Been away for a while...want to jump back in

[Mohonri]

I've been out of the F@H game for some time now, and want to jump back in the game. I don't have much in the way of high-PPD hardware, but I want to get back in the game. My folding-worthy hardware, currently:

Athlon II x3 435 unlocked to 4 cores, 6MB cache, 2.9GHz/ 4GB DDR3/ Radeon HD3850/ WinXP
Athlon x2 3600 running stock/2GB DDR2 / Ubuntu

The rest of my computers are too slow to make a meaningful contribution. I have a few questions:

1) How well will SMP2 run on the unlocked x3? How many PPD might I expect?
2) Is it even worth folding on the x2 anymore?
3) Has the GPU client been fixed to reduce how much CPU the GPU client soaks up? (this was one of the reasons I quit GPU folding when I had the HD3850 on the x2 machine)
4) If no to 3), would I be better served running the SMP2 client alone, or with SMP2 side-by-side with the GPU client?

And finally, something way off-topic: Can someone explain to me why the SR-2 is so embraced? I agree that seven PCIe x16 slots, two CPU sockets, and twelve RAM slots on a single board is flippin' awesome, but is there a reason why this would be better than two single-socket machines with three GPUs each, at a much lower cost?

 

[Kendrak]

Ill let someone with AMD chips answer the ppd questions, but as an SR-2 owner I can talk about the second.

The bonus structure that is in place with the SMP units is why. The faster we get the WU back the bigger the bonus. So if you can build a rig that has as much power in one system to get thoes WU back ASAP.

It is all in a drive to get the most ppd out of a system while keeping an eye on total power used.

 

[sirmonkey1985]

the 435 will run the smp2 client just fine.. especially if you can overclock it.. at 2.9ghz you should get around 3800-4000 PPD.. around 3.4ghz you should be in the range of 4600-5000 PPD.. 3.6ghz around 5500 to 6500 PPD.. my 940 i was doing 6200 PPD @ 3.6ghz 1ghz(2ghz) HTT and slow ass ddr2 memory so your setup should be consistantly faster then my 940 clock for clock with the ddr3 and higher HTT clock..

the x2 no not really but if you want to check out some boinc projects like WCG it will do pretty well..

i wouldnt bother with the HD3850 for now until PG actually releases a working gpu client for ATI cards..

overall the sr-2 setup would be cheaper then any single socket. it also takes up less space then to build 2 systems.. less hardware and it can overclock..

put it into this perspective.. for an SR-2 setup done with 2 single socket boards.. you need 2 PSU's.. 2 cases/motherboard trays if you run them naked, 2 dvd drives, 2 hard drives, and 2 video cards for a pair minimum setup.. so when you add up that the cost of the SR-2 build ends up coming out the same while using less hardware..

 

[Tobit]

The SMP2 client should run decent on your unlocked 435 but I am not sure of numbers because I'm an Intel fanboy.

Not sure about the X2.

GPU client still sucks ass on ATI hardware.

SR-2 is so embraced because we finally have a way to cram a bunch of cores into a single box and overclock those server grade cores. We never had the opportunity before to overclock like this and some people are loving it.

 

[Tobit]

I'm sure Stanford would love it if you ran some basic client work on the X2. if you don't mind the added electricity, you could probably get 500 to 600 PpD out of it. There is plenty of basic client work out there and even some new basic client work coming.

 

[jebo_4jc]

I'm sure Stanford would love it if you ran some basic client work on the X2. if you don't mind the added electricity, you could probably get 500 to 600 PpD out of it. There is plenty of basic client work out there and even some new basic client work coming.

probably more like 2x that actually. I have a 2.5ghz core 2 duo in my laptop that gets up to 2000 ppd if the wu is right. Probably more like 1500 ppd average. I run the standard smp client though.

 

[SazanEyes]

And finally, something way off-topic: Can someone explain to me why the SR-2 is so embraced? I agree that seven PCIe x16 slots, two CPU sockets, and twelve RAM slots on a single board is flippin' awesome, but is there a reason why this would be better than two single-socket machines with three GPUs each, at a much lower cost?

Well, "better" is a relative term. The SR-2 seems to win on PPD/W, but not on PPD/$. The key reason the SR-2 is such a good folding platform is bigadv and bonus points. With bigadv WUs, the faster you finish, the more points you get. Two cheap i7 boxen will have to be overclocked to complete two WUs before the deadline. With the SR-2, you can still overclock two (relatively) cheap processors unlike dual-socket server boards, and then both processors can fold the same WU. This means you can complete a WU in half the time and get a much bigger bonus.

 

[Tobit]

probably more like 2x that actually. I have a 2.5ghz core 2 duo in my laptop that gets up to 2000 ppd if the wu is right. Probably more like 1500 ppd average. I run the standard smp client though.

Yeah, I was talking about the standard client which isn't SMP. There is quite a bit of standard client work out there and even more coming that is in closed beta testing.

 

[Vaulter98c]

I think my price compare was in my SR2 bananza thread, I paid the same price for my parts as two i7 rigs, and my one SR2 pulls less and makes more, win win win situation
Posted via [H] Mobile Device

 

[Tobit]

I think my price compare was in my SR2 bananza thread, I paid the same price for my parts as two i7 rigs, and my one SR2 pulls less and makes more, win win win situation

My calculations confirm this as well. I was going to start building two i7 rigs but think may just make some mild upgrades to my current box and start saving for a SR-2 build with hex cores.

 

[DooKey]

Yep, SR-2 is my next machine in the spring.

 

[Kendrak]

Yep, SR-2 is my next machine in the spring.

Spring?!

For the amount that an SR-2 rig would save ya in heating costs you should be able to fast forward that by a few months.

 

[DooKey]

Spring?!

For the amount that an SR-2 rig would save ya in heating costs you should be able to fast forward that by a few months.

I'll see what I can do, but the wife still remembers the expense of the 980x rig I built.

 

[Kendrak]

I'll see what I can do, but the wife still remembers the expense of the 980x rig I built.

I got mine a new dishwasher and stove, she let me get my SR-2

 

[Tobit]

Damn good thing I don't have any credit cards at the moment.. DAMN GOOD THING.

 

[Mohonri]

So if I understand correctly, the SR-2 is being used primarily for overclocking dual processors, rather than as a basis for a gaggle of GPUs?

 

[Tobit]

So if I understand correctly, the SR-2 is being used primarily for overclocking dual processors, rather than as a basis for a gaggle of GPUs?

Exactly, the bigadv bonus points system, and points per watt, encourages it more than a bunch of GPUs.

 

[leagle]

So if I understand correctly, the SR-2 is being used primarily for overclocking dual processors, rather than as a basis for a gaggle of GPUs?

The answer to your question is yes. While many people still use GPU clients (including me), the current trend is to go with SMP because of a higher PPD/Watt. GPU clients put out great PPD, but they eat a lot of power. Check out the "Top 5 PPD/Watt in the Horde" thread for some examples of what I am talking about.

 

[ShadowStriker]

While we're talking about old computers, should I fold on my dual Opteron 250 2.39GHz 4GB RAM?

 

[Tobit]

While we're talking about old computers, should I fold on my dual Opteron 250 2.39GHz 4GB RAM?

If you don't mind spending the electricity to benefit science, sure. There is a lot of standard client work out there that would run decent on that.. points will just be really low (probably 500/day) so you have to do it for the love of science as it really wouldn't be a big boon to your overall PpD. Fire up two standard client instances and let it crunch.

 

[amdgamer]

While we're talking about old computers, should I fold on my dual Opteron 250 2.39GHz 4GB RAM?

Since you have multiple cores and this system is going to be a dedicated or near dedicated folding rig, you should definately use the SMP client as it should yield 800ppd. It would be for a good cause as it benefits science.

 

[APOLLO]

Welcome back Mohonri!

For the amount that an SR-2 rig would save ya in heating costs you should be able to fast forward that by a few months.

Does your SR-2 produce that much heat...?

While we're talking about old computers, should I fold on my dual Opteron 250 2.39GHz 4GB RAM?

Which motherboard, could you OC it in software? It would be more worth it if you could install a couple of decent GPUs in it providing you have sufficient free PCI-E slots. You'll get thousands of PPD out of a single GPU compared to the hundreds from a CPU client or two. There is a current deal on some GT240s in another thread for ~$35 each. You really can't go wrong with that deal if you're tight on money and still want to use your old system. I have an old dual Opteron that I use as my main machine, but it's production comes mostly from GPUs even though the CPUs are dual-cores.

 

[Kendrak]

SR-2 pulls 500+ watts from the wall, most of that ends up as heat. It's like running a small space heater on low 24/7.

No different than many other boxen here.

 

[jebo_4jc]

SR-2 pulls 500+ watts from the wall, .

500- if you use 32nm chips

My sr2 feels like it produces a lot less heat than a GPU-heavy rig does though. It doesn't heat up a room anything like my dual 9800gx2 rig did.

 

[Kendrak]

500- if you use 32nm chips

My sr2 feels like it produces a lot less heat than a GPU-heavy rig does though. It doesn't heat up a room anything like my dual 9800gx2 rig did.

I think your correct....

But then where is the power going? Am I giving it back to the utility? I thought PSUs where better than that.

 

[jebo_4jc]

I think your correct....

But then where is the power going? Am I giving it back to the utility? I thought PSUs where better than that.

good question, and one that I've thought a bit about.

My conclusion is, other things being equal, the power is being converted to "work" more efficiently (in this case, let's just say the "work" is represented by points) .

lets assume a dual 9800GX2 rig pulls 500w and produces 24000 ppd
lets assume a SR2 rig pulls 500w and produces 50000 ppd

The gx2 rig will waste more power, and thus the wasted power will produce more heat
The SR2 rig wastes less power, and efficiently uses the power to execute more work.

That grossly oversimplified explanation makes sense to my brain. Who knows if it makes sense to anybody else.

 

[APOLLO]

SR-2 pulls 500+ watts from the wall, most of that ends up as heat. It's like running a small space heater on low 24/7.

No different than many other boxen here.

OK, I figured as much and just misread your other post. With no GPU clients running it certainly cannot be hotter than my Skulltrail system loaded with video cards, that's for sure.

My sr2 feels like it produces a lot less heat than a GPU-heavy rig does though. It doesn't heat up a room anything like my dual 9800gx2 rig did.

The Skulltrail I have with 4 GPUs produces quite a bit of heat, but believe it or not my other system with just a single GX2 produces the same or even more....!

 

[Tobit]

Since you have multiple cores and this system is going to be a dedicated or near dedicated folding rig, you should definately use the SMP client as it should yield 800ppd. It would be for a good cause as it benefits science.

Are you sure a dual Opteron 250 can make the preferred deadlines on A3's? Gonna be really close if it can.

 

[APOLLO]

Are you sure a dual Opteron 250 can make the preferred deadlines on A3's? Gonna be really close if it can.

I'm also doubting it but if he can OC the box it is within the realm of possibility I suppose. At a stock 2.4GHz it's going to be tough. This is S-940 architecture. If he can find dirt cheap dual-cores like 270s, 275s, 280s etc., and upgrade the single-core 250s then it's no problem especially with an OC. Socket 940 dual-cores can be found very, very cheap nowadays if you look hard enough. The most one can hope for is around the ~2200 PPD mark, perhaps a bit more with a good OC, that's why I suggested a cheap GPU that by itself can outproduce the maximum potential of this AMD architecture.

 

[ShadowStriker]

Yeah, I wish I could use my dual Xeon X5500 machine, but its soley for work only. 48GB of RAM baby!

 

[amdgamer]

Are you sure a dual Opteron 250 can make the preferred deadlines on A3's? Gonna be really close if it can.

I know that my laptop with a Turion 64 Ultra [email protected] doesn't have any problems meeting the deadlines, and the cpu is set at 55% utilization in the config in order to control heat. However this was back in the days before we started getting these bigger A3's like the 6701's.

 

[ShadowStriker]

Are you sure a dual Opteron 250 can make the preferred deadlines on A3's? Gonna be really close if it can.

Its doing about >850 PPD, and going to finish the GRO-A3 a day and 10 hours before the deadline.

 

[APOLLO]

Its doing about >850 PPD, and going to finish the GRO-A3 a day and 10 hours before the deadline.

Wow, that's much better than I had initially thought. There's still some good fight left in those S-640 processors.

 

[jebo_4jc]

Wow, that's much better than I had initially thought. There's still some good fight left in those S-640 processors.

940

Considering the dual core opterons are selling cheap, like a pair of 275 for $80, you might consider an upgrade?

 

[APOLLO]

940

That's right, I was distracted by something when I posted before, LOL.

Considering the dual core opterons are selling cheap, like a pair of 275 for $80, you might consider an upgrade?

Yeah, I had suggested the same possibility earlier in the thread. However, it might be more worth spending that money for a single or even a pair of GT240s, which will cost virtually the same amount. Two GT240s will produce from 7000-8000 PPD. The GPUs will also consume much more power and create more heat. Upgrading to dual 275s will make about 2000 PPD give or take, but that isn't a net gain. We need to subtract his current production of ~850 PPD from the potential total. It really isn't that much more production.

If this system will undergo many more years of use it could be a good idea to replace the processors providing the total upgrade cost remains very low. I have seen dual-core S-940 processors being sold second hand very cheap in local ads, so it's possible to find even better deals than eBay. It's worth a look-see, especially if the system can be OCed.

 

[jebo_4jc]

If this system will undergo many more years of use it could be a good idea to replace the processors

or if the system is performing other tasks.

You're also forgetting the fact that dual opty 250s can be sold for $13

 

[APOLLO]

You're also forgetting the fact that dual opty 250s can be sold for $13

I don't follow?

 

[jebo_4jc]

I was just pointing out that selling the 250s brings the upgrade price to around $70

then I rolled my eyes at the fact that two of those cpus only bring 13 bucks!

 

[APOLLO]

I was just pointing out that selling the 250s brings the upgrade price to around $70

then I rolled my eyes at the fact that two of those cpus only bring 13 bucks!

Yes, I think it is better to just have them around if for no other reason than trouble shooting purposes. I have kept my 240s when I upgraded to 280s years ago. In retrospect, I should have sold them because they were still worth something significant at the time. That's hindsight, LOL.

 

[ShadowStriker]

If this system will undergo many more years of use it could be a good idea to replace the processors providing the total upgrade cost remains very low. I have seen dual-core S-940 processors being sold second hand very cheap in local ads, so it's possible to find even better deals than eBay. It's worth a look-see, especially if the system can be OCed.

Nope, its pretty much going to be junked. We bought two dual Xeon machines to replace it. I'm just using it until it gets junked so there's no point in upgrading.