9800GX2 for Folding

jaredjared College Station, TX Icrontian
edited January 2009 in Folding@Home
Seriously, I'd love to find a GX2 for my main rig and move my 9800GT to a dedicated folding rig. I guess I just need to keep looking around because from what I've seen (and maybe because they are discontinued) everyone wants 3 bills or more for one.

Comments

  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited December 2008
    They are discontinued. What is left with the online vendors is just that, unsold stock going for high prices. You need to look in trading forums. Occasionally Newegg will have EVGA recertified units. As of yesterday they had none in stock but were accepting email notification requests.

    The beauty of the 9800GX2s is that you get the Folding power of two 8800GTs or 9800GTs while only using one PCI-E slot. Also, the 9800GX2 with both GPUs fully engaged consumes less power than two 88/9800GTs running at full core utilization.
    everyone wants 3 bills or more for one
    New ones are pricey, yes. Look for lightly used. :cool:
  • jaredjared College Station, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2008
    Alright thanks Leo, I'm going to keep my eyes peeled :)
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited December 2008
    Newegg recertified. None in stock presently, but it would appear they expect more in because the option for email notification is still up.


    Jared, YHPM.
  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    edited December 2008
    So I was surfing newegg and just happened to come across this 9800GX2 in stock. Damnit if I clicked the order button.

    Someone will have to explain to me how to setup dual GPU2 next wednesday :rarr:
  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited December 2008
    Fatcat... if it bothers you too much, send me the card and I'll figure out how to use it. :D
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited December 2008
    Aaaaauuugggh! I had registered to be notified by email, and this is the first I heard of the cards being available again. The order button has already been removed...again! aaarrrgh Why did Nvidia halt production? At the price points of the last couple months, these GX2 are excellent cards.

    Whatever help you need setting it up, let me know, or open a thread. We'll get you cranking. Word of caution - put that sucker in a well ventilated case! Prepare to replace the thermal paste or consider underclocking. I've got a second one due in any time now from a private trade.

    While you are waiting for your card to arrive, study this guide. Follow it exactly.

    Recommend:

    -- drivers 180.60 -> slighly lower GPU production than 178.xx but requires less than 1% CPU core utilization
    -- well ventilated case, especially exhaust
    -- FAHMon for monitoring the work units
    -- replacing the factory TIM with TX2, MX2, or OCZ's good stuff
    -- don't bother with core and memory overclocking, but DO overclock the shader clock *
    -- Riva Tuner for overclocking the shader. Run the card with the fan set to automatic. If it runs too hot in that mode, then use RivaTuner to run the fan at 80 or 85%. It's not as loud as most single-GPU card fans. You can also use Nvidia System Tools for overclocking, but it does not allow you to set fan speeds.

    Here's stuff that's not in the guide if I remember correctly:

    -- In the Nvidia Control Panel, turn off multi-GPU/SLI - whatever it's called.
    -- Go to Display Properties. In the "Display" drop-down, select the second GPU. Check the box, "Extend my Windows desktop onto the monitor." You may have heard about "dummy plugs" to use so that Windows will 'see' the second GPU and allow independent operations (second Folding client) on it. That is not necessary if you will be running Windows XP.
  • mas0nmas0n howdy Icrontian
    edited December 2008
    Nice work fatcat! Everybody make way for SM21!

    Didn't you also mention that you had picked up an additional 9600GSO? So now you have 2 x 9600GSO AND a 9800GX2?

    :fold::cheers::fold:
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited December 2008
    Fatcat, if you are disappointed with the GX2, yell at me and I'll buy it from you. They are not easy to find, but will turn a single video slot computer into a FOLDING BEAST!
  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    edited December 2008
    mas0n wrote:
    Nice work fatcat! Everybody make way for SM21!

    Didn't you also mention that you had picked up an additional 9600GSO? So now you have 2 x 9600GSO AND a 9800GX2?

    :fold::cheers::fold:

    when I get all set and done, I will have:

    9800GX2 running two GPU2 clients
    9600GSO running GPU2
    9600GSO running GPU2
    4850 running GPU2
    E8400 running SMP
    Cely 2.4 running normal client
    Cely 2.4 running normal client

    so thats what? ~20,000ppd?

    thanks for the imput Leo :thumbsup:
  • jaredjared College Station, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2008
    Man, what a great find fatcat!

    I'm going to keep a better eye out and see if I can find one that pops up over the holidays.

    Quite a farm you got there fatcat, I got a lot of catching up to do :D
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2009
    Jared, are you still looking for a 9800GX2? I found some for $200 + shipping. Let me know.
  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    edited January 2009
    9800GX2

    its in stock grab it while its hot and add 10k PPD to your farm!
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2009
    Right on time, Fatcat. I just got my email notification from Newegg and was coming over here to post.
    10k PPD
    That's a reasonable average. When the 5015 work units were plentiful, I was pulling closer to 12,000 PPD out my GX2s.

    The EVGA 9800 GX2s at Newegg are recertified, previously owned units, probably traded to EVGA on the Step-up program. They are factory warranted for 90 days. Just be advised: there is no Step-up and no one-year or lifetime warranties with these cards.

    It's an excellent price, though. That is about the same price you'll find at the low end of the scale on private trading forums, that is, when you can find these suckers for sale at all. This is about $100 less than what they are going for on Ebay. (but the latter is no big surprise, Ebay being the minefield that it is)
  • _k_k P-Town, Texas Icrontian
    edited January 2009
    What kind of ppd are they doing on the 511 point WUs. Also settings and temps would be cool since the new drivers plus new WUs are cooking most other cards more.
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