What components for a F@H rig?

[jits h]

You can let the client run just a single unit at a time. That way it will fold untill it's done and you will get the most quick return bonus, but it wont automaticly download a new work unit once its finished thus you wont be wasting the bonus on the next work unit untill you are ready.

Also, it might be worth mentioning how much you're looking at spending, that way we can give you suggestions more appropreate to what you can afford.

Lastly. If you really want to stick to folding just a few hours per day, you could focus a rig towards GPU folding rather than GPU. This is because GPU work units don't have a quick return bonus, so PPD isn't effected if the client is stopped/paused over night or when ever.

Edit:

Over the past few months I have sorted myself a folding rig which is a HP XW6400 (Dual C2D based Xeons) and has dual PCI-E 16x slots (one is 4x wired but that doesnt matter for folding).

It doesn't produce the most PPD in the world but it's good for what it cost me.

Im looking to spend around £300. But for that I don't think I can get a dual CPU setup, would it be worth just to build a cheap single setup for the time being? As the SR2 board will get cheaper, and thats what Im looking to get soon. And how much did your HP XW6400 rig cost you?

 

[Pickster]

Im looking to spend around £300. But for that I don't think I can get a dual CPU setup, would it be worth just to build a cheap single setup for the time being? As the SR2 board will get cheaper, and thats what Im looking to get soon. And how much did your HP XW6400 rig cost you?

I paid £115 for one without a hard drive. You can pick them up on ebay for £130 - £150. Normally for this price it will come with dual 2ghz (dual core) cpus. You can upgrade the CPUs to 3ghz dual core for £30-£40 a pair, cheaper if you're lucky.

About £100 will get you two quad cores which run at 2.33ghz. The only problem with the quads is older xw6400 motherboards don't like them... You can always ask the revision of the motherboard before you buy the system.

I should be able to let you know what PPD a dual quadcore setup will get PPD wise. Forgetting other stuff like the graphics card, plus different cpus I have tried. If I say I paid £220 for the XW6400 system + quad core upgrade, We can see how that compaires to buying a modern mobo, cpu and ram for the same cost.

The reason I went for the XW6400 in the first place was, I was looking for a mobo + cpu + ram to start a dedicated folding rig. In the end, what it would cost me to buy a cheap c2d setup off ebay, I figued the XW6400 I came accross was the better deal with case + psu etc.

 

[dipzy]

These HP XW6400 are going for a good price on ebay. £119 is the cheapest i've seen so far without HDD, comes with 2 x 5140 xeons at 2.33ghz each which is pretty good since your getting a near full system except no HDD which is minor.

 

[Pickster]

These HP XW6400 are going for a good price on ebay. £119 is the cheapest i've seen so far without HDD, comes with 2 x 5140 xeons at 2.33ghz each which is pretty good since your getting a near full system except no HDD which is minor.

Exactly. Esp when you consider that the motherboard has two 16x size PCI-E slots too.

 

[sheroo]

Exactly. Esp when you consider that the motherboard has two 16x size PCI-E slots too.

You've got me thinking about this now.

So what's the bottom line in terms of PPD & power draw at the wall?

 

[Pickster]

You've got me thinking about this now.

So what's the bottom line in terms of PPD & power draw at the wall?

What have I started here

I don't have an anwser to that yet.

Dual dualcore systems put out numbers equivalent to Core 2 Quads running at the same speed.

I am hopeing the motherboard for my quads is put in the post today so it turns up tomorrow.

However it looks like PPD is going through another identity crysis.

What I can say is, the PSU that comes in the XW6400 is something like 585 watts and with two 3ghz duals and a GTX 460 it doesnt seem to be breaking a sweat.

I think each team member should get one of these and we can rebrand them 'Redline Rigs'

And finally, these are slightly overclockable via set FSB. I have hit over 380 FSB prime stable (but above 395 was a definate no go) and I hope I can match those results with the quads I have comming. I do not know if it was the chipset for the RAM that threw an error first, but PC2 6400 ECC RAM isn't cheap enough for me to find out.

Seriously, anybody thinking of getting one of these they are great folding rigs. With the server background in the tech they are built to run weeks at a time. Mine has been rock solid. And I know any pit falls which has cost me a bit of money, but the money I saved with a few bargains halps even that out.

Even Kup will kinda be joining in (on the XW6400 party) when he gets my old board and two CPUs

Edit: I also forgot to mention. The system is pretty quiet... quiet enough to get my thumbs up

 

[Pickster]

I just ran accross this on ebay.... which fits snugly into a £300 budget.

XW6600 Dual Quad

 

[sheroo]

I just ran accross this on ebay.... which fits snugly into a £300 budget.

XW6600 Dual Quad

I know that this old hardware looks the business but for £300, you could get:-

ASUS P8Z68-V LX - £75

2500K - £162

400W be quiet! Efficient Power 80PLUS Gold - £42

G.Skill RipJawsX 4GB (2x2GB) 1600MHz - £20

Total = £299

You need to find a case & HDD - install Linux & you should be good for ~20K PPD, and you've got an upgrade path as well.

What PPD would that XW6600 give you do you think?

 

[Pickster]

I know that this old hardware looks the business but for £300, you could get:-

ASUS P8Z68-V LX - £75

2500K - £162

400W be quiet! Efficient Power 80PLUS Gold - £42

G.Skill RipJawsX 4GB (2x2GB) 1600MHz - £20

Total = £299

You need to find a case & HDD - install Linux & you should be good for ~20K PPD, and you've got an upgrade path as well.

What PPD would that XW6600 give you do you think?

I'm not sure on the PPD to be honest.

But the XW6600 has two PCI-E 16x size slots. And the other bits you mention, its fine if you have them lying about, but if not its more added cost.

Also the XW6600 has more CPU upgrade options than the XW6400.

That's not you say your option isn't viable, at the end of the day the more options people have to put together a folding rig the better.

 

[SmoulderingCircuits]

I know that this old hardware looks the business but for £300, you could get:-

ASUS P8Z68-V LX - £75

2500K - £162

400W be quiet! Efficient Power 80PLUS Gold - £42

G.Skill RipJawsX 4GB (2x2GB) 1600MHz - £20

Total = £299

You need to find a case & HDD - install Linux & you should be good for ~20K PPD, and you've got an upgrade path as well.

What PPD would that XW6600 give you do you think?

I'd get a 2600k. For the sake of +~£80 you get as many threads again

and can use BigAdv (unless it's been changed to 16 threads, was that true?)

 

[Pickster]

I'd get a 2600k. For the sake of +~£80 you get as many threads again

and can use BigAdv (unless it's been changed to 16 threads, was that true?)

Yes that's true, no more bigadv for 2600k.

Also, the reason why sheroo quoted the 2500k was because mini me said he only had £300 to spend on a folding rig.

Now, going back to the XW6400/XW6600 PPD.

I now have the two 2.33ghz quads in my XW6400 and running a 8011 WU (106.6 base points) the V7 client is showing an estimated PPD of 20k.

I will keep updating as I get different work units.

 

[SmoulderingCircuits]

Yes that's true, no more bigadv for 2600k.

Also, the reason why sheroo quoted the 2500k was because mini me said he only had £300 to spend on a folding rig.

Now, going back to the XW6400/XW6600 PPD.

I now have the two 2.33ghz quads in my XW6400 and running a 8011 WU (106.6 base points) the V7 client is showing an estimated PPD of 20k.

I will keep updating as I get different work units.

I know, but usually works out better value ppd/£ to buy a HT'd version.

And those 8011s are killing my PPD

 

[Pickster]

I know, but usually works out better value ppd/£ to buy a HT'd version

Folding is the reason why I got a 2600k over anything else

And those 8011s are killing my PPD

I hopeing to get one as the next WU on my 2600k so I can make a comparison.

Edit:

I have an apples to apples comparison going now. Both the dual E5345 and 2600k are running a Project 6099 WU through GPU tracker so the PPD estimation should be comparable.

When they both have worked for long enough I will update again.

 

[SmoulderingCircuits]

Folding is the reason why I got a 2600k over anything else

I hopeing to get one as the next WU on my 2600k so I can make a comparison.

Edit:

I have an apples to apples comparison going now. Both the dual E5345 and 2600k are running a Project 6099 WU through GPU tracker so the PPD estimation should be comparable.

When they both have worked for long enough I will update again.

My E-350 was pushing over 500PPD (3.7k total) before on what I think was a 8033 or the run of the mill GPU units before 11293s were swarming about. Now getting 190PPD from the 8011s

It was a nice little failsafe if you had a hiccup with the main rigs

 

[Pickster]

My E-350 was pushing over 500PPD (3.7k total) before on what I think was a 8033 or the run of the mill GPU units before 11293s were swarming about. Now getting 190PPD from the 8011s

It was a nice little failsafe if you had a hiccup with the main rigs

These 6099 work units are the business. My 2600k @ 4.5ghz is putting out a ground breaking 3100 PPD (not a typo).

I'm rebooting the system to see if something funky is going on, as the dual E5345 are getting 12500 PPD

 

[dipzy]

Im running the 6099 wu aswell, im getting about 14,500. Would get more if i could leave rig on 24/7

 

[Pickster]

Im running the 6099 wu aswell, im getting about 14,500. Would get more if i could leave rig on 24/7

Well something is going screwy. GPU Tracker is still only showing 3100 PPD for my 2600K. It's like it has forgotten what bonus points are.

 

[SmoulderingCircuits]

Well something is going screwy. GPU Tracker is still only showing 3100 PPD for my 2600K. It's like it has forgotten what bonus points are.

Downright atrocious.

Is it possible to run 8x CPU(single) units?

 

[Pickster]

I have both the 2600k and the Dual E5345s folding project 6097 through GPU Tracker.

2600k @ 4.5ghz = 28k PPD

2xE5345 @ 2.33ghz = 13k PPD

Edit:

Small update. 2600k (with HT enabled) is slower at folding clock for clock than 2xE5345.

I'm now having a look to see what MHZ is required on the i7 without HT (thus making it an i5) to match 2xE5345.

 

[SmoulderingCircuits]

I have both the 2600k and the Dual E5345s folding project 6097 through GPU Tracker.

2600k @ 4.5ghz = 28k PPD

2xE5345 @ 2.33ghz = 13k PPD

Edit:

Small update. 2600k (with HT enabled) is slower at folding clock for clock than 2xE5345.

I'm now having a look to see what MHZ is required on the i7 without HT (thus making it an i5) to match 2xE5345.

I thought 2600ks used to get ~40-45k PPD, did they drop with the SB-E release or are the WU's just really that bad?