Need Help with app_info.xml for HYBRID ATI GPU/CPU Optimized AstroPulse_v505 5.0

[[STS]LoB]

Hello,

first of all thank you for your continued effort with the optimized SETI@home apps, I'm using them for months and years now.
I want to try the HYBRID ATI GPU/CPU Optimized AstroPulse_v505 5.05 for Windows now, but I don't know how to adjust several values of the app_info.xml file here:

The news reads:

Please, edit <max/avg_ncpus> and <count> tags values as appropriate for your config.
This example taken from host that runs 4 SETI CPU MB + 2 SETI hybrid AP + 2 Milkyway ATI GPU opt app v20.
Corresponding <count> value for MW project is 0.48

... and I have no clue how to set it.
My Setup:

• Intel Core 2 Duo T7600
• ATI Radeon HD 4670

I want to use ONLY SETI@home, with both CPUs and if needed also with my GPU. My app_info for now looks like that:

Code: [Select]

<app_info>
    <app>
        <name>astropulse</name>
    </app>
    <file_info>
        <name>ap_5.00r103_SSE3.exe</name>
        <executable/>
    </file_info>
    <app_version>
        <app_name>astropulse</app_name>
        <version_num>500</version_num>
        <file_ref>
            <file_name>ap_5.00r103_SSE3.exe</file_name>
            <main_program/>
        </file_ref>
    </app_version>
    <app>
        <name>astropulse_v5</name>
    </app>
    <file_info>
        <name>ap_5.03r112_SSE3.exe</name>
        <executable/>
    </file_info>
    <app_version>
        <app_name>astropulse_v5</app_name>
        <version_num>503</version_num>
        <file_ref>
            <file_name>ap_5.03r112_SSE3.exe</file_name>
            <main_program/>
        </file_ref>
    </app_version>
    <app>
        <name>setiathome_enhanced</name>
    </app>
    <file_info>
        <name>AK_v8_win_x64_SSSE3x.exe</name>
        <executable/>
    </file_info>
    <app_version>
        <app_name>setiathome_enhanced</app_name>
        <version_num>517</version_num>
        <file_ref>
            <file_name>AK_v8_win_x64_SSSE3x.exe</file_name>
            <main_program/>
        </file_ref>
    </app_version>
    <app_version>
        <app_name>setiathome_enhanced</app_name>
        <version_num>527</version_num>
        <file_ref>
           <file_name>AK_v8_win_x64_SSSE3x.exe</file_name>
            <main_program/>
        </file_ref>
    </app_version>
    <app_version>
        <app_name>setiathome_enhanced</app_name>
        <version_num>528</version_num>
        <file_ref>
           <file_name>AK_v8_win_x64_SSSE3x.exe</file_name>
            <main_program/>
        </file_ref>
    </app_version>
    <app_version>
        <app_name>setiathome_enhanced</app_name>
        <version_num>603</version_num>
        <file_ref>
           <file_name>AK_v8_win_x64_SSSE3x.exe</file_name>
            <main_program/>
        </file_ref>
    </app_version>
    <app>
        <name>astropulse_v505</name>
    </app>
    <file_info>
        <name>ap_5.05_win_x86_SSE3_BROOK_r280_NO_DOUBLE.exe</name>
        <executable/>
    </file_info>
    <app_version>
        <app_name>astropulse_v505</app_name>
        <version_num>505</version_num>
        <avg_ncpus>0.1</avg_ncpus>
        <max_ncpus>1</max_ncpus>
        <coproc>
            <type>ATI</type>
            <count>0.01</count>
        </coproc>
        <file_ref>
            <file_name>ap_5.05_win_x86_SSE3_BROOK_r280_NO_DOUBLE.exe</file_name>
            <main_program/>                           
        </file_ref>
    </app_version>
</app_info>
Boinc says:

15.02.2010 11:39:54      ATI GPU 0: ATI Radeon HD 4600 series (R730) (CAL version 1.4.403, 512MB, 480 GFLOPS peak)

but SETI@home says:

15.02.2010 11:43:56   SETI@home   Sending scheduler request: To fetch work.
15.02.2010 11:43:56   SETI@home   Requesting new tasks for GPU
15.02.2010 11:44:01   SETI@home   Scheduler request completed: got 0 new tasks
15.02.2010 11:44:01   SETI@home   Message from server: No work sent
15.02.2010 11:44:01   SETI@home   Message from server: No work is available for Astropulse v5

I guess this is only because there's really no Astropulse work unit available?
But still, how to <max/avg_ncpus> and <count> properly for my system?

Any help is appreciated.

[arkayn]

For right now it can be pared down a bit.

Code: [Select]

<app_info>
    <app>
        <name>setiathome_enhanced</name>
    </app>
    <file_info>
        <name>AK_v8_win_x64_SSSE3x.exe</name>
        <executable/>
    </file_info>
    <app_version>
        <app_name>setiathome_enhanced</app_name>
        <version_num>603</version_num>
        <file_ref>
           <file_name>AK_v8_win_x64_SSSE3x.exe</file_name>
            <main_program/>
        </file_ref>
    </app_version>
    <app>
        <name>astropulse_v505</name>
    </app>
    <file_info>
        <name>ap_5.05_win_x86_SSE3_BROOK_r280_NO_DOUBLE.exe</name>
        <executable/>
    </file_info>
    <app_version>
        <app_name>astropulse_v505</app_name>
        <version_num>505</version_num>
        <avg_ncpus>0.1</avg_ncpus>
        <max_ncpus>1</max_ncpus>
        <coproc>
            <type>ATI</type>
            <count>0.5</count>
        </coproc>
        <file_ref>
            <file_name>ap_5.05_win_x86_SSE3_BROOK_r280_NO_DOUBLE.exe</file_name>
            <main_program/>                           
        </file_ref>
    </app_version>
</app_info>

Make certain that you have the option to accept other work selected as well, since there is not option for v505.

Yes, AP work is very scarce for the time being, mostly reissues.

[Raistmer]

For SETI only

       <coproc>
            <type>ATI</type>
            <count>0.5</count>
        </coproc>

[Frizz]

What would be the optimal configuration for a AMD Quad CPU + one ATI GPU ?
I only run Seti@Home - nothing else.

[Raistmer]

What would be the optimal configuration for a AMD Quad CPU + one ATI GPU ?
I only run Seti@Home - nothing else.

4 CPU MB + 2 ATI AP tasks at once

[Frizz]

At the moment I have this in my app_info.xml. Is this correct for my Quad CPU + 1 GPU configuration?


   <app>
      <name>astropulse_v505</name>
   </app>
   <file_info>
      <name>ap_5.05_win_x86_SSE3_BROOK_r280_NO_DOUBLE.exe</name>
      <executable/>
   </file_info>
   <app_version>
      <app_name>astropulse_v505</app_name>
      <version_num>505</version_num>
      <avg_ncpus>0.1</avg_ncpus>
      <max_ncpus>1</max_ncpus>
      <coproc>
         <type>ATI</type>
         <count>0.5</count>
      </coproc>
      <file_ref>
         <file_name>ap_5.05_win_x86_SSE3_BROOK_r280_NO_DOUBLE.exe</file_name>
         <main_program/>                           
      </file_ref>
   </app_version>

[Frizz]

Problem is: GPUz shows 0% GPU usage when running the AP tasks. In Windows taskmanager I can see two ap_5.05_win_x86_SSE3_BROOK_r280_NO_DOUBLE.exe running, each consuming about 25% CPU.

Why are they not using my GPU?

[Raistmer]

They use GPU but only in part of code. Look at GPU usage (or CPU usage) longer and you will see spikes (drops).

[Frizz]

OK, thanks for reply. I will monitor it.

Is this setup here OK for my Quad CPU + 1 GPU configuration?


   <app>
      <name>astropulse_v505</name>
   </app>
   <file_info>
      <name>ap_5.05_win_x86_SSE3_BROOK_r280_NO_DOUBLE.exe</name>
      <executable/>
   </file_info>
   <app_version>
      <app_name>astropulse_v505</app_name>
      <version_num>505</version_num>
      <avg_ncpus>0.1</avg_ncpus>
      <max_ncpus>1</max_ncpus>
      <coproc>
         <type>ATI</type>
         <count>0.5</count>
      </coproc>
      <file_ref>
         <file_name>ap_5.05_win_x86_SSE3_BROOK_r280_NO_DOUBLE.exe</file_name>
         <main_program/>                           
      </file_ref>
   </app_version>

[Raistmer]

Recently Claggy posted more advanced app_info version that works for him, but if you can get AP tasks, this one should be enough for start.
Here Claggy's one:

    <app>
        <name>astropulse_v505</name>
    </app>
<file_info>
           <name>ap_5.05_win_x86_SSE3_BROOK_r280_NO_DOUBLE.exe</name>
           <executable/>
</file_info>
<file_info>
           <name>brook.dll</name>
</file_info>
<file_info>
           <name>brook_cal.dll</name>
</file_info>
    <app_version>
        <app_name>astropulse_v505</app_name>
        <version_num>505</version_num>
   <platform>windows_intelx86</platform>
    <avg_ncpus>0.01</avg_ncpus>
    <max_ncpus>1.0</max_ncpus>
    <flops>166695850055.448060</flops>
    <plan_class>ati13ati</plan_class>
             <file_ref>
                  <file_name>ap_5.05_win_x86_SSE3_BROOK_r280_NO_DOUBLE.exe</file_name>
                  <main_program/>                           
           </file_ref>
    <file_ref>
        <file_name>brook.dll</file_name>
    </file_ref>
    <file_ref>
        <file_name>brook_cal.dll</file_name>
    </file_ref>
   <coproc>
   <type>ATI</type>
   <count>0.5</count>
   </coproc>
   <gpu_ram>209715200.000000</gpu_ram>
   </app_version>
    </app_version>   
    <app_version>
        <app_name>astropulse_v505</app_name>
        <version_num>505</version_num>
   <platform>windows_x86_64</platform>
    <avg_ncpus>0.01</avg_ncpus>
    <max_ncpus>1.0</max_ncpus>
    <flops>166695850055.448060</flops>
    <plan_class>ati13ati</plan_class>
             <file_ref>
                  <file_name>ap_5.05_win_x86_SSE3_BROOK_r280_NO_DOUBLE.exe</file_name>
                  <main_program/>                           
           </file_ref>
    <file_ref>
        <file_name>brook.dll</file_name>
    </file_ref>
    <file_ref>
        <file_name>brook_cal.dll</file_name>
    </file_ref>
   <coproc>
   <type>ATI</type>
   <count>0.5</count>
   </coproc>
   <gpu_ram>209715200.000000</gpu_ram>
   </app_version>

My changes in green.
He used full core + single AP task per GPU cause his host has both CUDA and ATI GPUs and many AP tasks badly affected on CUDA processing. In most cases only one type of GPU present (either CUDA or ATI) .

[Claggy]

You'll also need to change the flops values, as these are for a highly O/Ced E8500 / HD5770, or you're likely to get Maximum time exceeded errors,
(the flops values given are what the Scheduler gave out on Seti Beta for my host, it's settings are somewhat suspect for slower hosts with fast GPU's)
i suggest you take your CPU flops value and times it by 3, MarkJ's app_info for AP503, AP505, MB603 and MB608 thread had 2.6 for AP_v505,
the hybrid app is probably that much faster. (depending on the GPU used)

i.e. for my host, it would be: 4194.33 million ops/sec * 3 = 12582990000 (4194.33 * 1,000,000 * 3 = 12,582,990,000)

Claggy

[Raistmer]

I would leave CPU flops as is and let BOINC to learn about real speed by itself.
(CPU, not GPU of course )

[Claggy]

I would leave CPU flops as is and let BOINC to learn about real speed by itself.
(CPU, not GPU of course )

You have to be careful about this, posted in the app_info is GPU flops for a HD5770 (~1300GFlops Peak)(got from Seti Beta's scheduler when running stock Hybid there),
but the Hybrid app is mostly CPU, so it's best to have a CPU flops based figure, otherwise Boinc will abort the task if it's too high. (at 10 times the Wu flops value)

Boinc 6.10.14 introduced this:

- client: if anonymous platform description (app_info.xml) doesn't specify FLOPS for a GPU app, assume that it runs at CPU peak speed rather than GPU peak speed. Better to be conservative, otherwise job might be aborted due to time limit exceeded.

Claggy

[Raistmer]

Well, exactly, hybrid AP closer to CPU speed estimate, not GPU speed estimate that's why I suggest to leave CPU speed untouched, w/o any multipliers for GPU version.

[Frizz]

I have changed my app_info.xml hoping to start 4 AP tasks in parallel. BOINC shows me 4 AP active, but when I look into Windows Task Manager only two of them are really consuming CPU time. Besides that, only 2 AP make progress in BOINC Manager.

What's the correct configuration to start 4 AP tasks in parallel?

This is my app_info.xml :

<app_info>
    <app>
        <name>astropulse_v5</name>
    </app>
    <file_info>
        <name>ap_5.03r112_SSE3.exe</name>
        <executable/>
    </file_info>
    <app_version>
        <app_name>astropulse_v5</app_name>
        <version_num>503</version_num>
        <file_ref>
            <file_name>ap_5.03r112_SSE3.exe</file_name>
            <main_program/>
        </file_ref>
    </app_version>
 
   <app>
   <name>astropulse_v505</name>
   </app>
   <file_info>
      <name>ap_5.05_win_x86_SSE3_BROOK_r280_NO_DOUBLE.exe</name>
      <executable/>
   </file_info>
   <app_version>
      <app_name>astropulse_v505</app_name>
      <version_num>505</version_num>
      <avg_ncpus>0.01</avg_ncpus>
      <max_ncpus>1.0</max_ncpus>
      <coproc>
         <type>ATI</type>
         <count>0.25</count>
      </coproc>
      <file_ref>
         <file_name>ap_5.05_win_x86_SSE3_BROOK_r280_NO_DOUBLE.exe</file_name>
         <main_program/>                           
      </file_ref>
   </app_version>
</app_info>