Folding Farm Rig Idea

[newtekie1]

I think I might spend some tax refund money on a Folding Farm in a box.

Here is the parts I'm thinking of using:

4x 9800GX2(I hope to get a decent deal on these used, otherwise I might go for 2x GTX295's and add 2 more once they are cheap)
MSI K9A2 Platinum
Phenom 9600 2.3GHz Quad-Core
2x2GB DDR2-800
80GB SATA Hard Drive
600w OCZ StealthXStream+ThermalTake PowerExpress 650w(I already have this, and it is a dedicated PSU for the graphics cards)
ThermalTake Armor+

What do you think? I'm wondering if I can drop the CPU down to something even cheaper. I doubt I'll be running the SMP client on this, just the GPUs, so would a dual core be able to handle it? Of course Vista x64 will be used so that the GPU client doesn't kill the CPU.

I did a quick build on newegg, and it comes to a little over $1600 for everything, but I'm hoping to find a lot of it used, and I'll definitely be shopping around, especially the video cards. They were $260 on newegg, I'm hoping to find them for $200 or less.

 

[AKlass]

umm you can't have more than 2 gtx 295 or 9800gx2

 

[newtekie1]

umm you can't have more than 2 gtx 295 or 9800gx2

Why not?

 

[DarkEgo]

umm you can't have more than 2 gtx 295 or 9800gx2

Not if you are looking to run SLI, but he is not going to run SLI, he is going to fold on each card individually.

 

[Beertintedgoggles]

Because they don't know about folding, he's not going for octo-sli here.... they won't even be SLI'd if he's using it as a dedicated folding setup. If you had a PCIe expansion chassis (http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?&itemid=6183) you could add even more.

Edit: Damn, beat me to it.

 

[newtekie1]

Because they don't know about folding, he's not going for octo-sli here.... they won't even be SLI'd if he's using it as a dedicated folding setup. If you had a PCIe expansion chassis (http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?&itemid=6183) you could add even more.

Edit: Damn, beat me to it.

Yeah, that would be sweet, but I don't want to spend that kind of money, and I want it to be in all one unit.

 

[Beertintedgoggles]

Just going overkill with the whole number of cards explaination, it'd be cheaper to setup two more complete machines with workstation boards (4 x 8x slots) than to get that chassis. I'm sure someone somewhere has a need for it though.

 

[mlee49]

The cpu would be good to have a lower end dualie, maybe a e2100 or something. That is good enough for just processing the folding power.

 

[PVTCaboose1337]

So I am guessing all the work is done by the GFX, and the CPU is really just support?

So I could use an old 939 rig and be just fine?

 

[Beertintedgoggles]

So I am guessing all the work is done by the GFX, and the CPU is really just support?

So I could use an old 939 rig and be just fine?

Both my folding rigs are 939's. I run the SMP client on my opty 170 along with dual GPU clients on the 8800GT's. The other system has dual 8800GS's and a 3500+ single core (that MB, CPU, and RAM was compliements of BUCK). The PPD the vid cards put out are no different than those run on i7's (SMP client is a completely different story).

 

[PVTCaboose1337]

Both my folding rigs are 939's. I run the SMP client on my opty 170 along with dual GPU clients on the 8800GT's. The other system has dual 8800GS's and a 3500+ single core (that MB, CPU, and RAM was compliements of BUCK). The PPD the vid cards put out are no different than those run on i7's (SMP client is a completely different story).

OK, thats what I thought, I would just guess I would like to run the CPU client while the GPU clients are running, so I get my PPD.

 

[El Fiendo]

The cpu would be good to have a lower end dualie, maybe a e2100 or something. That is good enough for just processing the folding power.

AM2/AM2+ mobo, but yea e2100s are essentially enough for a GPU based rig. Though I'd run an SMP and milk it for all the PPD it was worth.

Open Box version of your mobo Newtekie, 50 dollars off.

 

[Beertintedgoggles]

OK, thats what I thought, I would just guess I would like to run the CPU client while the GPU clients are running, so I get my PPD.

That's exactly what I do, just make sure to set the priority of the GPU clients slightly higher than the CPU client.

 

[PVTCaboose1337]

That's exactly what I do, just make sure to set the priority of the GPU clients slightly higher than the CPU client.

Ok, that sounds like a good idea.

 

[mlee49]

AM2/AM2+ mobo, but yea e2100s are essentially enough for a GPU based rig. Though I'd run an SMP and milk it for all the PPD it was worth.

Open Box version of your mobo Newtekie, 50 dollars off.

Dude I love that MSI board! $100 isn't bad for a 4PCI-E slotted board. Excellent folding mother board right there!

 

[CyberDruid]

For a dedicated Folder that is the board to use IMO.

 

[Castiel]

For a dedicated Folder that is the board to use IMO.

I totally agree. That is what I have chosen for my upcoming folding rigs.

 

[mlee49]

I've got an extra 80GB 2.5" Sata drive I'll donate if you go through with this! Do it and take TPU to the top 50 in Folding!!!


EDIT, I had a guy at work that was selling his GX2 for $150, not sure if it's sold. It was a refurbed EVGA with no accessories, but for $150!

 

[BUCK NASTY]

I totally agree. That is what I have chosen for my upcoming folding rigs.

I swear by that board. I see it having an incredibly long life expectancy in the folding community. Newegg has only 2 more open box @ $95.00. Amazon has it for $127.48 w/free shipping as well if you like NIB.

http://www.amazon.com/MSI-Platinum-PC2-8500-DDR2-1066-Motherboard/dp/B000YNXHXU

 

[Castiel]

Not thread jacking, just have the same Idea as you Newtekie!

What would be a good PSU that would have 4 6pin PCI-E connectors and 3 8pin PCI-E connectors?

 

[newtekie1]

Unfoortunately, plans on hold. Decided to buy a new TV instead with the money as I didn't get as much from my tax return as I had hoped.