Well if I recall that was what I was advised to enter. I do want to accept GPU work, but before I was experiencing flickering/breakups on the desktop so was trying to eliminate that.

Until someone invents a graphics card with actual usage controls built-in that will have to do I guess.

Well I deleted the file after keeping a backup just in case. We shall see how it goes.

Didn't have to wait long...now I'm back to a herky-jerky mouse pointer and, despite settings in BOINC projects not to use GPU when machine in use, obviously Graphics memory is being used regardless.

This isn't satisfactory as I should be able to govern the usage of my graphics cores without cutting off polling for work units.

The two really should not be connected.


I'm reinstating that cc_config file for now in the hope a fix will be found.

...despite settings in BOINC projects not to use GPU when machine in use

Well... here's the thing. I suspect you're using local advanced preferences, which override the web-preferences. So just indulge me and check in your BOINC data directory if you've got a file called global_prefs_override.xml, for when you do, there's probably in it "<run_gpu_if_user_active>1</run_gpu_if_user_active>" which translates into the "Use GPU while computer is in use" being checked.



It's quite easy to use the local preferences, you only just have to look at them and exit with the OK button, to get them to be used immediately. It's also quite easy to get rid of them, just navigate to them (Advanced view->Tools->Preferences) and click the Clear button. This will force BOINC to use the web-preferences. Or uncheck the "Use GPU while computer is in use" option and click OK.

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I cleared the Computer Preferences already but there is the XML file but the parameter for that line is '0'.

<global_preferences>
<source_project>http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/</source_project>
<source_scheduler>https://grid.worldcommunitygrid.org/boinc/wcg_cgi/fcgi</source_scheduler>

<mod_time>1334739807</mod_time>
<run_on_batteries>1</run_on_batteries>
<run_if_user_active>1</run_if_user_active>
<run_gpu_if_user_active>0</run_gpu_if_user_active>
<idle_time_to_run>3</idle_time_to_run>
<suspend_if_no_recent_input>0.0</suspend_if_no_recent_input>
<suspend_cpu_usage>50.0</suspend_cpu_usage>
<start_hour>7</start_hour>
<end_hour>21</end_hour>
<leave_apps_in_memory>1</leave_apps_in_memory>
<cpu_scheduling_period_minutes>60</cpu_scheduling_period_minutes>
<max_cpus>8</max_cpus>
<max_ncpus_pct>100.0</max_ncpus_pct>
<cpu_usage_limit>40.0</cpu_usage_limit>
<disk_max_used_gb>100.0</disk_max_used_gb>
<disk_min_free_gb>0.0010</disk_min_free_gb>
<disk_max_used_pct>10.0</disk_max_used_pct>
<disk_interval>60.0</disk_interval>
<vm_max_used_pct>80.0</vm_max_used_pct>
<ram_max_used_busy_pct>50.0</ram_max_used_busy_pct>
<ram_max_used_idle_pct>80.0</ram_max_used_idle_pct>
<work_buf_min_days>0.0</work_buf_min_days>
<work_buf_additional_days>1.0</work_buf_additional_days>
<confirm_before_connecting>0</confirm_before_connecting>
<hangup_if_dialed>0</hangup_if_dialed>
<max_bytes_sec_down>1500000.0</max_bytes_sec_down>
<max_bytes_sec_up>5000000.0</max_bytes_sec_up>
<daily_xfer_limit_mb>0.0</daily_xfer_limit_mb>
<daily_xfer_period_days>0</daily_xfer_period_days>
<dont_verify_images>0</dont_verify_images>
<net_end_hour>0</net_end_hour>
<net_start_hour>0</net_start_hour>
</global_preferences>

By the way in that Computer Preferences 'Use GPU while computer is in use' was unchecked in any case.

I cleared the Computer Preferences already but there is the XML file but the parameter for that line is '0'.

The normal preferences are stored in a file called global_prefs.xml
The local preferences arfe stored in a file called global_prefs_override.xml

Now the other thing why preferences like that may not adhere to logic, can be because of:
1. You set Activity, Use GPU always.
2. You set Activity, Run always.
3. Boinctray.exe isn't running. Boinctray is the BOINC idle detection program for Windows 7 and Vista. It does not run in any tray, it has no icon, it starts only from the registry at Windows logon. You can only see it running in Windows task manager.

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I don't have the override file.

Both of those mentioned are set to run based on preferences.

Boinctray.exe is running as mentioned earlier I believe.

Aren't we trying to use the tail to wag the dog?

Surely it should fetch work regardless of my GPU settings.

It would be a shame to ditch BOINC altogether but it may come to that if it's going to be this difficult to use. Pity, I've been doing this for years.

There's a bug in BOINC when the GPU is enabled, that BOINC will only ask for work for the GPU and ignore the CPU. This bug is present in 7.0.25, 7.0.26 and probably going to be in 7.0.27. It's a difficult one to track.

In these cases, you'll have to set "Use Nvidia GPU" to No in the project preferences and update on BOINC. It will then ask for work for the CPU.

When this bug is going to be fixed, is unknown. It's been in BOINC since some 6.12 version, perhaps it's here to stay. As a feature.

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It's been in BOINC since some 6.12 version, perhaps it's here to stay. As a feature

Thanks for the update. Strange that the problem with 'no fetch' didn't surface until mine updated to 7.0.25.

However if what you say is true then a lot of projects will be unhappy as people start telling their machines not to fetch work involving the GPU - an absurd situation I think anyone would agree especially as many rely on GPU use and wont send work otherwise.

I realize the way it fetches changed from reading other threads, but they need to take a look at that new 'fix' and make some changes, as it is, IMHO, a stupid move and totally irrational that a code telling BOINC which GPU core to use should effect work fetching, they are two totally unrelated components, or should be so.

I hope that they are aware that people are having issues. Is this all being passed back to the people designing this thing?

---

Peter
Toronto, Canada

... totally irrational that a code telling BOINC which GPU core to use should effect work fetching, they are two totally unrelated components, or should be so.

Not really. The GPU won't be able to do any work without the CPU. There's no GPU application yet that runs completely on the GPU only, it's a program that runs on the CPU (check in Windows task manager->Processes). This is because you need to use the CPU to translate the tasks into something that the GPU understands (kernels), transport these to the GPU, wait for the GPU to be done with the work, transport the results back, translate them back into something the humans understand and write that to disk.

For some projects this means that their application will take up part of, or a full core for as long as their science application runs on the GPU.

But ok, the bug has nothing to do with this. The bug is that the GPU is seen as the highest priority piece of equipment in the PC and that it therefore always needs to be fed. However, having said that, I have also seen times that my GPU isn't being fed, or that BOINC is asking for work for it, only for the CPU. So I think it switches sides.

I hope that they are aware that people are having issues. Is this all being passed back to the people designing this thing?

The three developers have quite a bit on their plate. They know about this bug, I don't have to tell them I found another victim who got bit by it. If you feel you have extra information that no one else could have given them yet, you can always email them yourself. Best do so on the Alpha email list. This list needs registration. Yet it ends up directly in their email boxes.

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I don't understand the first bit of your argument...of course the CPU needs addressing and it is there...I've never told BOINC to use the GPU only, as you know, there is no such setting...that I've seen anyway.

The recent changes to BOINC have resulted in BOINC using faulty logic to get wherever it's going.

By the way, I see absolutely no difference in behaviour with USE GPU set to NO in those projects that have that setting and yes I've updated.

Whatever they've done maybe for a good reason but it would appear to be overkill.

I realize it isn't easy to revert to an earlier model but I may have to and forget about ever updating at this rate.

I've never told BOINC to use the GPU only, as you know, there is no such setting...that I've seen anyway.

In project preferences, for those projects that have GPUs enabled:
1. Projects with CPU and Nvidia GPU applications only:

Use CPU
Enforced by version 6.10+
Use NVIDIA GPU
Enforced by version 6.10+

2. Projects with CPU, ATI and Nvidia applications:

Use CPU
Enforced by version 6.10+
Use ATI GPU
Enforced by version 6.10+
Use NVIDIA GPU
Enforced by version 6.10+

Whether or not the Nvidia GPU and ATI GPU option is available depends on whether the project has native applications for them. For instance, on Seti one can run the optimized applications on their ATI card, but since these aren't default --delivered by the project-- applications, the ATI option won't show in the Seti project preferences.

Note:
- Selecting the Nvidia GPU preference here does nothing for ATI GPUs.
- When you run applications through the anonymous platform (app_info.xml) file, setting the preferences to No will be ignored since you tell BOINC what applications to use in that file.

The recent changes to BOINC have resulted in BOINC using faulty logic to get wherever it's going.

Please see the quote after Furthermore in my post here.

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Well whatever it is, the current way things work is unsatisfactory. I'm looking to wind back to an earlier version or ditch the idea altogether.

Apropos,

I've just been told this is not likely to change in the near future and, in my case at least, to 'turn off GPU usage altogether in the various project settings'.

Please don't make up things I didn't say or imply. I said:

In these cases, you'll have to set "Use Nvidia GPU" to No in the project preferences and update on BOINC. It will then ask for work for the CPU.

Conversely, after you have work for the CPU, you can enable GPU work fetch again in the same way. Or just wait it out, as eventually the REC of the CPU is so large that it will refuse to ask for work for the GPU and only get work for the CPU.

---

OK we are arguing semantics here. To me that is turning off GPU use altogether, which means that some projects wont send work, or very rarely will as they seldom have work for the CPU only.

Sorry I'm not trying to twist what you are saying and I appreciate the help, but it's just extremely annoying that the BOINC designers chose this route. Not all changes are for the better it would seem.