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Boxen Build Advice

[ocau]sreg0r;1033669175 said:
I'm sure it's nothing an angle grinder / tin snips can't fix though.
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LOL, I thought of that as well, but Server cases are kinda narrow. There is not a SINGLE 8 Slot Server Case. If there was, believe you me, I'd be all over that thing. I've checked just about every website I can think of and others as suggested, but no joy. I'm not sure that sips will work to resolve this one. I will certainly check once I get the cases in.

The condition that my wife has placed on me is that everything (dedicated boxen, study lab, data storage) must ALL fit inside the 24U case that I am picking up later today. She has been very supportive, but I will not do anything to jeopardize her support.
 
capreppy said:
LOL, I thought of that as well, but Server cases are kinda narrow. There is not a SINGLE 8 Slot Server Case. If there was, believe you me, I'd be all over that thing. I've checked just about every website I can think of and others as suggested, but no joy. I'm not sure that sips will work to resolve this one. I will certainly check once I get the cases in.

The condition that my wife has placed on me is that everything (dedicated boxen, study lab, data storage) must ALL fit inside the 24U case that I am picking up later today. She has been very supportive, but I will not do anything to jeopardize her support.
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I actually don't know of any case that has 8 expansion slots. you would just have to end up modding the case somehow to add more intake and exhaust vents or something. Which I understand you not doing because it's a server case.

As far as the 24U requirement, that should be fine. 2x 4U server cases + 1x 4U harddrive rack and then another 4U case for your study lab. That's only 16U right there for 2 folding boxen (with 3x 295s), 20x HDD data storage, and your study lab comp. That leaves you with 8U for UPS and whatnot.

Yeah, I've been seriously considering just getting a 24U case and having EXACTLY what you're doing right now (folding boxen + data storage + daily comp)
 
I have plans to add a third GPU dedicated boxen. Since I'm going with GTX295's for now, I can only realistically afford 2. I'll add the third later in the year. My wife knows it'll add to the overall cost by going completely server cabinet based, but then she won't be embarrased to show my office to those that might come visit :)

I'm actually picking up a brand new in the box Dell 24U Server Cabinet for cheap (won't say for now). The guy I'm buying it from has other stuff I may pick up and am just waiting for him to let me know what else he has.
 
Ok. Additional question regarding UPSs.

MSI K9A2 Platinum
AMD Phenom II X4 940 Deneb 3.0GHz
3 x eVGA GTX295
IN WIN COMMANDER IRP-COM1200 1200W
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST380815AS 80GB

I am going with the eVGA GTX295 because the 9800GX2's are gone from the 'egg.
What is the minimum capacity PSU that I will need for the above box. It does NOT need to be rackmount as I can put a shelf in the cabinet and just lay them in there. I'm thinking a 1500VA 900W UPS will handle this. If so, recommendations? Remember, I'm going to need to by at least 4 of these so no I don't want one that is $300 per :)

If I wanted one UPS that could handle both, what would I need. Probably not going to purchase this particular recommendation because I assume it will be expensive, but am curious (just in case I decide, what the hell and go that route).
 
I'm not much of an expert with UPSes, so I suggest you post your question in the PSU forum. You'll get more advice there.
 
A 1500VA UPS will handle that, but it might be close to capacity. I have a SmartUPS 1500VA powering my folding system, and it's maxed out with the fan constantly running. I'll probably try to balance this system across two different UPS, since I have two PSUs. Remember that whatever power your components are pulling, your PSU is not 100% efficient. If the equipment requires, say, 850W, and the PSU is 85% efficient, then you'll be pulling 1000W from the UPS/wall.

If you have 20A wall outlets in your office, definitely go for the 2200VA UPSes. They'll be a better fit for your requirements (a few high wattage systems). They'll also use up less space, assuming you have other things like routers, switches, and monitors that need to be plugged in. I'd also recommend the rackmount versions just because UPSes are heavy, and the bottom of a rack is a good place for them.
 
What 24u case are you buying? I'm curious for my own needs....

:)

Oh, and I approve of your 295 decision. =)
 
styx0r said:
What 24u case are you buying? I'm curious for my own needs....

:)

Oh, and I approve of your 295 decision. =)
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I found on craigslist a new in the box Dell 24U server cabinet for $300. I was going to pick it up today, but need to pick it up on Tuesday.

Check your local craigslist. It has become the new e-bay :)
 
SazanEyes said:
A 1500VA UPS will handle that, but it might be close to capacity. I have a SmartUPS 1500VA powering my folding system, and it's maxed out with the fan constantly running. I'll probably try to balance this system across two different UPS, since I have two PSUs. Remember that whatever power your components are pulling, your PSU is not 100% efficient. If the equipment requires, say, 850W, and the PSU is 85% efficient, then you'll be pulling 1000W from the UPS/wall.

If you have 20A wall outlets in your office, definitely go for the 2200VA UPSes. They'll be a better fit for your requirements (a few high wattage systems). They'll also use up less space, assuming you have other things like routers, switches, and monitors that need to be plugged in. I'd also recommend the rackmount versions just because UPSes are heavy, and the bottom of a rack is a good place for them.
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I'm having 2 x 20A circuits put into my office. These are going to be dedicated to just the server cabinet.

Are you suggesting a single 2200VA UPS for each boxen? That can get expensive and quick. I'm pretty sure the 1500VA can handle the Storage Server and then another for the Development Lab. It is definitely the folding boxen that I am worried about.
 
Your other machines can have 1500VA UPS (or less--I have two 1000VA UPS which power four machines and two monitors and are at about 50% capacity). The folding boxes would be able to have 1500VA UPS also, but I'm guessing they would be at about 85-90% capacity. If you got 2200VA instead, you would either be running at less capacity (meaning you have more than a couple minutes to shut down the boxes if power is lost), or you could plug in some extra stuff. Plus, you'll have spare capacity for more power-hungry parts in the future, like the next generation of graphics cards.

Price is definitely a concern, but if you shop around you can find some deals. A quality UPS will last a long time, you just need to change the batteries every few years, so if you've got 20A circuits I would take advantage of them.
 
Suppose I went with this. Could that handle both boxen?

Pricewise, it is more expensive than I was looking at, but I believe it would better be able to handle both boxen, plus it has ports to control both
 
I took a bunch of measurements with the Kill A Watt last night and confirmed that my system pulls almost exactly 980W from the UPS under load (8 F@H processes, idle CPU). That means my SmartUPS is at 100% capacity, which was confirmed by the PowerChute software. I tried to test with simultaneous GPU and CPU load, but the CPU burn-in programs I tried don't seem to run at idle priority, so they prevent the GPU F@H processes from running and the system wattage actually drops. I'm getting a second UPS for this machine.

There wasn't much difference between the W and VA numbers, which means that the huge VA ratings by UPS manufacturers are mostly hype--look at the Watt ratings.
 
I'm going to pitch 220V based system again.

It seems that about 1500VA(1125W) is about the most you see in stand-alone UPS. Over that and your into rack-mount stuff and higher dollars.

220V UPS is not common until you get into the rack-mountable stuff. It sounds like your electrician friend is running wires specifically for this rack. Difference in materials for the wiring is negligible, if you can find a 220V UPS you will save a little bit of power. Everything runs better at 220V. The PSU runs cooler, there is less line loss due to higher voltage and lower current.
 
The problem is that cost/capacity on UPSs seems to increase with size rather than decrease. Doubling capacity usually triples the cost for some reason. Anyone ever figure that out?
 
On the topic of video cards... Could you add a GTX260 to the 4th PCI-e slot? That way you could take full advantage of the motherboard, and also maximize your space/output.
 
I've seen many people go with 4 of the same (4 x 98GX2s or GTX295s), but I won't be able to as the case I'm using has only 7 expansion slots. With 4 x 98GX2s, a 1200 PSU should cover it. But when you go to 4 x GTX295s, it's questionable. You'd almost likely have to go to a dual PSU solution or find a monster 1500W PSU
 
I was saying to use 3x GTX295 and 1x GTX260, so to fill all 4 slots, and not have any problems with the expansion slots.
 
sduneman3 said:
I was saying to use 3x GTX295 and 1x GTX260, so to fill all 4 slots, and not have any problems with the expansion slots.
Click to expand...
But who makes a GTX260 with a single slot cooler?
 
Well yesterday, I picked up my server cabinet (brand new in the box!!!).

I also stopped by the Micro Center in Richardson, TX yesterday and picked up my Core i7 going into my rebuild of my sig rig. The guy I am working with is in final contract negotiations so as soon as he has ink on his contracts, I'll get ink on mine and the buying will begin.

BTW, I am contemplating going from MSI K9A2 + AMD Phenom II X4 940 to Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD4P + Intel Core i7 920. I picked up my i7 for less than $250 (after taxes) yesterday and I'm sure I can find two people to make the drive over to Richardson to get me two more.
 
capreppy said:
Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD4P
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This looks like a solid budget, as budget can be with i7's, board for most folks. I'm probably going to be doing another i7 boxen at the beginning of March solely for DC'ing and will likely be going with this board unless something better and cheaper comes along.
 
I've done a few builds with Gigabytes and have never had issues. With 3 x PCIe Slots, this is perfect for my needs. I'll be building 2 boxen (per this very long thread) and it has been difficult to find the best bang for the buck.
 
Yeah, I've always had good like with Gigabyte boards. My only windows boxen has been been running one 24/7 for 4 years now with no issues. It's currently dedicated to OGR-NG but will be going back to ATI GPU F@H once my NVIDIA cards arrive for my Core i7 rig. For this boxen, I'm still really glad I went with the ASUS P6T6 WS Revolution, it's a pretty niche board for many folks and not many of those are willing to pay the extra bucks but I really like it.
 
capreppy said:
I've seen many people go with 4 of the same (4 x 98GX2s or GTX295s), but I won't be able to as the case I'm using has only 7 expansion slots. With 4 x 98GX2s, a 1200 PSU should cover it. But when you go to 4 x GTX295s, it's questionable. You'd almost likely have to go to a dual PSU solution or find a monster 1500W PSU
Click to expand...
A 1200W PSU is enough for four GTX295s, especially if you go with the AMD setup. Even with an i7 rig it'll be fine.
 
Well since we lost 6 days worth of discussions, I thought I'd update this thread.

I have a call on Friday that sounds very promising. If all goes well (keeping fingers and toes crossed), then I will begin my purchases. I've already got the funds in the bank from some work I did before Christmas.

I've committed to buy Origami Master from Kendrak which will provide 3x9800GX2's. The remainder of OM will go into a WHS I am building.

I'm still up in the air regarding platform. It will either be
  • 3 x MSI K9A2 w/AMD Phenom II X4 940 Deneb or
  • 3 x MSI K9A2 w/AMD Phenom 9950 Agena or
  • 2 x Asus P6T x58 w/Intel Core i7 920 (BTW Evil, Thermalright has confirmed that the AXP-140 can be made Socket 1366 compatible)
Each of these platforms are within a few hundred of each other in total cost for the build. I plan to run F@H GPU2 on the GPU cores, but am also planning to run WCG on the CPU cores. I've made significant headway on the WCG front, but need more D to catch up to the big boys and I think the AMD Quad/Tri Cores or the Intel i7 can do that.

I am planning to use the TT Toughpower 1200 to drive all of this. My intent is to get the platforms up and running with what 9800GX2's I have available at the time of the build. I'll be on the lookout for additional 9800GX2's from the 'egg (seems to be the ONLY e-tailer that has them in stock (though not frequently) and at a decent price (everyone else is doing some SERIOUS price gouging)). The TT 1200 also gives me the option at some later point in time to upgrade to GTX295's (or their equivalent). I did look at the In Win, but the rebate didn't come back and the IR disappeared. Provantage has the TT1200 at $312 per.

I have thought about the possibility of sticking eVGA GTX260's in the remaining 3 or 6 PCIe slots (depending on the platform). The 'egg has them for just below $200 per card AR. Lower production, but the 55nm cards are very energy efficient.

In addiion to the dedicated boxen, my sig rig will be completely revamped from the ground up.

Intel Core i7 920 on an eVGA X58 MoBo
3 x eVGA GTX285 for TRI-SLI (or likely SLI and the third will drive a second 24" LCD or 2 x 20" LCDs)
All of this will be under WC as I dive head first into my first ever WC build. I've been doing a LOT of research during my down time and I have all of the parts picked out down to what screws I'm going to use to add the most bling ::cool:

Conservatively, I would expect to get 55K F@H production (3x9800GX2's & 3xGTX285). As soon as I find other 9800GX2's (that haven't been price gouged), then I'll be able to add to that. I would expect to triple (or quadruple) my WCG production.
 
capreppy said:
Well since we lost 6 days worth of discussions, I thought I'd update this thread.

I have a call on Friday that sounds very promising. If all goes well (keeping fingers and toes crossed), then I will begin my purchases. I've already got the funds in the bank from some work I did before Christmas.

I've committed to buy Origami Master from Kendrak which will provide 3x9800GX2's. The remainder of OM will go into a WHS I am building.

I'm still up in the air regarding platform. It will either be
  • 3 x MSI K9A2 w/AMD Phenom II X4 940 Deneb or
  • 3 x MSI K9A2 w/AMD Phenom 9950 Agena or
  • 2 x Asus P6T x58 w/Intel Core i7 920 (BTW Evil, Thermalright has confirmed that the AXP-140 can be made Socket 1366 compatible)
Each of these platforms are within a few hundred of each other in total cost for the build. I plan to run F@H GPU2 on the GPU cores, but am also planning to run WCG on the CPU cores. I've made significant headway on the WCG front, but need more D to catch up to the big boys and I think the AMD Quad/Tri Cores or the Intel i7 can do that.

I am planning to use the TT Toughpower 1200 to drive all of this. My intent is to get the platforms up and running with what 9800GX2's I have available at the time of the build. I'll be on the lookout for additional 9800GX2's from the 'egg (seems to be the ONLY e-tailer that has them in stock (though not frequently) and at a decent price (everyone else is doing some SERIOUS price gouging)). The TT 1200 also gives me the option at some later point in time to upgrade to GTX295's (or their equivalent). I did look at the In Win, but the rebate didn't come back and the IR disappeared. Provantage has the TT1200 at $312 per.

I have thought about the possibility of sticking eVGA GTX260's in the remaining 3 or 6 PCIe slots (depending on the platform). The 'egg has them for just below $200 per card AR. Lower production, but the 55nm cards are very energy efficient.

In addiion to the dedicated boxen, my sig rig will be completely revamped from the ground up.

Intel Core i7 920 on an eVGA X58 MoBo
3 x eVGA GTX285 for TRI-SLI (or likely SLI and the third will drive a second 24" LCD or 2 x 20" LCDs)
All of this will be under WC as I dive head first into my first ever WC build. I've been doing a LOT of research during my down time and I have all of the parts picked out down to what screws I'm going to use to add the most bling ::cool:

Conservatively, I would expect to get 55K F@H production (3x9800GX2's & 3xGTX285). As soon as I find other 9800GX2's (that haven't been price gouged), then I'll be able to add to that. I would expect to triple (or quadruple) my WCG production.
Click to expand...

Impressive, to say the least. You are seriously invested now with 4 completely new systems, all of which are essentially the top of the line. Best of luck and enjoy that riding mower, cuz' you're going to be mowing over a bunch of people with that hardware.
 
Well I had my call yesterday. Sounds promising. Enough so that I can make some commitments. Once I have actual ink to a contract then I can go all out. I'm starting slow with 3x9800GX2's in 3 dedicated AMD Quad Core Phenom II Platforms. I'll be on the lookout for additional 9800GX2's, but the 'egg isn't showing any now. Patience will be key here. If some show up, I have the funds to purchase immediately.

I'm also going to start ordering portions of my gaming rig update. I had already gone to MicroCenter and picked up my Core i7. I'll get the portions that I need to get it up and running and order the new Case (MM Extended Ascenscion) and WC parts when I get ink.
 
This morning, I pulled the trigger on an MSI K9A2 & AMD Phenom II 940. I should be getting Origami Master by the end of the week or early next week.

I have one GTX285 running now and will have the remaining 2 in my new sig rig up within the next day or two. My sig rig will go down for a couple of days while I get it under water, but by the looks of it, my WCG output is doing well and my F@H output is doing well also.
 
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