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7th Annual Holiday Season Race in Folding@Home

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Well, that's stupid. What's the point of an enthusiast dual-processor system if you can't overclock it?

Anyway, I get the feeling the way to go now is GPUs. I'd guess three GTX 570s would get 150,000 PPD. And that's before they implement a quick-return bonus. Edit: Though I might be off by a factor of two somewhere. 😕
 
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That will be 12 cores total, 24 threads, vs 24 real cores. and 2.4 vs 2.0 speed. Now I know the intel is faster per ghz, but enough to make 24 threads on 12 cores faster than 24 cores ? and with a significant speed difference ?

and my PSU is a Corsair AX850. It will have 2 GTX460's in it also, and 4 hard drives.

You'll be fine on power.

But what I was saying is that the dual Opterons WON'T really have 24 "real" cores. They only have 12 FP cores, so in Folding@Home and other distributed computing projects, Intel CPUs will perform the same, if not better (probably). Folding@Home is very Float-Point heavy.


Very interesting. Can those two boards really take i7-3930 (or similar) CPUs?

Only Xeons have dual QPI-links needed for dual socket operation.


Well, that's stupid. What's the point of an enthusiast dual-processor system if you can't overclock it?

Anyway, I get the feeling the way to go now is GPUs. I'd guess three GTX 570s would get 150,000 PPD. And that's before they implement a quick-return bonus. Edit: Though I might be off by a factor of two somewhere. 😕

You can overclock dual Xeon systems now! The SuperMicro X9DAX boards support their "Hyperspeed" technology, which is their Dummy OC settings for Xeons.
 
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Only Xeons have the extra QPI links to run in multi processor configurations. The 3930K is basically a consumer Xeon with a QPI link disabled thus it can't be used in 2P configs.

Yeah, you need the E526xx series processors for a dual socket LGA2011 motherboard.
 
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You can overclock dual Xeon systems now! The SuperMicro X9DAX boards support their "Hyperspeed" technology, which is their Dummy OC settings for Xeons.

Didn't Intel explicitly lock down SB based Xeons?

Which is pretty dumb because I would think the number of people who passed on expensive Xeons to buy cheap ones and OC them is a very, very, very small percentage of Xeon buyers.

I mean, you had one motherboard to choose from... you just called it the "SR2" and everyone in the know knew what you were talking about immediately.

TheAnimal had to clue me in!

http://forums.servethehome.com/show...icro-X9DAX-range-overclocking-from-Supermicro

Eh, blck OC. Nothing like the near 100% the SR2 enabled with the unlocked Xeons - think 3-5% with a lot of tuning and luck.
 
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Well, that's stupid. What's the point of an enthusiast dual-processor system if you can't overclock it?

Anyway, I get the feeling the way to go now is GPUs. I'd guess three GTX 570s would get 150,000 PPD. And that's before they implement a quick-return bonus. Edit: Though I might be off by a factor of two somewhere. 😕

That's the thing - its not considered enthusiast, but Enterprise.
 
You guys are dangerous folks to hang around with. All this talk about Opterons and Xeons is making me want one. I even have a few wishlists made on Newegg!
 
Here are the stats for the 11th day of folding:

FAH20121213.JPG
 
Well, I am kind of screwed, as I its already shipped.

Damn.

Still going to be awesome, man 🙂

Are you going to run Linux on that beast? Wasn't there something about big-adv being all linux or scoring better on Linux or some such thing?

I don't have a rig capable so I sort of tuned that out 😛
 
Still going to be awesome, man 🙂

Are you going to run Linux on that beast? Wasn't there something about big-adv being all linux or scoring better on Linux or some such thing?

I don't have a rig capable so I sort of tuned that out 😛

well, not sure. First I am going to try the plain client, since its my new gaming box (I want to use the current HD). But it will only use 4 of the 32 gig of ram. I may then try Oracle VM. But if memory is a problem, I will probably need biodoc to get me setup on linux.
 
The V7 client on Linux seems to be a lot easier to use than the V6 client. Unless you want to use a graphics card too. For that I fell back to the V6 cli client with Wine. (The V7 client still runs my CPU.)
 
Hmmmm.... I have done in 11 days what took me a month 2 years ago. Peter... what happens if I have an odd number of points? 😛

If any of you want to know the hardware I've been throwing around:

Permanent Hardware:
Quad-socket AMD Opteron 6176 (4x12 cores) with... 16GB of RAM (yes, it's pathetic).
Dual Xeon E5-2650 with 64 GB of RAM

Temporary Hardware (comes and goes over days):
Dual Xeon E5-2609/2620/2637/2640/2643 with 32GB to 256GB of RAM (over 10 systems)
Quad AMD 6272/6376 with 128GB to 512GB of RAM (more than 3 systems)
Quad Intel E5-4617 (4x6 cores) with 256GB to 768GB of RAM (3 systems)
GPU systems with between 2 and 4 GTX 690's each (4 GPU systems so far)
 
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Well, that most certainly explains your success in folding ... very nice and some very nice results!
Odd number of points is split too ... and then rounded down ... I doubt very much that one point more or less matters 🙂
 
well, not sure. First I am going to try the plain client, since its my new gaming box (I want to use the current HD). But it will only use 4 of the 32 gig of ram. I may then try Oracle VM. But if memory is a problem, I will probably need biodoc to get me setup on linux.

I guess I would be shocked if XP even boots on this hardware but it might. As Ken_g6 mentioned, the v7 client looks the same on Ubuntu as it does on windows.

My 3930k is a dual boot system with openSUSE and windows 8. I don't see a difference in ppd. I'm running windows so my daughter can play SIMS.🙄
 
I guess I would be shocked if XP even boots on this hardware but it might. As Ken_g6 mentioned, the v7 client looks the same on Ubuntu as it does on windows.

My 3930k is a dual boot system with openSUSE and windows 8. I don't see a difference in ppd. I'm running windows so my daughter can play SIMS.🙄

Yeah, you need to figure out if XP is going to even see all of the cores - I think that XP pro is good for dual sockets, but I can't imagine the scheduler can handle that many threads.

When Server 2003 came out, a 24 thread box was the domain of the *nix boys, not something for lowly Windows admins to play with. Or even Novell admins 😛
 
Yeah, you need to figure out if XP is going to even see all of the cores - I think that XP pro is good for dual sockets, but I can't imagine the scheduler can handle that many threads.

When Server 2003 came out, a 24 thread box was the domain of the *nix boys, not something for lowly Windows admins to play with. Or even Novell admins 😛

OK. XP pro 32 bit sees all the cores. doing drivers now, stay tuned
 
Well, I have everything up and running under my old XP install. F@H detects 24 cores, but gives me a uniprocessor client, and its running 20% CPU. CRAP. I redid the client setup, and cleaned everything out of the F@H dir, and it still keeps giving me a uniprocessor client.

BTW at 20% util and both video cards going, its drawing 550 watts. How much more do you think it would take @100% processor ? 650 ? on an AX850 Corsair ? should be OK 24/7 ?

Below is my screen

dual_6234_opterons.JPG
 
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Well, I have everything up and running under my old XP install. F@H detects 24 cores, but gives me a uniprocessor client, and its running 20% CPU. CRAP. I redid the client setup, and cleaned everything out of the F@H dir, and it still keeps giving me a uniprocessor client.

BTW at 20% util and both video cards going, its drawing 550 watts. How much more do you think it would take @100% processor ? 650 ? on an AX850 Corsair ? should be OK 24/7 ?

Below is my screen

I'd probably guess 700-750W. It'll be fine for 24/7.
 
Well, I have everything up and running under my old XP install. F@H detects 24 cores, but gives me a uniprocessor client, and its running 20% CPU. CRAP. I redid the client setup, and cleaned everything out of the F@H dir, and it still keeps giving me a uniprocessor client.

8068 is an smp WU but it looks like you only have 4 cores maxed out.

EDIT: Have you tried -smp 24 as a switch?

I've had this WU on all four of my machines:

Project ID 8068
Core: GRO-A4
Credit: 197
Frames: 100


Name: 1090T Slot 02
Path: 192.168.1.20-36330
Number of Frames Observed: 300

Min. Time / Frame : 00:01:57 - 9,622.8 PPD
Avg. Time / Frame : 00:02:05 - 8,714.0 PPD


Name: 2600K Slot 00
Path: 192.168.1.4-36330
Number of Frames Observed: 300

Min. Time / Frame : 00:01:00 - 26,203.2 PPD
Avg. Time / Frame : 00:01:01 - 25,561.5 PPD


Name: Q9550 Slot 02
Path: 192.168.1.5-36330
Number of Frames Observed: 300

Min. Time / Frame : 00:02:13 - 7,939.7 PPD
Avg. Time / Frame : 00:02:39 - 6,074.1 PPD


Name: x12 Slot 01
Path: 127.0.0.1-36330
Number of Frames Observed: 300

Min. Time / Frame : 00:00:50 - 34,445.0 PPD
Avg. Time / Frame : 00:00:54 - 30,689.5 PPD
 
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8068 is an smp WU but it looks like you only have 4 cores maxed out.

EDIT: Have you tried -smp 24 as a switch?

I've had this WU on all four of my machines:

Project ID 8068
Core: GRO-A4
Credit: 197
Frames: 100


Name: 1090T Slot 02
Path: 192.168.1.20-36330
Number of Frames Observed: 300

Min. Time / Frame : 00:01:57 - 9,622.8 PPD
Avg. Time / Frame : 00:02:05 - 8,714.0 PPD


Name: 2600K Slot 00
Path: 192.168.1.4-36330
Number of Frames Observed: 300

Min. Time / Frame : 00:01:00 - 26,203.2 PPD
Avg. Time / Frame : 00:01:01 - 25,561.5 PPD


Name: Q9550 Slot 02
Path: 192.168.1.5-36330
Number of Frames Observed: 300

Min. Time / Frame : 00:02:13 - 7,939.7 PPD
Avg. Time / Frame : 00:02:39 - 6,074.1 PPD


Name: x12 Slot 01
Path: 127.0.0.1-36330
Number of Frames Observed: 300

Min. Time / Frame : 00:00:50 - 34,445.0 PPD
Avg. Time / Frame : 00:00:54 - 30,689.5 PPD
I was getting like 490 ppd, so now I am trying Win XP pro 64, but it seems to lock up examining my large hard drives, 1,5 tb is the smallest.
 
Yesterday I did not have the time to collect the stats - RL, you know ... 😉.
But here are the current stats:

FAH20121215.JPG


Here is the production plot for the whole TeAm:

Team-folding-20121215.JPG


Well done, TeAm-mates! :thumbsup:
 
I was getting like 490 ppd, so now I am trying Win XP pro 64, but it seems to lock up examining my large hard drives, 1,5 tb is the smallest.

That's a bummer. I did a little searching and there's a lot of information for setting up 2P and 4P systems for running FAH out there.

If you want to give linux a try, here's a detailed setup guide for 2P and 4P systems.

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1601608

Thanks for the stats, Peter! :thumbsup:
 
OK, its running the v7 client,and configured for bigadv and running a 8069 unit and going 16k ppd on that. Waiting until it finishes this unit to see if it uses bidadv, but at least it using 100% cpu and has 40k ppd for the GPU clients.
 
OK, question, on hfm.net client 7.x I used 0.0.0.0/24 for allowed and allowed with password, and 10.0.0.0 for denied, but I still can't see the stats.

Help lease, my googleness is lacking.

Edit: setting the client to 127.0.0.1,192.168.1.0/24 for allowed, and adding a password worked.
 
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OK, its running the v7 client,and configured for bigadv and running a 8069 unit and going 16k ppd on that. Waiting until it finishes this unit to see if it uses bidadv, but at least it using 100% cpu and has 40k ppd for the GPU clients.

Do you have 4 sticks of RAM per CPU? I've read this is necessary for quad channel RAM and maximum PPD.
 
I haven't gotten a GPU unit (nvidia) since roughly noon yesterday. Anyone else experiencing this problem? "no appropriate work server was available, will try later". My already anemic stats have plummeted even further.
 
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