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Other => CPU/GPU Bitcoin mining hardware => Topic started by: usagi on July 14, 2011, 04:12:37 PM



Title: 6 PCIe slots
Post by: usagi on July 14, 2011, 04:12:37 PM
6 PCIe slots


Title: Re: 6 PCIe slots. Wet dream?
Post by: Convery on July 14, 2011, 04:14:28 PM
You know that you can mine on pretty much any slot, right?

i.e. you can fit 7 card on that board..


Title: Re: 6 PCIe slots. Wet dream?
Post by: mikeo on July 14, 2011, 04:33:42 PM
There's also this Gigabyte M/B for $50 less:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128508

Also, full x16 slots are not required, PCIe x1 slots work fine with extender cables, like this less expensive MSI board:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130274

And this $155 Gigabyte with 4 x16 and 2 x1"

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128514


Title: Re: 6 PCIe slots. Wet dream?
Post by: Convery on July 14, 2011, 04:34:01 PM
Modify the extender and add a MOLEX to it? Also, the PCI slots only give 75W at max, so it shouldn't be a problem..

Also, know any OS that would handle 7 6990's? 14 GPUs =P


Title: Re: 6 PCIe slots. Wet dream?
Post by: anodyne on July 14, 2011, 04:34:48 PM
It does have an extra 6-pin to power the PCI-E slots directly from the GPU, so that should help (but might skew the load balancing if you use a multi-rail PSU)

You could also get risers with supplementary power, so they draw power directly from the PSU.

Or, you could probably build two rigs for the same cost by getting cheaper motherboards and power supplies.


Title: Re: 6 PCIe slots. Wet dream?
Post by: hugolp on July 14, 2011, 04:36:49 PM
You know that you can mine on pretty much any slot, right?

i.e. you can fit 7 card on that board..

Yes. But, I've heard power consumption can fry a motherboard. If you're running 7 6990s, realistically, wouldn't you toast your motheboard? I'd be using 6870s, 6950s, and the like; I'm worried that if I put 5 or 6 cards on the motherboard it won't be able to handle the power.

That's why I am interested in motherboards with native PCIe slots. One would assume they've been built to handle higher power requirements.

You can use pci-e extenders that get the current directly from the PSU so the motherboard does not suffer. You can get $100 motherboards that will accept 6 cards with extenders without a problem. And you need the extenders anyway becuase the cards are double and you want them to be separated to keep them cool. So really there is no need for such a expensive motherboard. Get a good one, $100-150 and extenders with a molex to get the current directly from the PSU.


Title: Re: 6 PCIe slots. Wet dream?
Post by: mike678 on July 14, 2011, 04:36:58 PM
For over 100 dollars less you get 5 pci express on this board.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130274

Is 1 extra slot worth 100+ dollars?


Title: Re: 6 PCIe slots. Wet dream?
Post by: Convery on July 14, 2011, 04:40:23 PM
For over 100 dollars less you get 5 pci express on this board.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130274

Is 1 extra slot worth 100+ dollars?

Can fit just as many cards on that board :3


Title: Re: 6 PCIe slots. Wet dream?
Post by: fitty on July 15, 2011, 01:15:49 AM
http://www.guru3d.com/article/msi-big-bang-x58-xpower-review/1

The MSI Big Bang, for about $300, has six (six) PCIe slots on it.

Can this baby pump the juice? I'm talking a 1500W power supply, and six video cards hooked up with PCIe extension cables and a channeled box fan.

I'm just worried that the motherboard will get fried by 1500 watts. If the PSU can handle it and there are enough 6 pin connectors I should be okay, right?

What about using two power supplies? I've heard that's possible too.

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3880#ov
There's another 6 slot board, with space for four cards without extender cables.

I've heard the gpu limit is 4 in Windows, but I've also heard people have had more. I know in Linux there is no actual limit, I believe there is a simple kernel setting to achieve this.

But most of the 5+ gpu setups I've seen where dual gpu cards. I've read a lot of reports that using 5 cards causes problems with a lot of motherboards. In theory 7 cards would work with Linux but I wouldn't have much confidence the motherboard is going to support it. I'm not sure what the main problem is with 5+ cards but I've seen enough posts about it that I'm fairly sure it's legit. There was a guy who had 4x6990 8 gpu linux rig and he said adding the 5th card (6990 and a non 6990) he couldn't get it to work.

You're better off with a 3-4 pcie system. The mobo is cheaper, the psu would be cheaper and from my numbers the 5-6-7 card systems don't give you more bang for your buck due to the mobo/psu costing quite a bit more.


Title: Re: 6 PCIe slots. Wet dream?
Post by: bluefirecorp on July 15, 2011, 01:17:05 AM
Asus p6t7 Motherboard. 7 PCI-e.  ::)

Luckily, this use to be in my old gaming machine.

Cheers/raped ;)


Title: Re: 6 PCIe slots. Wet dream?
Post by: teflone on July 15, 2011, 04:46:51 AM
For over 100 dollars less you get 5 pci express on this board.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130274

Is 1 extra slot worth 100+ dollars?

Can fit just as many cards on that board :3

Well, if I'm going the riser/extender cable route I'll try putting 5x6950 cards on this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130290

A 1000w PSU should be fine if I don't OC. I figure even with 4 overclocked cards I'll be getting better than 1:1 MHash to dollars. I could get 2 GH/sec with five overclocked 6950s. That would be pro. But with 5 cards, hmm. I'm almost certain I'll fry the motherboard. Then again, what the hell ehh? I'm an enthusiast.

It is the life I have chosen.

5 on that mobo ? are you sure ?