For Boinc Users - Tips, Tricks and FAQ - Updated Oct 2013

[Levent]

Right, but which file?  I don't see <cc_config> anywhere in any of the xml files.

 

Oh, and I was just referring to the resource share number that balances project workloads, I've left them all at the default 100 since no two projects should be using the same processor.

C:\ProgramData\BOINC\cc_config.xml

just copy this in your file explorer

[MdX MaxX]

C:\ProgramData\BOINC\cc_config.xml

just copy this in your file explorer

Ah okay, thanks!  Doesn't seem to be working quite yet but I'll figure it out.

[Terminashunator]

@Whaler_99 Why does boinc fluctuate GPU usage so much? I can't get it to utilize the full performance, either. =\ 

Do you have any suggestions? I want my GPU to run full out. 

[Patramix]

if its set to run always, then i am not sure i never ran dual video card in boinc. could be a side effect of your intel_gpu running at the same time, or how distrTRgen run`s on gpu's ive never run those ither.

[Levent]

it might be ULPS, disabling it might help

[Whaler_99]

Ya, I am not to sure about that - hopefully someone more knowledge can pipe up - in folding, specific projects don't always use certain cards to their full potential. I can only assume something similar.

[Terminashunator]

if its set to run always, then i am not sure i never ran dual video card in boinc. could be a side effect of your intel_gpu running at the same time, or how distrTRgen run`s on gpu's ive never run those ither.

 

it might be ULPS, disabling it might help

 

Ya, I am not to sure about that - hopefully someone more knowledge can pipe up - in folding, specific projects don't always use certain cards to their full potential. I can only assume something similar.

All I had to do was Restart.

I feel stupid. 

 

[Patramix]

ahah we all been there

 

lately ive had a problem where my GPU task's wont stop, either the manage gets bugged out or its the collatz task, but it toke me a while to figure that one out

[Terminashunator]

Mwhaha... I set up my laptop to Boinc again, i7 2630QM / GTX 460M and then I installed a second 7770...

I'm getting 250k+ average a day now Went from 13th place to 10th in two days!

[Levent]

im getting 150k for 2 hours a day workload i get around 1m points when i let gpu's run 24/7 i might get 2 more 7850's if i get them very cheap from second hand sales then i will just need to create a dedicated boinc pc

however im slowing down for a while to save up on the bills for my next build so beat me while you can

[Terminashunator]

im getting 150k for 2 hours a day workload i get around 1m points when i let gpu's run 24/7 i might get 2 more 7850's if i get them very cheap from second hand sales then i will just need to create a dedicated boinc pc

however im slowing down for a while to save up on the bills for my next build so beat me while you can

Wish someone would buy my 7770's so i could buy a 7850/ GTX 660.

BUT NO! No one wants them!

[BenDreadful]

Just have a quick question, didn't want to start a whole topic for it.

 

I have a 780 and a 7970 in my system and they are currently folding. In a few days I'm going to reach 25mil points so I was thinking of putting the 7970 to work towards Boinc.

 

Now, I don't know much about Boinc everything I googled just sounds really complicated, but I guess it's not that hard.

 

Based on what I've read, in the cc_config file I need to put something along the lines of:

 

<cc_config> 
    <log_flags> 
    </log_flags> 
     <options> 

      <exclude_gpu><type>NVIDIA</type></exclude_gpu>

</options>

</cc_config>

 

Is this right? The thing I'm going for is 100% Boinc on the 7970, while the 780 continues to fold and the cpu is idle except for the few percentages of load the graphics cards will pull from it.

[RaphYkun]

there's that or you can just go to the project's site and edit your preferences so it doesn't use NVidia GPU (they're like yes/no options)

[BenDreadful]

there's that or you can just go to the project's site and edit your preferences so it doesn't use NVidia GPU (they're like yes/no options)

 

Oh, and that will just apply the changes in the client on my pc?

[Patramix]

Oh, and that will just apply the changes in the client on my pc?

 

yes it will (on the next update), the instruction are on the original post of the thread

 

you can force each project to use a single component, cpu and/or gpu, or force 1 project to use 1 an and other project to use the other

[BenDreadful]

Ok, so I set up the Boinc manager today to work on my 7970 and my 3770k and I have an issue. I wasn't able to find it in this thread and googling didn't give me much help so I guess I'll post here? Or start a new topic?

 

I'm running rosetta@home on my cpu and distrrtgen on my gpu(7970). Distrrtgen is set to only utilize the gpu. The issue I'm having is when a project of distrrtgen is finished, at 100%, it stays on 100%, but it still says "Running" and the Remaining (estimated) column is just at "---". The gpu is idling and not doing anything. I tried to abort that project which made the next one finish and upload perfectly, but the one after that did the same thing and it's still stuck 2 hours later.

 

Rosetta, on the other hand, is doing great. Running 8 projects at the same time (I guess that's a project-per-core kind of thing, not sure), finishing them just like it's supposed to.

 

Now, I'm not sure if everything is alright with this setup so I have a few questions.

 

1. Is it normal to run 8 projects at the same time on a i7-3770k or is this something I can change and maybe optimize it "better"?

2. Are the finished projects going to upload themselves eventually or do I have to go in and click update every time? Is there a setting I'm missing for that?

3. Any general tips besides the ones in the OP?

[Levent]

its a issue with distrigen im not sure how to fix it since i just cancel the projects if they are stuck

[BenDreadful]

Oh, that's a bit disappointing I tend to leave my pc alone for most of the day so this project is a no-go for me it seems.

[Patramix]

yeah its a bug, i have the same problem with collatz with a 680, i re installed the project (by deleting it manually to remove the exe files) and that fixed the hanging problem

 

as for rossetta, its all good, Boinc project will use 1 core per task, 8 core 8 task, as for uploading it all done automatically, it will self update every couple hours.

 

boinc is perty much a leave it alone program, once it starts running it will do its thing, and unless you have problems it never really needs your input.

[BenDreadful]

yeah its a bug, i have the same problem with collatz with a 680, i re installed the project (by deleting it manually to remove the exe files) and that fixed the hanging problem

 

as for rossetta, its all good, Boinc project will use 1 core per task, 8 core 8 task, as for uploading it all done automatically, it will self update every couple hours.

 

boinc is perty much a leave it alone program, once it starts running it will do its thing, and unless you have problems it never really needs your input.

 

Great, that's what I was hoping for, just like folding. I switched my gpu to Milkyway@home because I was originally thinking of going with it, but changed to distrrtgen for an unknown reason.

 

Hopefully it will run smoothly now.

 

One more thing, suspending is like pausing right? Let's say I want to play a game and I need to pause my cpu. Is suspending the right thing to do in that case?

[Patramix]

Great, that's what I was hoping for, just like folding. I switched my gpu to Milkyway@home because I was originally thinking of going with it, but changed to distrrtgen for an unknown reason.

 

Hopefully it will run smoothly now.

 

One more thing, suspending is like pausing right? Let's say I want to play a game and I need to pause my cpu. Is suspending the right thing to do in that case?

 

suspending under the activity menu? yeah it will pause, if your setup right, you can just put it in "run based on preferences" it will stop all project when you're on your pc and resume after set amount of time after you're pc idles

[BenDreadful]

suspending under the activity menu? yeah it will pause, if your setup right, you can just put it in "run based on preferences" it will stop all project when you're on your pc and resume after set amount of time after you're pc idles

 

I did that first, but since I use my pc for things like reddit and watching movies, I don't want it to pause when I don't really need the cpu much.

 

And what I meant is when you go to the projects tab where I only have rosetta and milkyway, click on rosetta and click suspend. I was just thinking if it's the same as pausing in f@h or does it change something or lose data.

[Patramix]

I did that first, but since I use my pc for things like reddit and watching movies, I don't want it to pause when I don't really need the cpu much.

 

And what I meant is when you go to the projects tab where I only have rosetta and milkyway, click on rosetta and click suspend. I was just thinking if it's the same as pausing in f@h or does it change something or lose data.

 

its not technically the same as in the activity tab, its better to use the activity tab(set it to run always/suspend) to do that stuff(plus it will affect both projects at the same time), suspending in the project tab causes the Project to to stop updating itself and stop communicating with the servers.

[BenDreadful]

its not technically the same as in the activity tab, its better to use the activity tab(set it to run always/suspend) to do that stuff(plus it will affect both projects at the same time), suspending in the project tab causes the Project to to stop updating itself and stop communicating with the servers.

 

Hmm, I guess I can set it up in a way to just suspend my cpu, but leave the gpu working 24/7. Since I have a main 780, I don't think I'll ever give the 7970 a break.

[Patramix]

Hmm, I guess I can set it up in a way to just suspend my cpu, but leave the gpu working 24/7. Since I have a main 780, I don't think I'll ever give the 7970 a break.

 

what i do, is when i want it to run, i just put it in run always, and when i game or dont want the cpu/gpu running i just set it to "run based on preferences" that way it will start up again if i go afk for more then 5 minutes or forget to turn it back on at night