Build Me A Monster SETI Cruncher For As Cheap As Possible...

[ShotgunSteven]

I have been thinking about upgrading not only my 800 Mhz T-Bird processor, but possibly also upgrading from an ABIT KT7-RAID to an ABIT KT7A-RAID. That would leave me with a left over 800 Mhz T-Bird and ABIT KT7-RAID mobo. Tell me what absolute barebones stuff I would need to make a dedicated WU cruncher out of it. Figure sans keyboard and monitor because they could be borrowed and plugged in when I need to access it directly.

 

[ledzepp98]

if you have a lan set up, all i would think you would need is a video card and lan card. oh, memory also...maybe 64 or 128megs cas2 pc133, any hard drive

 

[ShotgunSteven]

Would need a good, cheap case as well.

 

[ledzepp98]

true...you can probably rig it up without a case but for the price of a cheap case you might as well get a case. also, with the minimal hardware you will be running a 250watt or even 230watt power supply that a lot of cheap cases come with should work fine

 

[Wiz]

Any news on the diskless seti crack rack front?

Are you out there Kilowatt??

 

[n0cmonkey]

dual 1.2ghz athlon, 2x 18GB scsi hdd's, 1024MB ram, little over $2k

 

[ShotgunSteven]

<< dual 1.2ghz athlon, 2x 18GB scsi hdd's, 1024MB ram, little over $2k >>



Sorry, I meant using my leftover processor and mobo as a base.

 

[n0cmonkey]

<<

<< dual 1.2ghz athlon, 2x 18GB scsi hdd's, 1024MB ram, little over $2k >>



Sorry, I meant using my leftover processor and mobo as a base. >>



I figured, but its still a beautiful thought isnt it?

 

[JimMc]

I have a couple of "minimalist" PC's running Seti--a BP6 with dual celeries, 64MB RAM, an old vid card, NIC, and a HD, and a BH6, Celery, 32 MB RAM, old vid NIC and a HD. I'm using two old power supplies and a small wooden rack with pegboard shelves, sits on the floor under my desk.

I temporarily put the hard drive in a working PC, transferred OS files, then connected to the MB of the rack, switched the monitor cable, plugged in a KB and installed the OS. Once networked, install and run SetiDriver and Seti Spy so you can monitor across your network.

This place Liquidation has some $15 540 MB HD's which may be enough to install W98. Hunt around and you should be able to find some $10-15 power supllies.

EDIT: Just remembered that Networkman was selling some stuff here, including some very cheap vid cards ($5-7?). It seems like Russ or someone had a line a while ago on cheap PS's, perhaps they'll post. Cheap RAM is all over right now. I'd stay away from a case personally, makes cooling more of an issue and you probably won't be able to disable the PS fan which adds to noise.

 

[JimMc]

Networkman has moved his thread to FS/FT, better hustle before those jackals have picked him clean!

 

[Sukhoi]

Check out the Linux SETI links in my help thread, many just run on a bootable floppy.

 

[JimMc]

I used Klinux when running RC5, and it was sweet . But it is tough to beat a HD setup if you get them cheap enough (and of course you save the $10 a floppy costs), no set-up on reboot. If it freezes, loses power, etc, a power on/off has you up and running without switching cables around. Let your wallet be your guide.

One thing I'm not sure of, is the Linux Seti client perhaps a tad faster than running a Windoze variant?