100% CPU question about power consumption and cpu affinity

[btcgolong]

My mining machine has an AMD Sempron LE-1250 with 1GB of main memory, my GPU is a single 6870. My cpu is always at 100% usage, my questions are:


Is that normal (I read about the software bug)?

By today's standards, my CPU is also underpowered, could that factor into the 100% usage?

If I can't fix it and I'm using 100%, should I click on CPU Affinity? I would think IF I'm using extra electricity anyway, I might as well get an extra 4 mhash out of my setup, right?

[vapourminer]

doubt its CPU. I run a 5830 on a P4 prescott 2.8 @ 10% CPU usage. XP SP3, SDK 2.1, 11.2 driver (note: you dont want this combo of driver/sdk, its just an example of what usage I get with an anemic CPU).

what miner and settings? driver and sdk version? OS?

any other software on the rig?

task manager (if win based) shows it the miner @ 100%, and nothing else using CPU?

[btcgolong]

doubt its CPU. I run a 5830 on a P4 prescott 2.8 @ 10% CPU usage. XP SP3, SDK 2.1, 11.2 driver (note: you dont want this combo of driver/sdk, its just an example of what usage I get with an anemic CPU).

what miner and settings? driver and sdk version? OS?

any other software on the rig?

task manager (if win based) shows it the miner @ 100%, and nothing else using CPU?

guiminer, poclbm -v -w256 -f1 (could it be the -f1?)

Task manager shows poclbm at 98% and other software at 2% (firefox)

I'll check the driver and sdk and report back.

[vapourminer]

may be the -f1. Ive noticed that after a point (20 or so) the lower the f number the higher the CPU usage, especially on undernourished CPUs like my P4.

try at -f15 (where my P4/5830 is)  -f30 or even -f45. loose a bit of hashing but the drop in CPU power draw may be worth it.

[k9quaint]

My mining machine has an AMD Sempron LE-1250 with 1GB of main memory, my GPU is a single 6870. My cpu is always at 100% usage, my questions are:


Is that normal (I read about the software bug)?

By today's standards, my CPU is also underpowered, could that factor into the 100% usage?

If I can't fix it and I'm using 100%, should I click on CPU Affinity? I would think IF I'm using extra electricity anyway, I might as well get an extra 4 mhash out of my setup, right?

No, it is not normal. It is a bug in the Catalyst drivers, you should change driver versions.

[MelMan2002]

My mining machine has an AMD Sempron LE-1250 with 1GB of main memory, my GPU is a single 6870. My cpu is always at 100% usage, my questions are:


Is that normal (I read about the software bug)?

By today's standards, my CPU is also underpowered, could that factor into the 100% usage?

If I can't fix it and I'm using 100%, should I click on CPU Affinity? I would think IF I'm using extra electricity anyway, I might as well get an extra 4 mhash out of my setup, right?

No, it is not normal. It is a bug in the Catalyst drivers, you should change driver versions.

Indeed, the latest drivers have this problem.  Try 11.6 driver - it should work fine.  Be sure to completely uninstall the current drivers first!

[btcgolong]

doubt its CPU. I run a 5830 on a P4 prescott 2.8 @ 10% CPU usage. XP SP3, SDK 2.1, 11.2 driver (note: you dont want this combo of driver/sdk, its just an example of what usage I get with an anemic CPU).

what miner and settings? driver and sdk version? OS?

any other software on the rig?

task manager (if win based) shows it the miner @ 100%, and nothing else using CPU?

Sapphire 6870

Drivers 6.14.10.7206 (or 8.872.0.0)
Sdk 2.1
Catalyst 11.7
GUIminer 2011.0701

-v -w128 f15 (now), still 100% cpu usage.

My processor is the slowest sempron made.

[vapourminer]

the 6870 pulls about the same hash rate as the 5830 - I have both. and even that CPU is way more than enough to drive your card and it should barely be ticking over while doing it.

do this: change your SDK to 2.4 and the driver to 11.6. see if that drops your CPU usage.

[Starcraftman]

If you absolutely can't get your cpu usage under control, use this. Just target the process of the miner you are using and set the program to limit it by 99% or something.