I'm looking for some help to build a relatively cheap desktop as a folding slave. I'm sure there are people here that fold, but if you're not familiar it's a distributed computing app from Stanford that studies proteins.
Link if you're interested:
Folding@home - Main
Anyway, I am definitely not leet when it comes to hardware, but I have a few friends on the same folding team and I am getting my azz kicked...so it's time build a desktop just for folding.
Here's the initial info I can provide, based on the sticky....
PLEASE when POST threads asking for input on system builds tell us...
1. What
YOUR PC will be
used for. That means what types of
tasks you'll be performing.
Folding. Ideally, I would like to have a multicore machine with 2 GPUs. This would allow me to run 2 instances of the GPU client and 2 instances of the CPU client.
2. What
YOUR budget is. A
price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread.
Around the $1K range?
3.
What country YOU will be buying
YOUR parts from. Canada.
I live in Thornhill and work in Mississauga, so I have decent access to computer stores, or I am happy to order online.
4. IF
YOU have a
brand preference. That means, are you an
Intel-Fanboy,
AMD-Fanboy,
ATI-Fanboy,
nVidia-Fanboy,
Seagate-Fanboy,
WD-Fanboy, etc, etc, etc, you get the picture.
Prefer nVidia based GPUs...for some unknown reason the ATI GPUs seem to be slightly less efficient at folding. No preference for other hardware.
5. If
YOU intend on
using any of
YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.
I have a couple of older cases lying around the office, but I will require a new mobo, cpu, psu, gpu, ram and a couple of case fans. I would reuse an older hdd and optical drive unless you guys suggest otherwise.
6. IF
YOU have
searched and/or
read similar
threads.
I have not found any threads specifically for folding...the problem for me is that it is tough to stay educated on GPU tech and GPU value for $.
7. IF
YOU plan on
overclocking or run the system at
default speeds.
I would OC the system if the forum members here gave me some coaching. I suspect that my budget will preclude any serious cooling mods, though. This desktop will be kept in office, so noise/power comsumption/room heat are not concerns for me.
8.
WHEN do you plan to build it?
ASAP.
If it will help you guys make some video card recommendations to me, here's an article that explains why shader processing is more important for folding than sheer benchmark results:
Legit Reviews - F@H - 4,500+ Points a Day w/ a $36 GeForce 9600 GSO - What $36 Buys You When It Comes to Folding
Thanks a ton for any system building help you provide and let me know if there is anything else I can do to fill in the blanks.