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CPU and GPU Folding @ the same time?

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onefstsnake

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Location
Fburg, VA
Im currently running my CPU through VM Ubuntu.
Can I run GPU 2 console at the same time?

Or would it be best to run them both in the VM Ubuntu?

:comp:
 
they'll work just fine together! When setting up the GPU, make sure you say "yes" to change advanced settings and when asked for CPU Priority, enter "low" to prevent the VM from choking the CPU feeding the GPU.

You also may need to add priority.ungrabbed= "idle" to the config of your VM and make sure to keep it minimized.
 
When running Ubuntu in a VM it cannot directly access your GPUs.

So, following on what klear said, if you're running Windows as the Host and Ubuntu as the Guest for SMP Folding... you'll run the GPUs in Windows.
 
I find that I get the best performance when I run the folding appliance at low setting and the gpu units at high settings.
 
If you actually plan to use the machine you're folding on, you don't want fah to run at more than low priority. VM at idle (in .vmx) and gpu at low (in advanced config) works just as well as higher priorities and keeps FAH from interfering with other "normal" apps.
 
ok.

My GPU should be arriving this week.
I do most of my folding from about 11pm-7pm (while im sleeping and at work)

So no processes running except for fah.

Thanks for the help!
 
Another question.

Can I use my current onboard graphics for my display and use the GPU for folding only?

My onboard uses an HDMI connection which I would like to keep for A/V.
The GPU wouldnt be hooked up to a display.
 
I don't really see a need to do that, but you probably can. I've got a lot of SMP + GPU rigs as work and home office machines that run 24/7 without any issues affecting their daily use. The key is getting priority right. THe VM has to be run as low a priority as possible and the GPU has to be slightly higher. To do that in a VM player created VM, you have to edit the .vmx file to add priority.ungrabbed = "idle" and set the GPU priority to low in adv config (slightly higher in , as klear describes. Task manager can be used to set VM priority to low and that setting will stick until the VM is rebooted. Task manager can't be used to set gpu priority because the process closes when the WU is completed. THe setting in fah is thread priority anyway, so the Task manager settings don't have the same effect.
 
I think I didnt get something right.

My 8800 Ultra was running at 6000+PPD untill I started the VM CPU client. now its down around 1500PPD...

When I search .VMX I find an Ubuntu VMX file.

Code:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<Foundry>
<VM>
<VMId type="string">52 c9 e8 19 84 6b 68 7c-ca 17 48 ba cf 8f cf f8</VMId>
<ClientMetaData>
<clientMetaDataAttributes/>
<HistoryEventList/></ClientMetaData>
<vmxPathName type="string">Ubuntu 64-bit (2).vmx</vmxPathName></VM><tools-manifest><svga33 version="10.3.0.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga4 version="10.4.0.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse42 version="1.0.0.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga42 version="10.10.2.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse43 version="12.6.4.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga43 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse43_64 version="12.6.4.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga43_64 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse67 version="12.6.4.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga67 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse67_64 version="12.6.4.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga67_64 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse68 version="12.6.4.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga68 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse68_64 version="12.6.4.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga68_64 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse70 version="12.6.4.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga70 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse70_64 version="12.6.4.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga70_64 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse71 version="12.6.4.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga71 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse71_64 version="12.6.4.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga71_64 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse73 version="12.6.4.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga73 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse73_64 version="12.6.4.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga73_64 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse73_99 version="12.6.4.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga73_99 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse73_99_64 version="12.6.4.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga73_99_64 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse74 version="12.6.4.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga74 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse74_64 version="12.6.4.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga74_64 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse75 version="12.6.5.0" installed="FALSE"/><svga75 version="10.16.7.0" installed="FALSE"/><vmmouse75_64 version="12.6.5.0" installed="TRUE"/><svga75_64 version="10.16.7.0" installed="TRUE"/><checkvm version="8.1.3.9911" installed="TRUE"/><toolboxgtk version="8.1.3.9911" installed="TRUE"/><vmtoolsd version="8.1.3.9911" installed="TRUE"/><vmwareuser version="8.1.3.9911" installed="TRUE"/><upgrader version="8.1.3.9911" installed="TRUE"/><hgfsclient version="8.1.3.9911" installed="TRUE"/><hgfsmounter version="8.1.3.9911" installed="TRUE"/><vmguestlib version="8.1.3.9911" installed="TRUE"/><vmguestlibjava version="8.1.3.9911" installed="TRUE"/><toolbox-cmd version="8.1.3.9911" installed="TRUE"/><vmci version="1.0.18.0" installed="TRUE"/><vmhgfs version="1.4.1.1" installed="TRUE"/><vmmemctl version="1.2.1.0" installed="TRUE"/><vmsync version="1.1.0.1" installed="TRUE"/><vmxnet version="2.0.4.0" installed="TRUE"/><vmxnet3 version="1.0.1.0" installed="TRUE"/><vmblock version="1.1.2.0" installed="TRUE"/><vsock version="1.0.0.0" installed="TRUE"/><pvscsi version="0.0.0.7" installed="TRUE"/></tools-manifest></Foundry>

Also, I have noticed in the past day or so my CPU PPD has dropped. From ~2200 to 1700.
I havent really changed anything with the client or settings.
I do notice that when starting the fah6 client I get this.

Code:
*** glibc detected *** ./fah6: double free or corruption (out): 0x0000000040e97e10 ***
======= Backtrace: =========
[0x45c191]
[0x45d6ea]
[0x408a21]
[0x401ed4]
[0x436e63]
[0x46a999]
======= Memory map: ========
00400000-004d8000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 147416                             /home/ken/folding/fah6
005d7000-005db000 rw-p 000d7000 08:01 147416                             /home/ken/folding/fah6
005db000-005e3000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 
01d22000-01d44000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0                                  [heap]
40699000-4069a000 ---p 00000000 00:00 0 
4069a000-40e9a000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 
40e9a000-40e9b000 ---p 00000000 00:00 0 
40e9b000-4169b000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 
7f9f5f600000-7f9f5f624000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 
7f9f5f624000-7f9f5f700000 ---p 00000000 00:00 0 
7f9f5f7a6000-7f9f5f7a8000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 
7fff62539000-7fff6254e000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0                          [stack]
7fff625ff000-7fff62600000 r-xp 00000000 00:00 0                          [vdso]
ffffffffff600000-ffffffffff601000 r-xp 00000000 00:00 0                  [vsyscall]
Aborted

I just retype ./fah6 -smp -verbosity 9 and it starts normally...
 
Last edited:
There will be only one .vmx file on your computer per VM, so the file you find in a search for *.vmx is going to be the file to edit. You didn't change the name from default and told VMware your guest is ubuntu, so the .vmx is named ubuntu.vmx. Download notetab light if you want to edit files like this and .cfg files.

Here's a player 3.0.0 .vmx file:

Code:
.encoding = "windows-1252"
config.version = "8"
virtualHW.version = "7"
numvcpus = "4"
vcpu.hotadd = "TRUE"
maxvcpus = "0"
scsi0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic"
memsize = "896"
scsi0:0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0:0.fileName = "9.10 VM.vmdk"
ide0:0.present = "TRUE"
ide0:0.fileName = "autoinst.iso"
ide0:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"
ide1:0.present = "TRUE"
ide1:0.fileName = "F:\Ubuntu Linux\9.10\karmic-alternate-amd64.iso"
ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"
floppy0.fileType = "file"
floppy0.fileName = "autoinst.flp"
floppy0.clientDevice = "FALSE"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"
ethernet0.wakeOnPcktRcv = "FALSE"
ethernet0.addressType = "generated"
ethernet0.linkStatePropagation.enable = "TRUE"
usb.present = "TRUE"
ehci.present = "TRUE"
sound.present = "TRUE"
sound.fileName = "-1"
sound.autodetect = "TRUE"
pciBridge0.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge4.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge4.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge4.functions = "8"
pciBridge5.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge5.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge5.functions = "8"
pciBridge6.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge6.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge6.functions = "8"
pciBridge7.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge7.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge7.functions = "8"
vmci0.present = "TRUE"
roamingVM.exitBehavior = "go"
displayName = "9.10 VM"
guestOS = "ubuntu-64"
nvram = "9.10 VM.nvram"
virtualHW.productCompatibility = "hosted"
gui.exitOnCLIHLT = "FALSE"
easyInstall.keepFloppy = "TRUE"
extendedConfigFile = "9.10 VM.vmxf"
ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:07:9b:f0"
tools.syncTime = "FALSE"
uuid.location = "56 4d 93 9a c5 40 82 4a-b7 29 a5 c6 2d 07 9b f0"
uuid.bios = "56 4d 93 9a c5 40 82 4a-b7 29 a5 c6 2d 07 9b f0"
cleanShutdown = "TRUE"
replay.supported = "FALSE"
replay.filename = ""
scsi0:0.redo = ""
pciBridge0.pciSlotNumber = "17"
pciBridge4.pciSlotNumber = "21"
pciBridge5.pciSlotNumber = "22"
pciBridge6.pciSlotNumber = "23"
pciBridge7.pciSlotNumber = "24"
scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "16"
usb.pciSlotNumber = "32"
ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "33"
sound.pciSlotNumber = "34"
ehci.pciSlotNumber = "35"
vmci0.pciSlotNumber = "36"
vmotion.checkpointFBSize = "18874368"
ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"
vmci0.id = "755473392"
tools.remindInstall = "TRUE"
ethernet0.vnet = "VMnet0"
ethernet0.connectionType = "bridged"

priority.ungrabbed = "idle"
priority.grabbed = "normal"
checkpoint.vmState = ""

looks like you got the .vmxf file
 
Last edited:
The GPU will affect SMP performance. THe more powerful the GPU(s) the more they slow down the CPU.
 
well the CPU is now at 2300ppd but the gpu is at 3700ppd...

CPU client set to low priority and GPU client set to high priority.

I dont think the GPU is at 100% load as the temps are quite low.
I did edit the .vmx file.

Anyway to check GPU load?

EDIT: GPU ppd is climbing back up now... How much does web browsing and other tasks affect GPU output?

Thanks again for all your help!
 
In config, disable the cpu affinity lock for the gpu client. This will let it use "spare" cycles from both cpu cores. Which rig are you running this on? How did you set the GPU to "High" priority? Do you have export MPICH_NO_LOCAL=1 in the startup string, assuming this is one of your dual core AMD rigs?
 
yes this is on the Phenom rig.

I have the export MPICH_NO_LOCAL=1 in the startup.
CPU is back up to 2300ppd and GPU is around 5300ppd

I set the high priority in Task Manager which will likely not make much difference.

In advanced settings check "do NOT lock cores to specific CPU" ?
 
You'll lose task manager priority when the WU completes, and cause useability problems until then. Systray client, I suppose (don't have any of those), but it appears checking the box is the correct thing to do. You want the GPU to use both cpu cores. The correct priority setting will be slightly higher.
 
I run 2xClient for my E6400 and a GPU2 client for my 9800GTX+ on the same PC all at once. I have had no problems getting 9KPPD off it at all.... IF there is a more efficient way to do this PC please let me know :)
 
The GPU will affect SMP performance. THe more powerful the GPU(s) the more they slow down the CPU.

No doubt! I ran both these GPU's overnight to make sure things were going to be stable, and my RAC took a 150pt dive in Rosetta.

I'll wait till our team event is over to fire these GPU clients up again.
 
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