Help with reducing CPU usage.

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Cranky_Hoser
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2013 3:24 am

Help with reducing CPU usage.

Post by Cranky_Hoser »

My problem is that when I run FAH at full my CPU gets way too hot - about 98C if I don't lower it back down to medium.Though, when I have it on medium FAH hardly even touches my GPU. I was wondering about ways to reduce the CPU usage while keeping my GPU usage the same because the GPU is at acceptable levels when running at full.I tried turning the percent CPU usage down in the configurations but all it did was slow down the process of my CPU getting way too hot. Running Windows-7 64bit with a GTX 670 and an I-5 2500k at standard clock and with standard fan. Anybody got some suggestions?
P5-133XL
Posts: 2948
Joined: Sun Dec 02, 2007 4:36 am
Hardware configuration: Machine #1:

Intel Q9450; 2x2GB=8GB Ram; Gigabyte GA-X48-DS4 Motherboard; PC Power and Cooling Q750 PS; 2x GTX 460; Windows Server 2008 X64 (SP1).

Machine #2:

Intel Q6600; 2x2GB=4GB Ram; Gigabyte GA-X48-DS4 Motherboard; PC Power and Cooling Q750 PS; 2x GTX 460 video card; Windows 7 X64.

Machine 3:

Dell Dimension 8400, 3.2GHz P4 4x512GB Ram, Video card GTX 460, Windows 7 X32

I am currently folding just on the 5x GTX 460's for aprox. 70K PPD
Location: Salem. OR USA

Re: Help with reducing CPU usage.

Post by P5-133XL »

Adjust CPU usage by changing the number of cores rather than using the %CPU slider (just keep it at 100%). The CPU slider only works for older uni-processor cores and specifically not for modern multi-core processors.

To change the number of cores -- Start Advanced-Control using the systray icon and then click configure. go to the slots tab and double-click the CPU slot. From there you can explicitly choose then number of cores/threads to be used. Save.
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P5-133XL
Posts: 2948
Joined: Sun Dec 02, 2007 4:36 am
Hardware configuration: Machine #1:

Intel Q9450; 2x2GB=8GB Ram; Gigabyte GA-X48-DS4 Motherboard; PC Power and Cooling Q750 PS; 2x GTX 460; Windows Server 2008 X64 (SP1).

Machine #2:

Intel Q6600; 2x2GB=4GB Ram; Gigabyte GA-X48-DS4 Motherboard; PC Power and Cooling Q750 PS; 2x GTX 460 video card; Windows 7 X64.

Machine 3:

Dell Dimension 8400, 3.2GHz P4 4x512GB Ram, Video card GTX 460, Windows 7 X32

I am currently folding just on the 5x GTX 460's for aprox. 70K PPD
Location: Salem. OR USA

Re: Help with reducing CPU usage.

Post by P5-133XL »

Lower right next to the task manager is where the systray is (normally it is where the clock sits). You may have to show/configure hidden icons using the little up-arrow
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P5-133XL
Posts: 2948
Joined: Sun Dec 02, 2007 4:36 am
Hardware configuration: Machine #1:

Intel Q9450; 2x2GB=8GB Ram; Gigabyte GA-X48-DS4 Motherboard; PC Power and Cooling Q750 PS; 2x GTX 460; Windows Server 2008 X64 (SP1).

Machine #2:

Intel Q6600; 2x2GB=4GB Ram; Gigabyte GA-X48-DS4 Motherboard; PC Power and Cooling Q750 PS; 2x GTX 460 video card; Windows 7 X64.

Machine 3:

Dell Dimension 8400, 3.2GHz P4 4x512GB Ram, Video card GTX 460, Windows 7 X32

I am currently folding just on the 5x GTX 460's for aprox. 70K PPD
Location: Salem. OR USA

Re: Help with reducing CPU usage.

Post by P5-133XL »

P.S. you may outright want to address CPU cooling problem directly. There is something wrong -- Folding should not produce such temps on a properly cooled desktop computer.
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bruce
Posts: 20824
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:13 pm
Location: So. Cal.

Re: Help with reducing CPU usage.

Post by bruce »

P5-133XL wrote:P.S. you may outright want to address CPU cooling problem directly. There is something wrong -- Folding should not produce such temps on a properly cooled desktop computer.
When was the last time you cleaned the dust out of the heat sink on your CPU? Over time they can accumulate a lot of dust in the narrow passages and they stop cooling effectively.
folding_hoomer
Posts: 349
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2013 6:06 pm
Hardware configuration: Sys 1: I7 2700K@4,4GHz with NH-C14
8GB G.Skill Sniper DDR3 1866MHz CL 9-10-9-28
MSI Z68A-GD65 (G3), various operating systems (WinXP, Ubuntu: 10.4.3 LTS, 12.04.2 LTS)
Optional: GTX560TI 448@stock/OC´d

Sys 2: I7 3930K@4,4GHz with Corsair H110
16GB G.Skill Ripjaws X DDR3 1866MHz CL 9-10-9-28
ASUS Ranpage IV Formula, Ubuntu 10.10

Sys 3 i7 875K@3,826 GHz with Scythe Mine2
8GB G.Skill Sniper DDR3 1866MHz CL 9-10-9-28
MSI P55-GD80, Win7 64Bit Pro
Sapphire Radeon HD5870@1,163V 900/1250MHz
Sapphire Radeon HD7870@1,218V 1200/1300MHz

Sys 4 i7 2600K@4,4GHz with Scythe Mine2
8GB G.Skill Sniper DDR3 1866MHz CL 9-10-9-28
MSI Z68A-GD65 (G3), various operating systems (WinXP, Ubuntu: 10.4.3 LTS, 12.04.2 LTS)
Optional: GTX560TI 448@stock/OC´d

Optional:
ASUS P5Q Pro with Q9550
ASUS P5Q Pro with Q6300
Location: Bavaria, Germany

Re: Help with reducing CPU usage.

Post by folding_hoomer »

The temperature of 98°C , the temperature of automated throttling to prevent destroying of the CPU, let me think about loosing the CPU-heatsink.
I think it´s time to control . . . :ewink:
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pontuswagren
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue May 28, 2013 3:04 pm

Re: Help with reducing CPU usage.

Post by pontuswagren »

Go to Configure => Slots => cpu then select the number of threads, I set this to 2 and it lands on about 15% CPU usage, play around with it untill you get the desired CPU usage : D use this function since the percent max setting does not work.
kscott
Posts: 65
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 9:59 am

Re: Help with reducing CPU usage.

Post by kscott »

Getting a better CPU cooler comes to mind
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