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Are some computers not reasonably capable of 24/7 folding?

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gungeek

Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2003
Location
USA
Reason I ask is I borged my work computer (with permission). It is a 6 month old basic 1.7GHz P4 from Systemax in a microatx type desktop case with a stand to turn it on edge making it a small tower. I think these have only a 200 watt PS with a wimpy fan.

After the computer was folding, I checked the air from the exhaust fan (80mm blowhole on top), it was very warm. The air from the PS was hot. I checked the log after 2 hours and noticed that it had dropped the first work unit within the first 10 percent. The error was listed as a communication problem between the core and work unit or something like that. Didn't sound stable to me, so I removed the 4 expansion slot covers (low-profile type, no cards are installed) which let air into the case MUCH easier. That cooled the exhaust air enough for my comfort but the PS air was still quite hot. I let it run for 2 days (this weekend). The folding log looks normal and the computer is still running fine. It looks like a 250-300 PPW machine. I hadn't been leaving it on over the weekends, but that will change :D

I also restarted and checked the temp readings in bios. The CPU temp was at 55C but it took a minute or 2 to get there after folding stopped. I don't know if this is a die temp or CPU socket temp. The bios does have a shutdown temp set to a max of 70C; I moved it down to 65C for my comfort.

It would look bad for me if the PS or CPU died while folding was running, but shouldn't a commercial desktop machine be able to run 24/7 at 100% CPU usage? The other thing I'd like to do is pull the CPU heatsink some night and put artic silver 3 on it, but that would void the warranty (I think) AND really reflect badly upon me if there was a problem.

I'm going to let my computer at work have no problems for a month or so before trying to borg any other machines.
 
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Well the machine SHOULD be able to run 24/7. In some ways its more healthy for a machine to run at 100% cpu than to have usage and heat flucuate. As long as there is adequate case airflow you should be alright. If the PSU cannot handle the load then it has no business being in a stock speed machine in the first place...
 
If heat is too much of an issue, it shouldn't be folding. Try setting the proc usage to 75% or even 50% to cool it down a bit.
 
After thinking about it some more, this machine SHOULD be able to run 24/7 because it is on an engineer's desk (mine). If I am developing an FPGA, the software can run overnight or over weekends trying to fit a design into a particular part and that is close to 100% utilization.

I've satisfied the main criteria of enough cool air to keep the system cool, if the PS fails then it was weak from the beginning. From that perspective, the network admin won't hold me responsible for a computer failure and I've done nothing to void the warranty or break company rules. This one has ran 3 days straight with no problems; it's stable.

With that settled, it's time to find another computer to borg....
 
If you're stable now, that's good. I didn't realize it was meant to be run 24/7. You should be fine then.
 
Borg on!

The Pentium 4s should clock-throttle if they get too warm... so I don't know why the core dumped the WU...

Hrmmmm
 
Blueacid said:
Borg on!

The Pentium 4s should clock-throttle if they get too warm... so I don't know why the core dumped the WU...

Hrmmmm
This is true. Heat only slows down a stock P4. If that is a factory manufactured machine then folding is just another task wheither 24/7 or not. The size of the PSU was determined by engineers of the company that built the unit to be sufficient for any task that can be run stable. If you can't run that machine 24/7 there is definitely a warranty issue. Fold On brother.
 
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