Thanks Paul!

My one 550TI is running now in on an intel 8200.... no plan to turn it off...just deciding where to go next. "Negotiations" with my minister of finance went astonishingly well. We were due to upgrade our contributions to the common good...here is a fine place to do so.

Ken

Could you provide some tips on your negotiation techniques? One of the issues I have is the fact that all "parts" purchases need to be approved. Something about how we spend too much money on my hobby, bla bla bla.

I try to buy almost everything on craigslist or ebay to keep the costs down and I still have a few thousand invested in hardware. My electric bill, well, it is always a topic of discussion.

Glad to hear your negotiations went well and we look forward to a multi GTX 690 rig in your future!

---

Thx - Paul

Note: Please don't use driver version 295 or 296! Recommended versions are 266 - 285.

Could you provide some tips on your negotiation techniques?

Paul,

I'd tell you but I'd have to kill myself...the intrigue…the temptation to fudge the numbers...the forlorn eyes...and 27 years of pitches that sound dreadfully similar...skills are developed after so many years.

But seriously, as the Finance Minister quickly realized, gpugrid (and others), are a perfect intersection of my computer hobby and meaningful philanthropy. I'd been an early contributor to SETI but, somewhere in the midst of many dozen OS reinstalls, it got lost in the shuffle.

When I "re"-discovered GPUGrid, I approached the, ahem, Minister of Finance with a proposal to re-examine the Commonwealth's charitable contributions. To fund gpugrid I proposed to shift a few coins from some institutions we'd long funded and increase our overall monthly contribution. The "pitch" was in the total monthly contribution to the arts, sciences, and humanitarian causes. I believe the key was in presenting this as amortized over the probable useable lifetime of the equipment. Much like a car salesperson (okay, exactly like a car salesperson), I prostrated myself on the "it's really the monthly payment you should care about. What if I could get your monthly payment down to $X? Would that make it affordable for you?"

Very nearly shameless or shameful depending on one's point of view. If you'd like the fairly decent spreadsheet I built to make the case, PM me and I'll email it to you.

Ken

p.s. It probable wouldn't help to point out that the probable useful life of a GTX-690 is not 15 years...details...details.

Ken:

Do you have a blog because I would love to follow it. You are a funny guy.

I have one open slot in one of my computers and I will likely save up some cash to buy a GTX 590.

My first order of business is to get my existing 590 to run for more than 24 hours.

Keep crunching!

---

Thx - Paul

Note: Please don't use driver version 295 or 296! Recommended versions are 266 - 285.

I use a sneaky approach to get round my other half. What see doesn't see she doesn't know about. I schedule parts deliveries to arrive whilst she is out at work - I work a rotating shift pattern so orders are placed timed to arrive when I'm off and she is at work. My cases stay the same, but it's whats inside changes.

Thoroughly fiendish,

---

FAQ's

HOW TO:
- Opt out of Beta Tests
- Ask for Help

Fiendish? Of course...... but then so is she..... her growing collection of shoes is testament to that..... she is a budding Imelda Marcos!!!

Going to be sticking with my old Phenoms II's for a while, switching to Bulldozer would lose performance for my systems, so my next upgrades will probably be GPU and most probably it will be a 570 or 670 for my second hex core rig.

Do you have a blog because I would love to follow it. You are a funny guy.

Paul,

Thanks for the kind words. I enjoy writing and occasionally the words come out just so. I've never earned a dime for writing. I had a blog for awhile but lost interest because of lack of interest. Maybe time to revive it.

Let it be known that IF, the Minister of Finance read my post, a resigned "Why didn't you tell them about the water torture-like nature of your incessant 'pitches'?" would have been muttered.

Bad news on the 590? Do you suspect malfeasance by the ebay seller or have you tried to push it too hard?

Ken

I schedule parts deliveries to arrive whilst she is out at work.

Hi TheFiend,

I'm glad you mentioned this method. I was too self-conscious to state it in my other post since I was trying to take the moral high road. However, if truth be told, my so-called moral high road may be more lamentable because the end is the same....more gear...while it hides behind altruistic language.

In the pursuit of science, I remain, your co-conspirator.

Ken

Great posts everyone in regards to the Minister of Finance. Found them very funny and true.......

kflorian:

in case you're looking for a good case as well. This is a Corsair Graphite 600T, and I have found this one to be excellent for GPU crunching, since you can add intake fans that suck in air from the outside and it goes directly to the GPUs. There are a total of 4 slots on the side, and each one can use a 120mm fan. I prefer radiator type fans that have curved blades for a higher static pressure. This allows them to suck more air thru those holes. Currently using this method to cool a 680 and a 670. There is also one 200mm fan on top sucking hot air out, as well as another 200mm fan at the front of the case that sucks air in as well. The knob at the top of the case is a fan controller, and can come in handy if noise is an issue.

For what it's worth, currently my system:

3820@4.3
Gigabyte 670 stock speeds
EVGA 680 stock
ASUS Sabertooth
120 GB SSD
H70 CORE w/ a push/pull config
Seasonic X Gold? 750W PSU

This setup currently uses 550W at wall. I do have one regret, and that is not getting the H100. Temps are not an issue AT ALL, but I still wish I would have forked over the extra $30. I am also going to be switching the 670 to another rig when my 2nd 680 arrives. Those things are hard to find....

5pot,

thanks for the config specs. I like that case, too. I've been eyeing the Antec P280. What are your typical ambient temperatures in the room in which the machine is located?

Ken

Ken:

The GTX 590 is fine. The entire rig needs to be adjusted. A few changes tonight and it is running again at 662MHz. We will see how many hours we get this time. This XP system has been around for a while. Keeping 2 GPUs running is almost twice the work of keeping 1 running.

GTX 580s are down to $200 on ebay. I am starting to think my 570s need to be upgraded :-)

---

Thx - Paul

Note: Please don't use driver version 295 or 296! Recommended versions are 266 - 285.

@kflorian:

Currently my ambient temps are 24C. I recently got another 680, so both are now in this rig crunching away for Einstein@Home. Waiting for GPUgrid to open up. The top GPU is at 60C w/ 67% fan and the bottom one is at 57C w/ 64% fan. Both hover around 87% utilization. I must have misread my Watts before, because currently my APC UPS (universal power supply) is currently stating roughly 450W. HIGHLY SUGGEST getting one to protect your investment. If you do decide to go 3 670/680 I would say get a 850W PSU for optimum efficiency.

Here is a pic of the three fans in a L shape attached to the case:


As well as the two cards and the system inside: