Whaler's 4P Folders Build Log (32 Cores and 24 Cores)

[Whaler_99]

No one man should have all that power...

 

I don't - my cats rather enjoy the heat output... so call it a shared project.

[Human_Error()]

I love the choice you made to use 8020 aluminum for the chassis. Its so easy to work with and modifiable. Just awesome!

[d33g33]

Holy mother of god...

[Whaler_99]

Yes, the case is awesome - custom solution from @Spotswood - the quality is top notch and fully assembled case can still be lifted with pretty much a couple of fingers.

[Sauron]

Two years later, does this still make sense? Or did gpus completely take over? In fact, is there any load that will benefit from something like this and couldn't be done better on a gpu or 3?

[Whaler_99]

Two years later, does this still make sense? Or did gpus completely take over? In fact, is there any load that will benefit from something like this and couldn't be done better on a gpu or 3?

 

Now that the BIGADV project is done, these huge folding units don't get the massive bonus points, they used to, so now GPU folding is king. 

 

From what I know though, these unit are good for some of the BOINC projects.

[tobben]

From what I know though, these unit are good for some of the BOINC projects.

I have to say though, it seems very difficult finding projects that play well

with this machine.. 

[TheRandomness]

Now that the BIGADV project is done, these huge folding units don't get the massive bonus points, they used to, so now GPU folding is king. 

 

From what I know though, these unit are good for some of the BOINC projects.

If it's possible for me to get 6128 HE Opterons at a really low price (£14.99~) would it be worth it to make a machine like this? Or is it now just a waste of time due to GPUs being more powerful?

[Whaler_99]

If it's possible for me to get 6128 HE Opterons at a really low price (£14.99~) would it be worth it to make a machine like this? Or is it now just a waste of time due to GPUs being more powerful?

 

If you can get the chips cheap along with the board and ram, these are awesome to play with. And you can still do Folding or BOINC with it. If you were tryign to build some dedicated folding rig, then ya, a GPU folder would be better, esp if you dumping a bunch of cash, but if you can get it cheap along with everything else, these are good to play and learn with. 

[tobben]

While the processors have become dirt cheap, the motherboards are still as expensive as ever though. 

[TheRandomness]

@tobben There's a 4 socket G34 motherboard on eBay for £85~ (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Dell-PowerEdge-C6145-Server-Quad-Socket-G34-AMD-System-Motherboard-40N24-/391052116121?hash=item5b0c85c099:g:GiUAAOSweW5U2lit), would I be able to run only 2 CPUs on it or do all 4 sockets have to be filled? I know basically nothing about multi socket motherboards.. Also, would I have to have ECC RAM? And would I be able to run 2 separate models of CPU at the same time (2x6172 and 2x6128 HE)? It kinda sounds like a stupid idea but what if it works..

[tobben]

@tobben There's a 4 socket G34 motherboard on eBay for £85~ (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Dell-PowerEdge-C6145-Server-Quad-Socket-G34-AMD-System-Motherboard-40N24-/391052116121?hash=item5b0c85c099:g:GiUAAOSweW5U2lit), would I be able to run only 2 CPUs on it or do all 4 sockets have to be filled? I know basically nothing about multi socket motherboards.. Also, would I have to have ECC RAM? And would I be able to run 2 separate models of CPU at the same time (2x6172 and 2x6128 HE)? It kinda sounds like a stupid idea but what if it works..

That is dells motherboard for their 2u racket servers though, it comes with alot of 

proprietary stuff, connectors and so forth. I can't even see any 4/8 or 24 pin

connectors on that thing.. 

 

I haven't looked much into them myself, but i guess they are insanely cheap if you

could make them work somehow..  

 

I guess it depends on how picky the motherboard is, but you don't necessarily have

to have ECC ram, i don't. But it could come in handy depending on what you want to

use the server for. ZFS file system and so forth.

 

As for the mixing of the cpu's... i am not sure whether that would work or not tbh, but

it sounds too sketchy to work , whaler might know.

[Whaler_99]

That is a proprietary motherboard from Dell. Most server boards from server manufacturers will only work in their specific servers as all the power controllers/connectors are designed to work with a specific power distribution solution within a server chassis. You would need to look at a more generic board from say SuperMicro, Tyan, Asus, etc. You want to look that is has the 24pin power and typically two 8 pin CPU connectors. 

 

As for running different CPU's - typically all your CPU's have to be the same model, but you can normally run 1, 2 or 4 on a quad cpu board. 3 isn't typically a support number. Some, like the SM boards, will boot with three CPU's installed, but only use two of them.

[Redicat]

Is this build pratical? can you afford or are there any better ways? cpu already 40-55 each...

[Whaler_99]

No, these build's are no longer practical, for Folding at least, as they no longer have the BIGADV project. You could still fold on them, but GPU's net you a lot more points now. You could also run BOINC on a system like this.

[zombiepixel]

what is a 4p? 

[Joegeddon]

Where did you find a four socket motherboard?

[Whaler_99]

what is a 4p? 

 

4 Processor

 

Where did you find a four socket motherboard?

 

Other than brand name manufacturers, SuperMicro and Tyan make a bunch of various types. EVGA made a really nice 2P, i think they still make some 2P workstation orientated ones.

[Henry]

@Whaler_99 how much did your 32 core folder cost you to build? I'm interested in starting to fold, but I'm trying to approach it cost efficiently.

[Whaler_99]

@Henry Then don't got with this solution - it's dead. Go with GPU's for max points.