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View Full Version : Desktop supercomputer with 13 GPUs...


keithpeter
December 10th, 2011, 12:32 PM
Hello All

http://fastra2.ua.ac.be/

A lot of number crunching power using graphics cards in a case that will fit on a (large) desk.


Although the system is up and running, we are still experiencing software stability issues, probably caused by an incompatibility between the video drivers and the BIOS and Linux modifications we had to use.

Video drivers could be a problem if you have 13 video cards...
NMFTM
December 11th, 2011, 12:40 PM
But, will it blend?
BrokenKingpin
December 12th, 2011, 09:35 PM
They call it a desktop computer, but it really isn't. Sure it fits on a desktop, but something like that probably isn't being used to surf the web. Not to mention the price of it is probably huge. For the average user, 2 GPUs is overkill.

Don't get me wrong, it is cool tech, but not a "desktop computer". Even video games would not be able to utilize all that kit, so there is no point of this for a "Desktop" user.

That thing would rock at bitcoin mining though.
keithpeter
December 12th, 2011, 11:16 PM
Hello Chaps

Yes, I should have said, the GPUs are actually being used to run a special version of linux kernel that 'pools' their processing power and lets you do mathematical calculations really quickly.

I just found it amusing that they are using nvidia cards and having problems with the linux drivers :twisted:
KiwiNZ
December 13th, 2011, 03:12 AM
does it play Solitaire ?
RealityMaster
December 13th, 2011, 03:24 AM
Are you wanting to do BTC mining?
CharlesA
December 13th, 2011, 03:38 AM
But, will it blend?
Well an iPad blends, so I don't see why this wouldn't.

That is if you could get it in the blender..
haqking
December 14th, 2011, 02:51 PM
looks like a regular WPA/WPA2 crackbox for use with pyrit to me
forrestcupp
December 14th, 2011, 03:11 PM
In 7 years, grandmas will be buying these to check their emails and update Facebook.
CharlesA
December 14th, 2011, 05:23 PM
looks like a regular WPA/WPA2 crackbox for use with pyrit to me
++
drawkcab
December 14th, 2011, 07:14 PM
At least someone can now play Crysis on the highest settings.
keithpeter
December 14th, 2011, 08:44 PM
In 7 years, grandmas will be buying these to check their emails and update Facebook.

Which is exactly my plan. I'll be buying the spare processor cycles and hooking all the gandparent machines together to take out Watson :twisted:
insane_alien
December 14th, 2011, 09:19 PM
mmm... that would make my openFoam cases go a lot faster.