I put Windows 8 on one of my machines, (the disk had died so new SSD, new OS). This gave me the opportunity to install the graphics driver for the card, an ASUS HD 7850.

Inquiring on the use of the GPU for BOINC, I'm told I need a catalyst driver for the card. Searching, I find numerous. Opinions on the most stable/reliable/usable now sought.

Right now, the machine is crunching SIMAP, so no use for the GPU, but in a weeks time, (circa), it will be available for the rest of my portfolio which includes a few projects with GPU options. I'd like to get things set up for when that arrives.

A second question, is that the machine normally runs without a monitor connected, I move the monitor from machine to machine to inspect them. Will the GPU still function if the monitor is absent?

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Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream.

You have the problem that AMD is going to drop Windows 8.0 support on its newer drivers. The present beta 14.6 drivers no longer has that support --but that tells you that there's that change coming-- and that they will only support Windows 7 and 8.1 from now on. So you really best upgrade to Windows 8.1 As Soon As Possible. It's free to do so, so there's really no reason why you wouldn't want to, unless your Windows is illegal. And I doubt you use a pirated version... ;-)

A second answer

Doubtful. It's Windows that requires that there is an active monitor attached to the end of the video-lead, otherwise it drops the driver you loaded, or something like that. And it's really not a good idea to unplug a monitor from a videocard, while it's in use, as you have a good chance to blow up your motherboard when things go wrong. You only need that one day of bad luck to have that happen, even if you managed to do so 1,699 times before.

Despite what Microsoft says about hot-swapping videocards, hard drives, lots of first time USB paraphernalia and stuff like that, best thing is always to power down, before doing so.

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I have not yet been able to download 8.1, or the AMD drivers. Our wireless network is flaky to say the least. I have BOINC set to hold a longer than usual queue of work because frequently, when it needed work, the WLAN was not working, it's icon in the tray is green but it does not send or receive anything - a seperate issue, just another annoyance. I have been looking for a more reliable card, those I have are by TrendNet. My wifes laptop, if placed on my desk communicates without apparent issue at all times.

You are quite correct, I have never had any pirate software on any of my machines.

Interesting comment about moving the monitor there. I have never had more than one monitor, (space restrictions), and usually have 2-3 machines under my desk, and have done for the last ~20 years, moved the monitor freely from machine to machine, several times a day, without issue, both at home and in the office. I have never heard that failure mode mentioned before. Swapping the video card is another matter of course, I have never done that on a live machine and am not about to start anytime soon. Thanks.

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Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream.

Depending on how far the machines are from each other you could use a KVM switch to allow you to share a single monitor across multiple machines safely. The kvm switch fakes out the video cards so they think there is still a monitor there. I have had success with two different versions of a 4 port card (ps/2 and usb) I know they make them larger.

HTH

Tom