2P folding build questions

[Judahnator]

Im going to build a 2P system this summer for folding, and i had a question about driver support.

 

I will be using this as my primary machine, so id like to use Windows 7. My question is "do Super-Micro boards have Windows 7 driver support?"

I don't think Super-Micro is exactly targeting their products towards windows users, so i thought id ask before buying. (board can be found here)

 

Thanks in advance

[Whaler_99]

You can get basic LAN drivers and such, but really - SM boards are not meant to be general use / Win7 systems. They are meant to be running Linux or some flavor of and doing server tasks. This is a server grade mobo. 

 

If you want to build a 2P box for folding - make a folding only box. Running windows would also exclude you from bigadv points is you have 16 cores or more...

 

Something like this - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131817 - is more of a Windows based dual socket mobo that you could also fold on. But, make sure you need the dual CPU for something other then folding. The Intel are expensive :)

[Judahnator]

Thanks for the input.

 

A system based around that mobo is pretty far outside of my budget. I think ill stick to upgrading my current system and make that a general-purpose home server with folding on the side (when i get the money...)

 

Another question came to mind while thinking about this:

Wont GPU's be much more powerull then a few Opterons for folding anyways? If this is so, then would it be better to get a few 580's and save the money on building a whole computer?

[Whaler_99]

Take a look at either of my 4P posts in the forum. With the current Beta project, yes, some high end GPU's are matching output of 4P units. But, this is beta, so who knows when and what the final release will encompass and, 4x7970's use a LOT more power then a normal 4P server and cost almost as much or more, depending on where you get parts.

 

For now - 2P and the bigger 4P are still the way to go. If the Beta stays as is, yes, some 4 or 5 GPU config systems will put out more, but I will argue that 4P still be more power efficient in the long wrong, per PPD.

[ray_p1]

it might be cheaper to go with a couple gpus then a 4p server for instance i can get two gtx 660ti on craigslist right now for $500 compared to a 4p server which would cost around $1500 for one like whaler's 4p server 

[リチャード]

Can Win7 even support dual CPUs?

[Levent]

Can Win7 even support dual CPUs?

i know windows7 supports dual cpu but im not sure which versions probably ultimate only

[warmon6]

i know windows7 supports dual cpu but im not sure which versions probably ultimate only

 

Ultimate, Professional, Enterprise can support 2 sockets. The home OS's and below can only support 1,  ;)

 

 

 

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/system-requirements

[ray_p1]

Ultimate, Professional, Enterprise can support 2 sockets. The home OS's and below can only support 1,  ;)

 

 

 

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/system-requirements

thats what i thought i remember reading that when windows 7 was still in beta.