Dual Xeon Cruncher Build

[[Ion]]

Alright, some project updates!

CPU coolers arrived, they're 1U Supermicro passive coolers:

Also, a pair of 92mm fans pulled from broken Celeron HPs, which fit almost perfectly. No idea how I'm gonna attach the fans, however
Suggestions?

Also, not planned, but I decided to buy a case!

It's gaudy, flimsy, and huge. But, it fits an eATX motherboard (at least when I add in the extra standoffs) and was $5. Hard to argue with a price like that. It also has none of the hard drive trays and two of the 5.25" bays are occupied by IDE optical drives, but that's not relevant
It's an Apevia X-Jupiter

 

[twilyth]

I recommend twist ties for the fans. Strip the covering to get the wire. Thread the wire between the heatfins and up through the mounting holes. If you don't have really long twist ties lying about, you can get a continuous roll of them for a buck at most dollar stores. Or you can get it at any hardware store.

 

[[Ion]]

I recommend twist ties for the fans. Strip the covering to get the wire. Thread the wire between the heatfins and up through the mounting holes. If you don't have really long twist ties lying about, you can get a continuous roll of them for a buck at most dollar stores. Or you can get it at any hardware store.

Oh that's clever! I unfortunately don't have any, but that's easy enough to acquire. I'm pretty sure there's a dollar store within walking distance of campus

 

[twilyth]

I can't guarantee that they'll have it, but it tends to be a common item - around here anyway. You tend to get the really cheesy stuff with very thin wire, but that's probably better anyway since it's easier to work with. It just might be a little more difficult to strip since if the wire is really thin, you can sometimes pull it apart w/o a lot of effort.

 

[[Ion]]

I can't guarantee that they'll have it, but it tends to be a common item - around here anyway. You tend to get the really cheesy stuff with very thin wire, but that's probably better anyway since it's easier to work with. It just might be a little more difficult to strip since if the wire is really thin, you can sometimes pull it apart w/o a lot of effort.

Alternatively, I could take one of the long-ish wires from a PSU an cut off all of the insulation, and just use the individual strands of wire inside...in fact, that would be even easier, given that I have an already cut-up PSU laying around (the broken one I took the extra 8pin from).

 

[t_ski]

I would just use some plastic zip ties and loop them under the mounting screws. Use a couple together if you don't have ones that are long enough, and you probably only need ones on two opposite corners out of four.

 

[[Ion]]

I would just use some plastic zip ties and loop them under the mounting screws. Use a couple together if you don't have ones that are long enough, and you probably only need ones on two opposite corners out of four.

Regrettably I don't have any more

 

[Toothless]

Regrettably I don't have any more

I have about 200 of assorted sizes. Want some?

 

[t_ski]

I could send you some, but you could pick up a small pack for a few $$ at Auto Zone or the like.

Are you going to end up with any leftover S1366 Xeons?

 

[[Ion]]

I could send you some, but you could pick up a small pack for a few $$ at Auto Zone or the like.

Are you going to end up with any leftover S1366 Xeons?

I can pick up some from my parents house when I go home for Thanksgiving break--my Dad has a whole box of them and I'm sure I could get a few there. Wire ought to do for now so long as I'm careful.

I have a single W3503--but it's a pretty horrible CPU. That's the only one that will be leftover.

 

[t_ski]

I have a single W3503--but it's a pretty horrible CPU. That's the only one that will be leftover.

Yep, that's worse than the E5506 I've got at the moment.

 

[Toothless]

If you really need a bunch at once. I gotta say that this place is the best I've ever been to.

http://www.pchcables.com/nyloncableties.html

Amazing service and cheap! Their cable ties still work after two years inside a desktop case. (24/7 operation with lots of heat)

 

[[Ion]]

If you really need a bunch at once. I gotta say that this place is the best I've ever been to.

http://www.pchcables.com/nyloncableties.html

Amazing service and cheap! Their cable ties still work after two years inside a desktop case. (24/7 operation with lots of heat)

I'll just loot some of my Dad's, it'll be fine

Yep, that's worse than the E5506 I've got at the moment.

Yup, they go for like $6 on Ebay. It was the original CPU in the X5670 system I have; hence why it was so cheap, but also why I was so determined to replace it ASAP.

 

[Constantine Yevseyev]

Either Server 2008 R2 Enterprise or Linux Mint

I'm not familiar with the topic ("crunching" it is), but I wouldn't recommend you or anybody else using a Linux distributive meant for end-users as a 24/7 sorta system. What you should try is something more stabilized and approved for server use (Scientific Linux or any other RHEL7-based solution, there's also Debian Stable). The packages that you get are a little bit old, but most of the important things (like Kernel changes, especially task management and networking features) are being back-ported anyway.
Windows Server 2008 R2 sounds fine if you already have a license. But 2012 R2 Standard should actually cost the same, so...

 

[ThE_MaD_ShOt]

I'm not familiar with the topic ("crunching" it is), but I wouldn't recommend you or anybody else using a Linux distributive meant for end-users as a 24/7 sorta system. What you should try is something more stabilized and approved for server use (Scientific Linux or any other RHEL7-based solution, there's also Debian Stable). The packages that you get are a little bit old, but most of the important things (like Kernel changes, especially task management and networking features) are being back-ported anyway.
Windows Server 2008 R2 sounds fine if you already have a license. But 2012 R2 Standard should actually cost the same, so...

Ummm been using ubuntu for a couple years now with out a single issue. It has been great to us. But to each is there own.

 

[[Ion]]

I'm not familiar with the topic ("crunching" it is), but I wouldn't recommend you or anybody else using a Linux distributive meant for end-users as a 24/7 sorta system. What you should try is something more stabilized and approved for server use (Scientific Linux or any other RHEL7-based solution, there's also Debian Stable). The packages that you get are a little bit old, but most of the important things (like Kernel changes, especially task management and networking features) are being back-ported anyway.
Windows Server 2008 R2 sounds fine if you already have a license. But 2012 R2 Standard should actually cost the same, so...

Well, I don't have a license, but that hasn't stopped me in the past

Ummm been using ubuntu for a couple years now with out a single issue. It has been great to us. But to each is there own.

Agreed with Mad, I've yet to see an issue, aside from my SSD wearing out...

 

[ThE_MaD_ShOt]

Well, I don't have a license, but that hasn't stopped me in the past

Agreed with Mad, I've yet to see an issue, aside from my SSD wearing out...

I use platter drives in my crunchers for that reason.

 

[[Ion]]

I use platter drives in my crunchers for that reason.

Yeah, I need to clone the SSD in the quad Opty system over to another platter drive--although admittedly the SSD that it burned out was an ancient and cheap 40GB one. The Crucial drive in there ought to do just fine until I can buy a 40GB or 80GB drive to replace it. But everything else is using platter drives (lots cheaper, too!)

 

[BUCK NASTY]

Well, I don't have a license, but that hasn't stopped me in the past

I'm not hearing any of this, LOL. Carry on....

I remember being challenged in 2008 to find a "creative way" to populate Windoz XP on my 3rd Folding Rig. It opened up a whole new world to me.

 

[[Ion]]

I'm not hearing any of this, LOL. Carry on....

I remember being challenged in 2008 to find a "creative way" to populate Windoz XP on my 3rd Folding Rig. It opened up a whole new world to me.

Still not sure what I'm going to go with; Linux gives somewhat better PPD but Windows is easier to administer (and more forgiving). But the CPUs/board aren't here yet, so I still have some time to decide

Well, CPUs and board are now delivered, but apparently the school hasn't sorted them yet, so I can't pick them up

 

[m&m's]

Still not sure what I'm going to go with; Linux gives somewhat better PPD but Windows is easier to administer (and more forgiving).

I don't want to influence you but, GO WITH LINUX!
Are you going to average 100,000PPD with this new rig added to the fleet?

 

[[Ion]]

I don't want to influence you but, GO WITH LINUX!
Are you going to average 100,000PPD with this new rig added to the fleet?

Regrettably not--looks like I'll probably be at just over 90k or so. But that's still pretty cool IMO
And it means that if I was to get everything else I have at home and bring it to school to crunch on, I'd be at about 100k....possibilities for the future
I'm leaning towards Mint--but why do you feel so strongly about it?

 

[m&m's]

Regrettably not--looks like I'll probably be at just over 90k or so. But that's still pretty cool IMO
And it means that if I was to get everything else I have at home and bring it to school to crunch on, I'd be at about 100k....possibilities for the future
I'm leaning towards Mint--but why do you feel so strongly about it?

Some years ago, there was Windows guys and Linux guys, like Oil and Water they could not mix
There was Script Kiddies and Hackers
You can press a button or know what the button does

+1 Linux and it gives moar points

But I like Windows, I use it everyday.

 

[[Ion]]

Two pictures of the build!
PSU installed and HDD test placement:

Everything set up, system running in BIOS:

The fans are attached to the heatsinks via rubber bands. Far from ideal, however, I was unable to get the wire tight enough to hold the fans anywhere near on properly. Given that rubber bands tend to dryrot quickly, I'll need to replace them--likely with cable ties after I'm able to get some from home. But for the time being, it seems to work fine.

I decided to go with 6x2GB DDR3 RAM; more than is necessary, but it lets me run triple-channel on each CPU, so that's cool. I may pull some out later, we'll see.

I'm installing Server 2008 R2 right now. Ubuntu was showing a maximum CPU speed of 2.4GHz, which is far below what they should be doing (3.2GHz minimum + turbo to 3.46 on all cores). I know my way around Windows better, so I'm going to see if I can sort the issue out there.