Message boards :
Number crunching :
Itty Bitty Computers thread (eg. 4 cores or less, at or under 3GHz).
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Author | Message |
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Tom M Send message Joined: 28 Nov 02 Posts: 5124 Credit: 276,046,078 RAC: 462 |
I recently was given an "elderly" Dell Micro Tower with what eventually turned out to be a single core CPU (a Celeron) @2.12GHz (?). Since I had a small surplus of GTX 750Ti's laying around from having been replaced by GTX 1060's I said, "how cheaply can I get this running?" I also have an already paid for supply of Windows 7 Professional that will upgrade to Windows 10 operating systems. So I started it up under a standard/stock Boinc/Seti setup and got something like 6-8 hours per CPU task and maybe 20 odd minutes per gpu task after it started running SOG type tasks. But I wasn't satisfied (more speed, more speed :) so I investigated CPU upgrades. While there is a 4 core @2.78GHz used CPU out there, I was seeing $50 prices on those. However, an old favorite a 2 core@3GHz CPU chip that I ran for several years (I think) in conjunction with a GTX 210 gpu could be had for $4.95 with free shipping. What a deal! It arrived nearly a month ago. Last Sunday I finally had both the time and ambition (I took the night off from work) and got the upgrade installed. The CPU task times went down to under 4 hours and even the gpu time dropped from around 20 or so to 15-18 minutes. Here is a link to this "Itty Bitty Machine" http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/show_host_detail.php?hostid=8591492 "That's my story and I'm sticking to it" (a lyric from a CW song). Tom A proud member of the OFA (Old Farts Association). |
Tom M Send message Joined: 28 Nov 02 Posts: 5124 Credit: 276,046,078 RAC: 462 |
It looks like the memory isn't cutting it. So I have spent a very small amount of money to take the memory up to 4 Megabytes. I keep getting computation failures due to a lack of memory. The memory is on its way but it will be a week or so. Tom |
Tom M Send message Joined: 28 Nov 02 Posts: 5124 Credit: 276,046,078 RAC: 462 |
Memory came in today. It was a 5 minute upgrade. Straight up reboot. Its now got 4MB of ram and is using about half of it. I suppose I could look for a $5 4 core CPU for my next upgrade :) ..... nah... Even though "all" CPUs (a full two of them now, no HT) are now running with the gpu I am still able to run the browser. That is a first. Previously, running the browser would fully jam the ram till the Seti apps were dying left and right of "unable to allocate ram" errors. Unless some else resurrects this thread, it can now languish into obscurity. :) Tom A proud member of the OFA (Old Farts Association). |
Wiggo Send message Joined: 24 Jan 00 Posts: 34871 Credit: 261,360,520 RAC: 489 |
... I also have an already paid for supply of Windows 7 Professional that will upgrade to Windows 10 operating systems. ....Leave them at Win7 or go to Linux as Win10 will screw you eventually. ;-) Cheers. |
TimeLord04 Send message Joined: 9 Mar 06 Posts: 21140 Credit: 33,933,039 RAC: 23 |
I HOPE you mean 4GB RAM, NOT 4MB!!! :-O Haven't seen 4MB RAM since 1994 on the old Intel 486 DX2-66 and DX4-100 Systems... Even then, my DX4-100 had 8MB RAM. TL TimeLord04 Have TARDIS, will travel... Come along K-9! Join Calm Chaos |
Tom M Send message Joined: 28 Nov 02 Posts: 5124 Credit: 276,046,078 RAC: 462 |
I HOPE you mean 4GB RAM, NOT 4MB!!! :-O Me too :) Maybe this time-warp stuff has gotten to me.... :) A proud member of the OFA (Old Farts Association). |
Tom M Send message Joined: 28 Nov 02 Posts: 5124 Credit: 276,046,078 RAC: 462 |
... I also have an already paid for supply of Windows 7 Professional that will upgrade to Windows 10 operating systems. ....Leave them at Win7 or go to Linux as Win10 will screw you eventually. ;-) This started out as a gift project and may still end up as one. The recipient doesn't do Linux. But it is tempting. I have a gtx 750ti that is processing tasks quite briskly under Linux/CUDA91. Tom A proud member of the OFA (Old Farts Association). |
HAL Send message Joined: 18 May 99 Posts: 535 Credit: 8,246,955 RAC: 3 |
Here's mine working away on this project - 4 Rasp. Pi each with 4 cores - I'm putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all, I think, that any conscious entity can ever hope to do. |
Tom M Send message Joined: 28 Nov 02 Posts: 5124 Credit: 276,046,078 RAC: 462 |
Here's mine working away on this project - 4 Rasp. Pi each with 4 cores - Well, yours makes mine look like a "Goliath" :) Tom A proud member of the OFA (Old Farts Association). |
OzzFan Send message Joined: 9 Apr 02 Posts: 15691 Credit: 84,761,841 RAC: 28 |
Do servers count as "itty bitty"? I'm just resurrected my dual Pentium III 700MHz, and a dual Pentium III 1.4GHz, and a dual Pentium II Overdrive 333MHz system. Unfortunately the PII Overdrive is running Windows NT Server 4.0 and doesn't seem to be supported by the apps anymore. Trying to see if there's an alternative app that runs under NT4 that can still process today's workunits. |
Tom M Send message Joined: 28 Nov 02 Posts: 5124 Credit: 276,046,078 RAC: 462 |
Do servers count as "itty bitty"? I'm just resurrected my dual Pentium III 700MHz, and a dual Pentium III 1.4GHz, and a dual Pentium II Overdrive 333MHz system. Unfortunately the PII Overdrive is running Windows NT Server 4.0 and doesn't seem to be supported by the apps anymore. Trying to see if there's an alternative app that runs under NT4 that can still process today's workunits. Well, I think it would. They are certainly slower than the one cpu box I upgraded to 2 cpu cores. And I think I remember running some Pentiums down in the 333Mhz range. Tom A proud member of the OFA (Old Farts Association). |
zoom3+1=4 Send message Joined: 30 Nov 03 Posts: 65768 Credit: 55,293,173 RAC: 49 |
Itty Bitty, I'll show ya Itty Bitty: I've got all of you beat and this is one of the ancestors of the modern PC too since it has a chipset and can display 256 colors on screen, a 1.79MHz Atari 1200XL, the image is a stand in while mine awaits some upgrades, like 1MB of memory from Poland, among other things. Though I doubt it will ever crunch numbers, not even with a 65816 20MHz cpu upgrade(also from Poland). The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's |
Siran d'Vel'nahr Send message Joined: 23 May 99 Posts: 7379 Credit: 44,181,323 RAC: 238 |
Greetings, Here's a pic of my new Itty bitty computers, my 3 new Raspberry Pis: CAPT Siran d'Vel'nahr - L L & P _\\// Winders 11 OS? "What a piece of junk!" - L. Skywalker "Logic is the cement of our civilization with which we ascend from chaos using reason as our guide." - T'Plana-hath |
Tom M Send message Joined: 28 Nov 02 Posts: 5124 Credit: 276,046,078 RAC: 462 |
Greetings, 1+ A proud member of the OFA (Old Farts Association). |
HAL Send message Joined: 18 May 99 Posts: 535 Credit: 8,246,955 RAC: 3 |
[quote]Greetings, That's cool! I have four of them myself chugging away here and no problems at all. They are workhorses. :-) I'm putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all, I think, that any conscious entity can ever hope to do. |
Siran d'Vel'nahr Send message Joined: 23 May 99 Posts: 7379 Credit: 44,181,323 RAC: 238 |
[quote]Greetings, Hi Hal, Thanks! :) I based my build on your thread about building your stack. I had my first Pi done and labeled before I saw your thread and then saw that you labeled yours as I have. I figured I was in good company. :) I was told the the MicroSD cards have a short life span due to the nature of their design. Perhaps 9 months max, if I remember correctly. They are designed for storage and not constant reads and writes. I'm going to see if it's possible to eliminate the MicroSD cards and use a partitioned SSD hooked up by USB. What do you thing? I do have this brand spanking new 7 port powered USP hub. ;) Have a great day! :) Siran CAPT Siran d'Vel'nahr - L L & P _\\// Winders 11 OS? "What a piece of junk!" - L. Skywalker "Logic is the cement of our civilization with which we ascend from chaos using reason as our guide." - T'Plana-hath |
HAL Send message Joined: 18 May 99 Posts: 535 Credit: 8,246,955 RAC: 3 |
Oh cool!
Hmmm ... well mine have been going since last March 2018 - 10 to 11 months running 24/7 no issues. I'm just going to let 'em go and if the card fails we'll just replace it. I'm putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all, I think, that any conscious entity can ever hope to do. |
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