Running Folding @ Home on the P-6831FX full time?

Does anyone Fold on their P-6831FX? I'm tempted buy this notebook after reading Anandtech's review, and would like to double check that it can handle running Folding @ Home on both CPUs whenever it's on (probably 12+ hours a day). Ie it dosen't seem like it's going to melt or gets super loud or something.

From the review, it sounds like it gets up to 36db when the CPU is at full blast, so I assume that's how it will be when Folding. Doesn't have to go up from that apparently unless the GPU kicks in when gaming. (I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think 36db would be bad for a normal desktop-don't think it would be THAT noticeable).

And just to double check, it looks like this actually DOES come with a real Vista DVD so I can wipe it and do a clean install when I get it? Very cool, as Dell's the only other large OEM that does that (besides Apple, but that's OS X).

EDIT: Forgot, I should also ask, anyone have any issues forcing the regular Nvidia drivers to install on here? (ie the fan still comes on when gaming and that sort of thing)
It sounds like hopefully in a month or so Nvidia will start supporting this directly, but in the mean time, it's nice to know if it works okay using regular desktop reference drivers. (I've forced them to install on a Macbook Pro under XP, and didn't seem to have any issues after doing so-the GPU was still even recognized as a mobile version.)

 

I went to Best Buy after work to check the unit out again. They don't have any stock, but do still have the display model. My impressions, definitely NOT in the order of importance:

-The keyboard is really decent for a notebook. The Dell XPS 1330 I tried in the store was slightly better, but everything else I played with felt way worse. Still terrible, but useable for short bursts or if you have to (in between plugging in a real keyboard).

-The screen's resolution is excellent for the size. It's denser than the 19" screens I'm used to, but still seemed very usable (personally I think these ultra high resolution screens on notebooks are nuts-I mean you already can't see pixels...)

-The general build quality and everything seemed just fine to me.

-Orange/bronze coloring is a bit silly, but looks okay (and gives it a slightly distinctive look). Looks much better than Toshiba's x205 series which is the ugliest color I've ever seen (not that that affects my purchasing decisions at all)

-The screen's viewing angles (at least on this one) were really terrible. I use LCD monitors off angle all the time, and on my monitors and TV it really doesn't matter. They don't really shift colors until way past the point where they're usable anyway-but this you really have to move the screen up and down to get the right spot. Once you do, it seems to look good. It's so-called "glossy", but didn't seem too bad, and seemed bright and easy to look at, etc. I don't think this will be TOO big of an issue since you can just move the screen around pretty easily (and I know they're all much worse than desktop monitors).

-I've heard static/hissing on the audio from several Dell Latitude notebooks, and I've heard some complaints about some XPS notebooks too. I happened to have a DVD in my car, so I popped it in the Gateway's drive, and stuck my iPod's headphones in to see how this was.

Not a great test, because of how loud it is in there. The audio SEEMED to be perfectly clear with no hiss or crackle. I noticed it seemed a bit flat, but not terrible at all-no obvious defects from what I could hear (these Dells were REALLY obvious through headphones). (Also I'm used to my Creative cards on my desktops, which may be doing things to punch up the audio.)
One strange thing-the volume was really low. I had to crank up Windows Media Player and the overall system volume, and it was still pretty quiet (though this is in Best Buy of course).
For comparison, I stuck the disc in an XPS 1330. It too was too quiet in that environment, but sounded pretty much identical-perfectly fine from what I could tell.

So superficially at least, it seems like a really nice set of compromises.

Can anyone tell me anything about Folding on it? Running the CPU at full blast?

I hate not having a Dell warranty...but for the price, I figure worst case scenario I can always get something much better next year.

 

What would you like to know?? I fold on mine 24/7 and have since I purchased it. Top 500 folder myself...have had many dedicated folding rigs throughout my folding career. I will say that you may have a difficult time completing SMP work units in the "preferred" deadline time running the stock processor and is why I upgraded my proc. As far as folding 24/7 does great though I did purchase an extended warranty through BB just in case....my goal is to wear it out within my 2yr....

 

Does it have to really ramp up the fans or anything when you're Folding, or seem to cause any issues or anything?

My 2.8GHz Pentium D is able to finish an SMP work unit in a bit over half the typical 4 day deadline, but then it's running 24/7. I'm assuming a 1.83GHz/667Mhz/2MB Core 2 would be able to beat that (hopefully be a big margin...?), except I wouldn't be running it 24/7. I'm thinking basically 13.5-15.5 hours a day (basically at work, and then at home until I go to sleep). If I can't do the SMP units I guess I'd run two single threaded units.

But anyway, thanks so much for responding! I was hoping to get any response, let alone someone who's a top folder and runs it 24/7!

If I was able to buy it in store I might just do a warranty (I guess supposedly you can just bring the system back to Best Buy, not mess with shipping it off?) but I'm going to have to order this from their web site.

 

devan is my name and folding is my game... PC Pitstop team member...just passed 3 million point total.

The comp. runs almost silent...Proc. temps are between 60-65C running the X9000 at 100% load 24/7...no issues whatsoever....GPU temps like 43c though of course the gpu isn't being utilized while folding usually. Just trying to point out that there seem to be no adverse affects to folding on the unit.

 

Oh wow, thank you so much! That's exactly what I was hoping to hear! (And I'd imagine an x9000 probably runs hotter than a slower 65nm part.)

So far I've only got 660,000 points, although I only installed my first SMP client a few weeks ago. Several of my systems are only single core Pentium 4 based Celerons...but why, they're still cranking away

 

I read where somewhere that nVidia? was pushing for api's to offload some CPU tasks to the GPU down the road?

How would the PS3 rate to your machine?

 

Nvidia has CUDA that I guess is an API for running non-graphics programs on their hardware. I guess there are going to start being more programs that support it later this year...

But Folding @ Home isn't going to be ported to CUDA. They want to use plain (I guess Direct X?) stuff...only apperently there's a bug in the current drivers that prevents it from running, so the upcoming release is only for Radeon hardware (a closed beta added support for 2xx0 and 3xx0 hardware on top of the 1xx0 hardware it currently supports.

 

hydra, guess the best way I know to answer that is to say that it folds on par with my E6420 or one instance of my Q6600...puts out over 2000 ppd and actually running a lower clock...2.93 vs. 3.2 on both the E6420 and the Quad....the quad runs 2 smp instances and nets me over 4000 ppd folding the 2653 WU which is mostly the work unit I have been getting on my rigs for some time now.

As far as the PS3 it puts out roughly 900 ppd according to Stanfords benchmark console I read. I've folded over 1000 on the PS3 running 24/7 for 11 month or so...no heat issues, fan noises, etc....all the issues with the PS3 one hears/reads about....I keep it well ventilated and clear of dust if that has anything to do with my fortunes running it I don't know....could be partially due to just "dumb" luck... has proven to be a maintenance free folding system...and again, 24/7 for 11 month and only shutdown for console and folding software updates.