Does anybody know how to get BOINC to recognize the GPU's specifically under PCLinuxOS? I use Lubuntu/Peppermint quite a bit and that works quite well, but PCLinuxOS is a really nice system I'd like to use too, however, the GPU recognition issue is keeping me from using it as much as I'd like. I'm fairly certain it is not a timing problem, as I start BOINC long after the computer is up and running, so I suspect it's a matter of dependencies or a file location issue. Unfortunately, the differences between Lubuntu/Peppermint vs PCLinuxOS regarding where BOINC stuff gets filed has me pulling my hair out. Anyone know for certain how to get it running?

If you don't mind doing a lot of reading, start at http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/forum_thread.php?id=10727 and http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/forum_thread.php?id=10583.

---

Actually, I figured this out on my own. The trick was to download the drivers directly from Nvidia, change the permissions on the downloaded file to make it executable, reboot the computer into the safe mode, and run the installation program as root from the command line without the X-server running. Running the installation with the GUI running fails. I have done this several times now on a few different computers and for the most part it has gone OK. I did have a problem with one machine which resulted in an incorrect X-configuration and an X-server crash as a result of that, but the machine actually booted into the GUI after the installation but with the wrong screen resolution displayed. The crash occurred after I changed the resolution and rebooted, but I was already having a resolution problem prior to that, which I think is a bug in the screen resolution selection program, so I suspect the crash was unrelated to the driver installation. In any case, I reinstalled the drivers after the resolution change and the next reboot brought it up correctly, with the GPU's detected and now running. What I have found is that depending on the computer, probably due to age, is the Nvidia installation program is somewhat finicky running in an XP vintage machine, particularly in displaying the Yes/No buttons regarding the questions the program asks the installer at the time of installation. However, getting past that the installation worked.

---

I like using pclos but oh my God, I don't understand anything you just wrote.

Is there an easier "for dummies" way of getting it to work?

I have tried both Kubuntu 14.04 and pclos 2014-Aug release, and couldn't get my Nvidia GTS 250 (g92 based) gpu to work.

It looks like you found a method, but that is way beyond my skill level.