Who uses PCIe extenders; do they work?

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Message 1517575 - Posted: 17 May 2014, 18:18:10 UTC

I notice coin miners use extension cables to move the GPUs out of the case to give them more air. Would this work for crunching SETI? I also have seen the same cables used to get five cards to work on a MB designed for four max has anyone tried this and did it work?
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Message 1517588 - Posted: 17 May 2014, 18:56:28 UTC - in response to Message 1517575.  

I've used them quite successfully on GPU's from GTS250's to GTX580's.

I've used both the 16->16 and 16->1 extender cables with equal success. Due to the way BOINC uses PCIE bus, you can run a GTX580 on a x1 PCIE socket with minimal effect on performance.

T.A.
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Message 1517589 - Posted: 17 May 2014, 18:57:54 UTC

Terror Australis with some messing around with various adapters a few years ago.
There was a post with a lot of images as well I think, but I can't find it right now.
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Message 1517590 - Posted: 17 May 2014, 18:58:38 UTC - in response to Message 1517575.  

I have 1 inch raisers for 2 GPU's. No cords.
To overcome Heisenbergs:
"You can't always get what you want / but if you try sometimes you just might find / you get what you need." -- Rolling Stones
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Message 1517591 - Posted: 17 May 2014, 19:05:41 UTC

Also there are PCIe splitters which can be used.
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Message 1517592 - Posted: 17 May 2014, 19:15:11 UTC - in response to Message 1517589.  
Last modified: 17 May 2014, 19:16:51 UTC

Terror Australis with some messing around with various adapters a few years ago.

Many of those adapters come with no instructions. I tried an IDE to SATA and never did get it to work. I assume a PCIe to PCIe of the same bandwidth would work if kept as short as possible. I did assume a 1X to 16X might work. It would be for a Titan though. I have all summer to experiment.

Also there are PCIe splitters which can be used.

Thanks, this is going to be an interesting summer.
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Message 1517594 - Posted: 17 May 2014, 19:35:44 UTC - in response to Message 1517592.  
Last modified: 17 May 2014, 19:36:44 UTC

I used to use risers in my old machine, I only had 2 PCI-E x16 slots so I used the PCI-e x1 with a riser to connect 2 more GPUs on that old machine. Ran fine without a problem, Only thing is making sure it has a molex adapter for power and good capacitor on it, also more than 1 cable connecting the capacitor. Also make sure of the length you need. I got my risers from this place, you can search around the site and look at different kinds and lengths

http://www.moddiy.com/products/PCI%252dExpress-PCI%252dE-1X-to-16X-Riser-Card-Flexible-Ribbon-Extender-Cable-w%7B47%7DMolex-%252b-Solid-Capacitor.html


Happy Crunching

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Message 1517999 - Posted: 19 May 2014, 2:58:19 UTC - in response to Message 1517591.  

Also there are PCIe splitters which can be used.


I wonder what kind of performance hit there would be...
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Message 1518312 - Posted: 19 May 2014, 18:26:49 UTC - in response to Message 1518140.  

And of course you would have to upgrade your PSU to take the extra load of the extra GPU cards. By the time you have done that it may cost in to buy a new computer with extra PCI slots on the motherboard.

Use el cheapo second psu.
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Message 1518624 - Posted: 20 May 2014, 6:54:57 UTC - in response to Message 1517589.  

Terror Australis with some messing around with various adapters a few years ago.
There was a post with a lot of images as well I think, but I can't find it right now.

Is this the one you mean't ?

This machine ran 7 GTS 250's. 2 via the 2 x16 PCIE sockets, 3 via the x1 PCIE sockets and 2 more via PCI to PCIE x1 adapters. The CPU was an E7200. All GPU's ran at "normal" speed.

T.A.
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Message 1518701 - Posted: 20 May 2014, 11:10:53 UTC - in response to Message 1518624.  
Last modified: 20 May 2014, 11:11:10 UTC

Terror Australis with some messing around with various adapters a few years ago.
There was a post with a lot of images as well I think, but I can't find it right now.

Is this the one you mean't ?

This machine ran 7 GTS 250's. 2 via the 2 x16 PCIE sockets, 3 via the x1 PCIE sockets and 2 more via PCI to PCIE x1 adapters. The CPU was an E7200. All GPU's ran at "normal" speed.

Very good! I particularly like the cooling and especially the fan support :-)

And I hope the use of the spacers was good for keeping you off the fags!!! ;-)


Did you do the Linux experiment to see how that lot performed?

Happy fast crunchin',
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Message 1518753 - Posted: 20 May 2014, 14:50:30 UTC - in response to Message 1518624.  

Terror Australis with some messing around with various adapters a few years ago.
There was a post with a lot of images as well I think, but I can't find it right now.

Is this the one you mean't ?

This machine ran 7 GTS 250's. 2 via the 2 x16 PCIE sockets, 3 via the x1 PCIE sockets and 2 more via PCI to PCIE x1 adapters. The CPU was an E7200. All GPU's ran at "normal" speed.

T.A.

Aye that's the post I was thinking about.
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Message 1523361 - Posted: 1 Jun 2014, 20:49:04 UTC

Emboldened by this thread I bought an extender from Hong Kong
($25 shipped) and a second GTX 760 SC and
made a holder (had to mod case of that machine
somewhat).

To my astonishment it is working.
Had the machine off most of the
day getting it assemble so it will take a
while to get to stable results.
Still only at about 50% of the PSU 860W rating.

Not getting any Seti GPU work at present, so the GPUs
are going to Einstein. But hopefully soon will get
more Seti GPU tasks.

So thanks to all for bringing this up and providing
advice. Would never have tried this otherwise.
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Message 1534279 - Posted: 1 Jul 2014, 3:35:47 UTC - in response to Message 1523361.  

So thanks to all for bringing this up and providing
advice. Would never have tried this otherwise.

You are welcome, I'm here to do what I can.
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Message 1534454 - Posted: 1 Jul 2014, 13:33:35 UTC
Last modified: 1 Jul 2014, 13:33:47 UTC

I just found there are a few supplies of miniPCIe to PCIe adapters as well. I am thinking of getting one to try with my mini-ITX board & then I would be able to run 2 PCIe cards on it. With 4 cores the little Celeron J1900 could probably handle feeding 3 GPUs.
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Message 1536141 - Posted: 4 Jul 2014, 21:07:55 UTC

Here is another pci-e splitter...http://www.pc-adapter.net/products/693.html Cheaper cost that this one...http://amfeltec.com/splitters-gpu-oriented/?view=list

Will it work?
Jon
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Message 1536163 - Posted: 4 Jul 2014, 21:50:01 UTC - in response to Message 1536141.  

That first one only takes a PCIe1 and turns it into 4 PCIe1. You are still going to need risers or adaptors to get it from PCIe1 to PCIe4 to use a Graphic card. Might be better off with the second one as it goes from PCIe1 to 4 actually PCIe4 that you can just mount the GPUs to. That being said, I don't know if I would want to run 4 GPUs through only 1 PCIe. Lets see what the other say.

Zalster
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Message boards : Number crunching : Who uses PCIe extenders; do they work?


 
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