I decided to add some GPUs to my PC to increase my throughput. I checked BOINC's instructions:
http://boinc.berkeley.edu/wiki/GPU_computing

I followed the instructions and investigated the cards here to make sure I would get the right type:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/cuda_learn_products.html

I chose the GeForce 8400 GS, bought and installed two of them.

I enabled GPU processing on my MilkyWay@home account.

When I connect I get the following message:

2010-01-15 8:01:40 AM	Milkyway@home	update requested by user
2010-01-15 8:01:43 AM	Milkyway@home	Sending scheduler request: Requested by user.
2010-01-15 8:01:43 AM	Milkyway@home	Requesting new tasks for GPU
2010-01-15 8:01:48 AM	Milkyway@home	Scheduler request completed: got 0 new tasks
2010-01-15 8:01:48 AM	Milkyway@home	Message from server: No work sent
2010-01-15 8:01:48 AM	Milkyway@home	Message from server: Your computer has no ATI GPU
2010-01-15 8:01:48 AM	Milkyway@home	Message from server: Your NVIDIA GPU lacks the needed compute capability

This card has 512MB of DDR2, and is on the list of supported cards. I think this shows a bug in the GPU module of MilkyWay@home.

-Kyle

On this PC, I just enabled GPU processing on the SETI@home project. It downloaded and begun processing GPU blocks. Their application names say (cuda23) in their description.

If these cards works on SETI@home shouldn't they work on MilkyWay@home?

-Kyle

You need a Double Precision capable card, this means a 260GTX and up 275,280,285,295GTX etc, or you can get a double precision ATI card. Not sure of the model #'s for ATI. You can run Collatz@home for pretty good credits on your 8400gs though, better than Seti anyway.
;-p

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ATI cards that I have are 4870 and 5870 varieties - they work. I THINK that 4850 and 5850 cards are double precision as well but don't quote me on that...

ATI 38xx, 47xx, 48xx, 58xx series cards should all work here on MW.

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Hi there,

Take a look at http://developer.download.nvidia.com/compute/cuda/2_3/toolkit/docs/NVIDIA_CUDA_Programming_Guide_2.3.pdf. Page 109 out of 145. You want Compute Capability >= 1.3.

The document shows you picked up cards with 1.1.


For ATI cards, refer to: http://developer.amd.com/gpu/ATIStreamSDK/ATIStreamSDKv1.4Beta/pages/ATIStreamSystemRequirements.aspx
(superscript-1 Does not support double precision floating point operations)
58xx series should all support Double Precision.

Thanks.

(Could we create a sticky about what cards are supported or put that information on the front page?)

The BOINC page says these are the supported cards, and these are the projects that use them. MilkyWay@home is listed, and so are these cards.

I really appreciate the replies, but am quite irritated the project has mislead me and wasted a bunch of my money. I shouldn't have to read a chip manufacturer's programming guide to find out if the project is telling the truth or not.

VERY irritated,
Kyle

(Could we create a sticky about what cards are supported or put that information on the front page?)

i think both. and the BOINC page really says next:

------------------------------------------------------------
Projects with NVIDIA applications:
...
Milkyway@home
...

Projects with ATI applications:
Collatz Conjecture
Milkyway@home (coming soon)
------------------------------------------------------------

and the "coming soon" is funny.

It seems the "coming soon" part of the BOINC wiki has been replaced (albeit a little too late in this case).

Projects with NVIDIA applications:
GPUgrid.net
SETI@home
Milkyway@home (Double precision GPU required)
AQUA@home
Lattice
Collatz Conjecture

Projects with ATI applications:
Collatz Conjecture
Milkyway@home (Double precision GPU required)

But I think one ought to distinguish between BOINC (the platform) and Milkyway (the project). They are not one and the same.

Furthermore, while it is unfortunate that the BOINC wiki didn't tell the whole story, it is generally better to check with the owner of the hardware requirements (the project, see above), than to assume all is well because the general info didn't mention any project specifics. Assumption is, after all, the mother of all ...

Not that any of this makes the purchase in question any less frustrating, though :(

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Tanis8472 posted in the thread CUDA Application for 32 bit Windows

Just to let you know, the NV GT240 also works :)

GT240 is compute capability 1.2 but i found no tasks from "Tanis8472" or an other user with the same card.

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As suggested by others, perhaps include system requirements on the home page or a link to a more detailed page of system requirements which lists the ATI and NVIDIA models that are suitable for MilkyWay@home processing. See below system requirements modified from Collatz Conjecture home page, needs checking first in case I have something wrong.

System Requirements

* Computer running Windows or Linux or Mac OS
* Catalyst 9.2 or later drivers for ATI GPU processing (requires Catalyst 9.12 for Windows XP) and a CAL 1.3 capable, double precision GPU
* nVidia 190.38 or later drivers for NVIDIA/CUDA GPU processing and a CUDA capable, Compute Capability 1.3, double precision GPU
* For ATI GPU processing, BOINC 6.10.10 or higher is recommended.