Ratdude's main rig V5.0

[Topcat]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

this is the case I use, I've got 2 of them.

http://www.supermicro.com/products/c...C743TQ-865.cfm

Supermicro gaming case....whodda thunk that!

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

this is the case I use, I've got 2 of them.

http://www.supermicro.com/products/c...C743TQ-865.cfm

Supermicro gaming case....whodda thunk that!

Or basically the workstation version of what I found. You have a quiter PSU (and I actually found one for $25 earlier in the thread... if I had a case it would be different

Question: did you try the adjustable air dam for cooling your RAM?

[Topcat]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Question: did you try the adjustable air dam for cooling your RAM?

No, just a 120mm PWM fan I stole from an old HP media center PC ages ago zip tied to the exhaust fan metal grate (same thing you saw when you were here). I did populate the midplane with all 4 fans, which helped a lot. That case moves some air, 64gb of FB memory runs cool, and its whisper quiet. I open windows and shut off the AC all the time.... RAM is always ok. The fan on the GPU gets mad fast when I do that though, kind of annoying.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Doing some reasearch (741s1 isn't a model I'm finding) to see if that really is an SAS backplane. Found out I need at least 4 (or 8) caddies as it presently has 6 2.5" adapters like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0VE-006S-00006

I'm hoping that means SAS as I've never personally seen SCSI drives in 2.5". More research... Edit- shit they do exist:

http://techreport.com/review/7469/se...csi-hard-drive

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Doing some reasearch (741s1 isn't a model I'm finding) to see if that really is an SAS backplane. Found out I need at least 4 (or 8) caddies as it presently has 6 2.5" adapters like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0VE-006S-00006

I'm hoping that means SAS as I've never personally seen SCSI drives in 2.5". More research... Edit- shit they do exist:

http://techreport.com/review/7469/se...csi-hard-drive

Never mind, Supermicro did use caddies like that for 3.5" drives... as topcat's cases (the one in his main rig at least) has such caddies. Also, his case has the same front door, which rules that out as a means of telling SCSI from SAS.

I'd say it's SCSI based on the listed model number (as 3 745S2 models show as SCSI while the SAS shows as 745TQ) but I for the life of me can't find any 745S1 containing model numbers on supermicro's site (that includes EOL stuff). Also, all the old SCSI stuff shows as 700W and lower, this suppossedly has 900W. Although the supplies may not be stock.

Really confusing... but a new case similar to this looks to be $400+, out of budget.

[Topcat]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

I think mine was 300-ish.....but its been a few years ago. They're impossible to find used, I look periodically.

I decommissioned my house workstation yesterday...just because its gross overkill for web browsing and playing D2 with my wife....none of that requires 12 cores and 96gb ram. Sad having something like that sitting around with no practical use for...

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0



look what I found:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Supermicro-H...kAAOSwpWVW8cN3

If I hadn't built 5.0 I'd have redone V3.5 with that. The fabled and awesome Supermicro Opteron board...

Not a bad price either... but no, no, no. Not building a new one. Not now anyway. Just my luck too.

[Topcat]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

that would be a big step backward to this one....unique board though, I don't think I've ever seen one. When it came to AMD workstation boards, it always seemed to be wonky Tyan boards.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

that would be a big step backward to this one....unique board though, I don't think I've ever seen one. When it came to AMD workstation boards, it always seemed to be wonky Tyan boards.

If anything I'd get board and case, and rebuild 3.5. I do have RAM GPU (eventually both ) and CPUs sitting and will probably eventually have a case and PSU ready. But the cost is too much to be worth it.

[Topcat]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

theres also this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/301660228529

I used this case for a client, its really nice.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

theres also this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/301660228529

I used this case for a client, its really nice.

Hot swap version of what I have. No cooling improvement, which is the main goal here (hotswap is cake icing).

Edit- If I wanted to go there I could have gone for another x5dal and done this (although that's probably a SATA backplane, not SAS):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SuperMicro-S...0AAOSwh-1W533Z

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

If it weren't missing the modular PSUs this would be an option:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Supermicro-C...kAAOSwUUdXDohR

Almost certainly an SAS backplane in there. Newer front door gives it away. It does have PCIe hookups though.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

^I think I found the boards that came out of them:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Supermicro-H...IAAOSwfl9XBWnM

Yeah, SAS all right. No dice on the PSUs from that seller. If the first one doesn't play out I may price some PSUs and offer on the Canada Case

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

I rectracted my offer on the case. I looked closer and saw what looked like SCSI plugs in the pixels. Also, I remembered that 4.1's model wasn't on supermicro's site, so this could also be that going on. It's almost certainly Scsi.

Put an offer on this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Supermicro-C...torefresh=true

as I can find modular supplies later.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

FYI, the first case was indeed ultra320 SCSI.

Negotaiting on the canada case.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Looked at the case a bit closer, it's the real deal. That's an SAS-743TQ backplane in there.

Shoot, whatever the guy counteroffers me wins it (if he doesn't take my counteroffer). The lack of PSUs sucks and it also needs SAS cables (and maybe caddies) but it's on good condition.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Agreed on the case... $155USD after shipping. He says he'll throw in caddies for $5 a pop ($3.96USD) but I didn't get that till after accepting the offer. Worst case, I can get caddies here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SuperMicro-0...oAAOSwDNdV1LU7

Or:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLACK-SUPER-...QAAOSwHnFV5go0


EDIT- Invoice edited, 8 caddies, $187USD total. For a newer case not bad IMHO.

Power supply wise, the best bang for buck was a pair of 900W units:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/182178418721...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Everything indicates that they'll fit. The newer 80+ platinum 920W units cost a lot ($80 a pop), so I think these are a better deal. I bought two, because why not? I have room for 2...

Also for SAS cables I put an offer on two of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Supermicro-C...torefresh=true

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

With the new case I'm calling it V5.2, as it went to V5.1 with the SAS upgrade.

I already have made and installed the first part of V5.2:



It's a dual headed power cable. Before somebody asks "why not just two power cords", here's why:



See, no free switch locations. Also, I wanted it all on one switch.

I don't know if I'll run it on both supplies... I figure the idle power isn't a whole lot and running both means I have more peak power available. I bought two just so I have the option... I don't need the redundancy, that's for sure. Nice to have though.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Question:

I know that besides the SATA(SAS) connections to the backplane, there is also sideband connections that are required. I have mini-SAS cables (supermicro brand) that have the sideband connectors needed for my backplane.

However, I also see I2C/SGPIO headers on the backplane and the case comes with those cables. I also have SGPIO headers on my motherboard.

My question is do/should I connect both the sideband and SGPIO connectors, or just the sideband connectors? I'm confused as I've read that the sideband is SGPIO, which makes me think connecting both is asking for collisions/interference. However, it's as clear as mud and I'm scratching my head.

[TechGeek]

Re: Ratdude's main rig V5.0

Yeah, this SAS/SCSI stuff IS confusing... ?
(confused person but happy)