAHClient/cores/web.stanford.edu/~pande/Win32/AMD64/ATI/R600/Core_17.fah/FahCore_17.exe -dir 01 -suffix 01 -version 703 -lifeline 2892 -checkpoint 15 -gpu 0 -gpu-vendor ati
22:31:53:WU01:FS00:Started FahCore on PID 2428
22:31:53:WU01:FS00:Core PID:5628
22:31:53:WU01:FS00:FahCore 0x17 started
22:31:53:WU00:FS01:Downloading core from http://web.stanford.edu/~pande/Win32/AMD64/Core_a3.fah
22:31:53:WU00:FS01:Connecting to web.stanford.edu:80
22:31:54:WU01:FS00:0x17:*********************** Log Started 2014-05-25T22:31:53Z ***********************
22:31:54:WU01:FS00:0x17:Project: 13000 (Run 1350, Clone 2, Gen 15)
22:31:54:WU01:FS00:0x17:Unit: 0x00000021538b3db753111941acdd347b
22:31:54:WU01:FS00:0x17:CPU: 0x00000000000000000000000000000000
22:31:54:WU01:FS00:0x17:Machine: 0
22:31:54:WU01:FS00:0x17:Reading tar file state.xml
22:31:54:WU00:FS01:FahCore a3: Downloading 2.89MiB
22:31:55:WU01:FS00:0x17:Reading tar file system.xml
22:31:56:WU01:FS00:0x17:Reading tar file integrator.xml
22:31:56:WU01:FS00:0x17:Reading tar file core.xml
22:31:56:WU01:FS00:0x17:Digital signatures verified
22:31:56:WU01:FS00:0x17:Folding@home GPU core17
22:31:56:WU01:FS00:0x17:Version 0.0.52
22:31:56:3:127.0.0.1:New Web connection
22:32:00:WU00:FS01:FahCore a3: 15.15%
22:32:06:WU00:FS01:FahCore a3: 43.29%
22:32:12:WU00:FS01:FahCore a3: 73.58%
22:32:17:WU00:FS01:FahCore a3: Download complete
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:Valid core signature
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:Unpacked 9.59MiB to cores/web.stanford.edu/~pande/Win32/AMD64/Core_a3.fah/FahCore_a3.exe
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:Starting
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:Running FahCore: "C:\Program Files (x86)\FAHClient/FAHCoreWrapper.exe" C:/Users/Yoshi/AppData/Roaming/FAHClient/cores/web.stanford.edu/~pande/Win32/AMD64/Core_a3.fah/FahCore_a3.exe -dir 00 -suffix 01 -version 703 -lifeline 2892 -checkpoint 15 -np 3
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:Started FahCore on PID 4784
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:Core PID:4128
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:FahCore 0xa3 started
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:*------------------------------*
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Folding@Home Gromacs SMP Core
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Version 2.27 (Dec. 15, 2010)
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Preparing to commence simulation
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:- Looking at optimizations...
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:- Created dyn
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:- Files status OK
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:- Expanded 1766297 -> 2700840 (decompressed 152.9 percent)
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Called DecompressByteArray: compressed_data_size=1766297 data_size=2700840, decompressed_data_size=2700840 diff=0
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:- Digital signature verified
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Project: 7504 (Run 16, Clone 91, Gen 244)
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Assembly optimizations on if available.
22:32:18:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Entering M.D.
22:32:24:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Mapping NT from 3 to 3 
22:32:25:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Completed 0 out of 500000 steps  (0%)
22:36:25:WU01:FS00:0x17:Completed 0 out of 5000000 steps (0%)
22:36:25:WU01:FS00:0x17:Temperature control disabled. Requirements: single Nvidia GPU, tmax must be < 110 and twait >= 900
22:37:17:FS00:Shutting core down
22:37:17:FS01:Shutting core down
22:37:17:WU01:FS00:0x17:WARNING:Console control signal 1 on PID 5628
22:37:17:WU01:FS00:0x17:Exiting, please wait. . .
22:37:22:WU01:FS00:0x17:Lost lifeline PID 2428, exiting
22:37:22:WU01:FS00:0x17:ERROR:103: Lost client lifeline
22:37:22:WU01:FS00:0x17:Folding@home Core Shutdown: CLIENT_DIED
22:37:22:WU01:FS00:FahCore returned: INTERRUPTED (102 = 0x66)
22:37:24:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Client no longer detected. Shutting down core 
22:37:24:WU00:FS01:0xa3:
22:37:24:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Folding@home Core Shutdown: CLIENT_DIED
22:37:24:WU00:FS01:FahCore returned: INTERRUPTED (102 = 0x66)
22:37:59:WU00:FS01:Starting
22:37:59:WU00:FS01:Running FahCore: "C:\Program Files (x86)\FAHClient/FAHCoreWrapper.exe" C:/Users/Yoshi/AppData/Roaming/FAHClient/cores/web.stanford.edu/~pande/Win32/AMD64/Core_a3.fah/FahCore_a3.exe -dir 00 -suffix 01 -version 703 -lifeline 2892 -checkpoint 15 -np 3
22:37:59:WU00:FS01:Started FahCore on PID 4148
22:37:59:WU00:FS01:Core PID:5752
22:37:59:WU00:FS01:FahCore 0xa3 started
22:38:00:WU00:FS01:0xa3:
22:38:00:WU00:FS01:0xa3:*------------------------------*
22:38:00:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Folding@Home Gromacs SMP Core
22:38:00:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Version 2.27 (Dec. 15, 2010)
22:38:00:WU00:FS01:0xa3:
22:38:00:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Preparing to commence simulation
22:38:00:WU00:FS01:0xa3:- Looking at optimizations...
22:38:00:WU00:FS01:0xa3:- Files status OK
22:38:00:WU00:FS01:0xa3:- Expanded 1766297 -> 2700840 (decompressed 152.9 percent)
22:38:00:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Called DecompressByteArray: compressed_data_size=1766297 data_size=2700840, decompressed_data_size=2700840 diff=0
22:38:00:WU00:FS01:0xa3:- Digital signature verified
22:38:00:WU00:FS01:0xa3:
22:38:00:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Project: 7504 (Run 16, Clone 91, Gen 244)
22:38:00:WU00:FS01:0xa3:
22:38:00:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Assembly optimizations on if available.
22:38:00:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Entering M.D.
22:38:06:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Mapping NT from 3 to 3 
22:38:06:WU00:FS01:0xa3:Completed 0 out of 500000 steps  (0%)
22:39:02:Removing old file 'configs/config-20140223-235921.xml'
22:39:02:Saving configuration to config.xml
22:39:02:<config>
22:39:02:  <!-- Network -->
22:39:02:  <proxy v=':8080'/>
22:39:02:
22:39:02:  <!-- User Information -->
22:39:02:  <passkey v='********************************'/>
22:39:02:  <user v='Yoshi'/>
22:39:02:
22:39:02:  <!-- Folding Slots -->
22:39:02:  <slot id='0' type='GPU'/>
22:39:02:  <slot id='1' type='CPU'>
22:39:02:    <cpus v='-1'/>
22:39:02:  </slot>
22:39:02:</config>

[P5-133XL]

You are going to find that whenever the GPU folds, there will be lag. The degree may differ between systems, but it will always be there for the primary video card. It is inherent with the video subsystem. Video cards, the drivers, nor the OS's were never designed for sharing the video subsystem. It has no capability to prioritize nor even interrupt and transfer control to a different process. Folding uses the entire GPU capability, so when you move the mouse cursor, or move a window it just won't happen immediately. It has to wait till the folding chunk that is being worked on finishes. It can be very annoying and make the whole machine feel very sluggish.

The primary solution is to only GPU fold only when on idle. That way folding only occurs after the screen powers down (recommended) or a screen saver running. i.e. when you are not using it. It is preferable that you power down the screen (Use Windows power settings) as opposed to a screen saver because displaying a screen saver reduces the amount of GPU processing that folding uses.

I'm not sure about your CPU concerns. You are using 3 CPU cores for CPU folding with 4 cores available (75% usage). When GPU folding starts up, you will find it takes a couple of minutes of high CPU usage with no GPU usage. After a while the GPU usage should go high and the CPU usage caused by the GPU drop to just a few 1-3%. Every few minutes the GPU will cause the CPU to peak again but only for a few seconds. This is normal behavior.

[amdphenomkde]

Thanks for your response. That makes sense that the CPU runs by itself for a little while at the beginning before the GPU kicks in, and seems consistent with what I've noticed.

[PantherX]

FYI, you may want to consider updating to V7.4.4 which is the latest V7 public release (viewtopic.php?f=96&t=26025). It contains many bug fixes and a simplified Folding Power Slider and redesigned Web Control interface.

[bollix47]

Also, please check your Hardware Acceleration settings ... it should be disabled.

viewtopic.php?p=248300#p248300
viewtopic.php?p=251796#p251796

[amdphenomkde]

Thanks, both of you. I'll be away from the computer for the next couple of days but I'll try both of your suggestions when I get back to the computer. Thanks again.

[amdphenomkde]

Hey everybody-sorry for the delay. I tried letting the computer's screen go dark under 7.3.6 and the GPU was still at 0.00% after several minutes. When I woke it up, I saw that the SpeedFan CPU indicator was less than 100%. Then, I updated to 7.4.4, and the new GUI is very nice, and I like that the GPU can now fold on medium. However, why is it that the CPU (quad-core) only uses two threads under medium? Is this new? The GPU is now folding, but I noticed that on full, it still causes the CPU load to drop. I'll see if it does that when the screen goes dark. I'm just not sure why the CPU load was still dropping when the screen was off, at least under 7.3.6. Thanks again for the help, both of you. I'm really glad my GPU folding is working again.

[jrweiss]

You should manually "lock" the CPU slot (Configure | Slots | CPU | Edit) to use 1 core less than your total available cores (including virtual hyperthread cores, if applicable). that should also maximize GPU Folding.

[amdphenomkde]

Ok-thanks, jrweiss.