To build or not to build... that is the question.

[STMahlberg]

STM, my man...you are trying to throw way too much money at this project!
I would use your 800W that you already have for the main PSU. That will run 2 GPUs at least. Then, get one of these for each additional GPU beyond the first 2. So, for example, if you would like to run 4 GPUs in the rig, then get 2 of these. That's only $50 over the price of the mobo and CPU.
Or, the other way is to do like F$ suggests and loop 2 big PSUs together. My question is why 4 in the one rig, though?

Are there any parts you can scavange from the 2 single core rigs - like HDDs or optical drives? They don't have to be high end, they just have to work. Then, when it's all said and done, I would sell whatever parts from those single core rigs are worth selling (like the 750W PSU, etc)...you don't need them around and may as well get some pocket change back...

...but, as you say - photography equipment you can actually make money with, so...I understand those kind of thoughts! Not to mention it's a blast.

I thought I was trying to save some money.

So here is what I am looking at now.

GIGABYTE GA-990FXA-UD7 AM3+ - $249
AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition Thuban 3.3GHz - $189
CORSAIR XMS3 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 - $50+
Sony Optiarc CD/DVD Burner Black SATA - Combo Deal - $50+
Seagate Barracuda ST3500413AS 500GB

Here were my thought on the above parts. The mobo has 6 slots in this configuration: PCI Express 2.0 x16: 6(x16, x16, x8, x8, x4, x4) So it may be able to handle 4 GPUs which would eliminate the need to build another system, if I can get all of my GPUs to run in 2 rigs. The other thing was this is an AM3+ board so I can upgrade to Bulldozer when it comes out.

Using the AMD 1100, I get the 6 cores for now and it can be used as a spare for my other rig if it burns out or I could sell it.

I still would need to buy an optical drive but may not have to buy a hard drive. Explanation further down.

The issue is that I need 8 6-pin PCIe connectors. The 1200 watt PSU that I have on my main rig can only support 6; so trying to run 4 GPUs on a single board isn't going to work with any of the 3 PSUs that I have.

The other issue was I didn't mind spending the $450 on the original configuration and I lost the opportunity to pick up the Mobo/CPU combo I wanted since the price went up. The new configuration would cost me $550 but I really didn't want to spend that much and I didn't factor in the PSU that I would need which now basically kills this project.

The other issue is the fact that it's costing me $100+ a month to run the 3 rigs I have; frankly, I have other projects in the works which would be a better use of money as well as generate income.

Steve, do you already have a spare PSU? Say 400W+?

Although this is not for the faint of heart, there is a technique for running two PSUs in tandem. That was the mod I used on Blackie for about six months or so. If you are interested I dig up the details.

Yes. I have a 800w CoolerMax and a 700w Thermaltake; each is running my 2 Dells that contain my GTX460's.

I assume you are talking about one of these? Dual PSU Adapter

It didn't hit me till later that I didn't take into account the PSU and the number of 6pin PCIe connectors that I would need. Fire$torm has the fix to tandem two of my PSUs together. I have another PSU as well; a Rosewill 850 which has 4 6pin PCIe on it. Both the CoolerMax 800 and the Thermaltake 700 only have 2 dedicated 6pin PCIe connectors but I have a couple 4pin power to 6pin PCIe connectors laying around somewhere; this would solve the additional connections on either of the last PSUs mentioned.

Yeah what he said.

I have noticed on eBay that if use a good picture (No problem there) and a good honest description, you can make more money selling Dell parts then you can with complete systems. At least when the systems aren't too old. Dell GX240/280 parts still seem to do wall as Dell sold a ton of 'em. Used CD-ROMs are a no-no on eBay but the higher speed DVD burners can fetch a few bucks. And the cooling fan for the GX280 will sell as that part has a high failure rate. One last thing. If you try to sell the MB(s) sell them with the CPU.

Yeppers.

Now the situation with the Dell GX-280's... They belong to work which I signed out for them a few years ago; eventually they may want them back but probably not. Since then, I have had to replace both PSUs and 1 hard drive(I think) which I paid for the parts myself. So I may not have to buy a HDD for this new rig. If I build this new rig, I will pull all of my parts from the Dells and return them to work where they will still in a storage room and collect dust until someone decides to BER(beyond economical repair) them and throw them away.

So I can't really sell the parts.

The price for this new rig would be ~$500. Now for the big issue that is really preventing me from doing all of this... the cost of the power. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, it costs be $107 a month to power what I have running now. This new rig would push that higher even though I would be eliminating my other 2 rigs. Spending $1200+ a year on power for something that only gives me imaginary internet credits is a lot of money. I like doing the whole crunching thing but like I said, I have other projects that could really us that money.

Thus my quandary...