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SETI@Home and CPU Life Expectancy

ImperialForces

ImperialForces

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 21, 2008
104
257
Sure! Do you have a pen and paper? I'm in your mom
Hey guys,

I bought a new iMac this Christmas with a core i7, and have decided to install BOINC for running SETI@Home during idle times. I leave my computer idle for about 22 hours a day, and have set the max CPU usage allotted to BOINC at 40%. My question is, while using 40% of the CPU 22 hours per day, 365 days per year, how long will my CPU last?

Thanks for the input :cool:
 
phoenixsan

phoenixsan

macrumors 65816
Oct 19, 2012
1,342
2
Well....

I dont know about SETI, but in a old workplace of me, I used to run Folding at Home, that basically does the same as SETI (using idle power/time to run calculations) and the machine is still up and running. And that machine is a 2008 iMac. 24/7 on....so maybe this bit of info is helpful. And being honest, when still working there, I was more concerned by heat/fans in heavy summer days....:eek:


:):apple:
 
dusk007

dusk007

macrumors 68040
Dec 5, 2009
3,411
104
The CPUs usually handle 4-5 years in server environment with constant load without issues. HDDs die much sooner than CPUs.

As long as the cooling is good there shouldn't be any problem with running it on 100% load all the time.

Check the cpu temps of the iMac. Usually desktops are easy to cool and run even under load in the 60C range. On a notebook which runs at full load at 75-80C things would be different.
As much as I once read about chip life expectancy. Heat is really the primary killer. Load doesn't really matter. It isn't mechanical that doesn't wear down from overuse.
 
ImperialForces

ImperialForces

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 21, 2008
104
257
Sure! Do you have a pen and paper? I'm in your mom
dusk007 said:
The CPUs usually handle 4-5 years in server environment with constant load without issues. HDDs die much sooner than CPUs.

As long as the cooling is good there shouldn't be any problem with running it on 100% load all the time.

Check the cpu temps of the iMac. Usually desktops are easy to cool and run even under load in the 60C range. On a notebook which runs at full load at 75-80C things would be different.
As much as I once read about chip life expectancy. Heat is really the primary killer. Load doesn't really matter. It isn't mechanical that doesn't wear down from overuse.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Dusk
 
Z

Zerozal

macrumors 6502
Apr 3, 2009
443
4
PA
I run the BOINC client at 60% load on my MP to support WorldCommunityGrid. It's been running 24/7 since I first purchased my system in June 2009, and still going strong.

Just make sure you have proper airflow around your hardware and you'll be fine.
 
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