Installation for a multi-GPU system

Here is some specific requirements to follow for the multi-GPU setup to work :

• The current multi-GPU installation guide requires some knowledge of the Windows system, if you are having issues, you can ask for help.
• If you are running multiple GPU cards with SLI or Crossfire, you need to unlink the cards by disabling SLI or Crossfire in the driver control panel. Also, you need to extend the desktop for the client to recognize the cards.
• When Windows ask to look for a driver hit CANCEL. If you let Windows install the driver automatically, there is a big risk of having sub-par performances or client issues.
• If you run Windows Vista, you need to have each GPU connected to a monitor (a KVM can also work but not all models of KVM will provide a signal when it's not switched as current monitor) or a VGA dummy plug.

Before you start doing the installation, make sure to grab the latest CUDA driver and the latest client. You can find the links in the Requirements section above. Also, the following guide is based on the GPU Systray client installation so if you didn't install the client yet, follow the Systray instructions above first before following the instructions below.

Note: First of all, make sure the GPU2 client didn't copy the shortcut in the startup folder during installation because we don't want it to start automatically. The current client doesn't do it but previous clients did, hence the warning. The shortcut is usually found in ''Start -> Programs -> Startup".

Next, open up Windows Explorer and find the directory where the installer created a folder under your user name. Below is the path of the folder depending on the OS :

XP : C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\

Vista: C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\

Note: This folder is usually hidden so you may need to type the whole path in the address bar or to enable the option to view all files and folders.

Once you’ve located the directory, copy the folder called Folding@Home-gpu and paste into the same location. Rename the new copy by cutting the “Copy of” off and adding a 2 (or more for extra cards) after the directory name. You will need to repeat the same steps if you have 3 or more GPU you want to use. Here is what it should look :



Now, go in the C:\Program Files\Folding@Home\Folding@Home-gpu folder (with Vista, it's in the x86 folder). You should find the client executable here so make a new shortcut of the client (right-click on the executable icon then select Create Shortcut). After creating the shortcut, move the shortcut to the desktop then rename with a short name like GPU1. Don't copy more than one shortcut since you will do it after doing some modifications :



Right-click on the first shortcut then select Properties. It should bring up the following screen:



Now, replace the Start in: path with the path of the data file which is stored in either those places (replace [username] with your Windows user name) :

XP : C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Folding@Home-gpu

Vista: C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Folding@Home-gpu

Make sure there are quotes at the start and end of the Start in: path.

Add the -gpu 0 flag at the end of the Target: path, after the quotes (make sure there is a space between the quote and the flag). It should look like this in the Target: field:

"C:\Program Files\Folding@home\Folding@home-gpu\Folding@home.exe" -gpu 0

Once you are done, the properties should look like this for the first client. Click on Ok to close the panel afterwards :

Target: "C:\Program Files\Folding@home\Folding@home-gpu\Folding@home.exe" -gpu 0

Start in: "C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Folding@Home-gpu" (XP/2003) or "C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Folding@Home-gpu" (Vista)

Now that you are done editing the shortcut, it's time to create more for the other GPU cards. Copy the first shortcut and paste as many copies (based on how many GPU cards you want to run) you need on the desktop. Rename each shortcut copy with a simple yet distinct names (to help identify which client) like GPU2, GPU3, etc. When you are done, right-click on each new shortcut and select Properties to edit the properties. This time, since you did most of the configuration above, all you need to do is to point the Start in: path to each data folder that you created and put -gpu 1 flag (or higher for subsequent cards). After you are done, you should have something like that :

Target: "C:\Program Files\Folding@home\Folding@home-gpu\Folding@home.exe" -gpu 1

Start in: "C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Folding@Home-gpu2" (XP/2003) or "C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Folding@Home-gpu2" (Vista)

When you are done editing each shortcut, click on the first shortcut and configure your client as demonstrated in the [url=http://folding.stanford.edu/English/WinGPUGuide#ntoc2]Systray installation guide above. The key things to make sure you do are :

On the Connection tab :

• Click yes to accept WUs larger than 10 megabytes.

On the Advanced tab :

• Check the Core Priority for Slightly Higher
• Click do not lock cores to specific CPU
• Make sure the Machine ID is different then any CPU or GPU client you have running. Note: default is 2.

Now hit accept and repeat the step above for each shortcut and make sure you pick a unique machine ID for each client. When you are done, all that remain to do is to click every shortcut to start the clients and monitor them closely to make sure they run fine (it's often tricky due to a possible driver version conflict).