Very low GPU usage

[Jacher]

When folding at maximum intensity, with a NVidia GeForce 1080Ti, the actual usage on my GPU by the client rarely actually exceeds 1%. I know that some people with similar graphics cards can have upwards of 10%, so what could be causing this?
As a result of this, even though a lot of people I know with similar cards can get upwards of 600,000 points per day, I only get about 175,000 per day.
What would be the best way to increase the load that the client puts on my GPU?

[bruce]

When folding at maximum intensity, with a NVidia GeForce 1080Ti, the actual usage on my GPU by the client rarely actually exceeds 1%.]

False. You're not looking at GPU utilization, you're looking at the CPU utilization by FAHCore_21 which is running on your CPU, not the part that's running on your GPU. FAHCore_21 uses a limited amount of CPU ... mostly to move data to/from the GPU.

You're not using a utility that reports what the GPU is doing. Try GPU-Z or similar programs -- including those from the GPU manufacturer.

FAHCore_a7 should be using some CPU resources, but one of your two CPU threads is left mostly idle to supply data to the GPU. If you're using the POWER slider, you may want to manage those resources with FAHControl.

Please post your log.

[Shirty]

Something's definitely not right with your setup, the 1080Ti will easily exceed 1-1.2 million ppd if left running.

It's worth noting that to see GPU usage from Task Manager in Windows 10, you will need to change the drop-down for the graph to CUDA, the compute graphs are not affected by folding.

Fire up GPU-Z, start folding and flip to the sensors tab; Here is the one for my 1080Ti during folding:



Let us know what clock and load your card is running at, or better still share a screenshot.

[JimboPalmer]

As a result of this, even though a lot of people I know with similar cards can get upwards of 600,000 points per day, I only get about 175,000 per day.

To get the Quick Return Bonus, you need a Passkey. (and you need to have completed 10 Work Units, and you need to complete over 80% of your WUs)

To get a Passkey https://foldingathome.org/support/faq/points/passkey/

The faster your card, the more QRB it can earn.

[MeeLee]

You're looking at the GPU copy statistics (aka pcie bandwidth).
If you're using Windows task manager to see GPU load, you'll have to select compute 0 or 1.
Or, occasionally CUDA.

[bruce]

The red bars in the screenshot posted above indicate that the GPU LOAD is close to 98% most of the time. That's the number you should be looking at. The operating system is reporting that FAHCore_21 is using 11% of your CPU processor. That's also what I'd expect since the CPU is mostly moving data between the computers main memory and the GPU's local memory (as MeeLee has said ... as a measure of pcie bandwidth). The major computations are being done by the GPU, but it needs the CPU to deliver more work for it to do.