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Build a GPU folding box?

N

natermeister

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 26, 2005
Messages
463
Well, I'm probably asking the wrong bunch, but should I build a GPU folding box?

I have an Opteron 170 sitting idle, I know a guy with a Radeon XPRESS 3200 mobo. Thinking that I could pick up a pair of X1900XTs on ebay, throw in a gig of ram and a hard drive, then be good to go.

AMD Opteron 170 - free

ASUS ATi 3200 mobo - $125

1GB PC3200 - $115

ATi X1900XT master and slave - $525 right now on ebay

WD Caviar SE16 250GB - free (well, not really, I'm going to buy a Raptor and 320GB Seagate for my main machine)

Silverstone Strider 600W - same as the hard drive, I'm upgrading the PSU in my main box

Old case - free

Windows XP Pro - $130


You opinions on the setup? I'm wondering if 2GB of RAM would be a better idea. I'm thinking of doing a Conroe upgrade with a Xeon 3060 (basically an E6600), so I might have some left over ram, 2GB of DDR500. In which case I'd just go ahead and use my 4800+ for the folder. This is very much an idea in progress, so your ideas are welcome.

Thanks,

-Nater
 
wrong bunch? lol

If you can.... do.... if it moves, borg it.... if it needs parts, find them... if it can run F@H/UD, fold away :D

But I'd advise against wasting $130 on WinXP..... if it's an "extra" PC, seriously consider putting Foldix on it.... put the CD in, it'll format the drive (any hard drive).... reboot, pull the CD out... and it'll boot into Linux and you'll follow a few steps to use your username/etc, but after that.... you're golden...


Keep on Folding!! For the [H]orde!!

 
Well do know that if you have a GPU folding, it also takes CPU cyles away. I would say if you have the money and you're feeling good about it, do it. But Folding@Home does not need top of the line.

Get a small 10-20GB HD, 1GB of RAM, 1950Pro , Foldix or Gentoo (no GUI) and load F@H and you're good to go.
 
What's all this Linux talk? How is he going to fold with his GPUs (or dual GPUs in this case) in Linux?

WinXP FTW ;)

 
that's true... I forgot about the GPU folding thing......... does it work with WINE? or?


Keep on Folding!! For the [H]orde!!

 
OSUguy98 said:
that's true... I forgot about the GPU folding thing......... does it work with WINE? or?


Keep on Folding!! For the [H]orde!!

Click to expand...

I doubt it could run full speed in WINE, but you never know. Would it be cheaper to buy xp home instead of pro? That might save you a couple bucks if you're looking to shave some off the price.

Don't forget to overclock that 170! :)

 
Better off dropping that CPU into my box ;) My CPU is really the only thing holding it back.
 
I don't think the GPU client runs under Wine. Is anyone really interested in doing that, or was it just a passing remark?

 
unhappy_mage said:
Is anyone really interested in doing that, or was it just a passing remark?
Click to expand...

Just a thought of a way to keep the costs down (by not buying another copy of WinXP



Keep on Folding!! For the [H]orde!!

 
You will also need 2 monitors (one plugged into each GPU) to start both GPU's and you will need windows XP. Why not just run SMP on the dual core and save $$$$$. The $500 you save could build a whole new dual core and (both togather) would out produce the dual GPU machine
 
[BRO]Alaskan said:
You will also need 2 monitors (one plugged into each GPU) to start both GPU's and you will need windows XP. Why not just run SMP on the dual core and save $$$$$. The $500 you save could build a whole new dual core and (both togather) would out produce the dual GPU machine
Click to expand...

Does the smp gpu client let you run it without dual monitors? If not, plug one into the dvi and one into the vga and switch back and forth.
 
I believe the beta SMP client is sort of flakky when run on dual-core because its quad-threaded and i read somewhere that the threads have a hardtime keeping synced up on dual core boxes.. dunno if this is being improved upon though.. if it works, do it! I like the idea of the GPU folding box though.. =)
 
Yeah, I briefly considered the SMP client, but from what I've heard you really need a quad to make it work. I have two monitors, so I can get the dual GPU folding client rolling no problems. I think they need to find a work around for that, however, not everyone has a spare monitor just sitting around.

The thing that makes the GPU box attractive is that I'm getting ready to upgrade half of my stuff anyway, so I'll have parts lying here and there, not doing anything. Sure, I'll have to fork out $500 for a set of GPUs, but that really isn't a bad deal considering what they would have cost. Not to mention I would assume the GPU client does the most important work, remember, this isn't about points. Well, actually it is about points, I have low self-esteem and want to be Hard DCer of the Month.
 
[BRO]Alaskan said:
You will also need 2 monitors (one plugged into each GPU) to start both GPU's and you will need windows XP. Why not just run SMP on the dual core and save $$$$$. The $500 you save could build a whole new dual core and (both togather) would out produce the dual GPU machine
Click to expand...

Or one monitor with dual inputs, or one monitor and add the TV out adapter, or add the DVI to HD adapter. Once the adapters are attached, they fool the GPU in to thinking a 2nd monitor is attached.

Or just borrow a 2nd monitor temporarily. Once you extend the desktop from the first monitor on to the second monitor and save the settings, that second port stays active, even after you remove the 2nd monitor.

2 monitors is not an absolute requirement. ;)
 
kaleb_zero said:
I believe the beta SMP client is sort of flakky when run on dual-core because its quad-threaded and i read somewhere that the threads have a hardtime keeping synced up on dual core boxes.. dunno if this is being improved upon though.. if it works, do it! I like the idea of the GPU folding box though.. =)
Click to expand...

Just a guess, but the hard coded 4 threads part of the SMP beta client is probably just to simplify the beta testing. Once the client matures a little, they'll likely autosense the number of cores and spawn threads to match. Don't be too quick to judge. The client will improve with age. ;)
 
[BRO]Alaskan said:
SMP is not a GPU client but a multipule thread client
Click to expand...

They have a multiple gpu client out in beta, I should have been more specific I guess when describing it. This is what I was referring to when saying SMP GPU client:5.91 Beta
 
As someone who just started F@H on a GPU this week (X1900XTX), here's my take:

The GPU client is CPU-dependent. A dedicated core will max to 100%. I know nothing about Opertons (just saw that they are dual core, cool, great for folding). But on my E6600, I've been running D2OL on one core and F@H GPU console on the other. All is well, unless you start doing other stuff, then the GPU client takes a huge hit (maybe this is not the case if you run it alone with dual-core affinity, haven't tried it that way). When I open the D2OL agent window (GUI rendering of molecules), Folding screeches to a halt. So dedicate a core to each client and let it lie.

Main GPU-folding points:

1) Use console version, not GUI version (faster);
2) As is well-documented in this thread, F@H GPU client runs at 2D speeds (500/600), which are well below 3D clocks (625/725 on XTs), and 2D mode undervolts considerably from 3D. Use ATITool to at least "overclock" and "overvolt" to the stock 3D levels (or higher, hee hee).
2b) Here's the one real answer to your hardware question. Folding is extremely intensive work and heats up the already hot 1900's, especially at 3D+ clocks (my XTX @ 700/800 approaches 90C unless I open the window at night, LOL. Which is why I bought this). Get good cooling! If I were spending all the money for 2 1900XTs, I'd go the extra mile and add watercooling and overclock the crap out of both cards. Yes, that = two blocks, but for a machine with $525 in GPUs folding 24/7? FLAMES!

And yes, it sucks that there is no Linux version of the GPU client (and with Linux you don't need a HDD, you can use a USB drive!). I am no Linux nerd (only booted a Linux live distro once in my life). But for building a dedicated rig for a purely charitable cause, there has got to be a better way than paying Redmond for an OS. Of course there is a better way, but the DMCA and forum rules prevent me from describing it. ;)

Good luck and kudos for being willing to dedicate so much hardware to the cause!
 
I have some un-used 2k licenses that I can part with.. if you'd like one of them (and it works for the GPU client) I'll mail it off.

 
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