I recently updated my PC to Windows 7, and installed Boinc 6.10.18
After attaching all projects, and running tasks 1 or both of the following issues will arise.
I will receive video issues such as, odd colors on icons and toolbar/start menu, and a sudden crash with bluescreen that dumps memory and reboots.
I had been running BOINC for 3 straight months since I got my new quad core processor, while running XP with zero issues. I believe I could have a video driver conflict, I am running a geforce 9800 GTX+. Please let me know if you need more of my system information, or any troubleshooting steps that are available for me to try.

Thank you in advance

I believe I could have a video driver conflict, I am running a geforce 9800 GTX+.

That's a CUDA capable card, so if you're running a project like Seti and you didn't set your project preferences up not to use the GPU, Seti will be using the GPU to do calculations with. And that causes video slowdowns and other artifacts.

So the question is, do you want to keep using the GPU for calculations, or do you want this disabled? Which projects are you attached to?

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Einstein@home is the only one i'm trying to run at the moment. Where can I find directions to turn this off permanently?

Thank you

In the Einstein project preferences (for future use, that's under your account there), change "Use NVIDIA GPU if present" from Yes to No (uncheck it).

Save the changes to the web site and either wait for the next scheduler update, or force one by opening BOINC Manager->Advanced view->Projects tab, select Einstein, click Update.

Do know that this doesn't stop any work already on the system that's working on the GPU. You either have to abort that by hand, or let it run to completion. You will not get new work for the GPU.

On Einstein only ABP2 tasks partially run on the GPU. I say partially as only the FFT part of any ABP2 task runs on the GPU, the rest of the calculations for those tasks are done by the CPU.

ABP2 tasks for the GPU can be recognized in the Tasks tab as showing the 5.11 application. Any CPU only tasks use 5.08 (ABPO2) and 3.02/3.04 (GC) applications.

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I did what you said, but I cannot get into boinc to update the project. I have reinstalled a couple of times, but it still happens. Is there something in my profile I can rename or delete to make sure I am starting clean with each install?

I appreciate your help Ageless. Unfortunately I am still blue screening when it goes to run. I can log into a different profile and rename the folder so it doesn't run, then uninstall it, but it always blue-screens on boinc's startup. Could anyone take a look at my specs and perhaps know known hardware conflictions? I would completely understand if this isn't possible. If you need any more information, or software config let me know.

CPU

-------------------------
AMD Phenom II X4 940
Deneb
Socket AM2+ (940)
45nm
1.280 V
Core Speed: 3410 MHz
Bus Speed: 223.3
4 Cores
4 Threads
-------------------------

Mainboard

-------------------------
MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO.,LTD
MS-7508 1.0
Chipset: NVIDIA Geforce 8200
Southbridge: NVIDIA ID075C
LPCIO: Fintek F71882F

BIOS:
American Megatrends Inc
Version:
A7508NMS.308

Graphic Interface:
PCI-Express
X16
-------------------------

Memory

-------------------------
DDR2 3072 MBytes
Dual Channel
NB Frequency:
2010.1 MHz
-------------------------


NVIDIA Geforce 9800 GTX+





Thanks again

Perhaps go back to BOINC version 5.8.16, which won't have GPU capabilities, update the web site, and then try 6.10.18 again.

Or create a cc_config.xml file in your BOINC data directory with the <no_gpus> option set to true:

<cc_config>
    <options>
        <no_gpus>1</no_gpus>
    </options>
</cc_config>

Use notepad to copy&paste that and save in ANSI mode. Check that no .txt suffix has been appended.

Gruß,
Gundolf

I thank you two for responding to my questions. I tried rolling back the version of boinc first, which does seem to work just fine. Although it seems this version does not have the option to change preferences under the advanced option. I notice there is a "read config file", so this must be where I make my changes, but it does nothing. Can anyone point me to the dir of the file I need?

Thanks

Sorry, my solution was for adjusting the GPU option in the Resource share and graphics preferences of your account on the project's web site, not in the menu of the BOINC manager.

If you're using the Manager prefs, then you'll need to use Gundolf's idea.
And before you try read config file, you have to create the file. BOINC doesn't create this automatically.
The location for the file is mentioned in the Wiki entry that Gundolf highlighted.

If you're using the Manager prefs, then you'll need to use Gundolf's idea.
And before you try read config file, you have to create the file. BOINC doesn't create this automatically.
The location for the file is mentioned in the Wiki entry that Gundolf highlighted.

<no_gpus> requires a full exit of the client and a restart. It won't work with a read config file, as it stops the detection of the GPU, which is only done at the start of the program.

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Although it seems this version does not have the option to change preferences under the advanced option.

Yes, indeed, but the last 5.x version - 5.10.45 - does. You can find it here.

Gruß,
Gundolf

---

Computer sind nicht alles im Leben. (Kleiner Scherz)

[Citation] [quote] Bien qu'il Semble version of this Que tu vas être la possibilite de Pas modificateur les préférences en Vertu de l'Avancée option. [/ Quote]
Oui, en Effet, MAIS la version 5.x DERNIERE - 5.10.45 - NE. Vous pouvez le cavitation [url = http://boinc.berkeley.edu/dl/?C=M; O = D] ici [/ url].

Gruß,
] Gundolf [/ quote
Bien mal acquis NE Jamais Profite.

[Citation]Oui, en Effet, MAIS la version 5.x DERNIERE - 5.10.45 - NE. Vous pouvez le cavitation ici.

Even with my limited knowledge of the French language, I can see that this is a pretty bad translation of my quote. So, I don't see how the proverb

Bien mal acquis NE Jamais Profite. (Unrecht Gut gedeihet nicht. [Evil gotten, evil spent(?).])

could possibly fit.

Gundolf

OK, I know in my heart it's silly to be concerned with insignificant things like BOINC RAC, but who doesn't look at it from time to time? I have, and I think I've done something seriously wrong (or neclected to do something right). I have an Intel Core 2 Duo on both laptop (was Vista 32 with 2GB RAM) and desktop (was XP Pro 32 with 4GB RAM, only 3GB of which was usable). About a month ago I changed to Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit on both machines.

Laptop problem: Suspends all projects, giving me the message "Your NVIDIA GPU has insufficient memory. Need 450MB". I apparently have only 250MB, but that was never a problem when I was running Vista 32.

Desktop problem: Runs projects, but my RAC has dropped from something like 1800 to less than 900.

The BOINC Manager version on both machines is 6.10.18. My total RAC on both PCs has dropped from about 2700 to that 900, so I'm fairly convinced something's wrong.

HELP! If this question has been asked and answered, I'd surely appreciate someone's pointing me in the right direction to find that answer. Thanks in advance.

Laptop problem: Suspends all projects, giving me the message "Your NVIDIA GPU has insufficient memory. Need 450MB". I apparently have only 250MB, but that was never a problem when I was running Vista 32.

With Windows 7 you must also have installed newer videocard drivers. These will most probably have lifted your card up from CUDA to CUDA2.3 status. CUDA needs a minimum of 256MB on the card (254MB on Seti), while CUDA 2.3 and above needs at least 384MB on the card.

Unless you manage to get older drivers to work under Windows 7 (not much chance), there's not much there can be done about this.

Desktop problem: Runs projects, but my RAC has dropped from something like 1800 to less than 900.

Seti has had its fair share of server problems lately. You are talking about Seti, aren't you? If you can't upload, or if no-one can upload, then there's no work being validated, no credit being given out, so RACs drop.

And if you then also have one host whose GPU isn't getting work anymore due to memory limits, then your RAC drops a lot.

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Thanks, Ageless. I should have been more specific. The laptop was running ONLY Rosetta and the desktop ONLY Einstein. I did have to update Vaio laptop's drivers, including those for graphics card, after installing Win 7, but I'm sorry to say I didn't even know what CUDA was until I read your note. I think I'll check for newer drivers.

Any idea why a change from XP Pro/32 to Win 7 Ultimate/64 would result in such a decrease in performance when I gained 1GB in RAM?

I can't say what Rosetta did lately with regards to new applications, but Einstein ran the longer running S5GCE range for slightly more than a month, they're now running the S5GC1 range. These tasks take a lot longer than the S5R6 ones did. See this thread for more information.

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Check your power settings, My Windows 7 desktop was going to sleep after an hour or so.

Claggy

Check your power settings, My Windows 7 desktop was going to sleep after an hour or so.

Claggy

Yes, my recent Windows 7 upgrade on a long-time Vista cruncher changed that setting too.