Topic: HOW TO SET UP OVERCLOCKING AND FAN CONTROL ON UBUNTU 16.04 FOR NVIDIA CARDS - page 7. (Read 54990 times)

The latest Mint version is based on Ubuntu 16.04LTS - so I'd reckon that will be similar process

have a happy Christmas mate ...

when i get back into it all in the next couple of days - ill see what ( if any ) of this guide works with redhat based systems ...

once again - no one has any guide or intention on releasing anything for rhel based systems ( like feora ) even though it is onf of the highest rated and used system on the planet ...

rhel itself is used in the majority of the corporate systems backend - and no one has tapped into that market to supply to those people and systems as well ... except cwi of course ...

tanx and njoi the time of this joyous occasion ...

#crysx

Merry Christmas as well

Thank you for this guide! I'm sure this will help people who are new to ubuntu.

Thank you, nice guide

ps: Merry Christmas

No problems, mate

It sorts out a lot of problems people have been having getting the max GPU performance on Linux installations and enabling all the GPUs overclocking and fan controls.

Thanks for this guide!

This is quick Guide for setting up multiple Nvidia GPUs on Ubuntu 16.04LTS and 17.10LTS with Full Desktop.

Enabling all GPUs with overclocking and fan control.

CURRENTLY, THIS GUIDE REQUIRES (UBUNTU 16.04.04LTS - LATEST VERSION) ONE NVIDIA GPU NEEDS TO BE CONNECTED TO A MONITOR.

IT IS NOW SUPER-SIMPLE.

These are the steps are now:

1) install Ubuntu 16.04LTS or 17.04LTS

2) Update the Operating System via Software Centre. REBOOT

3) Go to Additional Drivers and switch the the CPU drivers, if not automatically loaded. (If you have problems with CPU drivers switch back to the Ubuntu default) REBOOT

4) Go to Additional Drivers and switch too Nvidia Drivers - I recommend you use default 378 driver optimised for Ubuntu OS. REBOOT

5) Open a Terminal and enter each line:

sudo update-grub

sudo nvidia-xconfig -a --cool-bits=28 --allow-empty-initial-configuration

(You can run with offer coolbits settings, 31 is frequently used as well).
 
REBOOT

Fans control and overclocking is now enabled.

To finish, you will create a startup sh file for each GPU so the overclocks and fan speed are loaded when you log into Ubuntu 16.04LTS.

Create some empty documents on Ubuntu Desktop and call them whatever you like. Make sure the filename has .sh at the end.

Paste in:

!/bin/bash

nvidia-settings -a '[gpu:0]/GPUGraphicsMemoryOffset[3]=100'

nvidia-settings -a '[gpu:0]/GPUMemoryTransferRateOffset[3]=100'

nvidia-settings -a '[gpu:0]/GPUFanControlState=1'

nvidia-settings -a '[fan:0]/GPUTargetFanSpeed=80'

Amend the clocks (GPU and Memory) and fan speeds to whatever you're comfortable with. Make separate documents for each GPU by changing the numbers for each card.

Save and open properties and make each file "executable".

Go to Startup Applications and ADD each .sh to the programs you run when you log in.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------Problems setting nvidia-xconfig for multi-GPU rigs try this work-around---------------------------

Firstly, log in and enable overclocking on one GPU:

sudo nvidia-xconfig -a --cool-bits=28

Log out and then log back in, then enable overclocking on all the other identical GPUs:

sudo nvidia-xconfig -a --cool-bits=28 --allow-empty-initial-configuration

Then log out and log back in and all the GPUs will have overclocking and fan control enabled.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------Reducing Watts Used By the GPUs---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Set Nvidia Drivers to persistent state (you must be in root - open terminal and enter "sudo -i"):

nvidia-smi -pm 1

First ask nvidia-smi what's the max power and min power limits are:

nvidia-smi -i 0 -q -d POWER

This will show MAX Power and MIN POWER allowed.

GTX 750TI as an example:
MIN POWER 30 W
MAX POWER 38.5 W

Then, you can reduce the watts to the MIN POWER allowed:

sudo nvidia-smi -pl 30

This gives you a net reduction of 22%.

Tested on Ubuntu, with max GPU load via running Unigine Heaven 4 Benchmark at MIN POWER.

For rigs with identical GPUs, you can set all power watts for all the cards at the same time with:
nvidia-smi -pm 1
sudo nvidia-smi -pl 30

---------------------------------------------------------------------Losing Share Efficiency after Updating the OS Security-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Switch to Ubuntu stock non-Nvidia drivers - Roboot.
On next boot up switch back to 378 drivers - Roboot
Re-enable overclocking and fan control.
Performance on share efficiency will be restored expected rates.
 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------PSU Capacitor Ageing--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The principle effects of this, will be a loss of efficiency. A PSU running at 88% efficiency after a 5 years will run at lower efficiency, closer to 78%.

Naturally, this will lead to higher wasted watts, depending on your locations electricity pricing buying a new PSU could be a worthwhile undertaking.

An extra 80watts wasted on a 800watt load does work out to be $84 (at $0.12 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh)) in a year.


----------------------------------------------------------Old Method as Reference Material and No Longer Needed-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Install Ubuntu 16.04 with enabling software update options for Ubuntu Development team and third parties.

On reboot, after installation open up Ubuntu Software - update the the OS via Ubuntu Software (important to use the OS tool and not a terminal) and reboot.

Next, Software & Updates , and then Additional Drivers and install the Nvidia 367.57 drivers - these include extra tweaks from the Ubuntu development team for max GPU performance. Unfortunately, they do not allow you overclocking, but you will fix this latter on.

Next, go to Search Your Computer and bring up Nvidia Contol Center. And X Server Configuration and save the configuration file.

Next, open a terminal and enter the following:

sudo update-grub
sudo nvidia-xconfig -a --cool-bits=28 --allow-empty-initial-configuration

Reboot

This will enable all GPUs with screens and fan control on all GPUs.

Now, lets go get the latest drivers from Nvidia and Cuda 8 from their website or whatever Cuda version you need for your mining software. Save these downloads too the default Download folder.

Next, you will disable the Nvidia 367.57 driver to install the latest Nvidia drivers by going back into Software & Updates , and then Additional Drivers and select Nouveau Display Drivers. Apply changes.

Reboot


--------------------------------INSTALL DRIVERS VIA ADDITIONAL DRIVERS UBUNTU 16.04LTS----------------------------
Intstall the latest drivers with following instructions:

Press Control Alt F2 to get into non-desktop display.

Log in.

Switch off x-server with:

sudo service lightdm stop.

Go to downloads folder with:

cd ~/Downloads

ls

This will display driver name and run with:

sudo sh ./AND NVIDIA NAME LISTED

There will be two error messages, but select continue installation and say yes at the prompts.

Then, switch the x-server back on with:

sudo service lightdm start.

Reboot
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, when you go back to the Nvidia Control Panel, it will show overclocking is enabled on all GPU's.

Next, install Cuda 8 with by opening a terminal in the Downloads folder:

sudo sh cuda_8.0.44_linux.run

Press "Control C" too fast foward to the end of EULA and "accept".

Say "No" to install drivers (trying to install these drivers when you have active Nvidia drivers will wreck the OS) and yes to toolkit, link and samples.