Sorry for the delay -
"She-who-must-be-Obeyed" got in the way with boring 'ol domestic stuff (!) ..... she'll kill me when she reads that on her PC rofl
In a way this will end up a bit of a "Tomb" - and profuse advance apologies if it outlines some "stuff" you are aware of - its difficult to know how to pitch this when trying to change a mindset. My aim is to "reset" your thinking to focus on GPU, and from
that position you then move onto (what is now, minor stuff) the control of (the now) multi core CPU.
The main "worry" I have is about the 2x GTX580 combo, as left "unhindered", the GPU's are being stressed too much and their temp is just too much. Now, I could invest in some nice water-cooling rigs....but that's not really "my thing". Instead all I want to do is to have a bit of extra "oomph", on top of what the CPU's are doing....so, throttling back the GPU's somewhat, which reduces their temperature is a very useful function to have.
You need to "recalibrate" the main thrust of thinking. TThrotle first came on the scene about 10 years ago, the author plugging a then gap in PC performance control. This was way, way before the current abilities to control the hardware via the config settings, the
massive changes to BOINC post 6.12.0 and the
far better direct control that now exists over the hardware - CPU and GPU. Now, you have far better control over hardware with Utilities such as Afterburner, and the improved configuration files with cc_config.xml and app_config.xml.
The advent of multi-core machines aka 4, 8, 12 core - soon to be 8/16 core with next generation IBM 5XXX CPUs due in Q3 this year - mean the best way to control CPU heat et al (from a Cruncher view) is just focus on CPU "Cores" and their core speed, increasing/reducing numbers of CPU Cores in use. Niche utils exist for CPU control in depth, but the start of the journey has to be with MSI Afterburner (GPUs), and app_config.xml (both GPUs and CPU cores).
Just leave the CPU running at default, that will do for now, get used to GPU control first, tackle the CPU when the GPU control is cracked. that way your CPU will not be in danger of over heating while doing the mind-set change. Leave the CPU WUs alone for now, just do the GPU WUs via Afterburner, when that's cracked and settled, move onto CPU WUs - by then that will be easy. Crack Afterburner GPU control first, leave CPU at default with no CPU WU for now.
From that point, if you need more detailed control, niche utilities exist for the CPU, but the output of current GPUs now
so far outstrips the CPU, the latter is minute in comparison, and a per-CPU-Core control (plus BIOS control over CPU speed) is usually enough to regulate CPU heat and output, via the app_config.xml. The latter also sets the number of GPUs to be used on BOINC, and Afterburner will take that setting and apply its control magic of the allowed number of GPUs to be used for BOINC, leaving any left over unaffected by BOINC and available for general PC useage
I often set one GPU not available to BOINC via the app_config, when Gaming, BOINC then leaves alone GPU 0 for me to use on Gaming, and (automatically) only makes GPU 1 available to BOINC.
If you wish I can take you through some sessions verbally via "Skype" (free - basic voice et al is free) if you have a headset/mic (if you don't have a headset/mic, dare I suggest you run - don't walk - to get one, hugely useful these days), verbal is always immeasurably faster than typed word in getting across this stuff. If you want to take that route, PM me and I will send you my Skype Name via PM, and I'll talk you through it. It will also be far easier to get hold of me via voice whenever you need to as you make the transition, (I always have Skype turned on when I am on line).
Lets start by getting you going on Collatz with the GPUs. Some Projects are better than others for some cards, but ignore that for now. To "Benchmark" yourself watch James Ying's 580's at Collatz (he is a Chinese businessman working in China - nice guy).
There are many twists and turns to using the "new" cc_config.xml and app_config.xml, so for now we'll keep it straightforward and leave off the fancy stuff. Change your cc_config.xml (located in C:\ProgramData\BOINC, if not there, create one with Notepad - must ensure its saved as a .xml file) to:
<cc_config>
<options>
<use_all_gpus>1</use_all_gpus>
<save_stats_days>180</save_stats_days>
<max_file_xfers>48</max_file_xfers>
<max_file_xfers_per_project>36</max_file_xfers_per_project>
<report_results_immediately>1</report_results_immediately>
</options>
</cc_config>
..... and change your app_config.xml (located in C:\ProgramData\BOINC\projects\boinc.thesonntags.com_collatz - again create via notepad - only notepad, no other util - saving as an .xml file) to:
<app_config>
<app>
<name>solo_collatz</name>
<max_concurrent>3</max_concurrent>
<gpu_versions>
<gpu_usage>1.0</gpu_usage>
<cpu_usage>1.0</cpu_usage>
</gpu_versions>
</app>
</app_config>
The above is a basic app_config which will get both GPUs running at Collatz, together with 1xCPU on Collatz CPU WUs, total assets in use is therefore 5 (2xGPU and 3xCPU - two of the CPUs support the GPUs, and a third runs on its own doing CPU WUs).
Now go get Afterburner, and install it, don't do anything to it, just take it "as is" for now, get it running before loading up BOINC.
Don't run ahead of yourself, do this basic change first and let it settle, until you are comfortable with whats happening. Run the PC CPU and GPU at default settings/speeds, no fancy stuff, that way
nothing will happen to put your cards at risk, so don't have a concern.
Already I suspect you will see why a headset/mic comes in real handy to explain this stuff - my Skype name is ..... "goldiloc" ....
I know ... don't ask rofl
Yell when you have all that in place, Afterburner is running, and the basic cc_config.xml and app_config.xml are in place, and WUs running.
Please Please, don't run ahead and do other stuff, lets go step by step, its far better that way in the long run.
which was quickly removed.
