GPU troubles with FAH in Linux

[Nick Name]

Between the lack of work history, variable work units and demand for work that causes a lot of idle time it's tough to get a feel for exactly what's happening.

I run Linux for two reasons:

1. Free to use.
2. No WDDM overhead for GPU crunching. This means run times are MUCH faster. Windows introduced this in Vista and it helps keep the system from locking up when there's a driver crash but at the cost of compute performance. There's been talk of Windows introducing a compute mode for Win10 that will fix this, but it hasn't happened yet. If it does I'd be seriously tempted to go back 100% to Windows.

Pop is a Debian / Ubuntu derivative so anything that works for those should also work for Pop. I've installed Synaptic before, but now I know what to install I just do it from the terminal. I used Mint before and I really liked Lubuntu, but ran into some kind of problem that I couldn't fix and eventually started with Pop. It might not be a good option for you.

 

[Nick Name]

As you recommended, I reloaded my passkey on that system. latest WUs are shorter duration and even shorter on credits. Maybe FAH is learning this system and the numbers will go up later. Loads look better and temps are great. I can't remember which GPU project I ran on another system that showed almost no GPU load thru out processing, but ran fine. I need to run that one on my GTX 690 during the summer.

Doing some more research on my 7970, the numbers look great and figure it should run better than my GTX 760. As a gen 1 AMD, Linux Mint does not have drivers for it. So if I revert back, I'll have to try mfg drivers as I've done with Windows.

I need to do more reading on Pop!OS. Just learned I can load Synaptic Package Manager, so that'll make it more familiar.

Thanks again for all the assistance.

I haven't closely tracked work, the lack of history makes it too difficult. I found a 3rd party app I hope to get installed this weekend for that. In the meantime I can definitely say that at least the initial run time estimate on Linux, or at least my system, is about 2x as long as the same hardware on Windows 10. I don't know if that's due to the OS and driver, the projects, larger task size or some combination of those.

 

[BeauZaux]

Went back to Mint, and back to Pop!OS and finally back to Windows 7, no updates, only a few drivers. Folding ran right away on GPU with no config adjustments. Estimated points were only in the single thousands, but final credit was 36K+. Odd thing was the GPU load never got over 50%.
Wrote the above yesterday. Since then, loaded HWmonitor and getting GPU loads in the 90%s. Also stopped some AMD task that were using 20% of CPU when nothing was running, but now I lost some HWmonitor temp sensor numbers for MB and CPU...argh, No biggie. Presently AMD FAH WU estimated at 102,129. Now all 4 GPUs running FAH with good numbers. Not seeing any waits. Not running FAH on CPUs, only BOINC work. San Antonio daytime temps are warming up, so started running mostly at night. May have to replace the 690 with something cooler until winter.

 

[Vester]

I can't help you in Linux, but for my HD 7990s I run client-type advanced and I run Preference "High Priority."

Edit: I have not always run FAH, but I've been a beta tester since AMD Radeon X1900 was first tested. I made Windows XP think my X1650 was a 1900 so I could beta test.

 

[BeauZaux]

Thanks, Vester. I'm really happy, no, very happy with how my 7970 is running now on Windows 7. I like it so much, I'm looking at other AMD's. An RX 470 has caught my eye at a decent price. I may have a sale on some hungry NVIDIA's.

 

[Nick Name]

Thanks, Vester. I'm really happy, no, very happy with how my 7970 is running now on Windows 7. I like it so much, I'm looking at other AMD's. An RX 470 has caught my eye at a decent price. I may have a sale on some hungry NVIDIA's.

That's a solid choice for a used card. Glad to hear you finally found a solution.