Downclocking a 780 Ti

[davidcoton]

My driver is 334.16. Nvidia website does not list 319.32 for 780Ti on Linux64, though there are later versions of 319. Latest release is 331.16 and latest beta is 337.12.

Apart from noting that, I'm out of suggestions for now.

David

[billford]

I did see later drivers (331.20) on this site, but when I tried to install them none of the commands to stop the graphics session would work (I forget the error message, but it was "<something> not found"). So I decided I was out of my depth and went off to the repos.

(I didn't have any existing drivers to remove at that point)

If you can give any guidance as to what I might have done wrong (or different instructions) I'm quite prepared to try again (Linux Mint 16).


edit- latest drivers 331.67 ? http://www.nvidia.co.uk/download/driver ... 5067/en-uk

[davidcoton]

I don't remember where I got the driver or how I installed it, but probably downloaded from nVidia, whose installer seems to work well enough (including removing old drivers). It is invoked from the command line, but after that it's a windows style interface. On Ubuntu it has to be done through a different boot option that runs without the X server -- if that is running, the install won't work, and I've never managed to get out of X once it has started. Alternative is to put the driver download on a memory stick with the distro, re-install Mint and select the right driver during instalation, if that is possible (sorry I don't know Mint, I know there are others around who do.)

David

[billford]

On Ubuntu it has to be done through a different boot option that runs without the X server -- if that is running, the install won't work, and I've never managed to get out of X once it has started.

That sounds more promising, but I don't know how to boot to a command line so that X isn't running… any Mint 16 experts reading this?

Alternative is to put the driver download on a memory stick with the distro, re-install Mint and select the right driver during instalation, if that is possible (sorry I don't know Mint, I know there are others around who do.)

Messing with distros sounds out of my depth again

[billford]

Afterthought- If I boot from the installation DVD, is there any way I could install the drivers into the (non-running) Linux on the HDD?

[davidcoton]

I don't know of a way to install drivers on a non-running Linux. All I have done with Ubuntu is to use the standard installation routine but tell it (via the on-screen options) to install the proprietary driver. Putting it on a memory stick is just to make it accessible during the install -- I usually install from a memory stick using LinuxLive (which is suitable for booting/installing many flavours of Linux, and is also quite fun -- unlike some installers!).

David

[billford]

I think it's highly likely from comments you've made that I'm using the wrong drivers for the card (also, the driver manager didn't pick them up automatically, I had to go hunting) and it's sheer luck that it's working at all!

Unfortunately the right drivers aren't available in Mint-friendly packages and in the area of manual installation I'm trying to punch well above my weight

So I think I'll continue along the Vista route and use the other Linux machine to keep an eye on the repos for later drivers etc, and maybe to practice on.

In due course, if I get confident enough or the driver packages appear, I can either go back to Mint on the other machine, or possibly set it up for dual-boot.

It's not what I'd ideally prefer to do, but I think it's the way that will give me the fewest new grey hairs!

Many thanks to all for the help

[davidcoton]

Well, eventually dual-booting will give a useful reference machine for testing (alleged) performance differences between the two platforms.

May the Force be with you.

David

[billford]

I see we've been moved… fair enough, the discussion had drifted somewhat.

Thanks for the encouragement

[Rel25917]

Just fyi its possible that increasing the fan speed may not make the card run cooler but will increase your output. When I set up my Titan upping the fan speed just allowed the card to run at its boost speed full time. Before the fan speed increase it would boost until it warmed up then downclock to keep temps down. Either way the card seems to like running at 80C but with the fan speed increase points are greatly improved.

Also you might try dropping the memory speed and leaving the clock speed alone at first. My Titan is an EVGA superclocked card and it needed the memory dropped some but can run around +25 on the clock speed.

[billford]

Thanks, all hints and tips gratefully accepted

[PantherX]

When you are shifting from Linux to Windows, let the GPU run at the factory settings (don't down/over-clock it). The reason is that sometimes, a hardware might be unstable on Linux but is completely stable on Windows (vice-versa is also possible). Thus, you can observe the GPU in Windows to see if you need to tweak it or not.

Also, I would suggest that you add these two options in your GPU Slot so if a WU fails, the GPU Slot goes immediately in failed status instead of wasting 4 other WUs. That way, you don't need to go through the log to find the failed WU, instead, just look at the Advanced Control (AKA FAHControl) window for the red failed status:
<max-slot-errors v='1'/>
<max-unit-errors v='1'/>

[billford]

Also, I would suggest that you add these two options in your GPU Slot so if a WU fails, the GPU Slot goes immediately in failed status instead of wasting 4 other WUs. That way, you don't need to go through the log to find the failed WU, instead, just look at the Advanced Control (AKA FAHControl) window for the red failed status:
<max-slot-errors v='1'/>
<max-unit-errors v='1'/>

Noted, thanks- they look like a useful couple of options anyway for someone like me, who isn't always entirely sure what he's doing

(Do they work on 7.3.6? I don't want to update to 7.4.4 until HFM is fixed)

But I think I've cracked the Linux driver problem… long story, involving finger trouble and re-installing the OS (which may not have been a bad thing as it gave me a clean system to start from).

In case someone else has the same difficulties that I had:

The problem was stopping the X server- all the instructions I could find said to use

sudo /etc/init.d/xxxx stop

where xxxx is one of gdm, kdm or lightdm, depending on the Linux distro. However, for Linux Mint it should be mdm… once I'd sussed that out it went pretty much according to the book and I'm now happily using the 780 Ti with the 334.21 drivers and getting about 20% more PPD than with the previous (and wrong) drivers

I won't try setting client-type to advanced until tomorrow, when I can keep an eye on it.

[P5-133XL]

(Do they work on 7.3.6? I don't want to update to 7.4.4 until HFM is fixed)

Yes

[billford]

Looks like it's not (exclusively) a driver issue- now bringing up errors (non-fatal so far) on previously reliable P13000/1's

I may be back when I've got it running on Vista.