Bitcoin Forum

Bitcoin => Mining => Topic started by: Anonymous on February 28, 2011, 03:59:27 AM



Title: Mini PCI-E and PCI Express x1
Post by: Anonymous on February 28, 2011, 03:59:27 AM
Will either of these slots work with a standard video card for Bitcoin mining?

I ask because I'm playing with the idea of getting an energy-efficient Atom board like this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500046


Title: Re: Mini PCI-E and PCI Express x1
Post by: JollyGreen on February 28, 2011, 04:15:34 AM
I've thought about this as well, although I read somewhere that something like 30% of the power is drawn over the PCIexpress port for the gpus.  Not sure if these boards would handle that with any number of 5870s or 5970s.  Definitely would be interested in what others think, or some real world results.


Title: Re: Mini PCI-E and PCI Express x1
Post by: qet on February 28, 2011, 04:18:14 AM
have you read this blog?
http://blog.zorinaq.com/?e=42

he uses x16 cards in x1 slots with the aid of an extension cable, although he says you can cut away the edges of the plug and sit the card in there


Title: Re: Mini PCI-E and PCI Express x1
Post by: Anonymous on February 28, 2011, 04:22:23 AM
Heh, the knife business is going to be hard work. At least this makes my Bitcoin miner very cheap.

Thank you.


Title: Re: Mini PCI-E and PCI Express x1
Post by: Quip on February 28, 2011, 04:33:42 AM
There's also this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500048&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-Motherboard%20/%20CPU%20/%20VGA%20Sets-_-ZOTAC-_-13500048&AID=10440897&PID=3333140&SID=


Title: Re: Mini PCI-E and PCI Express x1
Post by: JesusTheCaffeine on February 28, 2011, 06:38:55 AM

There would be no problems as long as you don't try to run a full high res display on it. (Even then maybe you wouldn't have problems)
Bitcoin miners transfer only like a few mb/s and you can easily run any gfx card on a 1x port.


Title: Re: Mini PCI-E and PCI Express x1
Post by: JollyGreen on February 28, 2011, 06:42:01 AM
There's also this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500048&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-Motherboard%20/%20CPU%20/%20VGA%20Sets-_-ZOTAC-_-13500048&AID=10440897&PID=3333140&SID=

I was worried the card wouldn't clear the power connector on this board what do you guys think?  I guess you could get an extender or cable or something.


Title: Re: Mini PCI-E and PCI Express x1
Post by: mrb on February 28, 2011, 08:15:18 AM
Heh, the knife business is going to be hard work. At least this makes my Bitcoin miner very cheap.

Most recently I used a dremel instead of a knife. Much easier.
(Cut it with the cutting disk perpendicular to the length of the PCIe slot, it takes 10sec.)


Title: Re: Mini PCI-E and PCI Express x1
Post by: teknohog on February 28, 2011, 11:07:03 AM
Will either of these slots work with a standard video card for Bitcoin mining?

I ask because I'm playing with the idea of getting an energy-efficient Atom board like this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500046

I have a Zotac NM10 board with a full-length PCIe slot that is only x1 speed. It works fine for mining and there are no power problems, since higher-power cards (currently a HD5770) use separate power cables anyway. A HD5570 that draws about 40 W (no separate power) has also worked fine.

I have tried to use another GPU with an extender, since the mobo has another x1 slot, but it is normally under the heatsink of the first GPU. This did not work as expected, I could never get the total hash rate above that of a single card. I think this is due to other limitations in the mobo/CPU, since individually the GPUs work fine in their x1 slots, even with the extender.

An extender/riser may be a problem when the GPU is powered via the PCIe slot, but it should be OK for separately powered cards.

The Zotac is also my main HTPC, and when watching videos I simply use a higher -f setting for smoother playback. This slows down hashing quite severely, and I think a x16 slot does a lot better in these situations. But for mining only, the slowdown of a x1 slot is really only marginal.


Title: Re: Mini PCI-E and PCI Express x1
Post by: dishwara on February 28, 2011, 04:31:57 PM
so can i run 4x 5970 , if my mobo only has 1 x16, & 3 x1(small one), if i have 1000W + 1000W or 1500W power supply with enough power cables connected to graphics card & using x1 risers?


Title: Re: Mini PCI-E and PCI Express x1
Post by: Anonymous on February 28, 2011, 04:33:47 PM
so can i run 4x 5970 , if my mobo only has 1 x16, & 3 x1(small one), if i have 1000W + 1000W or 1500W power supply with enough power cables connected to graphics card & using x1 risers?
If the motherboard can handle the load of all of the cards, which depends on factors I am not aware of.