EEVblog #838 - More Dumpster Server PCs - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 10:10:22 am
content: Dave & Sagan score some more server PC's from the dumpster.Will they work?Will they be Dual Xeon & Core i7 Processors?https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/P6X58DE/

author: Barny
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 10:25:09 am
content: You're lucky to have a free goods room like this.In my electronic trash room are only pices which are all irreperableBtw: That was a good "thumbs up" way to keep Sagan from grabing in the fan.That was more effective way then scare im with a "watch out" scream ore something similar.

author: crispy_tofu
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 10:46:07 am
content: Great score! I wouldlivein a dumpster room like that...

author: elgonzo
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 11:09:30 am
content: SAS != network mumbo jumboSAS == storage mumbo jumbo

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 11:26:36 am
content: A suggestion Dave. You seem to be able to find old computers and other stuff that is not always useful, but might have useful parts for electronics if they are harvested. The EEVblog forums has a wide range of people on it and many who are looking for projects to build and don't lots of money to buy parts.How about a dumpster dive electronics project that uses parts harvested from computers and whatever else can be commonly found in a dumpster dive?

author: fire219
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 03:52:17 pm
content: Your analysis of the Xeon system is pretty much correct -- the CPUs are slow and power hungry beasts, not worth much. They're essentially rebadged bottom-level Core 2 Quad chips. If you were so inclined though, you could replace them withany CPU on this list(these all have the same socket as the E5405). With two of the CPUs high on that list, you'd get performance comparable to Core i7 chips of a generation newer than the 950 in the other system. Pretty good.The i7-950 system definitely still has life in it. If you wanted to make use of it, that motherboard looks to be a standard ATX board. You should be able to stick it in almost any case you have laying around.

author: rob77
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 04:38:59 pm
content: Quote from: Lightages on January 10, 2016, 11:26:36 amthere is not too much to harvest from PCs- mosfets + inductors from the main board - sometimes discrete logic (almost nonexistent nowadays), if lucky then mosfet driver chips- small DC motor + brushless motor from a DVD drive- brushless motor from a HDD- bigger (4,7uF - 10uF) SMD ceramic decoupling caps (but anything smaller than 1206/0805 makes not too much sense to harvest)- wires (the ones coming from the PSU)- the PSU as it is - or for parts.so it's unlikely you can build a whole project from scavenged parts...

author: gadget73
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 05:03:33 pm
content: Other things show up in dumpsters though. PCs themselves have limited useful donor parts but they do provide a decent power supply and a nice large case if nothing else. Not a terrible starting point for a project.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 05:36:39 pm
content: Quote from: fire219 on January 10, 2016, 03:52:17 pmThe best thing about those Socket 771 Xeons is you can modify Core 2 (Socket 775) motherboards to take them and get basically a Core 2 Quad/Extreme for cheap.You have to knock off one of the alignment tabs on the socket and buy a little sticker that goes on the processor to swap a couple of pins, and you're in.I've got a Dell Optiplex 330 that's been upgraded to a Xeon and it has a passmark over 4000 now. Not bad for a computer from 2007. There's still a lot of new computers that aren't up to 4000. The i3 processors currently are just getting around that performance mark.

author: fire219
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 05:47:20 pm
content: Quote from: Stonent on January 10, 2016, 05:36:39 pmYep, I almost got a 771 Xeon to stick in a little Lenovo ThinkCentre I was upgrading, but realized the microcode wasn't compatible with the crappy Q35 motherboard in the system. I ended up buying a Xeon X3320 for it instead, which got it a Passmark of 3400-3500.I have a build/mod log of that experimentover hereif you care for a giggle or two.

author: gadget73
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2016, 06:55:32 pm
content: my own workshop computers have been a string of dumpster dive salvages from work. Whenever they upgrade something I look at the "trash" to see if its better than what I have now, and take it home with me if it is. Most recent upgrade was from a core2duo E7500 in an Optiplex 380 to a Core i3 2120 in an Optiplex 390. Not exactly light-years ahead but it was a free upgrade and this one has blue LEDs so it must be better.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2016, 08:29:05 am
content: Quote from: gadget73 on January 10, 2016, 06:55:32 pmI didn't like when Dell changed from blue power leds to white in the Optiplex 7010. The white doesn't stand out as much so sometimes in a bright room you can't tell if the computer is on or not.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 12, 2016, 08:38:15 am
content: Quote from: Lightages on January 10, 2016, 11:26:36 amHave always thought about that.Might at least do another parts salvage video.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 12, 2016, 08:40:46 am
content: Quote from: fire219 on January 10, 2016, 03:52:17 pmI might replace the board and Core i7 870 board I got from a previous dumpster dive. IIRC this new one is better.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2016, 09:05:05 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on January 12, 2016, 08:38:15 amDont forget the first rule of salvaging (made by me):The more leads it has, the less likely you will ever use the component.

author: miguemely
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 16, 2016, 06:42:31 pm
content: And right as my server died on my birthday(woohoo) you found two good ones... XD Thats just hilarious. Where is this dumpster you hunt in so I can move in and also score some of these-Miguel16 (correction 17 today) year old IT guy for a few local things, including a school district

author: rrinker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 16, 2016, 07:35:11 pm
content: Quote from: miguemely on January 16, 2016, 06:42:31 pmKeep up with that last bit. My ex wife is a teacher, 6th grade, and one of the kids in her class back a bunch of years was a student helper for IT, and once he hit high school, a summer intern helping IT. Today, he is the IT director for the whole school district. And not yet 30.

author: C
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2016, 04:53:58 pm
content: Looks like you could make a compute stack cheap.might cure some of the trans code times for your video.Came across a few web pages that say some scripts can split a handbrake job across many computers and put output back together. If they work could help you with time.Was thinking keep it simple and pitch the slowest cpu when you get to many.With network boot on AC power, you would just need a big power relay and just leave it powered down except when there was work to do..Just an idea of what to do with old computers you have access to.C