Help ! With Linux Mint 18.3

[tiwake]

Alright, I went and actually looked at the "minimum requirements" for linux mint. It seems mint is much more bloated than I thought.

System requirements:

• 1GB RAM (2GB recommended for a comfortable usage).
• 15GB of disk space (20GB recommended).
• 1024×768 resolution (on lower resolutions, press ALT to drag windows with the mouse if they don’t fit in the screen).

I suspect it would be fine on 5gigs, but I've never installed it before so can't strictly say.

 

[Markfw]

88 gig hard disk space... But after I couldn't figure out the partitioning menu, I just said "erase hard disk". Its just a bunch of movie ISO's that I can re-create if need be.
So its either 8 or 16 gig ram, and now 750 gig hard disk. Even after trying to re-install nvidia drivers on the old (new) win 10 disk, it could not even see both video cards. So it was time to convert to Linux. The 18.3 install like I just did. I am loosing the ability to monitor my farm, as nobody has figured out the HFM.net linking to unix problem yet. But maybe I can figure out how to use FAHcontrol on linux to look at other linux boxes ! Then I would only have 2 computers to monitor all my F@H installs, one windows, and one linux ?

I really hate Microsoft.

 

[tiwake]

I don't understand why people use windows so much and pretend to like it. I'm only using it for this competition because a key was given to me for free, and the AMD OpenCL drivers are in a bit of a transition right now for linux and don't run folding@home on the open source drivers quite yet.

Check out Nekolepsy's post about it if you have not yet http://www.bronyathome.org/forums/showthread.php?tid=585&pid=10324#pid10324

 

[Markfw]

OK, latest problem. It was over an hour installing nvidia drivers with no progress, so I cancelled it and rebooted. Now when I try to install anything I get an error that only one software management tool is allowed to run at the same time, and to close the other one. What else is running ? Nothing that I know of. And if it is, how would I know what was running ?

 

[Ken g6]

The latest versions of Ubuntu have a background updater process that does that. Did you install all software updates during or after installation? If not, it might keep your system busy for awhile.

You can also install the Nvidia drivers manually. I've always downloaded them from https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us . To install you need to switch to a command-line terminal with ctrl-alt-F2. Then log in and stop your window manager. What that is will vary, but you can usually find it with `ls /etc/init.d/*dm`. Run:

sudo service <thatdm> stop
sudo bash <the_driver_file>
sudo service <thatdm> start

 

[Markfw]

Thanks Ken, but while waiting a reply, I figured out that secure boot was causing a problem, so I figured out how to disable that, and then other updates worked. Then I re-installed nvidia 387 drivers, and rebooted. Now I get "no available GPU's" in fahcontrol.

Help @!!!

 

[StefanR5R]

I am loosing the ability to monitor my farm, as nobody has figured out the HFM.net linking to unix problem yet.

The normal fahclient v7 protocol should work, as mentioned in the other thread. Just tell the client to allow access from the other IP addresses in the LAN.

But maybe I can figure out how to use FAHcontrol on linux to look at other linux boxes ! Then I would only have 2 computers to monitor all my F@H installs, one windows, and one linux ?

Fahcontrol on Linux and on Windows can monitor remote fahclient on Windows and on Linux. There is no OS dependence.

It was over an hour installing nvidia drivers with no progress, so I cancelled it and rebooted. Now when I try to install anything I get an error that only one software management tool is allowed to run at the same time, and to close the other one.

Did you install the Cinnamon edition of Mint, or another one? At least Cinnamon's desktop has an icon for the updater in the systray at the bottom right. You can left-click to open it and see if it is doing anything, or right-click for preferences. (Furthermore, there is Menu -> Administration -> System Monitor to show all your own running processes, or optionally all running processes of all users. But this one may be a bit low-level.)

Before you install drivers or applications, it is essential that you completely update the freshly installed system. Either use the commands shown in the tutorial, or simpler, use Cinnamon's Update Manager (from the system tray) to do that. You may need two or three rounds of updating until you get a big checkmark and "Yor system is up to date". After that, proceed with installing drivers and applications.

Edit: OK, you found the culprit (secure boot).

You can also install the Nvidia drivers manually.

I think the method as per the tutorial is preferable to all those who are not long-time Linux users.

Now I get "no available GPU's" in fahcontrol.

Load gpu.txt with the wget command from the tutorial. Then run

sudo /etc/init.d/FAHClient stop
sudo /etc/init.d/FAHClient start​

After that it should see the GPUs.

 

[Markfw]

@StefanR5R, I did this:
Load gpu.txt with the wget command from the tutorial. Then run
sudo /etc/init.d/FAHClient stop
sudo /etc/init.d/FAHClient start
After that it should see the GPUs.

But I still see the same error. I will worry about the monitoring later, right now we are missing 1.5 million PPD ! I need to get this fixed.

 

[tiwake]

use
sudo service FAHClient stop
sudo service FAHClient start
instead

 

[Markfw]

Still "no available GPU's"

 

[Ken g6]

I feel like we've been here before.

Did you install the opencl driver associated with your Nvidia driver version?

 

[Markfw]

I feel like we've been here before.

Did you install the opencl driver associated with your Nvidia driver version?

This is my second 18.3 install, the first one is crunching.

Ken, no idea. First, the problem on the first computer was this:
"Tony. first linix-mint install done. Not easy, but I checked your post and the other one, and found all I needed. I think this was the key

sudo wget http://fah-web.stanford.edu/file-releases/public/GPUs.txt"

And I have done that many times, to no avail. All I know is I installed the nvidia drivers this way:

sudo apt-get install nvidia-387

And it appeared to work fine. If I use:

sudo nvidia-xconfig

Everything looks fine.

And I can't seem to get the "shift-prtscreen" and "ctrl-v" to work in linux to paste a screen shot into imgur.com account. If that helps seeing that.

 

[StefanR5R]

Did you change into the fahclient data directory before you downloaded GPUs.txt?
$ cd /var/lib/fahclient
$ sudo wget http://fah-web.stanford.edu/file-releases/public/GPUs.txt

 

[StefanR5R]

I can't seem to get the "shift-prtscreen" and "ctrl-v" to work in linux to paste a screen shot into imgur.com

One way to do that is:

Menu -> Accessories -> Screenshot
get the screenshot, then save it into the Pictures folder
open imgur.com in firefox -> New post
either open the Pictures folder in the file manager and drag and drop the image file onto firefox's target area, or use the Browse button​

(On my main desktop PC, I use KDE's screenshot utility which lets me drag-and-drop the screenshot directly from the utility onto the webbrowser.)

 

[Markfw]

Did you change into the fahclient data directory before you downloaded GPUs.txt?
$ cd /var/lib/fahclient
$ sudo wget http://fah-web.stanford.edu/file-releases/public/GPUs.txt

Stupid me, that was it. But now, the second 1080 card lights are "not on" and I can't add a second GPU. Going to shut down put the card, dust everything, and replug.

It was working perfectly until windows had to update and screw me.

 

[StefanR5R]

Meanwhile I was trying to install another dual-1080Ti PC. I needed to start the installer (from USB stick) in "compatibility mode", otherwise I would get stuck with nouveau crashing. But here is the catch: After I installed and booted from the SSD, Mint went either straight into a black screen (I could still ping the host; shame that sshd is not installed by default). Or with some F-key which I can't remember it let me into a grub boot menu where I could select a compatibility mode again, but that would get stuck when switching from vesafb to nouveaufb... (If I select compatibility mode to boot, why doesn't it stay on vesafb?)

Tomorrow I will attempt to clone the SSD from the Mint host which I managed to install last week. It already has nvidia-driver on it.

 

[Markfw]

OK, so after cleaning and replugging everyting, I purposely switched the 2 cards around. Now the OTHER one light up. So its a software/firmware issue.

Getting close ! and thanks for the help.

 

[biodoc]

run:
nvidia-settings -q gpus

output on my rig:

mark@x12-linux ~ $ nvidia-settings -q gpus

2 GPUs on x12-linux:0

[0] x12-linux:0[gpu:0] (GeForce GTX 980)

Has the following names:
GPU-0
GPU-e4d417c7-a2ce-bc99-787a-a989bdd4e63f

[1] x12-linux:0[gpu:1] (GeForce GTX 1080)

Has the following names:
GPU-1
GPU-3cbab704-83c3-e5ae-9fc0-a0132c202572

 

[Markfw]

Also, is it possible that sonehow the secureboot change in bios enabled SLI somehow ? would that cause this problem ? I am trying 384 drivers now until I hear from you all.

 

[Markfw]

run:
nvidia-settings -q gpus

output on my rig:

mark@x12-linux ~ $ nvidia-settings -q gpus

2 GPUs on x12-linux:0

[0] x12-linux:0[gpu:0] (GeForce GTX 980)

Has the following names:
GPU-0
GPU-e4d417c7-a2ce-bc99-787a-a989bdd4e63f

[1] x12-linux:0[gpu:1] (GeForce GTX 1080)

Has the following names:
GPU-1
GPU-3cbab704-83c3-e5ae-9fc0-a0132c202572

My rig:
ark@mark-dual-1080s ~ $ nvidia-settings -q gpus

ERROR: An internal driver error occurred


ERROR: An internal driver error occurred


ERROR: An internal driver error occurred


ERROR: An internal driver error occurred


1 GPU on mark-dual-1080s:0

[0] mark-dual-1080s:0[gpu:0] (GeForce GTX 1080)

Has the following names:
GPU-0
GPU-a9586634-06ae-1b09-f5d6-ef409b1ddfd9

 

[biodoc]

Meanwhile I was trying to install another dual-1080Ti PC. I needed to start the installer (from USB stick) in "compatibility mode", otherwise I would get stuck with nouveau crashing. But here is the catch: After I installed and booted from the SSD, Mint went either straight into a black screen (I could still ping the host; shame that sshd is not installed by default). Or with some F-key which I can't remember it let me into a grub boot menu where I could select a compatibility mode again, but that would get stuck when switching from vesafb to nouveaufb... (If I select compatibility mode to boot, why doesn't it stay on vesafb?)

Tomorrow I will attempt to clone the SSD from the Mint host which I managed to install last week. It already has nvidia-driver on it.

I believe you hold down the right shift key during boot to get to the grub menu.

 

[biodoc]

My rig:
ark@mark-dual-1080s ~ $ nvidia-settings -q gpus

ERROR: An internal driver error occurred


ERROR: An internal driver error occurred


ERROR: An internal driver error occurred


ERROR: An internal driver error occurred


1 GPU on mark-dual-1080s:0

[0] mark-dual-1080s:0[gpu:0] (GeForce GTX 1080)

Has the following names:
GPU-0
GPU-a9586634-06ae-1b09-f5d6-ef409b1ddfd9

Good idea to reinstall the drivers

 

[StefanR5R]

Meanwhile I was trying to install another dual-1080Ti PC. I needed to start the installer (from USB stick) in "compatibility mode", otherwise I would get stuck with nouveau crashing. But here is the catch: After I installed and booted from the SSD, Mint went either straight into a black screen [...] Tomorrow I will attempt to clone the SSD from the Mint host which I managed to install last week. It already has nvidia-driver on it.

Note to self: Or try installing with only a single GPU plugged in; put the second back in only after nvidia-driver is installed and working, i.e. after nouveau was gently shown to the door.

Edit:
Standard mode does not work with a single GPU either. I'll try cloning.

Edit 2:
Cloning worked nicely, apart from the hassle that I made for myself by using M.2 gumsticks instead of 2.5" disks. I should have done that in the first place, because it spares me to go through all of the installation routines again; just need to repeat/modify some of the configuration.

 

[Markfw]

Good idea to reinstall the drivers

done, no change, but errors gone.

Now when I started I had a pinnacle render card in there and was getting errors about being in software render mode, due to not supporting that card. When I cleaned everything out, I removed that card.

So is there a way to do a "clean" install ? or maybe an install from scratch, now that the secure boot problem is gone ? Wipe out everything I did and try again ?

 

[biodoc]

You could try:

sudo apt-get remove --purge nvidia-387

if you tried the 384 driver:

sudo apt-get remove --purge nvidia-384