Page 1 of 1

GPU: choose 0x18 in favour of 0x21 ?

Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 12:06 pm
by bonzodog
I have 2 GPUs, a GT630 and a GT640 on a dedicated machine, the 630 is connected via an adapter to a PCIe X1 slot. Currently its running a 0x21 core WU. It will finish before expiry, but not before timeout, so no bonus.

Is there a way to not get 0x21 WUs?

I realise the adapter may be throttling it.

Also, would these 2 cards run better if the main display was connected to a 3rd card, say a PCI non-CUDA one?

Re: GPU: choose 0x18 in favour of 0x21 ?

Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 3:33 pm
by Joe_H
Welcome to the folding support forum.

At this time there is no way to not get Core_21 WU's assigned to your system. And as the projects using Core_18 finish up it will be harder to get just WU's that use that folding core. New GPU projects are all using Core_21.

As for the adapter, tests by others seem to point towards needing at least an x4 PCIe connection. So that is probably throttling the GT630 some.

P.S. nVidia has released several different cards over the years as GT 630's using both Fermi and Kepler chips. Depending on which one you have, it may or may not be fast enough to complete a number of different projects, including the Core_18 ones, within the preferred deadlines.

Re: GPU: choose 0x18 in favour of 0x21 ?

Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 3:39 pm
by bruce
The choices of which project is assigned are made centrally by the servers, and each project runs on a particular Core, so the simple answer is No.

You do have a limited ability to alter the assignment choices but it's not specific to which core is used or which project will be assigned. This will only make changes that might or might not be what you want. You can choose "advanced" for "client-type" or leave the default setting of "fah". You can set "max-packet-size" to "small" / "normal" or "big" or to numerical values.

While the packet-size of a project won't change, projects which are restricted to "Advanced" will eventually move to "fah"

Re: GPU: choose 0x18 in favour of 0x21 ?

Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 3:49 pm
by bonzodog
OK, thanks.
Any suggestions for a not-top-of-the range GPU that will do 0x21 core WUs for a while?
I'm looking at getting an i5 board soon, currently running a Q6600. Are SMP 0xa4 cores due to be not available any time soon?

Re: GPU: choose 0x18 in favour of 0x21 ?

Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 3:55 pm
by bruce
New cores come out every year or two with expanded capabilty. Core 21 will probably replace Core17 and core 18 EVENTUALLY and it has been a long time since Core_a4 replaced Core_a3.

After a new core is developed, projects continue using whatever was in place when they were started, so nothing will be in the "any time soon" category even if a new core happens to be introduced.

Re: GPU: choose 0x18 in favour of 0x21 ?

Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 6:34 pm
by bonzodog
After a new core is developed, projects continue using whatever was in place when they were started, so nothing will be in the "any time soon" category even if a new core happens to be introduced.
I was running some older GPUs a while back that got 0x11 IIRC cores, or maybe 0x15s, they don't get any WUs.
I'd rather do several WUs per day than 1 that takes a week.

Re: GPU: choose 0x18 in favour of 0x21 ?

Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 7:41 pm
by artoar_11
bonzodog wrote:OK, thanks.
Any suggestions for a not-top-of-the range GPU that will do 0x21 core WUs for a while?
..........
Currently from the old architecture Maxwell you can use these not-top GPUs: (PPD on Windows)

GTX 750Ti (~65 to 70 PPD; TDP: 60W; added after the post below)
GTX 950 (~90 to 100 PPD; TDP: 90W)
GTX 960 (~140 to 160 PPD; TDP: 120W)
GTX 970 (~250 to 280 PPD; TDP: 145W)

Re: GPU: choose 0x18 in favour of 0x21 ?

Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 8:48 pm
by Nathan_P
If you need something cheaper than above try a 750ti - however etailers are selling off old stocks of 970/980/980ti gpu's so you may score a deal or a 2nd hand one from someone upgrading