Itty Bitty Computers thread (eg. 4 cores or less, at or under 3GHz).

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Profile Tom M
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Message 1963842 - Posted: 8 Nov 2018, 3:51:44 UTC

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Since I had a small surplus of GTX 750Ti's laying around from having been replaced by GTX 1060's I said, "how cheaply can I get this running?"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
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Message 1966394 - Posted: 21 Nov 2018, 8:09:29 UTC - in response to Message 1963842.  

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
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Message 1966957 - Posted: 25 Nov 2018, 4:58:58 UTC - in response to Message 1966394.  

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. :)

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Message 1966964 - Posted: 25 Nov 2018, 7:03:51 UTC

... 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.
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Message 1966976 - Posted: 25 Nov 2018, 9:01:56 UTC

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.


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Message 1966978 - Posted: 25 Nov 2018, 9:41:06 UTC - in response to Message 1966976.  

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


Me too :) Maybe this time-warp stuff has gotten to me.... :)
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Message 1966979 - Posted: 25 Nov 2018, 9:43:31 UTC - in response to Message 1966964.  

... 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.


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
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Message 1967471 - Posted: 28 Nov 2018, 2:20:50 UTC

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.
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Message 1967484 - Posted: 28 Nov 2018, 3:26:56 UTC - in response to Message 1967471.  
Last modified: 28 Nov 2018, 3:27:25 UTC

Here's mine working away on this project - 4 Rasp. Pi each with 4 cores -


Well, yours makes mine look like a "Goliath" :)

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Message 1968077 - Posted: 30 Nov 2018, 23:35:19 UTC

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.
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Message 1968108 - Posted: 1 Dec 2018, 4:33:42 UTC - in response to Message 1968077.  

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.

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Message 1968117 - Posted: 1 Dec 2018, 6:29:30 UTC

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).

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Message 1975452 - Posted: 16 Jan 2019, 18:44:06 UTC

Greetings,

Here's a pic of my new Itty bitty computers, my 3 new Raspberry Pis:


CAPT Siran d'Vel'nahr - L L & P _\\//
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Message 1975454 - Posted: 16 Jan 2019, 18:58:46 UTC - in response to Message 1975452.  

Greetings,

Here's a pic of my new Itty bitty computers, my 3 new Raspberry Pis:




1+
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Message 1976540 - Posted: 23 Jan 2019, 3:04:35 UTC - in response to Message 1975454.  

[quote]Greetings,
Here's a pic of my new Itty bitty computers, my 3 new Raspberry Pis:


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.
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Message 1976579 - Posted: 23 Jan 2019, 11:55:21 UTC - in response to Message 1976540.  

[quote]Greetings,
Here's a pic of my new Itty bitty computers, my 3 new Raspberry Pis:


That's cool!

I have four of them myself chugging away here and no problems at all. They are workhorses. :-)

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
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Message 1976715 - Posted: 24 Jan 2019, 1:57:50 UTC - in response to Message 1976579.  


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. :)


Oh cool!


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.


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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Message boards : Number crunching : Itty Bitty Computers thread (eg. 4 cores or less, at or under 3GHz).


 
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