Building a new beast

[It_security]

Been doing computers for a long time but just started into cracking when I started Pen testing as part of my Masters degree. I have been planning to build a new beast and wanted get some suggestions on a Motherboard and multiple cards. I have almost everything spec'ed out and have already got a few pieces when they were on sale on egg****. I will be using the machine for things other than just cracking hashes. Looking at the 2600k for the processor, 16GB of ram plus an SSD drive in addition to the other drives I already have. Main OS will be Win 7 64 and will be running Unbutu out of VMware (unless you guys say otherwise).

I have cruised through the forums and saw the debate over the cards between ATI and Nvid. I am a little unclear on on how many hases are usually done since to a noob it seemed like 50k was quite a bit. I guess that will all be in my learning curve. BUT I need to get a beast to get going. I want reliable and something that I don't have to mess with for an hour before I can even get started when I sit down to get it done. I got wife, kids, school work... Blah blah blah Been playing with hardware and building my own sysytems for too long and I know how it can get. I don't mind that I just don't want to fight with drivers and configs all the time since I need to get stuff done and want to learn this and not how to troubleshoot OS and drivers.

What would you guys get if you were building a new system? I don't game much anymore but it would seem a waste not to with so much video power. So what I am looking for is reccommendation on Video cards, mobo, and cooling. Was planning on an HAF case (huge and airflow) and I already have an H50 for the CPU. Really would like to go no case but I have 2 smaller kids and a couple dogs. Stuff gets broke even when you think there is no way possible so the case is a must. I am over the holy crap factor when someone looks at my machine. I just need it to work.

Any help would be appreciated. Sorry for such a long post.

[radix]

Well......GPU power is what you want. If you were going to go with sandy vag, look at the MSI Big Bang. You would be able to fit 4 cards, with the potential to go 7 if you decided to watercool them. It has 8 PCI-e slots, but IIRC you cannot run 8 cards without running into BIOS level memory allocation issues. You will also not need tons of ram.

If this is going to be a work/play computer then stick with windows, otherwise go with ubuntu 10.04LTS since hashcat is built/tested on it most.

The AMD/nVidia thing is up to you. nVidia looses less speed on large lists, but AMD is cheaper and faster for the small stuff. nVidia tends to have better drivers but there is also a nasty little bug that pops up every once in a while that atom is still hunting down.

[It_security]

The new board is now on my list. So the next thing would be the cards either 3 or 4. I am guessing the AMD's would be the 6970',s what about on the nVidia side?

Also (noob question) when hooking up the video cards, do I use crossfire cables or it doesnt really matter? I was thinking it doesnt matter but would hate to have to put the build on hold because I didnt get one or the one I had was too short.

[Rolf]

Na, you only need crossfire for games n rendering.

[It_security]

what about getting 2x 6990's I know they are 700+ each but they have 2 GPU's would work out the same as 4 6970's

[.::Rizwan::.]

Yes they are about equal to 4 6970's.
They goes pretty well but you should be aware of heat they generate.

[It_security]

So doing 4 6970's would be better? Just trying to figure out the best way to go. I can talk the wife into this once. Having to drop over a grand on video cards a 2nd time is not going to happen.

I just thought about Power supply too. How big? I originaly spec'ed out an 850 Cosair am I going to need to bump that up to 1000?

[forumhero]

newegg has the hd 5970 for 499$ right now. 399$ if you use coupon code: HARDOCPX914A

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...=hd%205970

i'm running 4 hd5970 right now. because of the way the cards are stacked on top of each other they over heat even at 100% fan speed. you definitely want to watercool if you are doing more than 2 physical cards in a tower.

[ati6990]

Hi, my favorite is the amd 6970 http://www.alternate.de/html/product/ASU...4S/816532/? but they need massiv space in your tower , 3 slots but the oc level is very high and the cooling excellent,like all amd high end cards... dont ask for the noise

[KT819GM]

Wow, for beast's like HD5970 super price, if to remember that on same clocks they beating it's newer sisters - HD6990