BOINC Boxes

NightmareXX · 21 Dec 2008 at 18:57

Well as per title really. Does anyone else here have a dedicated computer running BOINC/F@H 24/7? What's the general consensus around building a PC purely for running such a project?

This is my file server (AMD 1650 LE Single core I think, 1GB RAM).

This is my pure BOINC box that does nothing but CPDN (AMD Athlon X2 4000, 2GB RAM).

Both systems run XP Pro and draw 90W at the plug (Works out to be 4 units of electricity per day). Neither has a keyboard/mouse/screen/graphics card installed and are only accessible via Microsoft Terminal Services Client (MSTSC). I also run CPDN on my main system although that isn't on anywhere near as long as those two systems.

I was looking into building another system for around £280 that would be an AMD Phenom 9850BE with 2GB RAM also running XP. Am I daft for wanting to do this?

sculptor · 21 Dec 2008 at 23:37

Hi NightmareXX
I have been running F@H on dedicated PCs since 2003, I built up the systems and paid for the lecky to run them. Now Im sure there arent many peeps out there who would consider me to be normal, but when the folding bug bites it can really get a hold of you.
I would say go ahead mate if its what you want to do, as long as you can afford to do it.
I have no idea how the price of lecky is going to go in the future, its very closely tied with the price of oil which will only get more expensive with time.

sculptor.

verbal · 21 Dec 2008 at 23:46

Well plenty of people have dedicated distributed computing PCs. Here's my folding box, it cost around £200 in total. 2 graphics cards folding in Vista

Pumpkinstew · 21 Dec 2008 at 23:47

If you believe the science to be worthwhile, or just want a bigger cobblie stash, then go for it.

You're unlikely to find anyone who'll try and stop you on these boards.

If you can get it recognised as a charitable donation then it's tax deductable!

EDIT: Ooh, Verbal, you've even taken the lid off it you tease

NightmareXX · 22 Dec 2008 at 00:21

@sculp: Seeing as I'm still living at home, I don't currently pay for the leccy. If I've read correctly, the TDP of the Phenom 9850 is 125W meaning it'll draw 125W on full load? Assuming that and assuming it's on 24/7, that'll be 3 units a day?

@verbal: What have you got inside there? I'd love to get a GPU system going although they're a lot more expensive

verbal · 22 Dec 2008 at 01:45

Ok let's see...

CPU = Athlon 64 3200 [Had spare from old system]
Mobo = Asus AN8-SLI-SE [£25]
RAM = Crucial 2GB DDR ['borrowed' from work]
GPU 1 = Nvidia 8800GS 384mb [£60]
GPU 2 = Nvidia 8800GT 256mb [£50]
PSU = Tagan Easycon 430w [Had spare from old system]
Case = Cheiftec Dragon (modified) [Had spare from old system]
HDD = 80Gb Hitachi [Had spare from old system]

FrostedNipple · 22 Dec 2008 at 12:42

does anyone have a link to the teamocuk seti sig? I couldn't find it on the site

Pumpkinstew · 22 Dec 2008 at 15:17

NightmareXX said:
If I've read correctly, the TDP of the Phenom 9850 is 125W meaning it'll draw 125W on full load? Assuming that and assuming it's on 24/7, that'll be 3 units a day?

Almost. That's the thermal dissipation ie the amount of heat produced. Since heat is effectively the waste product of a CPU and some energy is used for information processing (moving electrons around) the total power will be (very slightly) higher.
There are other components iin the system drawing power though (RAM, Mobo, fans etc) and the PSU won't be 100% efficient either.

So I suspect 3kW/hrs a day is a bit of an underestimate.

Dougiebabe2003 · 22 Dec 2008 at 19:15

So how much is it costing me to run my Q6600 & 4870? Running S@H on 3 cores, then other core is feeding F@H-GPU2 on my 4870 GPU! This is with a Corsair 620HX.

CPU & GPU are running at ~90% 24/7 and I use it most evenings so CPU is prob at 100% then...

Would be nice to know but what ever the cost it's got to be worth it as my room is the hottest in the house

Get rid of the central heating and just Boinc & Fold!! :cool:

NightmareXX · 31 Dec 2008 at 01:39

Pumpkinstew said:
...So I suspect 3kW/hrs a day is a bit of an underestimate.

Bit old but hey, I don't think anyone will mind

As an estimate, assuming HDD, RAM and PSU not at 100% efficiency, I'm going for around 150W which would make it 3.6 units a day. That's almost as much as my other 2 systems combined although I expect a Phenom 9850 will produce more points than those 2 systems combined though?

@Dougiebabe: Not sure as I haven't looked into the power usage of a 4870. I know the power usage of mine because I've got a wall meter

I'd estimate it around 2-300W so between 4.8 and 7.2 units of electricity per day.

oceaness · 31 Dec 2008 at 07:27

Q9450 @ 3.4GHz
9800 GTX+
Asus P5Q
2x2GB OCZ PC2-8500
150gb Raptor

Draws about 250 watts at the wall so 6 units a day, churning out the points you see in my sig.