Before you reinstall the OS, I would suggest you try a few things.

Reset the project, and see if performance improves.
Do a Bios update (sometimes required to support newer cards).
Reinstall the drivers (as administrator), and then Boinc (as administrator).
Also try using the C: drive, just in case there is a disk problem. I know it's better to use a secondary drive (and I sometimes do this), but this could be down to some sort of disk corruption/bad sectors, cache, SATA cable issue. A 'Check Disk' with both boxes checked might fix that, but not always. A memory test might be in order too.

Having kernel usage almost as high as CPU usage indicates a problem.
What does CPUZ say about PCIE? - EVGA NV-Z just says PCIEx16, and doesn't say PCIE2.0.
What motherboard is it, and what's the BIOS version?

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The GPU-Z screen:


Resetting the project will be tomorrow was this Nathan is finished.
My D-drive is the same as the C-drive, there is one disk with 3 partitions, one gone now the recovery partition.

CPU use is almost 100% (1 GPU WU and 5 Rosetta) in Tasks manager, but no such many when checking. process explorer around 80%.

Sometimes kernel is almost the same as CPU for some minutes, than less again.
The power supply has two cables for GPU, the old GTX285 was using two, the GTX660 only one, I just picked one, but that should make no difference?

Even this typing has some hick-ups, a bit slow at times. Strange.

The MOBO is a XFX but I have to search for the type. Also Bios version must be looked for. This are difficult questions for me. Working with screwdrivers and such is no problem, but all the rest...

@John, I have CPU Time always at 100%. I have also tried Number of processors to 100% but that is not working either. Thanks anyway.

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That version of GPU-Z is really old, look at you're GPU clock speed compared to the memory clock speed, there reversed. You should get the latest version.

The GPU-Z screen:

No issues there; it's PCIE2.0x16.

Resetting the project will be tomorrow was this Nathan is finished.
My D-drive is the same as the C-drive, there is one disk with 3 partitions, one gone now the recovery partition.

A partition is Not the same as a separate drive! You should have said this up front. Do an OS reinstall, Delete the partitions, Format and start again with one partition.

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A partition is Not the same as a separate drive! You should have said this up front. Do an OS reinstall, Delete the partitions, Format and start again with one partition.

I have 4 pc's with one disk and they all have a C-partition with the OS and a D-partition, installed by Dell and no issues. The kernel times are very low (1-6%) even when crunching all the cores, and CPU use at 100% kernel keeps low. These systems don't have CUDA capable graphics cards though.
I have also read at several places that it is not wise to have only one partition on a disk drive with the OS and all other stuff. But that is what skgiven is suggesting.
If this will be the case and I need to re-install the OS, then I would prefer to use an SSD for the OS and the current disk for all the data (mainly BOINC).
And perhaps Win7 as well.
What do you think about this option?

But skgiven also mentioned that high kernel times indicated a problem. What can that problem be. If the PC is over than a SSD and all the effort would be a waist of time and money. Any way to check this please?
Thanks.

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I have 4 pc's with one disk and they all have a C-partition with the OS and a D-partition, installed by Dell and no issues. The kernel times are very low (1-6%) even when crunching all the cores, and CPU use at 100% kernel keeps low. These systems don't have CUDA capable graphics cards though.
I have also read at several places that it is not wise to have only one partition on a disk drive with the OS and all other stuff. But that is what skgiven is suggesting.

I'm suggesting you try this given your circumstances, and the fact that using a partition is not any faster, being the same drive, and may even be slower.

If this will be the case and I need to re-install the OS, then I would prefer to use an SSD for the OS and the current disk for all the data (mainly BOINC).

That would speed up booting, but you haven't yet determined if there is an issue with the existing drive, some program or Windows that is causing the performance issue, or if you need to update the Bios to better support these GPU's.

And perhaps Win7 as well.
What do you think about this option?

W7 isn't any faster. If you mostly use it for crunching, what's the point?

But skgiven also mentioned that high kernel times indicated a problem. What can that problem be.

Disk, OS, driver, some app... Some details might help, but frankly it takes a couple of hours to reinstall an OS from disk and that eliminates swathes of potential problems.
Did you check if you Bios has an upgrade that better supports the GPU?

If the PC is over than a SSD and all the effort would be a waist of time and money. Any way to check this please?
Thanks.

Don't know what you mean? Is it a SATA drive, or an older IDE drive? Did you do a disk check?

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Yes I did a disk check no issues, memory check also okay.
Did both two days ago.

I mean with "the pc is over" that it is dead, something with the MOBO or other hardware than disk drive or memory. Then an SSD has no use.

But I will try to install vista again on an SSD that will speed up booting what still is taking more than 7 minutes now.An SSD is on its way.
Even with only GPU taks active, the Nathan from yesterday still, the CPU is using more than 50%. So there is an issue. Closed all other programs, typing this on another rig.
Is perhaps having 2 monitors attached to the GTX660 a problem? Wasn't with the GTX285.

How do I do that an BIOS update? Is there any danger?

Thanks

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I found how to update the BIOS, not to much trouble.
Will do that later as NATHAN is finished.
If that doesn't help I power it down and wait for the SSD to re-install the OS and all important software.

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I mean with "the pc is over" that it is dead, something with the MOBO or other hardware than disk drive or memory. Then an SSD has no use.

If you have a standard case, replacing the MB is relatively easy and not expensive. First though you have to do your other steps to make sure it IS the MB that's the problem. I would guess not, but it's possible.

Its is an XFX x58i MOBO and there are no BIOS updates available.
I also found that there are a lot of problems with it.

I will search for a refurbished Dell and install the GTX660 there. That seems the best way.
But will try a OS re-install as well.

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I will search for a refurbished Dell and install the GTX660 there. That seems the best way.

Not good idea.

But will try a OS re-install as well.

Good idea.

I will search for a refurbished Dell and install the GTX660 there. That seems the best way.

Not good idea.

Why not?
I have several Dell all running flawlessly one for 4 years 24/7 and I installed and de-installed a lot stuff there. Still doing great only a low PSU.

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Greetings from TJ

I will search for a refurbished Dell and install the GTX660 there. That seems the best way.

Not good idea.

Why not? I have several Dell all running flawlessly one for 4 years 24/7 and I installed and de-installed a lot stuff there. Still doing great only a low PSU.

Generally poor case cooling, poor PS, often crippled proprietary MB. You'd be better off (if the MB is bad) to replace your MB (and case if the cooling isn't sufficient). I repair brand name computers for people all the time. They cut a lot of corners compared to machines that are custom built. But do what makes you feel good.

I did a project reset, power down and did a cold boot.
Allow only short runs to see what happens.
GPU load is still varying a lot.
And something has again taken 18GB of my C-partition.
And the kernel is almost as high as CPU use. Nothing other running than GPUGRID.

After both have finished I power it down and wait for the SSD to arrive.

Thanks for all the help and advise.

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At some point in between you said Milkyway was also only running at ~50% GPU utilization. This suggests to me it's either some weird software issue with your Vista install (I'd try Win 7 or 8 next, if you can) or indeed some mainboard strangeness. Since the rig had been running fine before with a smaller card there might be another option: switch that card back in and put the GTX660 into another one of your well-running systems.

Edit@SK: what's the clock speed of your GTX650TiBoost?

MrS

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1124MHz

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Is there a way how I can test if the MOBO is malfunctioning?
And what can I check other issues with kernel times so high?

I did checked the disk and the memory, no issues.
But even when not crunching, BOINC closed, still slow.
This box is almost 4 years old so I will not bother with a new MOBO. All parts are 4 years running except two fans which I have already changed.

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Your issues do not seem to me to be hardware-related, rather software. Something in your setup keeps "stealing" CPU cycles and disk space.

I suggest you go through the programs that are installed and start uninstalling. I suspect you will find various pieces of junk in there...

If uninstalling the junk does not help, then the machine may have been infected by some malware, this is Windows after all and even careless browsing of a torrents site can get you infected with one of the gazillion pieces of malware out there, waiting to make your PC a zombie bot of some nasty mafia hacker!

As a last resort, just kill it. Wipe your drive and re-install. Then, try to be more careful what stuff you put on it.

Or, if you've got some spare drive laying around (could be a super old junk Y30 GB drive) just install testwise onto that one. If everything works well afterwards, it is your installation. If not, it's probably the interaction with the mainboard.

MrS

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Could be some junk, it is I suppose. But I have good security software so that's safe. But is seems very likely a software issue. Adobe installed a lot stuff just as Java. I found a bunch old drivers from nVidia and more. Format and totally new is absolutely necessary and will happen as soon as the SSD arrived, or sooner if my other PC finish's the NATHAN WU first.

But I have done some thinking. I have set my other PC to no new work and will install the GTX660 there and see how that works.
Then I will set up the old rig from scratch and put the GTX550Ti in there (and perhaps the 285 for MilkyWay, does it great there 11 minutes).

Now the question. Can I connect 2 monitors to the 550Ti and leave the 285 without a monitor. Or can I connect one monitor to one card?
There are two 21 inch screen connected to it, very useful when I do some work from home via a VPN connection. So would like that rig with 2 monitors.

As always thanks for the help.

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Greetings from TJ