I've been contributing to SETI now for about a year I guess, using just my laptop. I'm in need of another home computer and would like to build something on a budget that will still knock out a fair number of WUs. I used to be into modifying computers about 10 years ago, but never built one, I'm a handyman so I have no doubt I can do it.

I was thinking of sticking with AMD (Phenom 2 955?) for the value, would like USB3, SATAIII (plan on using an SSD). No gaming, and I'm not sure about messing around with overclocking, might hook this PC up to my TV. My main hold up now is I want to see what ya'll think of the processor I picked, I know its a couple of years old but I'm not a power user and it seems affordable. Also I have no idea where to start on the mobo, there are so many choices. I want to start out with integrated graphics, but leave it open later to add a NVIDIA GPU or two.

Processor really doesn't matter much, if you do CUDA processing. Get a MB with 3 or 4 graphics slots, and buy 3 or 4 GT240 cards when on sale (well under $100 each). The GT240s will give you RAC around 4-5000 each; the CPU, not so much.

That's worked well for me. Your mileage may vary!

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Processor really doesn't matter much, if you do CUDA processing. Get a MB with 3 or 4 graphics slots, and buy 3 or 4 GT240 cards when on sale (well under $100 each). The GT240s will give you RAC around 4-5000 each; the CPU, not so much.

That's worked well for me. Your mileage may vary!

Good advice there for the significance of CUDA.

I'd add my opinion that you should go for the latest nVidia architecture to take advantage of the latest CUDA drivers, double precision arithmetic, and the upcoming support for OpenCL (successor to CUDA). Hence, I'd recommend the GT(S) 4xx series cards as a minimum spec.

What GPGPUs you go for certainly has the greater significance. Also go for 1GB vram for flexibility.


Happy fast crunchin',
Martin

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Check this out OP:

http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=63991

I had a lot of great folks offer tons of help for a similar project to yours. Give it a shot.

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Executive Director GPU Users Group Inc. -
brad@gpuug.org

Everything is a tradeoff and everything I'm suggesting is definitely arguable.

If it were me and I'm looking for maximum bang for my dollar and the least headaches, I'd do this:

1) AMD Phenom II X6 1075T Thuban 3.0GHz 6 x ($175)

Why? Because it's like getting another dual core 3GHz computer for $60. Another dozen or twenty SETI tasks per day.

2) BIOSTAR A870U3 AM3 motherboard ($65)

Why? Dual PCIe slots, DDR3 memory, USB 3, cheap.

3) PNY Optima 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM 1333 $45

Why? Fast enough and cheap. I'd only add more if you are going to do big image file manipulation or video editing. If it isn't enough, it's easy enough to add more. Some people suggest 1GB per processor. Okay, so spend another $22.

4)Thermaltake TRX-650M TR2 RX 650-Watt Modular Power Supply $80

Why? Plenty - 44A single 12v rail, modular, cheap for all that.

5) Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case $60

Why? I've got one. Not the nicest in the world, but easy, cheap, and comes with two large case fans with speed switches (nice and quiet and cool). <I personally quit spending $250-350 on cases; I'm not building an armored personnel carrier>

6) COOLER MASTER R4-BMBS-20PK-R0 Blade Master 120mm Case Fan <get 2> $12ea

Why? Front fans for drives, but mostly just to move more more air SLOWLY into the case to keep the noise to a minimum. Don't skip this. It's important for the video card because of where it sits in the case.

8) OKGEAR 6" 3 Pin Y Cable ($4)

Why? To connect the two front fans to the motherboard.

7) COOLER MASTER Hyper TX3 RR-910-HTX3-G1 "Heatpipe Direct Contact" 92mm CPU Cooler $25

Why? I'm sure there is better, I just don't know about it without spending big dollars. I have one of these. It's cheap, easy to install, and works. The stock coolers are too small for 24/7 SETIing so they run at high speed and loudly. This one seems to do the job. Point the air-flow to rear.

8)PNY XLR8 VCGGTX4601XPB-OC GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) ($140 after rebate)

Why? Fermi card. Somewhat future-proof unlike GT 240. Cheap 10,000/day RAC, cool and efficient (that's relative). You wouldn't be disappointed with the TV output, either.

$618 -

Add drives to taste:

??) ASUS Black SATA DVD-ROM Drive Model DVD-E818A7T/BLK/B/GEN - OEM ($17)

???) Seagate Barracuda ST31000524AS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive ($60)

Total $695

Stir, don't shake.

There's not a part of that you can't improve-on.

I did take into account things like not-needing an expensive case with all kinds of nice cable-management and spiffy features because you spent an extra $20 on a modular power supply.

You can save money on the power supply and then spend another $50 on a nicer case to prevent a plumber's nightmare and improve air-flow.

I know, all those fans sound like they'd be noisy. That's exactly backwards. Running lots of large fans slowly is a lot better than running a couple of smaller fans at a higher speed. Front fans blow in, rear and top fans blow out.

If $700 isn't what you think-of as "budget," you just need to provide a little more guidance. I think of that as "moderate" but good golly... that's a very capable, quiet, not-ugly computer that would produce something in the 15,000+/day RAC general area without really requiring any tweaking and without your needing to buy earplugs or hock yourr relatives when the electricity bill arrives.

Set-up with all those fans turning slowly, you'd probably wonder if it was on when you walked in the room (I can't hear mine across a 14' room unless the room and outdoors are absolutely, completely, dead silent).

To clarify - I don't own exactly this. I'm talking about the fan noise because I do own the case and the fans and CPU cooler. The purchases were a desperation measure because I couldn't find what I wanted in stock locally - but I was surprised and am happy I didn't spend more money.

Just one idea of many.

As I say, there's not a thing in that list that can't be improved-upon.

EDIT - If you ever wanted to fill that second PCIe slot, you might want a little bigger power supply.

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Reading this with great interest, as A. I'm currently doing my S@H work on my laptop (dual core 2.6GHz 4GB ram etc.) and it's running HOT and I want to get it back to doing what I bought it for, doing my uni work (Bio-Med student, don't ask).

So I was looking on fleebay and found some 04 vintage 3GHz Zeon quad core servers for next to nothing with 8GB ram, now I have some spare 300gig HDD kicking around, so that's not an issue what "interests" me is if I can shoehorn a decent graphics card or two in there as the hope is that the machine might also provide me with a media player too.

I'm not looking for huge RACs just to get a decent number of WU done/day with out living in what sounds like a wind tunnel, or melting my workhorse computer into slag (slagged a laptop four weeks ago, long story, short of it the fan jammed on a felt plug, it was going on 7 years old though).

So yeah reading with great interest! But could use a bit of feedback on the "old server" idea.

Cheers, Thomas.

So I was looking on fleebay and found some 04 vintage 3GHz Zeon quad core servers for next to nothing with 8GB ram

You really would want to get them for next to nothing. ie less than $400. Because even a cheap i3 based system would easily outperform such an old system. And that's without adding a CUDA capable video card.
Although i don't remember any Quad Core CPUs from that period (but it was a long time ago now). Quad socket maybe?

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Grant
Darwin NT

Yeah quad socket, I wasn't being clear, been a long day, and my brain is fading..... ie 4x3GHz Xeon processors, 2GB ram/CPU. Can probably get em for ~$90 if I pick them up going on the history for similar items of late.

Thomas.

Wow! Great advice guys! So it sounds like I can't process units on both the CPU and the GPU at the same time, so I should go out all out on one or the other, but not both?

Wow! Great advice guys! So it sounds like I can't process units on both the CPU and the GPU at the same time, so I should go out all out on one or the other, but not both?

You absolutely can. Currently I'm running two GPU's and a hex core (6 core) processor. While I'm crunching 6 SETI WU's on my GPU's, I'm also crunching 6 SETI WU's on my CPU.

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Executive Director GPU Users Group Inc. -
brad@gpuug.org

I've purchased a few of CompUSA's AMD kits for ~$200, and then tossed in a ~$100 GTX460.

Currently you can get and AMD X2, 4GB RAM 500GB HDD, with all the trimmings for $199.

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=645625&CatId=332

Or here's an Intel box for $249

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=411217&CatId=333

Either will be faster than a 7 year old Xeon, which you can't drop a PCIE GPU into.

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So got a line on a cheapish (for a australia) Phenom II hex-core machine 6GB 1Tb, only the one PCIe16 slot though, so was wondering as this is blowing my budget a bit as is, if this type of GPU card would work, nVidia GT 430 GT430 PCI-E 1GB?

If so then I guess the plastic is going to get a bit of a work out....

Cheers, Thomas.

So got a line on a cheapish (for a australia) Phenom II hex-core machine 6GB 1Tb, only the one PCIe16 slot though, so was wondering as this is blowing my budget a bit as is, if this type of GPU card would work, nVidia GT 430 GT430 PCI-E 1GB?

If so then I guess the plastic is going to get a bit of a work out....

Cheers, Thomas.

Having just built a PC, I'd spring for a MOBO that had at least one or two more PCIe slots. Graphic cards are pretty cheap and the older (yet still damn effective) models are getting cheaper. I wish I would've saved up for a 4 PCIe slot MOBO, but alas I have two. Next build though...

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Executive Director GPU Users Group Inc. -
brad@gpuug.org

Yeah I know more is better, but them's the breaks. I have asked what the cost would be to to a bigger MoBo PCIe16 slot wise and am still waiting for a reply. So far this almost of the rack option is still *slightly* cheaper than a build my own from parts machine.

I guess I can always upgrade the MoBo later if funds permit etc.

Decisions decisions....

Thomas.

...if this type of GPU card would work, nVidia GT 430 GT430 PCI-E 1GB?

It'll work. It's a little less "powerful" than an older GT 240, and about 1/3rd as powerful as a GTX 460, but it consumes a lot less power.

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I guess I can always upgrade the MoBo later if funds permit etc.

These days there is no upgrading of motherboards; when that time comes, you're looking at a whole new system. PCIe x16 is neccessary when playing games at highest possible settings. For Seti crunching even x4 would be more than adequate.

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Grant
Darwin NT

I have been using an Opteron 1210 at 1.8 GHz on my SUN workstation bought in January 2008. Now a nephew of mine, who is a hardware fanatic, is sending me an Opteron 1220 at 2.8 GHz and an Athlon 6000 at 3.0 GHz. Since I am not a "hardy boy" as defined in "The soul of a new machine" by Tracy Kidder (sorry to hear that Tom West has just died), which CPU do you advise me to put in my AM2 socket? Thanks in advance.
Tullio

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The GT240s will give you RAC around 4-5000 each

My little GT 440 is giving me RAC of 7-8000. Just like older 240, it doesn't require extra power connector and draws around 60W.

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I'm not looking to set RAC records or anything, I just want a machine that will do a reasonable number of WU/day without sounding like a jet preping to take-off!

So I'm thinking:
AMD Phenom II 555 DualCore 3.2GHz 80W BLACK ED ($95)
Asus M4A89GTD-Pro USB3 AM3 890GX 4DDR3 2PCIE RAID VGA GLAN 2FW ATX HDMI ($139)
G Skill 4G(2x2G) DDR3 1600Mhz PC12800 9-9-9-24(CL9D-4GBNQ) ($53)
Asus GF GT430 PCI-E2.0 1GB DDR3 DSub DVI HDMI DX11 Fan LP ($72)
Aereon ASC-700C 700W (ATX)($86)

Inside an old tower box I have, that has a wireless card present already along with a CD drive of some kind (it's old, prob X16 speed, and probably can't burn DVDs)

Preliminary pricing suggests ~AU$450, but I think I can drag that down a bit still.

Cheers, Thomas.

I have been using an Opteron 1210 at 1.8 GHz on my SUN workstation bought in January 2008. Now a nephew of mine, who is a hardware fanatic, is sending me an Opteron 1220 at 2.8 GHz and an Athlon 6000 at 3.0 GHz. Since I am not a "hardy boy" as defined in "The soul of a new machine" by Tracy Kidder (sorry to hear that Tom West has just died), which CPU do you advise me to put in my AM2 socket? Thanks in advance.
Tullio

Tullio, I used to work on sun boxes and love them! In this case of a choice between those two CPU's...go with the Opteron. It has twice the L1 cache and uses 17 watts less power. The Opteron processors are specifically built for servers and crunch data like you wouldn't believe. Although, seems like ALL CPU's are slower than the GPU's for S@H. hmmm...anyone else miss the RiSC architecture?

Good Luck!!

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"Two things are infinite: The universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein