Re: CUDA Support Issues on Current Laptops
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg114028] Re: CUDA Support Issues on Current Laptops
- From: Yves Klett <yves.klett at googlemail.com>
- Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2010 18:27:41 -0500 (EST)
- References: <ic5iap$3uj$1@smc.vnet.net>
I can affirm that for my battered Dell M4200 with NVidia QuadroFX 360 graphics: The "newest" (anno 2008) Dell driver does not work with CUDALink, while the current NVIDIA driver for this card works fine. Beware: This is not to say that switching to "unofficial" drivers will not do any kind of damage - it just worked in my case (so far). I rather think that Dell does not keep up driver maintenance for older machines and graphics cards. Regards, Yves Am 19.11.2010 11:08, schrieb telefunkenvf14: > Short version: > > Before you purchase a new laptop make sure to thoroughly research the > CUDA support and ability to upgrade graphics drivers. Do you have to > use OEM drivers or can you install drivers directly from NVIDIA? > > Long version: > > For those interested in CUDA on a newer laptop, or those interested in > purchasing a new laptop because it claims to support CUDA, a warning: > > Lack of support from your laptop manufacturer may make it difficult to > dive right in to CUDA programming in Mathematica 8. (So don't blame > WRI, or even NVIDIA, if/when it doesn't work!!!) Based on what I've > learned, the warning is especially valid for machines with some sort > of switchable graphics. > > Why? > > Drivers for these systems are a combination of Intel and (in my case) > NVIDIA drivers, and a lot of tweaks go into making them play nice > together. As such, the NVIDIA drivers currently packaged in OEM laptop > drivers (from companies like Dell, Sony, Acer, etc.) are often way out > of date in terms of CUDA version support. > Even more frustrating is the fact that these companies appear > unconcerned with maintaining updated graphics drivers and CUDA > support. I say this given that they continue to sell supposedly CUDA > compliant machines---ok, yeah, but it's CUDA version 2 or 2.2. (These > versions are waaaay out of date in CUDA land.) **I'm not aware of > Apple's CUDA support, but presume it's probably better.** > > Aren't there some workarounds? > > Not really unless you are willing to try either: > > (1) bios hacks (so you can shut switchable graphics off completely and > force the NVIDIA driver to be used full time). Windows *might* then > let you install the new version of the appropriate driver. Of course, > you might also void your warranty and/or brick your machine. Great > combo! :D > > (2) hacking together newer versions of Intel and NVIDIA drivers for > your machine, or trying hacked driver packages produced by others and > downloaded from shady corners of the web. This is also PITA because > you'll have to deal with driver signing on 64-bit versions of Windows. > > -RG > > FYI: I've been using the last two prereleases of Mathematica v8 and > haven't been able to get any version of CUDA working on my brand new > Sony Z12 laptop. I love the laptop overall---check the specs on these > things and you'll see why---but, after all this hassle, I wish I'd > just gone with a new MacBook Pro or at least Googled Sony Z CUDA > Support prior to ordering. >