Can't start GPU 0 to compute after cc_config.xml modification

Message boards : GPUs : Can't start GPU 0 to compute after cc_config.xml modification
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Pop Horea-Vasile

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Joined: 16 Jun 11
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Romania
Message 94027 - Posted: 5 Dec 2019, 16:14:50 UTC

I've modified cc_config.xml with ignore GPU 0, restarted boinc client and boinc manager because i've worked a few hours, but now I want it back to compute on both GPUs. Erased line with ignore GPU 0 from cc_config.xml, read configuration file in boinc manager, even restarted boinc client and boinc manager but still it computes only on GPU 1. Don't want to restart pc. I have to do this every day.
What's wrong ?
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Richard Haselgrove
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Message 94029 - Posted: 5 Dec 2019, 16:46:24 UTC - in response to Message 94027.  

Sadly, what's wrong is the underlying design of this particular part of the BOINC configuration process.

I'm not surprised that 'read config files' didn't clear the setting (that's part of the poor underlying design), but I am surprised that restarting the BOINC client didn't either. I need to have a think, and maybe do some reading and testing, about that one.

Unless anyone else can chime in?

Assuming we can clear this hurdle, I think the ultimate solution - at this stage of BOINC client configuration - will be a script (possibly under cron control, or launched manually - your choice), to

stop the client
swap between two different cc_config.xml files
restart the client

Again, unless somebody else knows better.
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Richard Haselgrove
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Message 94030 - Posted: 5 Dec 2019, 17:03:41 UTC

OK, I've just tried it on my Ubuntu Mint / BOINC v7.16.3 box, which also has two NVidia GPUs. Using the cc_config.xml option we discussed this morning, adding the "ignore" line prevented one of the GPUs from running, and - more significantly - removing it allowed both GPUs to run again.

I did it manually (stop client - edit and save file - start client), but it should be possible to script that.
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Profile Jord
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Message 94031 - Posted: 5 Dec 2019, 17:16:23 UTC

GPU command decisions (detection, which ones to use or to ignore etc.) are done at client start up. If it hasn't happened at client start up, the only reason I can think of is that the client was running all this time - aka it wasn't stopped and restarted.
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Pop Horea-Vasile

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Message 94036 - Posted: 5 Dec 2019, 18:54:50 UTC

I've stoped with command boinc-client stop. and started again. The only thing that solved the problem was to restart PC.

Richard, I can install the sh BOINC from site ? v7.16.3 ? I know how to, i think. With sh ./boinc.sh
But i need the script. Can you provide it to me ? The script to chose twise a day, first to stop GPU 0 then after 6 hours to turn it again.
I give you a beer, 3 bucks on paypal.
But version 7.16 is ok ?

Thank you.
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Richard Haselgrove
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Message 94038 - Posted: 5 Dec 2019, 19:29:37 UTC - in response to Message 94036.  

I originally got my v7.16.3 from LocutusOfBorg PPA, although I'm now experimenting with a bespoke version. The PPA installs the new version as a systemd service - hence my alternative stop|start commands - but otherwise you'll be familiar with it.

Be aware that v7.16.3 is still officially an alpha test version. I think it works OK, but the debian package maintainers have decided to make their own changes from the central BOINC code. In particular, they are packaging for a specific target audience - workers in a secured, controlled, corporate environment, where the decision to deploy BOINC has been made at a corporate level. In particular, they assume that the user doesn't have either sudo or administrative rights to control the service - so if they stop it, they cannot restart it. Thus, they've removed the GUI control for shutting down the connected client, and a few others. That doesn't match my use case, and I suspect not yours either - I'm fighting behind the scenes towards a ensuring there will still be a distribution available with full controls for owner-users. It's a slow process.

My primary knowledge is for Windows, and I've only started fiddling with Linux in the last 6 months - I haven't reached scripting yet. But I might give it a try. In return, if you don't mind, I'm thinking of writing up your case as an example of a perfectly reasonable set of user preferences which can't be accommodated in the current schema.
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Pop Horea-Vasile

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Message 94039 - Posted: 5 Dec 2019, 19:36:59 UTC

Please write up my case.
About 8 years ago I've done a script and packaged in .deb so could be installed.
Now i don't think I can do it. I do now CAD. It's my field -- and just curios how many species of aliens are out there.
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Richard Haselgrove
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Message 94056 - Posted: 6 Dec 2019, 15:14:11 UTC

I've written it up as "Linux client: the OOBE for volunteers" - #3396
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Pop Horea-Vasile

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Message 94061 - Posted: 6 Dec 2019, 18:51:14 UTC

I'm not native English speaker. It's hard to understand when it's serious and when is a joke.
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Message boards : GPUs : Can't start GPU 0 to compute after cc_config.xml modification

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