Is a 6950 too old for F@H?

M

musky

[H]ard|DCer of the Year 2012
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
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So as part of the "official project" discussion in another thread, I switched my CPU folder over to WCG from F@H. Now I am trying to fold on the only "decent" GPU I own - an old unlocked 6950. I installed the card, loaded the "Crimson" drivers since the card is on the legacy support model, and installed the latest v7 client. On starting the client, everything seemed fine - it recognized a CPU and GPU slot as expected, identified the card as a Cayman card as expected, and downloaded and started folding some GPU project. The problem is that the GPU is not actually doing anything (0% load for over a day now), and the CPU is (very slowly) processing the WU. I deleted the GPU slot and re-added it, but I see the same thing.

While there is a reasonable chance that this card is just bad, it is displaying and streaming video (what i do with the machine it is in), so it works to some extent. Is it maybe just too old to fold these days? I figured I would try it since it is just laying around, but it is definitely not working.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
 
Not that I'm an AMD man but seems the driver situation for those "legacy" cards is ... complicated.

Over in FF I found this posting:
Last time I tried to run a 6950, the latest beta driver (from the legacy pages) didn't have OpenCL support enabled. I had to stick to 15.7.1 WHQL drivers to get it to work.
Click to expand...

Can you share the first lines of your log file; showing us what GPU got detected and OpenCL version ?
(Sorry, sounds like FF here, ... but it really might help)


My guts comment: give yourself a favour, get a modern card like nV Pascal; lower energy and a hell of points. Or a former generation like 970 or 980. I',m from the green side of GPU computing, obvious.
 
Looks right to me as far as the card, but I think you may have found the problem as far as no OpenCL in the driver.

*********************** Log Started 2016-09-25T01:30:27Z ***********************
01:30:27:************************* Folding@home Client *************************
01:30:27: Website: Folding@home
01:30:27: Copyright: (c) 2009-2014 Stanford University
01:30:27: Author: Joseph Coffland <[email protected]>
01:30:27: Args: --open-web-control
01:30:27: Config: C:/Users/dave/AppData/Roaming/FAHClient/config.xml
01:30:27:******************************** Build ********************************
01:30:27: Version: 7.4.4
01:30:27: Date: Mar 4 2014
01:30:27: Time: 20:26:54
01:30:27: SVN Rev: 4130
01:30:27: Branch: fah/trunk/client
01:30:27: Compiler: Intel(R) C++ MSVC 1500 mode 1200
01:30:27: Options: /TP /nologo /EHa /Qdiag-disable:4297,4103,1786,279 /Ox -arch:SSE
01:30:27: /QaxSSE2,SSE3,SSSE3,SSE4.1,SSE4.2 /Qopenmp /Qrestrict /MT /Qmkl
01:30:27: Platform: win32 XP
01:30:27: Bits: 32
01:30:27: Mode: Release
01:30:27:******************************* System ********************************
01:30:27: CPU: AMD Athlon(tm) II X2 250u Processor
01:30:27: CPU ID: AuthenticAMD Family 16 Model 6 Stepping 2
01:30:27: CPUs: 2
01:30:27: Memory: 4.00GiB
01:30:27: Free Memory: 3.01GiB
01:30:27: Threads: WINDOWS_THREADS
01:30:27: OS Version: 6.2
01:30:27: Has Battery: false
01:30:27: On Battery: false
01:30:27: UTC Offset: -5
01:30:27: PID: 3956
01:30:27: CWD: C:/Users/dave/AppData/Roaming/FAHClient
01:30:27: OS: Windows 10 Pro
01:30:27: OS Arch: AMD64
01:30:27: GPUs: 1
01:30:27: GPU 0: ATI:4 Cayman PRO [Radeon 6900 Series]
01:30:27: CUDA: Not detected
01:30:27:Win32 Service: false
01:30:27:***********************************************************************
01:30:27:<config>
01:30:27: <!-- Network -->
01:30:27: <proxy v=':8080'/>
01:30:27:
01:30:27: <!-- Slot Control -->
01:30:27: <power v='FULL'/>
01:30:27:
01:30:27: <!-- User Information -->
01:30:27: <passkey v='********************************'/>
01:30:27: <team v='33'/>
01:30:27: <user v='musky'/>
01:30:27:
01:30:27: <!-- Folding Slots -->
01:30:27: <slot id='1' type='GPU'/>
01:30:27:</config>
01:30:27:Trying to access database...
01:30:27:Successfully acquired database lock
01:30:27:Enabled folding slot 01: READY gpu:0:Cayman PRO [Radeon 6900 Series]
01:30:27:WU02:FS01:Starting
01:30:27:WU02:FS01:Running FahCore: "C:\Program Files (x86)\FAHClient/FAHCoreWrapper.exe" C:/Users/dave/AppData/Roaming/FAHClient/cores/web.stanford.edu/~pande/Win32/AMD64/ATI/R600/Core_21.fah/FahCore_21.exe -dir 02 -suffix 01 -version 704 -lifeline 3956 -checkpoint 15 -gpu 0 -gpu-vendor ati
01:30:29:WU02:FS01:Started FahCore on PID 3744
01:30:30:WU02:FS01:Core PID:4048
01:30:31:WU02:FS01:FahCore 0x21 started
01:30:32:WU02:FS01:0x21:*********************** Log Started 2016-09-25T01:30:31Z ***********************
01:30:32:WU02:FS01:0x21:project: 9207 (Run 39, Clone 2, Gen 28)
01:30:32:WU02:FS01:0x21:Unit: 0x0000004fab436c685796c0c6490ca352
01:30:32:WU02:FS01:0x21:CPU: 0x00000000000000000000000000000000
01:30:32:WU02:FS01:0x21:Machine: 1
01:30:32:WU02:FS01:0x21:Reading tar file core.xml
01:30:32:WU02:FS01:0x21:Reading tar file integrator.xml
01:30:32:WU02:FS01:0x21:Reading tar file state.xml
01:30:36:WU02:FS01:0x21:Reading tar file system.xml
01:30:42:WU02:FS01:0x21:Digital signatures verified
01:30:43:WU02:FS01:0x21:Folding@home GPU Core21 Folding@home Core
01:30:43:WU02:FS01:0x21:Version 0.0.17
01:30:46:37:127.0.0.1:New Web connection
01:34:06:WU02:FS01:0x21:ERROR:NaNs detected in forces. 0 0
01:34:06:WU02:FS01:0x21:Saving result file logfile_01.txt
01:34:06:WU02:FS01:0x21:Saving result file log.txt
01:34:06:WU02:FS01:0x21:Folding@home Core Shutdown: BAD_WORK_UNIT
01:34:07:WARNING:WU02:FS01:FahCore returned: BAD_WORK_UNIT (114 = 0x72)
01:34:08:WU02:FS01:Sending unit results: id:02 state:SEND error:FAULTY project:9207 run:39 clone:2 gen:28 core:0x21 unit:0x0000004fab436c685796c0c6490ca352
01:34:08:WU02:FS01:Uploading 9.50KiB to 171.67.108.104
01:34:08:WU02:FS01:Connecting to 171.67.108.104:8080
01:34:08:WU02:FS01:Upload complete
01:34:08:WU00:FS01:Connecting to 171.67.108.45:80
01:34:09:WU02:FS01:Server responded WORK_ACK (400)
01:34:09:WU02:FS01:Cleaning up
01:34:09:WU00:FS01:Assigned to work server 140.163.4.245
01:34:09:WU00:FS01:Requesting new work unit for slot 01: READY gpu:0:Cayman PRO [Radeon 6900 Series] from 140.163.4.245
01:34:09:WU00:FS01:Connecting to 140.163.4.245:8080
01:34:10:WU00:FS01:Downloading 5.13MiB
01:34:12:WU00:FS01:Download complete
01:34:12:WU00:FS01:Received Unit: id:00 state:DOWNLOAD error:NO_ERROR project:10495 run:14 clone:48 gen:58 core:0x21 unit:0x000000508ca304f556ba63d03e449c08
01:34:12:WU00:FS01:Starting
01:34:12:WU00:FS01:Running FahCore: "C:\Program Files (x86)\FAHClient/FAHCoreWrapper.exe" C:/Users/dave/AppData/Roaming/FAHClient/cores/web.stanford.edu/~pande/Win32/AMD64/ATI/R600/Core_21.fah/FahCore_21.exe -dir 00 -suffix 01 -version 704 -lifeline 3956 -checkpoint 15 -gpu 0 -gpu-vendor ati
01:34:13:WU00:FS01:Started FahCore on PID 5744
01:34:13:WU00:FS01:Core PID:5616
01:34:13:WU00:FS01:FahCore 0x21 started
01:34:13:WU00:FS01:0x21:*********************** Log Started 2016-09-25T01:34:13Z ***********************
01:34:13:WU00:FS01:0x21:project: 10495 (Run 14, Clone 48, Gen 58)
01:34:13:WU00:FS01:0x21:Unit: 0x000000508ca304f556ba63d03e449c08
01:34:13:WU00:FS01:0x21:CPU: 0x00000000000000000000000000000000
01:34:13:WU00:FS01:0x21:Machine: 1
01:34:13:WU00:FS01:0x21:Reading tar file core.xml
01:34:13:WU00:FS01:0x21:Reading tar file system.xml
01:34:15:WU00:FS01:0x21:Reading tar file integrator.xml
01:34:15:WU00:FS01:0x21:Reading tar file state.xml
01:34:18:WU00:FS01:0x21:Digital signatures verified
01:34:18:WU00:FS01:0x21:Folding@home GPU Core21 Folding@home Core
01:34:18:WU00:FS01:0x21:Version 0.0.17
01:35:34:WU00:FS01:0x21:Completed 0 out of 5000000 steps (0%)
01:35:35:WU00:FS01:0x21:Temperature control disabled. Requirements: single Nvidia GPU, tmax must be < 110 and twait >= 900
 
And I am probably with you on a "modern" card - my next question was what is the best bang for the buck card out there today? I was just trying to get a head start on GPU folding.
 
musky, just toss that card in "my box" and pick up some serious hardware. lol Certainly try rolling the drivers back to an older version. I know even with BOINC, I have to sometimes do that to get various cards crunching. I even have a few borgs out there still crunching on CAL :wacky:
 
Gilthanis said:
musky, just toss that card in "my box" and pick up some serious hardware. lol Certainly try rolling the drivers back to an older version. I know even with BOINC, I have to sometimes do that to get various cards crunching. I even have a few borgs out there still crunching on CAL :wacky:
Click to expand...

I pulled it out of "your box" when you made me switch my VM over to WCG... :p
 
musky said:
And I am probably with you on a "modern" card - my next question was what is the best bang for the buck card out there today? I was just trying to get a head start on GPU folding.
Click to expand...
My MSI 1070 Gaming X makes around 700kPPD with max 180W (as per nVidia-smi); that card is factory OC, the fans are very silent; impressive silent and keeping the card cool. Trend is to stay away from the founders editions due to weaker cooling.

Running under Linux (CentOS 7 in my case); I would avoid Windows 10 due to the auto-updates which more then often break folding, or you need to turn it off. It is just my preference (though Linux folding gives few seconds faster TPF yielding higher PPD).

Until Pascal I would have said that the 980Ti was the king (if the initial cost was not an issue). Now I'm looking forward what the 1080Ti will deliver. I would expect that one with factory OC will be the next king in PPD/watt.

Until then put a 1070 in and add a 1080Ti once out.
My 2¥.
 
I have seen GTX980Ti sell for 300$ used, mine does 700k PPD I think that is pretty good bang for the buck right there.
 
Folding@home is no longer worth that kind of money to me. It was back in the day, but I am easing my way back into it. All I want to do is replace the ~50K ppd I just lost switching my VM over to WCG.

Maybe later - I do still have an old 3 PCI-e slot board and probably some 1200W 80+ Gold PSUs lying around....
 
50K ppd? Start looking for some used 960s or 950s. They'll do over 50k PPD easily. 970s which are going for $150 will net you around 250k - 300k PPD depending on the WU.
 
In IRC he mentioned $100 range. I was thinking a 750Ti or GTX 950 but do not recall the PPD's people reported and search function is disabled right now.
 
I think a 950 will do around 100k PPD. I imagine you could find a used 960 for around $100 if 970s are going for ~$150 used.
 
Going to the 15.7.1 driver fixed it. The card is folding away happily now at just under 10K ppd, and doing an admirable job of heating the basement.... :)

I need to start combing through the fs/ft board it appears. $100 for a 10x increase or $150 for a 25x increase in ppd seems pretty reasonable. If anyone sees one of these cards up for sale, let me know. The no search garbage on this forum is kind of annoying...
 
That may be too tempting to pass up.

The 6950 is up to a little over 16K ppd - not to bad for an antique card that has been "well used" over the years.

Thanks for the help guys!
 
And I bought that 960....with Earnhoney money (Gilthanis will appreciate that.)

Damn you guys! :)
 
musky said:
And I bought that 960....with Earnhoney money (Gilthanis will appreciate that.)

Damn you guys! :)
Click to expand...

Welcome back musky. Ya that GTX960 should do you OK. Mine gets 140-180K/day depending on WU. Even my GTX750 SC gets 50-60K/day for 55 watts. Got 'em both folding in my Server right now with very little warmth from the boxen.
 
musky said:
And I bought that 960....with Earnhoney money (Gilthanis will appreciate that.)

Damn you guys! :)
Click to expand...

Hey... if the DC hardware can pay for itself AND DC.... that is the way to go. Now to just get more people to use my referral links. Speaking of which..anyone interested... PM me. :smuggrin:
 
Bill1024 said:
I have seen GTX980Ti sell for 300$ used, mine does 700k PPD I think that is pretty good bang for the buck right there.
Click to expand...

I think this is where everything is at, but will be shortish lived. As the 1070 saturates and product lines are removed the window to pick up a 980 Ti will disappear.
 
ChristianVirtual said:
I would avoid Windows 10 due to the auto-updates which more then often break folding
Click to expand...

Oh, if I would have only paid attention. Apparently, when Windows reboots, F@H still runs at the login screen, but without the GPU. That is why I went from the 104K - 172K i was doing the rest of the week to ~5K yesterday. I think it is time to switch over to Linux - the only thing I do with this PC is stream Plex videos from a browser, so Linux should be sufficient for that. It may also be a good time to switch over to the Crosshair V Formula board I have with the truckload of PCI-e slots.... :)
 
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