Use ubuntu box as a heater?

[leptogenesis]

The heater in my apartment broke while I was out today, and so now it's pretty cold in my apartment. However, I happen to have an ubuntu box with a quad-core cpu and an nvidia gpu, both of which can be pretty good at generating heat. So I got to thinking...what's the easiest way to make my computer to generate as much heat as possible? Preferably I'd like it to remain usable while I do this, and I'd like it to be easy to turn on and off.

Thoughts anyone?

[nowin4me]

Personally, I don't recommend using your PC as a heater, doing so will cut it's lifetime dramatically. Go and by an electric one.

This isn't recommended at all but: Take out any fans, play the most CPU using game you have, put settings on high.

[sydbat]

Personally, I don't recommend using your PC as a heater, doing so will cut it's lifetime dramatically. Go and by an electric one.

This isn't recommended at all but: Take out any fans, play the most CPU using game you have, put settings on high.To add - have marshmallows ready for roasting and 91 entered into phone (with finger on ready to hit the second 1).

[Dragonbite]

Light it on fire (but you might want to open the window first) :lolflag:

[NMFTM]

Personally, I don't recommend using your PC as a heater, doing so will cut it's lifetime dramatically. Go and by an electric one.
I don't know what it'll do to the other parts. But as far as the CPU goes, modern ones are AFAIK built with a 10 year lifespan of heavy use. I don't think running it all the time would significantly cut it's lifespan.

Also, install BOINC and run a distributed computing project like Seti@Home. It'll make use of 100% of your CPU and possibly even your GPU if you have a compatible card.

[handy]

Taking out all of the fans is NOT at all to be recommended. Most especially for a machine that is not just idling. Removing the CPU & GPU fans on a machine that is working hard will cause both graphic card problems & system resets.

[Random_Dude]

Light it on fire (but you might want to open Windows first) :lolflag:

Fixed.

[tjwoosta]

lol, why would you remove the fans? Your tyring to heat the room, not the motherboard ;)

[jerenept]

I don't know what it'll do to the other parts. But as far as the CPU goes, modern ones are AFAIK built with a 10 year lifespan of heavy use. I don't think running it all the time would significantly cut it's lifespan.

Also, install BOINC and run a distributed computing project like Seti@Home. It'll make use of 100% of your CPU and possibly even your GPU if you have a compatible card.

Folding@home is a lot more CPU/GPU intensive than Seti@Home; just make sure you fold for TeamUbuntu (45104)

See the links in my sig.

[tgalati4]

sudo apt-get install cpuburn

burnP6 &
burnP6 &
burnP6 &
burnP6 &

Enjoy the 240 watts of heat.

You're better off turning on all the lights. At least you can enjoy the light and read.

[Giant Speck]

This thread is kind of depressing.

[NMFTM]

Folding@home is a lot more CPU/GPU intensive than Seti@Home; just make sure you fold for TeamUbuntu (45104)
How so? I'm watching my CPU (Phenom II X4 965) meter and it's at 100% because of Seti@Home right now. GPU (GTX 260) is also in use, although I don't have a meter to measure it's performance.

[piquat]

This thread is kind of depressing.

On the contrary, it's uplifting seeing these people help the OP improvise. :D

[handy]

This thread is kind of depressing.

Beyond depressing, the reality of this situation says that it is F'ing stupid.

[cascade9]

Beyond depressing, the reality of this situation says that it is F'ing stupid.

:lolflag:

You know, if you want heat, turning on the oven with the door open is a much, much better idea than trashing your computer....Computers arent meant to make heat, its a by-product. Ovens are made to heat things, and should be more efficent at producing it.

[handy]

:lolflag:

You know, if you want heat, turning on the oven with the door open is a much, much better idea than trashing your computer....Computers arent meant to make heat, its a by-product. Ovens are made to heat things, and should be more efficient at producing it.

& if all else fails & you happen to have a really cold brain, then you could of course just put your head in the oven...

The effect of the oven being powered by either gas or electricity can be quite markedly different, as you do need to actually lite the gas.

Oh! Dear...

[Giant Speck]

:lolflag:

You know, if you want heat, turning on the oven with the door open is a much, much better idea than trashing your computer....Computers arent meant to make heat, its a by-product. Ovens are made to heat things, and should be more efficent at producing it.
Knowing that there really are people out there who actually have to do that in order to keep themselves -- or even worse, their entire family -- warm is what makes this thread depressing.

[cascade9]

Knowing that there really are people out there who actually have to do that in order to keep themselves -- or even worse, their entire family -- warm is what makes this thread depressing.

*yorkshine accent* They were lucky. We lived for 3 years in a icebox because it was warmer than house, get up in morning, clean icefield, eat handfull of frost, then off to work down t'mill for 39hours a day, then come home where partents would make us run in giant mouseheel to power icebox. :lolflag:

If it gets too depresing, you can always try the 'head in the oven' idea of handy. Or buy a few cure ablums, they alwasy cheer me up. :)

What I find depressing is that I know some who tried the open door trick with a fridge because it was too hot :lolflag: I thought they would have known I was joking.....

[Dragonbite]

Knowing that there really are people out there who actually have to do that in order to keep themselves -- or even worse, their entire family -- warm is what makes this thread depressing.

That's kinda the way when my wife and I first got married. We were lucky, though, because not only did we have each other the help keep us warm.. our bedroom was right above the kitchen and yes it was gas and yes the burners would be left on for long periods of time.

Then he got the wood stove working in the basement so with the door wide open the heat would rise up to the first floor.

When I work from home, it is in the unheated basement. So I took the electric oil heater, placed it under the table and draped a cloth over the table so that it is held away from the heater, yet the only part open is where I sit so the heat washes over me when I am working.

There are lots of methods for keeping warm. Don't let your imagination hold you back :) Thankfully, Spring is an inevitable so just hold on there!

[handy]

When it does truly get cold, I have always found putting on lots of layers of clothing works.

& then when it gets incredibly seriously cold, to get into bed & have lots of bedclothes on over the bed; if you are lucky enough to have other people in the bed with you then the more the better, if they are naked it can be beneficial re. heat transference.

If the above solutions don't work, then you are in serious trouble, you would very likely be best off burning the furniture or whatever else you can find in an effort to gain a little more life time, though under those circumstances it is probably not worth the trouble.

[Dragonbite]

Over the bed, hang sheets up, maybe from the ceiling, like a tent. Makes a big difference on heat because whatever you loose through all of your blankets will be caught again in the "tent". Best to make sure there is an opening enough for fresh air though.

I like those mummy sleeping bags where only your mouth is exposed.

[coolbrook]

Get an old CRT off of Craigslist. It isn't as warm as a good woman, but it does the trick.

[Dragonbite]

Get an old CRT off of Craigslist. It isn't as warm as a good woman, but it does the trick.

Or a plasma TV.

[cariboo]

Even LCD tv's put off a surprising amount of heat.

[tjwoosta]

cheap electric heater from wallmart $15 ;)

[Dragonbite]

cheap electric heater from wallmart $15 ;)

The oil filled ones are pretty good. They take a while to warm up but last for a while without a lot of electricity.

The thing is space heaters only do a small space. Use it in a larger space and they won't be too effective.

Put up sheets between each of the rooms to hold whatever heat there is, in.

[Tristam Green]

Using your computer as a heat source?


Steps:

1. Obtain petrol.
2. Turn off computer.
3. Apply petrol liberally to interior and exterior of computer.
4. Turn switch to "on".
5. Run like hell.
6. Heat!


Wait, it's running Ubuntu? You shouldn't have to do anything, with that type of power management. It should generate heat by itself.

[NMFTM]

Knowing that there really are people out there who actually have to do that in order to keep themselves -- or even worse, their entire family -- warm is what makes this thread depressing.
I know of an older couple that inherited at least a million dollars (they weren't in poverty prior to that either) and decided to live in their kitchen an entire winter, in Michigan. They used the oven and stove as heat while sealing off the doorways with plastic tarps.

[sydbat]

using your computer as a heat source?


Steps:

1. Obtain petrol.
2. Turn off computer.
3. Apply petrol liberally to interior and exterior of computer.
4. Turn switch to "on".
5. Run like hell.
6. Heat!


Wait, it's running ubuntu? You shouldn't have to do anything, with that type of power management. It should generate heat by itself.LoL

And, like I said before, don't forget the marshmallows...maybe wieners too...mmmm...roasted wieners covered in marshmallows...=P~...