Torin3's 4P F@H build

Given the core increase requirements for bigadv, my current 2P Intel rig is going to no longer be able to meet them. So it is time to switch over to an AMD 4P rig.

I'm starting out with the 6172 12 core chips. The first of which arrived yesterday. I wasn't too happy with the packaging, but it looks like it arrived ok, and for $60, I guess I can't complain.

I've already got almost all the RAM I need, and I can use the power supply, hard drive, and PSU from my current 2P rig. I'm also assuming I can use the benching station as well.

Since the nice folks over at [H] have made an overclocking BIOS for the Supermicro boards, I'm planning on getting one of them. However I'm not sure which one is the best. They have OC BIOSes for the H8QGi/6 and the H8QGL. Does anybody have any recommendations for which one to get, and why?

Also, I would like to be able monitor the folding client with HFM, but I've never been able to get Samba set up right. Anybody have a step-by-step guide for this for a good linux OS that can use theKraken and work as a file server as well?

Thanks!

I'll keep updating this thread as the build goes forward.

I went with the Supermicro H8QGi+-F at right about $660
For cooling, I went with Cooler Master Hyper 212+ for $26.88 each. It is worth keeping an eye on the price for a few days. It dropped about $3 each an hour before I ordered them. I'm going to use Muskie's Mod [H] like dfonda did, for adapting them to the G34 socket.

IMO. H8QGl-+IF seems to be more reliable than the other ...

Download the [H] folding appliance - that has everything set up and ready to go

to your new 4P rig Torin. You won't have any trouble with HFM. You can share the fah folder by right clicking it in Ubuntu(If thats what your using) and wizard will guide you through it. Enabling or installing Samba. Than you'll see the name of your new rig on your Windows machine and can navigate HFM to the fah file.

Except in the past, I've always had problems. I have gotten it to work a few times, but it always winds up being unreachable from my windows systems in a few weeks at most.

torin3 said:

Except in the past, I've always had problems. I have gotten it to work a few times, but it always winds up being unreachable from my windows systems in a few weeks at most.

Click to expand...

Well that's all I have done to get it to work.

I'm refreshing my memory on those model #'s og mobo's. Mine(The http://www.compsource.com/pn/MBDH8QGLIFO/Supermicro_428/ ) puts 2 of the Cpu's next to each other for an asymmetrical arrangement. Its caused me no problems since I used the homemade "Musky" brackets on the Cm Hyper 212's. To use a standard setup I think the other board allows for the more expensive HS/Fan's that mount with their enclosed hardware. The arrangement on that board spaces the Cpu's evenly apart.

If you refer to the stickies "4P builds" you can see the difference in the boards...and reliability has been good for mine...No issues in almost 3 years of 24/7.

I'm counting on you for the Ocing info...I tried it once and lost a week of production and couldn't get the Bios to work properly. Your a bencher, you'll have better luck. I don't understand the complexities of that appliance. I stay away from things I don't Grok completely...I can't troubleshoot it.

If anyone is using it and if it can just be run on a USB stick so I can switch back to my normal setup...I would be willing to try it out.

As a side note I received and installed the 6172's I ordered. Packaged extremely well and currently wailing away.

Also I would like to " sit in" when you OC your board. Maybe I can learn something.

dfonda said:

Also I would like to " sit in" when you OC your board. Maybe I can learn something.

Click to expand...

Sure! Won't be a problem.

I've been reading up on the [H] thread about the BIOS. Looks like it isn't too complex. They've done most of the work. The main limit looks to be the inability to increase the voltage to the chips. My guess is I'll top out at about a 15-20% overlclock. Which would put the 2.1Ghz chips at about 2.3Ghz. Though if by the Mhz per core, that would be 48x210Mhz or 10.08Ghz of overclock.

torin3 said:

Sure! Won't be a problem.

I've been reading up on the [H] thread about the BIOS. Looks like it isn't too complex. They've done most of the work. The main limit looks to be the inability to increase the voltage to the chips. My guess is I'll top out at about a 15-20% overlclock. Which would put the 2.1Ghz chips at about 2.3Ghz. Though if by the Mhz per core, that would be 48x210Mhz or 10.08Ghz of overclock.

Click to expand...

Yeah and if your gonna run it on your bench as I do the chips won't go above 50c. So heat won't be any issue. I had the Bios installed. I think I had a problem rebooting with their Bios...I had to cold boot each time. They do offer a lot of help though. If it will speed up your buying process...HFM is reporting my PPD@400K+ . If you get OC'ed and I can't. It will be lights out for me...I'll have to settle for keeping Adak off my tail.

EDIT: I just went over to the [H] to look at the Bios's and I see why it didn't work for me. They have a couple new warnings that were not there when I installed the Bios...A jumper for intelligent platform management interface(IPMI). Also I am pretty sure I used AFUDOS and I see they added a warning to add flags that were not there when I installed their Bios. I had a heck of time getting the board back to stock. Looks like I'm lucky I didn't brick it!

Torin I currently use a jumper to boot up. If you are going to use a power switch or if you already have one. Can you include a link to it in your build? I'm assuming you are going to list all your parts in your OP...Than you can ask Jmtyra to add this thread to his 4P Mega thread.

Interesting board...how much $$$ does it run you normally?

Any way to buy them cheap and in big quantities?

ivanlabrie said:

Interesting board...how much $$$ does it run you normally?

Any way to buy them cheap and in big quantities?

Click to expand...

Thats the rub, the Mobo...Its been over $600 for a few years. If you can find one used...Well they go fast especially if they already have the OC Bios installed and working.

dfonda said:

Thats the rub, the Mobo...Its been over $600 for a few years. If you can find one used...Well they go fast especially if they already have the OC Bios installed and working.

Click to expand...

$600 is not too bad, it's a really good investment imho. I could fold and mine on it
16 core opterons are cheap at fleabay...

ivanlabrie said:

$600 is not too bad, it's a really good investment imho. I could fold and mine on it
16 core opterons are cheap at fleabay...

Click to expand...

However, I think the OC BIOS is only for the 61xx series Optys, it won't work with the 62xx or 63xx chips.

Hmm, no 61xx 16 core ones?

This will be one hell of a rig...curious to see some pics.

What kind of case will you use?

These people are good, it is where I got mine. Many of us bought from them.
The 16 core bulldozer 62xx chips only fold about as well as a 12 core 61xx mangy core Ghz vs ghz.
Kind of like why a Phenom II 6 core folds as well as the newer AMD 8 core ghz vs ghz.
http://www.wiredzone.com/Supermicro-H8QGL-IF+-Motherboard-SWTX-w--Quad-1944-pin-S-G34~10021077~0.htm

They are working on a better way to oc the 62xx chips for now the H bios is not the way.
There is a program used to do it.
I will look up the name and get back to you.
Turon Power Control I think is what needs to be used to oc the 62xx chips.
Look around [H] for more info.

ivanlabrie said:

Hmm, no 61xx 16 core ones?

This will be one hell of a rig...curious to see some pics.

What kind of case will you use?

Click to expand...

Per the OP's

torin3 said:

I'm also assuming I can use the benching station as well.

Click to expand...

Quite a few do not use a case at all. We fold "naked"
I use boards that were off an old cabinet.
Cardboard is good too. A box, or a milk crate.
Just do NOT use the anti-static bag the board comes in.
But if you have cats or kids, that can be an issue.
There are 1U and 2U server setup out there. I will try to find a link.
These things are a bit big, they are not ATX size.
True server cases can be loud, the fans sound like a loud vacuum cleaner.
With the 212 CPU coolers they will not fit in a server case.
I have seen pics of some made from shelving racks from home depot customized to work.

dfonda said:

Yeah and if your gonna run it on your bench as I do the chips won't go above 50c. So heat won't be any issue. I had the Bios installed. I think I had a problem rebooting with their Bios...I had to cold boot each time. They do offer a lot of help though. If it will speed up your buying process...HFM is reporting my PPD@400K+ . If you get OC'ed and I can't. It will be lights out for me...I'll have to settle for keeping Adak off my tail.

EDIT: I just went over to the [H] to look at the Bios's and I see why it didn't work for me. They have a couple new warnings that were not there when I installed the Bios...A jumper for intelligent platform management interface(IPMI). Also I am pretty sure I used AFUDOS and I see they added a warning to add flags that were not there when I installed their Bios. I had a heck of time getting the board back to stock. Looks like I'm lucky I didn't brick it!

Torin I currently use a jumper to boot up. If you are going to use a power switch or if you already have one. Can you include a link to it in your build? I'm assuming you are going to list all your parts in your OP...Than you can ask Jmtyra to add this thread to his 4P Mega thread.

Click to expand...

Well, you got me to go for the 3rd chip from the same seller you got your 4 from. That is about all I can afford until the next paycheck. Though if I find a cheaper one, I might be able to swing it before next week.

I use switches I have salvaged from old cases, but I know of a few places you can buy nice switches, so I'll include a link for them. The problem is most of the ones I've found run about $15-20 a pop.

ivanlabrie said:

Hmm, no 61xx 16 core ones?

This will be one hell of a rig...curious to see some pics.

What kind of case will you use?

Click to expand...

dfonda said:

Per the OP's

Click to expand...

Yep, I've got a few benching stations I've built over the past few years. I built an oversize one for my 2P rig that might work. Here is a link to that thread:

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=671115

And here is a picture of the benching station:

Cobrabill93 said:

Quite a few do not use a case at all. We fold "naked"
I use boards that were off an old cabinet.
Cardboard is good too. A box, or a milk crate.
Just do NOT use the anti-static bag the board comes in.
But if you have cats or kids, that can be an issue.
There are 1U and 2U server setup out there. I will try to find a link.
These things are a bit big, they are not ATX size.
True server cases can be loud, the fans sound like a loud vacuum cleaner.
With the 212 CPU coolers they will not fit in a server case.
I have seen pics of some made from shelving racks from home depot customized to work.

Click to expand...

Yep, I like using benching stations, as it makes it easy to get in and work on the board. The one for my SR-2 2P rig may not match the hole pattern for the new board, but given I'm not planning on water cooling, I expect I can just drill the new mounting holes and go from there.

I'm wondering if there are better coolers than the 212s? I don't mind paying a bit extra, since I'm planning on overclocking.

This is what I used in Tanker. They're silent, but cool so well I only use one fan, instead of the two they include, per unit. They fit the G34 socket without adapters.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608023

Check the sizes if your mobo has the unevenly spaced cpu socket design. These units clear the heat spreaders on my RAM, but Noctua also has a slightly smaller version of this unit, that fits better into a tower case, but won't clear RAM heat spreaders (depending on the height of the RAM heat spreaders).

Top quality for cool and quiet, on a G34 socket. Not inexpensive, however.

If you go to their web page coolermaster, they sell referb 212s.
I bought mine on sale for 9.99 each with 5$ shipping. (if I remember right) may of been free.