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CUDA with BOINC
- Thread starter ayeying
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It's the same as the ones that support OpenCL. So from Apple.com....
GeForce 9400M, GeForce 9600M GT, GeForce 8600M GT, GeForce GT 120, GeForce GT 130, GeForce GTX 285, GeForce 8800 GT, GeForce 8800 GS, Quadro FX 4800, Quadro FX5600
Actually CUDA is slightly different from OpenCL but they're the same concept. The command I used is from the CUDA kit available at nvidia.com. Here's the exact link. You'll need to read the entire readme to do this, its not entirely just install and it'll run.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/cuda_get.html
You'll also need XCode to build the kit samples.
Pretty much almost all of the upper 8, 9 and GT1/GT2... etc. series support CUDA. Here's an more accurate list.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/cuda_learn_products.html
What I meant is the list of Mac CUDA cards was the same as the Nvidia OpenCL cards.
Hint to using both cards on MBP with 9600GT+9400M
So I've been using the CUDA collatz conjecture project through Boinc, and realized that it was only using 1 of my GPUs (as noted in Boinc messages at startup). I created the Boinc configuration file in /Library/Application Support/Boinc Data/cc_config.xml. In that file, I put:
<cc_config>
<options>
<use_all_gpus>1</use_all_gpus>
</options>
</cc_config>
Save that file, relaunch Boinc, and now you can crunch on all GPUs and CPUs at once! Why this isn't the default, I have no idea. For a list of other useful cc_config options, check out this link.
So I've been using the CUDA collatz conjecture project through Boinc, and realized that it was only using 1 of my GPUs (as noted in Boinc messages at startup). I created the Boinc configuration file in /Library/Application Support/Boinc Data/cc_config.xml. In that file, I put:
<cc_config>
<options>
<use_all_gpus>1</use_all_gpus>
</options>
</cc_config>
Save that file, relaunch Boinc, and now you can crunch on all GPUs and CPUs at once! Why this isn't the default, I have no idea. For a list of other useful cc_config options, check out this link.
So, my MacBook Pro (model 5,3) has an nVidia 9600M GT. That should support GPU via cuda, but even after installing both the latest toolkit, and then the latest cuda drivers, I still get "no usable GPU's found" messages in BOINC's startup messages. I added Collatz and Einstein to my projects to try to take advantage of the GPU's, but now they're just sucking up time from my other projects I care more about. Without GPU support, they're going to get the boot from my system. :-(
I even added the cc_config.xml file listed above, but it generates a "no start flag" error message.
My MacPro (3 years old next month), has two graphics card in it, an ATI X1900 and an nVidia GeForce 7300. Too bad neither of those support GPU processing. That nVidia card is just in there sucking up juice. There's no monitors attached to it. Think of all the number crunching goodness an extra dedicated GPU could do 24/7! I'd replace the 7300 with a cuda capable card if I knew for sure it would actually work and these BOINC apps would take advantage of it. Heck, I'd consider replacing the ATI as well. I've got a few spare dollars laying around for a "good cause".
Any suggestions?
I even added the cc_config.xml file listed above, but it generates a "no start flag" error message.
My MacPro (3 years old next month), has two graphics card in it, an ATI X1900 and an nVidia GeForce 7300. Too bad neither of those support GPU processing. That nVidia card is just in there sucking up juice. There's no monitors attached to it. Think of all the number crunching goodness an extra dedicated GPU could do 24/7! I'd replace the 7300 with a cuda capable card if I knew for sure it would actually work and these BOINC apps would take advantage of it. Heck, I'd consider replacing the ATI as well. I've got a few spare dollars laying around for a "good cause".
Any suggestions?
well i'm really not sure about BOINC apps, but i do have experience with folding@home using gpus. the only problem is that you have to have windows for the gpu folding. which u can do on your mac pro.
and it is for a "good cause". we'd love to have you on our folding team. but the BOINC projects are good also!
BOINC allegedly supports GPU on Mac now, as indicated in the threads above, though it appears to be hit or miss as to if you can actually get it to work. :-(
The two projects I mentioned are the only two currently supporting GPU on BOINC that I'm aware of.
I'm not willing to boot my Mac Pro to Windows to use GPU, it's too busy doing Mac things. If a VMWare machine would allow it, that's an option I'd definitely consider, as long as the overhead of running the VM in the background didn't offset the benefit of GPU. I'm not sure the VM would give direct access to GPU, since the drivers report as VM, not the actual card.
re: Folding@Home, I'm already a folder, off and on. Just checked my stats, and am currently ranked 30,757 out of 1,361,003. Not bad considering I haven't ran the client since last May. Ouch. I think back then I decided that F@H wasn't playing nice with letting up the CPU when other tasks needed it. I certainly need to reconsider, as I do think that's a "very good cause". I'm on Team DL.TV, but have no allegiance there - they just happened to be the show that pointed out the project to me. I don't even watch any more. What team are you on? I'll consider moving over if I start running F@H again. I've got a Mac Pro, Mac Mini, 2 MacBook Pros, and a couple of PCs, even an AppleTV if someone wrote a client for it. Most of them run 24/7, no sense in them sitting idle.
Oh ok. Yeah I don't think you can run gpu in a VM.
But we'd love to have you on the macrumors team! Hopefully the next gpu client they release will work in Mac OS X
But we'd love to have you on the macrumors team! Hopefully the next gpu client they release will work in Mac OS X
Oh, I didn't know MacRumors had a team. Of course I'll switch over next time I start running F@H. This is one of my favorite sites.
Back on topic, if anyone has any idea how to get GPU working on this stupid MBP, I'd appreciate it.
I've got the lateest version of BOINC, installed the latest cuda toolkit, the latest drivers, and rebooted. Still "no compatible GPU found" when I start up BOINC. Very frustrating.
You'll need 6.10.34 to be compatible with CUDA GPU on Mac OS X.
http://boinc.berkeley.edu/download_all.php
Excellent. That did the trick. Thanks.
.34 wasn't available on the page I got the binaries from the other day. (edit: LOL - it wasn't there because the date on the file is today.)
GPU computing underway. I just need to figure out to tweak the settings now.
Now all I need is a cuda enabled nVidia card that's actually compatible with a Mac Pro 1,1. Any recommendations there?
I bought a PS3 the other day, almost solely for the purpose of running Folding@Home and assigned it to the MacRumors team.
I don't play video games, but might watch the occasional blu-ray dvd on it, though it was ridiculously difficult to find any BDs on NetFlix that interested me in adding to my queue. :-(
Thanks for pointing out MR had a team.
Your only option is to scout for an nVidia 8800GT that's flashed to work on MP 2006/2007.
Sorry, forgot to mention that you must be using 6.10.29 (developer/experimental build) or higher. I believe the just released 6.10.36 (final) recently. I got the same messages running 6.10.21 (final).
I have just installed a GTX 285 on a MacPro 10.6.2 server
- Installed Boinc 6.10.43
- I have tried to install CUDA but installation failed.
- I have not change anything in the config file.
Boinc report "No usable GPUs found"
---Solved---
I started the kernel in 32 bits mode...
EDIT: reinstalled CUDA drivers and it's working now.
P.S. - Interesting but I just noticed my late-2009 MBP is running in 32-bit kernel. Not sure if it's supposed to be or not, will need to look into that.
I just noticed I'm no longer GPU computing. I think it's coincidental to the upgrade to 10.6.3 last week or two.
Installed latest BOINC (up to 6.10.43 from earlier version I had) but still no joy. BOINC reports no usable GPU found on start up.
Anyone have it working in 10.6.3?
P.S. - Interesting but I just noticed my late-2009 MBP is running in 32-bit kernel. Not sure if it's supposed to be or not, will need to look into that.
I just noticed I'm no longer GPU computing. I think it's coincidental to the upgrade to 10.6.3 last week or two.
Installed latest BOINC (up to 6.10.43 from earlier version I had) but still no joy. BOINC reports no usable GPU found on start up.
Anyone have it working in 10.6.3?
Is it working now for you (not sure because of the edit).
It is working for me on two different mac
Boinc client is officially at 6.10.43
GPU found
- On a MBP it was simple and also working on 10.6.3
- On MacPro with 10.6.2 - I had to restart in 32 bits for the card be to recognized - But I think with cuda 3.0 they now have 64 bits drivers. I had to reinstall the os on the MacPro so I will know soon if it is working on 10.6.3 UPDATE- Now working in 10.6.3 on 64 bits kernel - Big improvement
Also with CUDA 3.0, There is a new system preference pane to check for CUDA update - nice.
I do have some calculation error :-(