Second generation GPU client on NVIDIA hardware (GPU2) FAQ

Table of Contents

General instructions

This web page will serve as the FAQ and Release Notes for this new client, and we will update this page as more information becomes available.

The FAH GPU Client installer should do everything one needs. It installs the new v6.x SysTray style client, as well as DLL files used by this new client. Download the client from the High Performance Client Download Page for folding experts. The Windows GPU Guide can help you install the GPU2 client.

Basic Requirements:

• a GeForce, Quadro, or Tesla card that supports CUDA (G80 or later for the most part)
• A CUDA capable driver, version 174.55 is recommended. Or 177.35 for GTX 2xx cards (you can download the driver for Win XP, Win XP 64 bit, Vista, and Vista 64 bit).
• Windows operating system (32 or 64 bit), XP or newer (better Vista and 64-bit support coming soon)

While the GPU2 client is not beta, the cores is still a beta release and we expect there will be bugs, flaws, problems, etc. To minimize problems, we have been testing the cores extensively in house and they run well there. However, it's our experience that running in the controlled setup in our lab and running "out in the wild" are very different situations.

As in the use of any beta software, please make sure to back up your hard drive, and do not run this client on any machine which cannot tolerate even the slightest instability or problems.

Issues specific to the GPU2/NV Clients

What hardware does the new client/core support?

The client runs on

• GeForce 8xxx
• GeForce 9xxx
• Quadro FX 360, 370, 570, 1600, 1700, 3600, 3700, 4600, 5600
• Quadro NVS 130, 135, 140, 290, 320
• Tesla C870*
• MCP77/78*
• NVIDIA GeForce G*

Which is most of the hardware supported by NVIDIA's CUDA.

The core can't find the DLL's!

We've been seeing some unusual behavior with virus scanners. We are looking into this. For now, reboot and give it a second try and it should work.

The client displays an error saying that I do not have a supported GPU, but I do!!!

Please make sure your driver is CUDA capable (for NVIDIA cards) and that your GPU board is the primary display board. The CUDA capable driver is 177.35 and above (the original 174.55 driver is also CUDA capable).

A DLL error dialog box is popping up -- what's up with that?

If the DLL error pops up, go to the installed location, C:\Program Files\Folding@home\Folding@home-gpu by default, and make sure the cudart.dll ended up there with the FahCore_11.exe file. If not, do a file search (including hidden and system files/folders) and copy the file to the needed location.

Who did all of this anyway?

In alphabetical order:

• Adam Beberg (Pande Lab): client modifications, GPU's APIs under the hood
• Dan Ensign (Pande Lab): server setup, science, testing
• Mark Friedrichs (Pande Lab, Simbios): core science code updates, testing
• Simon Green (NVIDIA): visualizer for NVIDIA hardware
• Mike Houston (AMD): testing, problem solving, GPU tuning on the GPU and GPU2 code; core bug fixing
• Scott LeGrand (NVIDIA): Port of GPU2 code to CUDA, performance enhancements, visualization enhancements
• Vijay Pande (Pande Lab): Project management, fitting square pegs through round holes, etc
• We would also like to thank the Folding@home Community Forum moderators for their help with this FAQ and some early beta testing of the software.

For More Information

• FAH FAQ
• Folding Support Forum

Last Updated on April 19, 2009, at 01:19 PM