Redbacks: emu's Budget Cruncher Farm Build

[karl_eller]

Yeah only 3? Really you don't look poor. I think its time for you to sell that bike thingy that is taking up precious cruncher space maybe you should get a foot-mobile?

Push bike. Easily 1/10th the cost, no insurance, no petrol, and gets you fit And with that other 9/10ths of the money, moar quads and a Nehalem or two

Eller

[emuexport]

Wow, don't know how I've missed this thread for so long.....

Yeah me neither

Go Emu, Go!!!

I'm going alright!

Always nice to see a new "permanent resident" in the cruncher asylum....Don't worry though, SiG has us covered. Just keep taking two quads in the morning and you'll be up to adding two more shelf units before you know it.

I cant believe it took me so long to find WCG and XS. Well the 5th quad will be up and running shortly! So that should last for a day!

In hindsight, the shelf approach with open boards is very good. I have switched to that with my new machines. I had done two racks with server cases, but find I really don't need them and they make maintenance more of a PITA.

Yeah its a great idea and karl_eller put me onto it if I remember correctly as these ones are cheap about $40USD for two.

One suggestion is to secure the shelf to the garage wall so it can't fall down. This is not just for seismic issues. It also helps when you try to pull the shelf down because you're trying to service the top shelf when you've had one (or six) too many beers. I know, I've done it. If it weren't for the seismic braces I put on my racks, I'd have something to cry about.....

Thanks for the tip, I'm not worried about seismic movement but always a good idea like you said as you may pull it off balance and crash!

EDIT: I'd also suggest you get a few 120mm fans and put at least one on each machine. Just blow the air across the critical parts like the NB, SB and RAM. Set the fan up on edge and just blow the air across. You can secure them with zip ties or even tape if they want to "walk" around the shelf. It is cheap insurance to avoid overheating parts. Try to cover your HDs as well. I recently lost a HD in an open rig, I think it was due to heat. I didn't have any air going over it.

Regards,
Bob

Thanks Bob I had planned this but I think I'll set them up to optimise air flow etc.

Also when it comes to HDDs I picked up one of these which should be good for four rigs and a 120mm fan in front!

Thanks again Bob and cheers for the welcome

I got BIG plans for this one Bob.

Oh really!

Oh Emu... Be afraid, be VERY Afraid!..

This Sig guy is dangerous..
Next he'll fly to your house, steal your credit cards, sell your dog and bike and buy all those expensive PC parts..
And the worst part?
He won't steal them!
He'll leave them there so you have to pay the electric for them.
The Man is a monster I tell you.. A Monster!

Oh dave comon now we all know who the real ring leader is!

and BTW if he gets me a good deal on an i7 cruncher then no probs!

Who me?

YES

Only three?

Yes only three no more! That poor power socket is getting a caning at the moment!

Yeah only 3? Really you don't look poor. I think its time for you to sell that bike thingy that is taking up precious cruncher space maybe you should get a foot-mobile?

Thanks for the tip. But the wife would be a little upset if I sold her dog! and whos gonna buy a partially blind nut of a er spaniel that thinks he's human! And the bike well you can have it after I've done my time on the 250cc class (12 months) and need to get a real bike like this one!

Nice looking setup so far. I need to get my second quad up and running. I know I want catch you in points. But I will do what I can.

You can try I am known to fall asleep at the wheel! (just kidding) And every point counts as a potential cure in my mind and we are all one team!

Push bike. Easily 1/10th the cost, no insurance, no petrol, and gets you fit And with that other 9/10ths of the money, moar quads and a Nehalem or two

Eller

And I already have a push bike so I wouldn't have to buy one! Thing is I live 30kms away from work and for me thats a fair hike every day there and back! Let alone I'd have to drive on narrow roads next to possibly the worst licensed drivers in the world!

I'm secretly hoping that an i7 falls into me lap shortly even if I have to buy one myself. They are just to bloody expensive with that X58 platform.

There you go how's that for a mass post!

PS and yes I like smilies!

[emuexport]

Thanks for the tip. But the wife would be a little upset if I sold her dog! and whos gonna buy a partially blind nut of a er spaniel that thinks he's human!

lol

ER-SPANIEL surely thats kid friendly? I mean its a breed of dog even if I refer to them as spazzer spaniels! (neither of my two spazzers are docked so the ever happy dog does quite a bit of damage! to everything in tail sweeping height!)

[emuexport]

Well yesterday I bought a mobo and another HDD theres another $200

And low and behold when I did a check on my cluster! they were all holding back on submitting results again! I think its the combination of Ethernet over Power which probably drops out and my ADSL/router that doesnt handle DHCP very well after a while as in it doesnt reissue IPs unless you reboot it! lol go figure!

So anyway I have set them all to static IPs so we'll see how that works.

How do you guys with farms manage your PCs and know wether they are BOINCing it up or not?

BoincView? Cos I was struggling with it but I might give it another shot tonight with the static IPs

[karl_eller]

If you want a cheaper X58 board, look at the Gigabyte UD4P or DS4. You might be taking a little bit of a gamble with OC'ing (I have yet to see a single review on either board), but they're close to AU$100 less than the more main-stream UD5.

Eller

[123bob]

How do you guys with farms manage your PCs and know wether they are BOINCing it up or not?

BoincView? Cos I was struggling with it but I might give it another shot tonight with the static IPs

Boincview is your friend. Also, a static IP scheme will prevent you from having to play games changing IP addys when the power glitches.

Some here run without vid cards this way too.

Bob

EDIT: Let us know if you are having trouble setting it up. We can certainly help.

[D_A]

Well yesterday I bought a mobo and another HDD theres another $200

And low and behold when I did a check on my cluster! they were all holding back on submitting results again! I think its the combination of Ethernet over Power which probably drops out and my ADSL/router that doesnt handle DHCP very well after a while as in it doesnt reissue IPs unless you reboot it! lol go figure!

So anyway I have set them all to static IPs so we'll see how that works.

How do you guys with farms manage your PCs and know wether they are BOINCing it up or not?

BoincView? Cos I was struggling with it but I might give it another shot tonight with the static IPs

I set static IPs for all my systems, (I disable DCHP completely in fact ) and just use BOINC manager to check on them all. Works fine for me ( never got BOINCview working on linux)

[SiGfever]

I have found that the only one that really needs to be static (static never hurts) is the BoincView computer. It's static IP is the easiest way for the clients to find the BoincView computer (in the "remote_hosts.cfg file).

You also ONLY have to list the BoincView computer in the "Remote_Hosts.cfg" file.

[emuexport]

Hello fellow crunchers. I have taken a few of the Redbacks off-line since Christmas and have slowly been upgrading their cooling and their setup but a little too much of life got in the way.
Anyways I have done a bolt mod on one of the Abit IP35-Pro's and it is much cooler and running at 3.6 GHz atm and awaiting a watercooling loop! I plan on hooking up both IP35-Pro's (this one and my current Rig) to the same loop on a PA120.3 hopefully it'll handle the heat dump of two OC'd Quads.

and the best thing is the wifey opened up the garage door when she came home as "it was hot in there" the Quads enjoyed the breeze!

Should have the remaining two of the five quads setup this weekend. But dont wanna rush it as there is water involved.

[Lu523]

Keep us updated. Maybe one day I will have as many quads as you.

[D_A]

Keep us updated. Maybe one day I will have a quad.

You read my mind.

[emuexport]

So I had a trackday the other day and all I can say was it was awesome and I am going again in a few more weeks. Now keep in mind this is a 250cc bike and I weigh about 110kg so the porr bike copped a flogging that day and yes it was 40 DegC I think thats about 110DegF so it was a little warm.

Oh yeah this bike is my daily rider to so I am very glad I didnt "bin it" as they say here.






250cc vs 700cc bike lol overaking on he outside she was just too slow but as soon as the corner finished shed open her up and "Blat" she was away and then waiting for me to overtake her at the next corner.



And the last time around the track for the Twilight session.


New tyres and leathers are putting of any more crunchers atm as I ride to work everyday and think I need something a little more substantial.

Cruncher pics should be up tomorrow or should I say Redbacks.

[D_A]

Bastage. I'm between bikes these days.

[emuexport]

Just washed the bike! lol

Anyway here are some pics of the current cruncher tower of redbacks. Two Abit IP-35 Pro's with Q6600s @ 3.6GHz on a single PA120.3 loop with a T-line.





So atm I have 7 Q6600s @ 3.2GHz min and one E8400 @ stock (switched board and cant get a solid clock on it atm will try later for the moment it can crunch away!)

[SiGfever]

Lookin Good!

[Angmaar]

Looks pretty good, I just would hate having all those wires just laying there but thats just me.

[emuexport]

Lookin Good!

Cheers Sig! One more Quad on the way then that is probably the end for me before i7

Looks pretty good, I just would hate having all those wires just laying there but thats just me.

I noes I noes! Drives me insane too but I'd rather have them crunching for the cause than sitting idle while I get around to tidying up the wires. Two more quads to add to the rack atm which will put 6 on there with room for about two more funds permitting.
I'll post a pic again when its tidied up.

[Lu523]

Nice seeing the pics. If you run out of room send me the parts. I will put them to use.

[emuexport]

Nice seeing the pics. If you run out of room send me the parts. I will put them to use.

Thanks for the offer Lu523 I'll keep it in mind!

[[XC] junglemaster]

Nice work mate...when the weather cools down a bit, mine will start to look as good as yours

[emuexport]

Lol

These have been running the whole time even when we had that week of 40 DegC days! Everyday when I get home from work the wife has the garage door ajar to let some of the heat out!

I cant wait till winter might move the TV into the garage and enjoy the free (well sorta) heating.

Dont you go buying any i7s Junglemaster then you will obliterate me and my redbacks

[[XC] junglemaster]

I need to pick it up somewhat...2 months of little or no crunching has hurt me...I was up in the Top 30 for a while...now down in the 40's

I am planning my big / real / proper build...but now I have come across quite a substantial amount of fun things...so will see when they arrive how much fun I am going to have I need another shelving unit like yours now!!!

[jcool]

Very nice rack, I like it. Now start filling it with i7

[emuexport]

Very nice rack, I like it. Now start filling it with i7

After the Xeon arrives that will be it for 775 I reckon. But need to save for a house and bike so not sure when an i7 will appear!

In the meantime I have a pic of my current gaming machine that will take the Xeon. It's a little ghetto as I can never find the time to finish my case mods and now have to figure out how to fit the two 360 radiators into what used to be a Soprano case lol anyways heres some pics!


Closeup - (1/2" 3/4" Fesser Blue all BP fittings)


And I llike to keep all my original boxes (well the important ones)


But this has just made me feel like tidying up! Might as well seeing as I am housebound with the Flu (or something that is really messing me up)

[[XC] junglemaster]

Take 2 Quads and get some rest