Consider how to utilize your Z77 sabertooth effectively.
Consider how to utilize your Z77 sabertooth effectively.
I retrieved my Z77 sabertooth today and considered what I could do with it. I wanted to display it because no board looked as impressive, and I really wanted to restore it and put it to use. My plan was to rebuild it again, which is why it features an i3 3x45 chip using the HD4000 iGPU. I’m okay with putting in a lot of effort—300 pounds worth—to make it powerful. I’d also like to reuse the armor, even if I had to hot glue it onto a mid-range Intel board that would fit properly. Using a splitter to connect fan headers could help with cooling. Anyone else have ideas? I plan to purchase two of these next month so I can think about it further. Attached are the photos.
I try this with my Rad VII occasionally, sometimes reaching over 1 mil PPD. The one I own has already surpassed 700,000 before, especially when used for folding. This seems like a solid application for the board—best of all, you don’t need to use a bigger chip; any decent CPU with lower power consumption works as long as it’s only handling folding on the GPU. Ensure the case provides strong airflow to the card, and generally the GPU will last longer if set up properly. Keep in mind it will slightly increase your power bill, but that’s worth it for the benefit. I think the GTX 1060 is the top choice for power usage versus PPD return, though your current setup is fine too. If you need consistent power draw for continuous folding, the 1060 is ideal. Running SETI could also be an option if you want something different.
There are options to manage GPU selection through the power supply unit. With three GPUs available, you can configure which one is active depending on your needs. If you connect a 1070 to the 1050 Ti and use an M.2 card in the third PCIe slot, you can switch between devices easily. The 3770K and HyperX 212Evo are suitable choices. You might also consider using older 1TB HDDs for storage since they work well with Linux gaming setups on Steam.
You can install two GPUs and choose which one to use when needed. Each card occupies a specific "Slot" that you configure manually. By default, the system assigns a slot to the CPU, but you should remove that and allocate it to the desired GPU. It’s straightforward once you understand the process, and there are many resources to guide you. After setting up the GPU slot, just launch the client—it retrieves the project and begins processing. It will handle the folding automatically. Just let it run and you’re done.
I like a KDE-themed Linux distribution. For the software, I’m curious about Fold Software—looks like it’s a useful resource for staying updated. Cryptomining can feel like toxic capitalism, while Folding seems appealing to many. There are dedicated places to learn more about these topics.
I'm not a fan of using Windows as a NAS setup. I could easily switch to 8 2TB HDDs, using just two for personal storage. Linux seems like the top choice. However, I got a 16GB Patriot Viper 2133MHz PV38G213C1K kit from a friend and they perform well. My goal is to find a budget-friendly 3770k. I’m considering a second-hand R9 380 M.S.I. card since I can resell the 1070 for another pair of 380s, letting one run the system. I’ve already installed my old Intel DQ77MK board with a 3245 i3 and am running the 1050 folding version on Windows. For the aesthetic, I want a sleek look—just black and gold fans, and I’m planning to paint the MSI gaming cowling in black, add a golden MSI decal on the sides, and another on the top card backplate.