Adding second GPU to Boinc-Client. FAQ says "cc_config.xml"

Questions and Answers : Unix/Linux : Adding second GPU to Boinc-Client. FAQ says "cc_config.xml"
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DanHansen@Denmark
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Message 1487593 - Posted: 12 Mar 2014, 1:32:34 UTC
Last modified: 12 Mar 2014, 2:15:30 UTC

Hi Crunchers,


Ubuntu Linux Server. No GUI.

I'm adding the second GPU to the CLI based system. No GUI. All controls are run using e.g. boinccmd . I'm only using the boinc-client. No manager. System is running Cuda 5.5.

FAQ's and threads mentioned:
http://boincfaq.mundayweb.com/index.php?language=1&view=471
http://boincfaq.mundayweb.com/index.php?language=1&view=91
http://boincfaq.mundayweb.com/index.php?language=1&view=376
https://boinc.berkeley.edu/dev/forum_thread.php?id=6432

# nvidia-smi -a |grep Gpu
Gpu : N/A
Gpu : 38 C
Gpu : N/A
Gpu : 43 C

1.
According to the FAQ I have to edit the file cc_config.xml. In the samples we can see commands like "--allow_remote_gui_rpc". But when using the boinc-client only I set this in another file "/etc/default/boinc-client"! And the password in "/etc/boinc-client/gui_rpc_auth.cfg".
So is "cc_config.xml" the right file if I wan't to add another GPU?


2.
Adding a second GPU to the system, Linux headless server with no GUI. I've seen several commands to ignore gpu's. But if I want to make Boinc use the 2 GPU's installed in PCIe slot 0 and 1 (I think this is there numbers) can I define this in the config file like in this sample? Or will the command "use_all_gpus" do what it actually says, run all GPU's?

<cc_config>
<options>
<use_all_gpus>0</use_all_gpus> (I added this to show what I mean)
<use_all_gpus>1</use_all_gpus>
</options>
</cc_config>

It's just because, I would like to be able to decide which GPU's are used! Not the onboard GPU. Only the GPU's installed in PCIe slots.


My Boinc directory is "/etc/boinc-client" and the cc_config.xml file is already present. This is the content:

This is a minimal configuration file cc_config.xml of the BOINC core client.
For a complete list of all available options and logging flags and their
meaning see: http://boinc.berkeley.edu/trac/wiki/ClientMessages
-->
<cc_config>
  <log_flags>
    <task>1</task>
    <file_xfer>1</file_xfer>
    <sched_ops>1</sched_ops>
  </log_flags>
</cc_config>


3. Will I have to edit /etc/boinc-client and tell boinc to read the cc_config.xml file?


4.
From FAQ:

[...]
Projects with CUDA
Albert@Home (Einstein test project) **
GPUGrid
Seti Beta *
Seti@Home *
[...]
* Windows only, Linux and Macintosh require 3rd party applications or are not available.

Please explain, if you got the time.
.
Project Headless CLI Linux Multiple GPU Boinc Servers
Ubuntu Server 14.04.1 64bit
Kernel 3.13.0-32-generic
CPU's i5-4690K
GPU's GT640/GTX750TI
Nvidia v.340.29
BOINC v.7.2.42

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Message 1487616 - Posted: 12 Mar 2014, 2:41:06 UTC

Hi,


I got it to work. It's now running 2 GPU's.

But, I would still very much like an answer to the other questions. And if using the cc_config.xml file means that "--allow_remote_gui_rpc" in "/etc/boinc-client" will be ignored. Will the 2 files work simultaneously?

Thanks in advance...
Project Headless CLI Linux Multiple GPU Boinc Servers
Ubuntu Server 14.04.1 64bit
Kernel 3.13.0-32-generic
CPU's i5-4690K
GPU's GT640/GTX750TI
Nvidia v.340.29
BOINC v.7.2.42

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Message 1487752 - Posted: 12 Mar 2014, 10:25:25 UTC - in response to Message 1487593.  

As with the CUDA FAQ on the site here, my BOINC FAQs are hopelessly out of date on a lot of stuff. I am casually rewriting large parts of them, before I put them onto the new BOINC FAQ Wiki.

So anything you see in there, can have a different meaning or outcome, or has changed in the mean time. There's only so many hours in a day, and a lot of them are used up by me not being behind a keyboard, but busy elsewhere. Plus I am only one person, all of the other people whose names you see on the FAQs have long gone, stopped updating the FAQs. Shrug.
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Message 1487762 - Posted: 12 Mar 2014, 11:04:31 UTC - in response to Message 1487593.  

Some specific answers:
It's just because, I would like to be able to decide which GPU's are used! Not the onboard GPU. Only the GPU's installed in PCIe slots.

BOINC shows which GPUs it has detected in the event log (written to stdoutdae.txt, if used with boinc --redirectio), from which you should be able to derivate which GPU is which.
Then you can use the <ignore_ati_dev/>, <ignore_nvidia_dev/> and <ignore_intel_dev/> switches in the <options> section of cc_config.xml to tell which GPUs BOINC should not use.

E.g. <ignore_nvidia_dev>2</ignore_nvidia_dev> will ignore the Nvidia GPU that shows as Nvidia GPU2 in the BOINC start-up messages. If you would have 3 or more Nvidia GPUs, of course. (as values start with GPU0, or zero).

See http://boinc.berkeley.edu/wiki/Client_configuration for more information. Pointing to the Official BOINC User wiki, as that's more updated.
Adding these switches to cc_config.xml requires a restart of the BOINC client, as just a mere reread of the cc_config.xml file will not do here. GPU detection cases like this are only done at BOINC startup.
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Message 1487793 - Posted: 12 Mar 2014, 13:16:27 UTC - in response to Message 1487752.  

Hi Mr. Ageless,

As with the CUDA FAQ on the site here, my BOINC FAQs are hopelessly out of date on a lot of stuff. I am casually rewriting large parts of them, before I put them onto the new BOINC FAQ Wiki.

Well, not so out of date that it doesn't work! I got it to work using your texts, didn't I ;)
If you need one to type stuff in somewhere, just say it. Got plenty to do besides the university, but we have to help each other ;) I'm Danish, so of course I'm not that great at English. If there's anything I can do ;)
.
Project Headless CLI Linux Multiple GPU Boinc Servers
Ubuntu Server 14.04.1 64bit
Kernel 3.13.0-32-generic
CPU's i5-4690K
GPU's GT640/GTX750TI
Nvidia v.340.29
BOINC v.7.2.42

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Message 1487803 - Posted: 12 Mar 2014, 13:49:34 UTC

Hi Mr. Ageless,


Then you can use the <ignore_ati_dev/>, <ignore_nvidia_dev/> and <ignore_intel_dev/> switches in the <options> section of cc_config.xml to tell which GPUs BOINC should not use.
E.g. <ignore_nvidia_dev>2</ignore_nvidia_dev> will ignore the Nvidia GPU that shows as Nvidia GPU2 in the BOINC start-up messages. If you would have 3 or more Nvidia GPUs, of course. (as values start with GPU0, or zero).


So, in theory I can choose to ignore the onboard Nvidia GPU. Because, when detected it gets a "number" which can be used to rule it out using the ignore command in cc_config.xml. Got a sample here ;)




BOINC shows which GPUs it has detected in the event log (written to stdoutdae.txt, if used with boinc --redirectio), from which you should be able to derivate which GPU is which.

This stdoutdae.txt is this in /etc/boinc-client/ ??? Or is it generated when using on of the log flags in cc_config.xml? Sorry, this I don't quite get!?

<cc_config>
	<log_flags>
		
		<task>1</task>
		<sched_ops>1</sched_ops>
		<gui_rpc_debug>1</gui_rpc_debug>
		<slot_debug>1</slot_debug>
		<std_debug>1</std_debug>
		<task_debug>1</task_debug>

	</log_flags>
	<options>

                 <start_delay>10</start_delay>
                 <use_all_gpus>1</use_all_gpus>
                 <allow_remote_gui_rpc>0</allow_remote_gui_rpc> 
                 <allow_multiple_clients>0</allow_multiple_clients>
	
	</options>
</cc_config>


Will one of these log flags make a log showing the same as the log file in the GUI Boinc Manager? Or when GPU stuff goes wrong, or how shall I put it??
I need to be able to log, like the event log in the graphical version/Boinc Manager. As you might know I'm only using CLI systems ;)

Regarding the option flags, what is allow_multiple_gui_rpc for? Yes, for allowing all to remote it, but this I do by editing /etc/default/boinc-client too!? So when used in cc_config.xml its not needed in /etc/default/boinc-client?? I tested it, I'm still able to access it remotely using BoincTasks and AndroBoinc ;) But, you must know me by now, I wan't it to be done right ;)


See http://boinc.berkeley.edu/wiki/Client_configuration for more information

Ooops, Did write my question before seeing this :o
.
Project Headless CLI Linux Multiple GPU Boinc Servers
Ubuntu Server 14.04.1 64bit
Kernel 3.13.0-32-generic
CPU's i5-4690K
GPU's GT640/GTX750TI
Nvidia v.340.29
BOINC v.7.2.42

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Message 1489888 - Posted: 16 Mar 2014, 23:05:28 UTC
Last modified: 16 Mar 2014, 23:22:14 UTC

Hi,

Question 1:
Is it OK to use cc_config.xml, app_info.xml at the same time and will anything from one file be ignored because it's in the other? I can see things are still working when doing so, but I wonder if some is ignored?? I dont know the priorities of things.

Question 2:
Will /etc/boinc-client still be the place where to set boinc to accept remote control or will this be ignored when your configure this in cc_config.xml??

Question 3:
When using cc_config.xml and app_info.xml, will I still have to set "work, home, mobile" status from the webpage or can it be done here?
I know about the global_prefs_override file, but will this third file be needed when using the other two?
https://boinc.berkeley.edu/wiki/Global_prefs_override.xml

I've been reading it two times and I still don't get it. That's not at all good for my self confidence ;)
Project Headless CLI Linux Multiple GPU Boinc Servers
Ubuntu Server 14.04.1 64bit
Kernel 3.13.0-32-generic
CPU's i5-4690K
GPU's GT640/GTX750TI
Nvidia v.340.29
BOINC v.7.2.42

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Message 1489969 - Posted: 17 Mar 2014, 5:04:40 UTC - in response to Message 1489888.  

All files you list are optional and can co-exist:
cc_config.xml
remote_hosts.cfg
app_info.xml and app_config.xml (the same settings in the second take precedence)
global_prefs.xml and global_prefs_override.xml (the same settings in the second take precedence)

(cc_config.xml and app_info.xml can't have the same settings so to "be ignored because it's in the other", do you see such settings/tags/options?

Of course there are some 'conflicts' - e.g. all of the above .xml files can have options that lead to less CPU tasks running:
<ncpus>XX</ncpus> in cc_config.xml
<max_ncpus_pct>YY.yy</max_ncpus_pct> in global_prefs.xml and/or global_prefs_override.xml
<avg_ncpus>Z.zz</avg_ncpus> in app_info.xml
<cpu_usage>Z.zz</cpu_usage> in app_config.xml

The 'additive' effect if using all of the above may seem strange to some.
)

global_prefs.xml is the copy of your web Computing preferences
global_prefs_override.xml is the 'save file' for your Local preferences

"work, home, mobile" (do not use mobile) can be set only on web

<venue name="school"> and other SETI@home preferences
are saved in account_setiathome.berkeley.edu.xml (BOINC get them from web and save in this file)
 


- ALF - "Find out what you don't do well ..... then don't do it!" :)
 
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Message 1494178 - Posted: 23 Mar 2014, 21:31:48 UTC

Hi BilBg ;)


Thank you for that ;)

<venue name="school"> and other SETI@home preferences
are saved in account_setiathome.berkeley.edu.xml (BOINC get them from web and save in this file)

Then there's no way to configure a file or setting to set e.g. "work" to be the default setting. It would just be nice to have a setup which does not require the need for online configurations. Well, I could make it the default setting of course. Just thought, when everything else can be controlled in these "config- files" then maybe this could too ;)

Thanks..

.
Project Headless CLI Linux Multiple GPU Boinc Servers
Ubuntu Server 14.04.1 64bit
Kernel 3.13.0-32-generic
CPU's i5-4690K
GPU's GT640/GTX750TI
Nvidia v.340.29
BOINC v.7.2.42

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Questions and Answers : Unix/Linux : Adding second GPU to Boinc-Client. FAQ says "cc_config.xml"


 
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