Redbacks: emu's Budget Cruncher Farm Build

[emuexport]

Hi All,

To stop trashing other threads I thought I would start my own

Ok I've been using BOINC for about 2 months now and I can say that I am addicted. XSDCAS I think is what the technical term for it is as SigFever pointed out to me.

I have had a lot of friends and family diagnosed or passed away from cancer. My father being the latest with Prostate cancer but so far so good since his op the other month. He didnt like the catheter but hey at least he is around and not in as much discomfort (for lack of a better word) than many other cancer victims.

Anyway I have decided that I would use my entire tax refund and then some to make some budget crunchers after reading the Budget cruncher thread. i7 is still to expensive for me and hopefully this will end up being cheaper!

So the list of stuff I am waiting on or have received is:
1 x JW IP35-Pro (Brand New - Received) not an Abit however close the name is.
2 x GA-P35-DS3s (2nd hand from OCAU forum)
1 x DFI P45 T2RS PLUS (this might become my gaming motherboard if so I'll replace it with the IP35-Pro)

5 x Q6600s (all 2nd hand on their way from previous owners)

1 x Antec Earthwatts 430 Watt (New)

2 x 1 GB Geil PC6400 DDR2

Cooling so far:
2 x Dtek Fusion V2s (One old one new)
1 x D5
1 x MCR320 (Old) with 3 Yates-HS
1 x PA120.3 (Old) with 3 Yates-HS

Thats all so far obviously missing some stuff! but should be able to stress some motherboards and CPUs while I build a rack for them in the garage which leads me to the name as lately when I am poking around in the garage I keep finding more redbacks. Nasty Buggers! never mind the bloody Huntsman that fell in front of me the other day scared the crap outta me and the dogs landed with a splat! I reckon it just gave up the ghost! I didnt even spray ot not much point when they are that big!



Hopefully I can add some pics and more. With the aim that others can learn from my mistakes in putting together these crunchers together so this should be the right place if its not then please move it.

emu

now stop reading and get crunching

[D_A]

Awwww ... isn't that just a little cyootey snooky wookumz!

[emuexport]

I'll see if I can snag a photo of one for youse! (Before I spray/Squash it!)

[eggman]

a squished redback is a good redback i hate those little mongels they lurk everywhere

[D_A]

One put my Dad in hospital. Bit him right on the arse, too. Miserable little fekkers they are. Still kind pretty in their own evil, vampirish way.

[karl_eller]

Man, I think I'm just about going to have to give up on keeping ahead of you, emu, unless I win the lottery or something You're already getting roughly double my PPD, and these quads won't help either You're making a decent move through the ranks, although once you hit the top 100 or so things slow down a bit

If you want some cheap shelving, go have a look at Bunnings (You have some over your side, don't you?). They've got some 720x300mm shelving (25kg) that goes for about $50 for a 5-shelf kit, which should give enough space for two ATX boards per shelf. If you want to get creative, JayCar sells M3 tapped 10mm spacers to make some mobo mounts, and then use some right-angle aluminium to make HDD brackets and the like.

And yeah, those Redbacks are nasty little buggers. Usually won't kill you, but they'll make you wish they did

Eller

[Jaco]

The redback farm .
Talk to Fart_plume , maybe he can create a custom redback fanguard .

[MomijiTMO]

Yeah redbacks . . .hmm I enjoy squishing them.

You are indeed an addict .

[emuexport]

Man, I think I'm just about going to have to give up on keeping ahead of you, emu, unless I win the lottery or something You're already getting roughly double my PPD, and these quads won't help either You're making a decent move through the ranks, although once you hit the top 100 or so things slow down a bit

Aww I dunno. I still have to buy a bunch of stuff before I have 5 moar Quads! Still waiting on the Q6600s to arrive so you have a few more days of glory! At least we are all on the same team both as part of XS and contributing towards finding a cure.

If you want some cheap shelving, go have a look at Bunnings (You have some over your side, don't you?). They've got some 720x300mm shelving (25kg) that goes for about $50 for a 5-shelf kit, which should give enough space for two ATX boards per shelf. If you want to get creative, JayCar sells M3 tapped 10mm spacers to make some mobo mounts, and then use some right-angle aluminium to make HDD brackets and the like.

Thanks for the info. This is exactly what I was hoping to get out of it! Ideas!!

And yes we have Bunnings over here! I drag the wife there every other weekend! Supposedly now I am making an outdoor table for us so maybe she wont be invited anymore!

And yeah, those Redbacks are nasty little buggers. Usually won't kill you, but they'll make you wish they did

Eller

Oh BTW you should click the photo and check out the photos on the wiki page! A lizard I mean WTF

The redback farm .
Talk to Fart_plume , maybe he can create a custom redback fanguard .

I thought he only farted. ;P Will see how it goes might need a 'bloody' big fan guard by the sounds of it!

Yeah redbacks . . .hmm I enjoy squishing them.

You are indeed an addict .

I never used to fear spiders, snakes or sharks when I was growing up in Oz I guess i just got used to the thought but after spending my teen years in holland where there is basically no wildlife except for some birds and non-venemous tiny grass snakes I am now officially chicken #$%^!!

And yes I am an addict! and proud of it. Of course we all know the first step to recovery is admitting it right! :P

Pics soon of hardware.

[MomijiTMO]

The only thing that gives me the freak out are locust. I must kill them and I don't care how. I loathe their heads. I think I must have been one in a past life or something if you believe that stuff.

[karl_eller]

Aww I dunno. I still have to buy a bunch of stuff before I have 5 moar Quads! Still waiting on the Q6600s to arrive so you have a few more days of glory! At least we are all on the same team both as part of XS and contributing towards finding a cure.

I'm not happy, I just realised you've cleared out just about every 2nd hand Q6600 on OCAU Although hopefully by the time I get around to buying some, more people will have upgraded to Yorkies or Nehalem... but you better make sure you leave a few for me New is looking a lot less tempting now that my previous ~$600 builds are something around the $800 range...

Eller

[emuexport]

First victims:



Check out all the extras the Pro version of this board comes with


Backside - error code on the back!


No silly 90 degree sata ports here just lots of them!


And I cant wait to fire it up and see what special tricks the Bios has

Bonus points if you can find it!

Hopefully this board turns out to be a decent clocker as it is one of the ones we have been discussing in the Budget cruncher thread.

emu

[don_xvi]

now stop reading and get crunching

Of course, while I'm sitting reading the machine has more resources available to crunch with than when I'm making it scroll text....

Really, you sound like the next great story brewing here on XS, it's a bit late, but welcome !

[emuexport]

I'm not happy, I just realised you've cleared out just about every 2nd hand Q6600 on OCAU Although hopefully by the time I get around to buying some, more people will have upgraded to Yorkies or Nehalem... but you better make sure you leave a few for me New is looking a lot less tempting now that my previous ~$600 builds are something around the $800 range...

Eller

I know what you mean I dont think I am making any friends on OCAU but I think that I am making people think of upgrading so there might be more available. Just PM me if you want one that I am bidding on and I'll step aside!
However I think I might as well grab them while the CC is nowhere near its limit!
New just didnt add up anymore cos If I can save $100 per CPU and $50-100 per motherboard by buying 2nd hand andthat means more crunchers for your dollar! which has to be a good thing!

Of course, while I'm sitting reading the machine has more resources available to crunch with than when I'm making it scroll text....

I lol'd nice one! I get strange looks at work and at home with all the deliveries lately! an IO plate rocked up in an express mail bag but I dont know who it is from out of the 10 or so items I have won lately! I'm hoping the send the rest of the motherboard and just forgot to send it with the rest!

Really, you sound like the next great story brewing here on XS, it's a bit late, but welcome !

Thanks for the motivating comment don xvi! Better late than never is a belief of mine! Thanks for the welcome and I'll just slowly claw my way up the ranks. I'm just gutted that I didnt know about DC for the last three years otherwise I would surely be broke! Just have to start convincing others that this is one way we can all contribute.

emu

[don_xvi]

Where do they come up with that motto of "The Possible of Impossible" ???
I had to go back and re-read that even as I'm typing this comment about it, it's so nonsensical.
Maybe it sounded better in Chinese.

[karl_eller]

I need to do something about this whole "unemployed" thingy before I seriously look at buying some more crunchers (and I wand a new mountain bike, and an i7 rig...), so you can have your fun with the Q6600's.

I'll actually be interested to see what the Lynnfields are like when they come out next year, especially since they WILL be OC'able. It looks like the differences between Lynnfield and Bloomfield shouldn't make a whole lot of difference in WCG (clock for clock), so baby Nehalem at budget costs might finally put the Q6600 in it's place...

Eller

[tiro_uspsss]

so many wozzies in here! so dam cool!

since u guys talking about killing insects & the like, u should go buy urselfs a 'firewheel' - apparently an aussie product - its the most fun way to kill insects, & I talk from experience!

http://www.firewheel.com.au/fw/index.aspx

a squished redback is a good redback i hate those little mongels they lurk everywhere

whoa! long time lurker!

[emuexport]

so many wozzies in here! so dam cool!

since u guys talking about killing insects & the like, u should go buy urselfs a 'firewheel' - apparently an aussie product - its the most fun way to kill insects, & I talk from experience!

http://www.firewheel.com.au/fw/index.aspx



whoa! long time lurker!

Yeah go the West Coast! And about the firewheel! I watched they're promo video and nearly pissed myself! So Australian! Gotta get me one of those!

Yeah lurker since 05 and I get first post thanks mate!

[tiro_uspsss]

Yeah go the West Coast! And about the firewheel! I watched they're promo video and nearly pissed myself! So Australian! Gotta get me one of those!

Yeah lurker since 05 and I get first post thanks mate!

best fun is shooting a fly in mid-flight - watching the r-bands fly at it is like watching tracer fire @ a WW2 fighter

anyway, back OnT

[SiGfever]

Yes emu has the "Sickness" bad. But with enough counseling sessions I believe he will make as good a recovery as 123Bob has.

And remember, "Take two quads and call me in the morning".

[emuexport]

Unfortunately the sickness was put on hold for sunday while I went on my first long motorbike ride down south from perth (about 500kms) man my arse is sore! Can't wait till next year when I can get a big bike (have to spend 12months on a 250cc bike before you can ride anything bigger).

Anyway I have put together two of the Redback crunchers both at 3.2GHz (atm will overclock more later! ) they are running Ubuntu 8.10 atm and as a Windoze user this has been and still is a very steep learning curve. Installation is better I think than Windoze but getting apps installed and running etc

They are both sitting on my coffee table in front of the TV atm (where I do most of my builds lol). The HDDs are 36GB raptors! all I could find in my house! lol

I will post more pics and info tonight when I get home from work. Currently I need to work out how to network them from the garage to my study and as I am renting there is no hope of installing the cat cables in the roof walls etc. I'm thinking ethernet over power but dont know how well it will work and connect a 10MB hub where the crunchers are.
Any ideas suggestions?
I bought a cheap usb wireless stick (b+g) but it wont connect to my current setup for some reason, so I could get another wireless router but that would probably lead to more trouble maybe an AP? Dunno!??!?!?!

confused emu

[MomijiTMO]

Well there is talk of reducing the first tier size below 250cc in Queensland .. . . . . . [where is the emo suicide emoticon????]

[emuexport]

Well there is talk of reducing the first tier size below 250cc in Queensland .. . . . . . [where is the emo suicide emoticon????]

Well that is pretty dumb I would prefer that they put a second tier in between 250 and 250+ as going from a 250 to a 650+ is insane imagine being allowed to go straight from a 250cc to a Hayabusa (1300cc) monster of a bike!

As a big guy my little 250 has no more left to give at 110km/hr if there is a little bit of headwind and I always thought that the best option on a bike to avoid an accident is the pure power that is available. Imagine if they force you to ride a 125cc and your 100+kg like I am!

[Movieman]

How big is that spider? And don't tell me centimeters.
I want real measurements in inches..

[D_A]

I'm just glad I got my license back when I did. In NSW I could ride a Harley Sporty (888cc one) on my learner's permit (as I'm already an old bastage) and the system here works more on power to weight ratio than engine capacity anyway.

At least in Qld you can register a bike as a "solo" and save a lot of $$$. No such option here.