simple CUDA program execution without GPU hardware using NVIDIA GPU computing SDK 4.0 and microsoft VC++ 2010 express

Question

I am new to GPU computing , but somewhere I've read that it's possible to execute a CUDA program without a GPU card using a simulator/ emulator. I have installed NVIDIA's GPU Computing SDK 4.0 and Visual C++ 2010 Express on Windows Vista. I would like to know:

• Whether it is feasible or not to run CUDA code without a GPU, using NVIDA's Computing SDK 4.0 and Visual C++ 2010 express?

• Why I get the following error, when I try to execute a sample program I have:

  ------ Build started: Project: example1, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------ 
  1>  '"\nvcc.exe"' is not recognized as an internal or external command, 
  1>  operable program or batch file. 
  1>  Performing Custom Build Tools 
  1> C:\Program Files\MSBuild\Microsoft.Cpp\v4.0\Microsoft.CppCommon.targets(151,5):
  error MSB6006: "cmd.exe" exited with code 9009.
  

I'm unsure if I have installed all the required software, if something else is needed, or if I need to use another version of the product.

Answer 1

You have to install the NVIDA CUDA Toolkit 4.0 witch brings you the nvcc compiler, all headers and libraries needet to build a CUDA program.

The CUDA Toolkit can be found here CUDA Toolkit 4.0

As far as i know the emulation mode is no longer supported in CUDA versions >= 3.0, if i'm wrong someone may correct me on this topic. You'll need a CUDA enabled device to run a CUDA program.