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How to configure client to use GPU-only for MilkyWay@Home while still using CPU for N-Body Simulation

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ktomlinson

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Message 66715 - Posted: 20 Oct 2017, 16:37:40 UTC

I've created an app_config.xml file to run multiple GPU work units:

<app_config>
<app>
<name>milkyway</name>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>.2</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>.2</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
</app_config>


I want my client to get CPU work units for the N-Body Simulation application, but I'd like to disable CPU work units for MilkyWay@Home 1.46.

I tried disabling the CPU by adding the config below to my app_config but it doesn't seem to have an effect. I thought maybe the empty plan_class tag would tell the CPU app to use 0 CPUs, but still allow GPU tasks.

<app_version>
<app_name>milkyway</app_name>
<plan_class></plan_class>
<avg_ncpus>0.0</avg_ncpus>
</app_version>


Is it possible to use GPU-only for 1.46 and still use the CPU for N-Body?

Thanks,

~KT
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Profile mikey
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Message 66721 - Posted: 21 Oct 2017, 11:11:12 UTC - in response to Message 66715.  

I've created an app_config.xml file to run multiple GPU work units:

<app_config>
<app>
<name>milkyway</name>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>.2</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>.2</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
</app_config>


I want my client to get CPU work units for the N-Body Simulation application, but I'd like to disable CPU work units for MilkyWay@Home 1.46.

I tried disabling the CPU by adding the config below to my app_config but it doesn't seem to have an effect. I thought maybe the empty plan_class tag would tell the CPU app to use 0 CPUs, but still allow GPU tasks.

<app_version>
<app_name>milkyway</app_name>
<plan_class></plan_class>
<avg_ncpus>0.0</avg_ncpus>
</app_version>


Is it possible to use GPU-only for 1.46 and still use the CPU for N-Body?

Thanks,

~KT


On the same computer I've never seen that before, on different pc's you can thru the 'venues' home work and school, just turn off the cpu tasks on one and the gpu tasks off on the other one.
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ktomlinson

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Message 66761 - Posted: 3 Nov 2017, 16:47:59 UTC
Last modified: 3 Nov 2017, 16:49:06 UTC

Thanks for the response. However, even if that was a proper solution to my problem I wouldn't be able to implement it. I'm currently in a gridcoin pool so I have no control over the project settings.

I was hoping for a client-side solution.

~KT
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Message 66764 - Posted: 4 Nov 2017, 12:20:15 UTC - in response to Message 66761.  

Thanks for the response. However, even if that was a proper solution to my problem I wouldn't be able to implement it. I'm currently in a gridcoin pool so I have no control over the project settings.

I was hoping for a client-side solution.

~KT


I thought of another way....do two different installs of the Boinc software on your pc, making each is in it's own set of directories, and don't use the gpu on one of them and only use the gpu on the other one.
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mmonnin

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Message 66819 - Posted: 29 Nov 2017, 19:54:32 UTC - in response to Message 66764.  

Thanks for the response. However, even if that was a proper solution to my problem I wouldn't be able to implement it. I'm currently in a gridcoin pool so I have no control over the project settings.

I was hoping for a client-side solution.

~KT


I thought of another way....do two different installs of the Boinc software on your pc, making each is in it's own set of directories, and don't use the gpu on one of them and only use the gpu on the other one.


BOINC only needs to be installed a single time. Several clients can be started simultaneously using their own data directory and communicate to a manager via a different gui_rpc_port.

This would be my suggestion too. I wrote a guide on my team forum on how to setup multiple clients.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1628924/guide-setting-up-multiple-boinc-instances/0_30
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ktomlinson

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Message 66820 - Posted: 29 Nov 2017, 20:53:12 UTC - in response to Message 66819.  

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this would still require access to the project settings via the web account? And each client running would have to use one of the custom preferences?

For example:

Client 1 uses "home" preferences that specifies GPU-Only and the N-Body application disabled.
Client 2 uses "school" preferences that specifies CPU-Only and only the N-Body application enabled.
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mmonnin

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Message 66823 - Posted: 30 Nov 2017, 20:37:54 UTC - in response to Message 66820.  

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this would still require access to the project settings via the web account? And each client running would have to use one of the custom preferences?

For example:

Client 1 uses "home" preferences that specifies GPU-Only and the N-Body application disabled.
Client 2 uses "school" preferences that specifies CPU-Only and only the N-Body application enabled.


Yes, from what I've seen most projects will have a Computer show up twice if there are two clients. Assign a different location to each to send it different work.

I usually have a client for CPU work and another for GPU work. It helps set different queues for each and much more configurable during competitions.

E@H has another benefit as the some of the CPU and GPU apps are named the same. BM averages the run times for CPU and GPU but they could be 10min and 2 hours with the average runtime of 30min. Keep the processors separate and the ETAs stay more accurate.
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ktomlinson

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Message 66824 - Posted: 30 Nov 2017, 21:42:50 UTC - in response to Message 66823.  

Thanks for the help. Hopefully I can use this when I'm not part of a pool and have access to the project settings.
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Message boards : Number crunching : How to configure client to use GPU-only for MilkyWay@Home while still using CPU for N-Body Simulation

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