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How to stop folding on CPU

Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2020 1:24 pm
by SolCea
Hey guys. I've been using this software on my Windows 10 PC for a few weeks now on and off and I'd like your support with an issue I seem to have.
So this machine has an older Intel i5 3350p and a GTX 1060 6gb and I want it to only fold using the GPU, however it seems that whatever settings I make it still uses my CPU too. For example I have it set to "medium" and this results in my GPU sitting at around 50% usage (which is perfect) but also my CPU is at 60%+ usage on this program alone, not counting the other stuff running on the pc.
I'd like for it to stop using my CPU, or if not possible, then at least somewhere at 10-20% at most.
I went to Configure -> Slots -> removed old slot -> made new one -> disabled CPU setting -> activated GPU setting ..... even played around with the indexes from -1 to 0 but still whatever settings I make, it still uses the CPU instead of just the GPU.
The one thing I noticed is that CPU index always resets to -1 if I put it at 0 and save the setting.
So, do you guys know of any other way to get around this thing ? I'd really want to help out with this project, I did it with Boinc for many years too a while ago, but not if it's gonna keep insisting to use my CPU, first because it makes my pc lag in certain tasks and second because I don't have the best cooling for the CPU and I'm not particularly comfortable having it at 70 degrees constantly, as opposed to the regular 33. Thanks

Re: How to stop folding on CPU

Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2020 1:58 pm
by PantherX
Welcome to the F@H Forum SolCea,

Can you please post your log file. Ensure that you have copied the System configuration which is present at the start of the log file (viewtopic.php?f=38&t=26036). We will need to see what the current configuration is before we can help you tweak it to your needs.

The lag on the screen is cause by the GPU folding. CPU folding will not cause screen lag.

I would personally say that 70 C is fine as the caution level starts at above 85C and once over 100, it will start to throttle back. However, we can work with you to get your system to a point where you're comfortable with it :)

Re: How to stop folding on CPU

Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2020 2:01 pm
by jonault
The CPU & GPU each have their own folding slots. If you want to stop CPU folding, just delete the CPU slot & you're done; you don't need to make a new slot.

The GPU slot will use one CPU core to manage the GPU, so your CPU usage isn't going to drop to 0, but it will be lower.

Re: How to stop folding on CPU

Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2020 2:33 pm
by SolCea
Cheers, glad to be here.
Right now my settings look like this:
https://prnt.sc/rxbv2r

Ok so if the "no-cpu-use" is a no-go, then another question. How do I make the program run constantly when set at "light" folding power and not just when the pc is idle ? I'm guessing the "light" setting won't be using as much cpu power, so I'd rather use FAH that way then, but I don't see an option for it in the "advanced control", just in the "web control" and even thou I set it there to "while I'm working" instead of "only when idle" it still won't run, it's paused:
https://prnt.sc/rxbzhu



Here's the log you requested:

Code: Select all

*********************** Log Started 2020-04-11T14:06:08Z ***********************
14:06:08:************************* Folding@home Client *************************
14:06:08:        Website: https://foldingathome.org/
14:06:08:      Copyright: (c) 2009-2018 foldingathome.org
14:06:08:         Author: Joseph Coffland <joseph@cauldrondevelopment.com>
14:06:08:           Args: 
14:06:08:         Config: C:\Users\Automata\AppData\Roaming\FAHClient\config.xml
14:06:08:******************************** Build ********************************
14:06:08:        Version: 7.5.1
14:06:08:           Date: May 11 2018
14:06:08:           Time: 13:06:32
14:06:08:     Repository: Git
14:06:08:       Revision: 4705bf53c635f88b8fe85af7675557e15d491ff0
14:06:08:         Branch: master
14:06:08:       Compiler: Visual C++ 2008
14:06:08:        Options: /TP /nologo /EHa /wd4297 /wd4103 /Ox /MT
14:06:08:       Platform: win32 10
14:06:08:           Bits: 32
14:06:08:           Mode: Release
14:06:08:******************************* System ********************************
14:06:08:            CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3350P CPU @ 3.10GHz
14:06:08:         CPU ID: GenuineIntel Family 6 Model 58 Stepping 9
14:06:08:           CPUs: 4
14:06:08:         Memory: 7.95GiB
14:06:08:    Free Memory: 6.46GiB
14:06:08:        Threads: WINDOWS_THREADS
14:06:08:     OS Version: 6.2
14:06:08:    Has Battery: false
14:06:08:     On Battery: false
14:06:08:     UTC Offset: 3
14:06:08:            PID: 7576
14:06:08:            CWD: C:\Users\Automata\AppData\Roaming\FAHClient
14:06:08:             OS: Windows 10 Enterprise
14:06:08:        OS Arch: AMD64
14:06:08:           GPUs: 1
14:06:08:          GPU 0: Bus:1 Slot:0 Func:0 NVIDIA:7 GP104 [GeForce GTX 1060 6GB]
14:06:08:  CUDA Device 0: Platform:0 Device:0 Bus:1 Slot:0 Compute:6.1 Driver:10.1
14:06:08:OpenCL Device 0: Platform:0 Device:0 Bus:1 Slot:0 Compute:1.2 Driver:432.0
14:06:08:  Win32 Service: false
14:06:08:***********************************************************************
14:06:08:<config>
14:06:08:  <!-- Folding Core -->
14:06:08:  <checkpoint v='5'/>
14:06:08:
14:06:08:  <!-- Network -->
14:06:08:  <proxy v=':8080'/>
14:06:08:
14:06:08:  <!-- Slot Control -->
14:06:08:  <power v='light'/>
14:06:08:
14:06:08:  <!-- User Information -->
14:06:08:  <passkey v='********************************'/>
14:06:08:  <user v='CampuCuCepe'/>
14:06:08:
14:06:08:  <!-- Folding Slots -->
14:06:08:  <slot id='0' type='GPU'/>
14:06:08:</config>
14:06:08:Trying to access database...
14:06:08:Successfully acquired database lock
14:06:08:Enabled folding slot 00: PAUSED gpu:0:GP104 [GeForce GTX 1060 6GB] (waiting for idle)
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:Starting
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:Running FahCore: "C:\Program Files (x86)\FAHClient/FAHCoreWrapper.exe" C:\Users\Automata\AppData\Roaming\FAHClient\cores/cores.foldingathome.org/v7/win/64bit/Core_22.fah/FahCore_22.exe -dir 00 -suffix 01 -version 705 -lifeline 7576 -checkpoint 5 -gpu-vendor nvidia -opencl-platform 0 -opencl-device 0 -cuda-device 0 -gpu 0
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:Started FahCore on PID 4048
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:Core PID:1268
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:FahCore 0x22 started
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:*********************** Log Started 2020-04-11T14:10:04Z ***********************
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:*************************** Core22 Folding@home Core ***************************
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:       Type: 0x22
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:       Core: Core22
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:    Website: https://foldingathome.org/
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:  Copyright: (c) 2009-2018 foldingathome.org
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:     Author: John Chodera <john.chodera@choderalab.org> and Rafal Wiewiora
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:             <rafal.wiewiora@choderalab.org>
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:       Args: -dir 00 -suffix 01 -version 705 -lifeline 4048 -checkpoint 5
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:             -gpu-vendor nvidia -opencl-platform 0 -opencl-device 0 -cuda-device
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:             0 -gpu 0
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:     Config: <none>
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:************************************ Build *************************************
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:    Version: 0.0.2
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:       Date: Dec 6 2019
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:       Time: 21:30:31
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22: Repository: Git
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:   Revision: abeb39247cc72df5af0f63723edafadb23d5dfbe
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:     Branch: HEAD
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:   Compiler: Visual C++ 2008
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:    Options: /TP /nologo /EHa /wd4297 /wd4103 /Ox /MT
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:   Platform: win32 10
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:       Bits: 64
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:       Mode: Release
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:************************************ System ************************************
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:        CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3350P CPU @ 3.10GHz
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:     CPU ID: GenuineIntel Family 6 Model 58 Stepping 9
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:       CPUs: 4
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:     Memory: 7.95GiB
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:Free Memory: 2.21GiB
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:    Threads: WINDOWS_THREADS
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22: OS Version: 6.2
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:Has Battery: false
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22: On Battery: false
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22: UTC Offset: 3
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:        PID: 1268
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:        CWD: C:\Users\Automata\AppData\Roaming\FAHClient\work
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:         OS: Windows 10 Pro
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:    OS Arch: AMD64
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:********************************************************************************
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:Project: 11759 (Run 0, Clone 5720, Gen 19)
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:Unit: 0x0000001e80fccb0a5e6e86eac4d7f281
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:Digital signatures verified
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:Folding@home GPU Core22 Folding@home Core
14:10:04:WU00:FS00:0x22:Version 0.0.2
14:10:12:Removing old file 'configs/config-20200317-072026.xml'
14:10:12:Saving configuration to config.xml
14:10:12:<config>
14:10:12:  <!-- Folding Core -->
14:10:12:  <checkpoint v='5'/>
14:10:12:
14:10:12:  <!-- Network -->
14:10:12:  <proxy v=':8080'/>
14:10:12:
14:10:12:  <!-- User Information -->
14:10:12:  <passkey v='********************************'/>
14:10:12:  <user v='CampuCuCepe'/>
14:10:12:
14:10:12:  <!-- Folding Slots -->
14:10:12:  <slot id='0' type='GPU'/>
14:10:12:</config>
14:10:26:WU00:FS00:0x22:Completed 0 out of 1000000 steps (0%)
14:10:27:WU00:FS00:0x22:Temperature control disabled. Requirements: single Nvidia GPU, tmax must be < 110 and twait >= 900

Re: How to stop folding on CPU

Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2020 2:40 pm
by Neil-B
Removing the CPU slot is effectively no CPU … yes the GPU will use a core but not in the same manner as a CPU slot .. CPU use will not lag your use as FAH is low priority - any lag is likely to be GPU slot related in that GPU priorities are in general badly handled by most/all OS.

Re: How to stop folding on CPU

Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2020 2:43 pm
by PantherX
When you're folding only on the GPU, you will notice that the CPU usage will be a constant 25% (since you have 4 CPUs). The reason is that Nvidia's driver uses a spin-wait function (polling) so will always be using 1 CPU. However, it shouldn't cause your CPU temperature to reach 70C.

To fold while the system is set at "light" means this:
CPU folding will happen
GPU will fold when the system is idle.

Since you have removed the CPU slot, your GPU will only fold when idle. You can manually set this up regardless of the power level by right clicking the slot in FAHControl and tick the "On Idle" option.

One option to reduce/eliminate screen lag while GPU folding is to disable hardware acceleration on programs (Firefox, Media Players, etc.) and also disable animation in Windows.

Re: How to stop folding on CPU

Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2020 2:47 pm
by JimboPalmer
In the taskbar to the lower right of the screen, you should see a F@H molecule icon, click it (you may need to click an Up Arrow to see it ^)

The second item in this menu is Advanced Control, click it

On this screen to the left is a Configure button, click it

Now you get a screen with a Slots tab, click it

On this white field should be a cpu item, click it and then click remove

Re: How to stop folding on CPU

Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2020 2:54 pm
by Joe_H
SolCea wrote:So this machine has an older Intel i5 3350p and a GTX 1060 6gb and I want it to only fold using the GPU, however it seems that whatever settings I make it still uses my CPU too. For example I have it set to "medium" and this results in my GPU sitting at around 50% usage (which is perfect) but also my CPU is at 60%+ usage on this program alone, not counting the other stuff running on the pc.
From you stating that GPU usage was at 50%, you are using Task Manager to check that. In Task Manager you have to change one of the default graphs settings to see the actual GPU usage by the F@h client. Click on the down arrow and change to CUDA; or if that option is not available as it depends on Windows version, try the different Compute settings. You GPU utilization will be in the 90-100% range while folding, the GPU folding core is either using the GPU or not, there is no 50% setting.