Low power GPU?

A forum for discussing FAH-related hardware choices and info on actual products (not speculation).

Moderator: Site Moderators

Forum rules
Please read the forum rules before posting.
billford
Posts: 1005
Joined: Thu May 02, 2013 8:46 pm
Hardware configuration: Full Time:

2x NVidia GTX 980
1x NVidia GTX 780 Ti
2x 3GHz Core i5 PC (Linux)

Retired:

3.2GHz Core i5 PC (Linux)
3.2GHz Core i5 iMac
2.8GHz Core i5 iMac
2.16GHz Core 2 Duo iMac
2GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook
1.6GHz Core 2 Duo Acer laptop
Location: Near Oxford, United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Low power GPU?

Post by billford »

Well, all the bits have arrived…

I've been reading the NVidia guides which to a Linux newbie like me are more than somewhat intimidating, but I infer from PantherX's comment earlier that Mint contains all the necessary source files etc and that the NVidia installer does all the hard work.

I've obtained a copy of the NV 319.49 drivers that ChristianVirtual seems happy with, so I'll use them.

I've outlined what I think I need to do, some reassurance before I start would be appreciated! (No great rush- I probably won't have time to do it until the weekend at the earliest, and doing something unfamiliar like this in a hurry is usually a good way to ensure that whatever can go wrong, will)

1) Set client to 'finish', 'pause-on-start', when it stops set 'cpu' to 3.

2) Shut down, install the hardware, connect spare monitor to GPU and reboot. (I intend to use the motherboard graphics for the primary display rather than the GPU, but I'll sort that out when it's all working)

3) Now a couple of bits I'm not sure about- do I need to stop the X server (init 3 ?) and do I need to do anything about the /etc/inittab file to prevent it restarting on a reboot until I want it to? Because I can't find a file called inittab, in /etc or anywhere else! (Although there is an 'inittab.5.gz' archive in another folder)

4) Run the installer and do as it tells me.

5) Sort out any bits (like primary displays) to my satisfaction and start FAHControl, which I assume should have detected the GPU automatically and set its defaults appropriately?

6) If all looks OK, right-click and select fold, and watch the points pile up :)

A general question- how (or if) does Mint's Driver Manager come into it? I ran it but (not surprisingly) it came up with no proprietary drivers. Is that only of use after I've installed the drivers as above?

Thanks in advance.
Image
PantherX
Site Moderator
Posts: 7020
Joined: Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:33 am
Hardware configuration: V7.6.21 -> Multi-purpose 24/7
Windows 10 64-bit
CPU:2/3/4/6 -> Intel i7-6700K
GPU:1 -> Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti
§
Retired:
2x Nvidia GTX 1070
Nvidia GTX 675M
Nvidia GTX 660 Ti
Nvidia GTX 650 SC
Nvidia GTX 260 896 MB SOC
Nvidia 9600GT 1 GB OC
Nvidia 9500M GS
Nvidia 8800GTS 320 MB

Intel Core i7-860
Intel Core i7-3840QM
Intel i3-3240
Intel Core 2 Duo E8200
Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
Intel Core 2 Duo T8300
Intel Pentium E5500
Intel Pentium E5400
Location: Land Of The Long White Cloud
Contact:

Re: Low power GPU?

Post by PantherX »

If you mostly use Windows, then Mint will make you feel very comfortable with the GUI interface as opposed to Ubuntu.

2) My initial set-up was Wubi Ubuntu 12.04 LTS 64-bit and I had a GTX 660 Ti and GTX 650 in the same system. On Windows, I had attached my monitor to the second GPU, GTX 650 and the display was fully functional. However, when I booted into Ubuntu, I just received a black screen. I figured out the issue, I had to connect my monitor to GTX 660 Ti instead of GTX 650. Am not sure why that would be.

3) I never had to manually stop the X Server or anything, just had to reboot the system when I was promoted to after all the installation of the updates and drivers were done.

5) Just remember that depending on your GPU Model, you may need to download and place the GPUs.txt file in the correct location.

The Driver Manager comes in Step #4 so it checks your hardware and suggests any propriety drivers that it can find. However, if you are doing a manual installation of the driver, I think you can skip the Driver Manager. Generally, you use the Driver manager before any installation of propriety drivers as it manages them.

In essence, the steps are:
1) Install Mint/Ubuntu on system
2) Install Mint/Ubuntu updates
3) Install Drivers from Driver manager
4) Install F@H and configure it

Unfortunately, Step 3 is now tricky with Nvidia GPUs since the latest version causes a significant PPD drop in non GK110 GPUs. Thus, you may have to install a previous version, something that I haven't done.
ETA:
Now ↞ Very Soon ↔ Soon ↔ Soon-ish ↔ Not Soon ↠ End Of Time

Welcome To The F@H Support Forum Ӂ Troubleshooting Bad WUs Ӂ Troubleshooting Server Connectivity Issues
billford
Posts: 1005
Joined: Thu May 02, 2013 8:46 pm
Hardware configuration: Full Time:

2x NVidia GTX 980
1x NVidia GTX 780 Ti
2x 3GHz Core i5 PC (Linux)

Retired:

3.2GHz Core i5 PC (Linux)
3.2GHz Core i5 iMac
2.8GHz Core i5 iMac
2.16GHz Core 2 Duo iMac
2GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook
1.6GHz Core 2 Duo Acer laptop
Location: Near Oxford, United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Low power GPU?

Post by billford »

PantherX wrote:
In essence, the steps are:
1) Install Mint/Ubuntu on system
2) Install Mint/Ubuntu updates
3) Install Drivers from Driver manager
4) Install F@H and configure it

Unfortunately, Step 3 is now tricky with Nvidia GPUs since the latest version causes a significant PPD drop in non GK110 GPUs. Thus, you may have to install a previous version, something that I haven't done.
OK, I think I understand it better now, thanks.

When I've got the card in I'll try the Driver Manager and see what it can find. If it can't find a suitable one I'll have to try a manual install. If it all goes seriously wrong it doesn't take long to re-install the OS, a task I'm not unfamiliar with :wink:

I didn't know about GPUs.txt, there isn't one currently installed. I've downloaded the latest copy, where do I put it?
Image
billford
Posts: 1005
Joined: Thu May 02, 2013 8:46 pm
Hardware configuration: Full Time:

2x NVidia GTX 980
1x NVidia GTX 780 Ti
2x 3GHz Core i5 PC (Linux)

Retired:

3.2GHz Core i5 PC (Linux)
3.2GHz Core i5 iMac
2.8GHz Core i5 iMac
2.16GHz Core 2 Duo iMac
2GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook
1.6GHz Core 2 Duo Acer laptop
Location: Near Oxford, United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Low power GPU?

Post by billford »

PantherX wrote: 2) My initial set-up was Wubi Ubuntu 12.04 LTS 64-bit and I had a GTX 660 Ti and GTX 650 in the same system. On Windows, I had attached my monitor to the second GPU, GTX 650 and the display was fully functional. However, when I booted into Ubuntu, I just received a black screen. I figured out the issue, I had to connect my monitor to GTX 660 Ti instead of GTX 650. Am not sure why that would be.
Not sure if this may be relevant, from a comment at http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/1484
This tutorial is useless for everyone with a CPU with an onboard GPU (which is almost all of them now...). Please write in BIG LETTERS the following warning:

If running with a CPU having an onboard GPU - enter BIOS and disable the integrated GPU!

Until the integrated GPU is disabled, ubuntu/mint will not autodetect the nvidia gfx card.
If, for "integrated GPU" you read "first GPU" it might explain it?
Image
davidcoton
Posts: 1102
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2008 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge, UK

Re: Low power GPU?

Post by davidcoton »

I've not run multiple GPUs, so I can't help there.

nvidia driver versions for Linux are not in line with Windows. My 660Ti runs OK with 310.44. You will need to set the fan speed (after each reboot :() in the nvidia x server settings app.

I don't think you will need the newest gpus.txt. But if you do, it goes in /var/lib/fahclient and then reboot.

David
Image
bruce
Posts: 20910
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:13 pm
Location: So. Cal.

Re: Low power GPU?

Post by bruce »

I have attempted to run multiple GPUs on ubuntu and I've had troubles. I have finally decided that my only option is to do a complete reinstall. My problem is that I get a black screen no matter where I connect the monitor. (I can get to grub. The system runs FAH-SMP but not FAH-GPU and there's neither a GUI or an CTRL_ALT_F1 screen.)
billford
Posts: 1005
Joined: Thu May 02, 2013 8:46 pm
Hardware configuration: Full Time:

2x NVidia GTX 980
1x NVidia GTX 780 Ti
2x 3GHz Core i5 PC (Linux)

Retired:

3.2GHz Core i5 PC (Linux)
3.2GHz Core i5 iMac
2.8GHz Core i5 iMac
2.16GHz Core 2 Duo iMac
2GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook
1.6GHz Core 2 Duo Acer laptop
Location: Near Oxford, United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Low power GPU?

Post by billford »

davidcoton wrote:You will need to set the fan speed (after each reboot :() in the nvidia x server settings app.
Not heard that before, I'd have to write down what to do- my machines feel hard done by if they're rebooted more than about once a month :wink:

Hopefully the Linux drivers won't need it.
davidcoton wrote: I don't think you will need the newest gpus.txt. But if you do, it goes in /var/lib/fahclient and then reboot.
It was the first one I found… thanks.
Image
davidcoton
Posts: 1102
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2008 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge, UK

Re: Low power GPU?

Post by davidcoton »

billford wrote: Not heard that before, I'd have to write down what to do- my machines feel hard done by if they're rebooted more than about once a month :wink:
That's why I keep forgetting, too. But I seem to remember there's more to it -- something else needs configuring to get the fan speed to be controllable.
Try viewtopic.php?f=89&t=25075

David
Image
billford
Posts: 1005
Joined: Thu May 02, 2013 8:46 pm
Hardware configuration: Full Time:

2x NVidia GTX 980
1x NVidia GTX 780 Ti
2x 3GHz Core i5 PC (Linux)

Retired:

3.2GHz Core i5 PC (Linux)
3.2GHz Core i5 iMac
2.8GHz Core i5 iMac
2.16GHz Core 2 Duo iMac
2GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook
1.6GHz Core 2 Duo Acer laptop
Location: Near Oxford, United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Low power GPU?

Post by billford »

There's a good link in there to another by bollix, giving instructions of the sort I can understand- ie one syllable!

Thanks… I've got a feeling I'm going to come back at some point with a lot more questions :(
Image
PantherX
Site Moderator
Posts: 7020
Joined: Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:33 am
Hardware configuration: V7.6.21 -> Multi-purpose 24/7
Windows 10 64-bit
CPU:2/3/4/6 -> Intel i7-6700K
GPU:1 -> Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti
§
Retired:
2x Nvidia GTX 1070
Nvidia GTX 675M
Nvidia GTX 660 Ti
Nvidia GTX 650 SC
Nvidia GTX 260 896 MB SOC
Nvidia 9600GT 1 GB OC
Nvidia 9500M GS
Nvidia 8800GTS 320 MB

Intel Core i7-860
Intel Core i7-3840QM
Intel i3-3240
Intel Core 2 Duo E8200
Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
Intel Core 2 Duo T8300
Intel Pentium E5500
Intel Pentium E5400
Location: Land Of The Long White Cloud
Contact:

Re: Low power GPU?

Post by PantherX »

billford wrote:...If it all goes seriously wrong it doesn't take long to re-install the OS, a task I'm not unfamiliar with :wink: ...
Haha... while setting up my Wubi installation, I had to reinstall a combination of Windows/Ubuntu or Windows/Mint a couple of times since I learnt the hard way that RAID 0 works great in Windows but not in Ubuntu/Mint. Nonetheless, it was a fun week... something that I am not very keen to repeat in the near future.
billford wrote:...Not sure if this may be relevant, from a comment at http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/1484
This tutorial is useless for everyone with a CPU with an onboard GPU (which is almost all of them now...). Please write in BIG LETTERS the following warning:

If running with a CPU having an onboard GPU - enter BIOS and disable the integrated GPU!

Until the integrated GPU is disabled, ubuntu/mint will not autodetect the nvidia gfx card.
If, for "integrated GPU" you read "first GPU" it might explain it?
Humm, it could be possible that since my GPUs weren't in SLI mode, only the first GPU would was used for the monitor output. I think that was how it was in Windows when dual GPUs were first being used. Nonetheless, thanks for that.

Wish you all the best!
ETA:
Now ↞ Very Soon ↔ Soon ↔ Soon-ish ↔ Not Soon ↠ End Of Time

Welcome To The F@H Support Forum Ӂ Troubleshooting Bad WUs Ӂ Troubleshooting Server Connectivity Issues
billford
Posts: 1005
Joined: Thu May 02, 2013 8:46 pm
Hardware configuration: Full Time:

2x NVidia GTX 980
1x NVidia GTX 780 Ti
2x 3GHz Core i5 PC (Linux)

Retired:

3.2GHz Core i5 PC (Linux)
3.2GHz Core i5 iMac
2.8GHz Core i5 iMac
2.16GHz Core 2 Duo iMac
2GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook
1.6GHz Core 2 Duo Acer laptop
Location: Near Oxford, United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Low power GPU?

Post by billford »

It seems to be working…

Downloaded project: 8900 (Run 338, Clone 10, Gen 4), TPF just over 9 minutes, PPD ~30,000 (which I can live with :) ), temperature around 52ºC and showing a touch of yellow on the bar graph, I assume I can ignore that unless I start to see some red? (I haven't yet attempted to adjust the fan speed, I think I may have a couple of questions then)

Does all that sound reasonable?

I realise it's only 30% fan speed, but I'm very impressed with the lack of noise. It's the Gigabyte version of the card with twin fans and a heat pipe, seems to be doing its job.
Image
davidcoton
Posts: 1102
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2008 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge, UK

Re: Low power GPU?

Post by davidcoton »

billford wrote:It seems to be working…
Shhh. Don't provoke it. :lol:
billford wrote: Downloaded project: 8900 (Run 338, Clone 10, Gen 4), TPF just over 9 minutes, PPD ~30,000 (which I can live with :) ), temperature around 52ºC and showing a touch of yellow on the bar graph, I assume I can ignore that unless I start to see some red? (I haven't yet attempted to adjust the fan speed, I think I may have a couple of questions then)

Does all that sound reasonable?
Yes 52ºC is not a problem (in most circumstances no problems below 90ºC
billford wrote:I realise it's only 30% fan speed, but I'm very impressed with the lack of noise. It's the Gigabyte version of the card with twin fans and a heat pipe, seems to be doing its job.
Enjoy!

David
Image
billford
Posts: 1005
Joined: Thu May 02, 2013 8:46 pm
Hardware configuration: Full Time:

2x NVidia GTX 980
1x NVidia GTX 780 Ti
2x 3GHz Core i5 PC (Linux)

Retired:

3.2GHz Core i5 PC (Linux)
3.2GHz Core i5 iMac
2.8GHz Core i5 iMac
2.16GHz Core 2 Duo iMac
2GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook
1.6GHz Core 2 Duo Acer laptop
Location: Near Oxford, United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Low power GPU?

Post by billford »

davidcoton wrote:
billford wrote:It seems to be working…
Shhh. Don't provoke it. :lol:
:D

With a little trepidation, I started up the cpu slot, that seems to be OK too. A bit down on PPD, but it's only got 3 cores now so hardly a surprise.

That one card has just about doubled my PPD… it's a good thing the mobo only has one PCI-E slot, or I might get tempted :shock:
Image
artoar_11
Posts: 657
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2009 8:42 pm
Hardware configuration: AMD R7 3700X @ 4.0 GHz; ASUS ROG STRIX X470-F GAMING; DDR4 2x8GB @ 3.0 GHz; GByte RTX 3060 Ti @ 1890 MHz; Fortron-550W 80+ bronze; Win10 Pro/64
Location: Bulgaria/Team #224497/artoar11_ALL_....

Re: Low power GPU?

Post by artoar_11 »

billford wrote:It seems to be working…

Downloaded project: 8900 (Run 338, Clone 10, Gen 4), TPF just over 9 minutes, PPD ~30,000 (which I can live with :) ), temperature around 52ºC and showing a touch of yellow on the bar graph, I assume I can ignore that unless I start to see some red? (I haven't yet attempted to adjust the fan speed, I think I may have a couple of questions then)

Does all that sound reasonable?

I realise it's only 30% fan speed, but I'm very impressed with the lack of noise. It's the Gigabyte version of the card with twin fans and a heat pipe, seems to be doing its job.
My 650 Ti with single fan (50%) shows the 54C (room 18C) on p8900. If you receive a WU from p7622-27, the temperature may exceed 60-64C. There is no reason for concern, but is better fans to operate at 45-50%. If Linux allows.
billford
Posts: 1005
Joined: Thu May 02, 2013 8:46 pm
Hardware configuration: Full Time:

2x NVidia GTX 980
1x NVidia GTX 780 Ti
2x 3GHz Core i5 PC (Linux)

Retired:

3.2GHz Core i5 PC (Linux)
3.2GHz Core i5 iMac
2.8GHz Core i5 iMac
2.16GHz Core 2 Duo iMac
2GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook
1.6GHz Core 2 Duo Acer laptop
Location: Near Oxford, United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Low power GPU?

Post by billford »

artoar_11 wrote:There is no reason for concern, but is better fans to operate at 45-50%. If Linux allows.
I think it can be persuaded, but I haven't looked into that very far as yet. Thanks.
Image
Post Reply