Bitcoin Forum

Can anyone give me a quick assist on how to maximize my 5870's with CGminer?

I am currently getting 390 MH/s at 950/300.  I understand if I get the settings perfected I can push 450.  

Can someone help me with how to set the worksize to 256 and use the -v 2 flag?

Thanks!

Updated to add a bounty.  First person to help me successfully takes it!

Which CGminer version are you using?
I noticed performance drop in the last 2 releases.
I got exactly the same setup (2x5870) and ver. 2.2.0 works well for me.

2.2.3

I would like to try the -v 2 solution first......any help on that end? 

Default settings will give you ~435MH at 950.
 Your problem is drivers and SDK. Which are you using and what OS?

win 7 64bit

sdk v2?

driver is 8.930.0.0

@yoch

I run everything standard (nothing tweaked in CGminer) - 970 core and 160 mem and get 445-447 MH/s.  This is true on either Windows 7 box (11.12 driver) or Linux (11.6 and 2.4 SDK).

You need to be on the latest drivers and SDK2.1 I can send you the install msi for the SDK 2.1 only if you like. I have it for windows 7 64 and xp 32.

Trying this.....stand by.  If it works, you get the bounty. 

@Josh

Fairly sure CGminer doesn't play with SDK 2.1 (need 2.4 for the ADL stuff).

Make sure you go into the control pannel programs and features then catalyst install manager, remove the SDK APP that you have in the run the stand alone .msi

You want 11.9 and SDK 2.5 (or 2.4 maybe). You cant just downgrade though, you have to manually remove the dll, and delete the .bin file in cgminer. There is like a million posts on that on this forum.

Not sure about that one as I use Diablo now since it is faster.  I am pretty sure when I last used CGminer (bout a month ago ithink) I was on 2.1

HAve a look here:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=28402.msg688286#msg688286

You can just copy a BIN file generated with the old opencl DLL to cgminers folder.
I can send you the BIN file for SDK 2.5. That gives me ~455 MH at 1GHz. That way you dont even have to downgrade your drivers. You will have to repeat this step if you ever reinstall cgminer, and possibly if you tweak settings like -V since the BIN file is generated by the opencl sdk that you have installed (which is 2.6 for you now, and it sucks).

P4 is correct about the CGMiner thing BTW. I guess you could go either route with this one.

Your saying I need the CCC 11.9? 

Please.....I would love to try it

Grab it here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?lwc3evhyf7532w1

Not 100% it will work since Im stil on a slightly older version of cgminer, but I think thats no problem. Oh and reset your setting to default. If cgminer generates another .BIN file, then your settings are different or ->

If it doesnt work, Ill upload the opencl dll.

Update, above BIN doesnt work with cgminer 2.2.3. Try this one, I just generated it with 2.2.3:
http://www.mediafire.com/?f3gxqlxjgggvqx0

Hey man,

Use these to perfect your 5870. I currently have it at 900 mhz @ 420 mh/s with these settings. I can get higher than 450 easy if I up the clock.

Before you install these make sure you wipe out all of the other AMD / Nvidia Drivers with Driver Sweeper: http://majorgeeks.com/Driver_Sweeper_d6171.html

Run it from Safe Mode on Windows 7.

Download and install SDK 2.1 - win 7 64bit http://download2-developer.amd.com/amd/Stream20GA/ati-stream-sdk-v2.1-vista-win7-64.exe
Download and install Catalyst 11.6 - win 7 64bit http://downloads.guru3d.com/AMD-Catalyst-11.6-Win-7-%7C-Vista-64-bit-download-2734.html#download

Settings for CGMiner:

-v 2 -w 256 -g 4 -k phatk -I 8 --gpu-memclock 300 --temp-target 65 --auto-fan


open up note pad and copy paste this in and make sure you edit the stuff out

cd C:\Users\NAMEOFYOURCOOMPUTER\Desktop\cgminer-2.2.3-win32

start /affinity 0x2 cgminer -o pit.deepbit.net:8332 -u ACCOUNT -p PASSWORD  -v 2 -w 256 -g 4 -k phatk -I 1 --gpu-memclock 300 --temp-target 65 --auto-fan

and make sure you SAVE AS .bat file

then run it



I hope this helps and I get that 2BTC :P

That is just too much work wow. I would use Diablo simple install latest AMD driver. Install the msi file for 2.1SDK i can show you where to get. run diablo with just -v2 and get better results than all that other crap. I have a 5850 that is on that setup at 950/400 it gets almost 400MHash average. But if you like a lot of work go the other route.

Where do I input these?  Specifically the -v 2 -w 256?

This is what I was looking for in the first place.....

You could do it by opening a command prompt and pasting those in after cgminer.exe, but the cleaner thing to do is open up 'example.conf' with notepad, and modify the values to suit you. It is somewhat difficult to edit because it has such strict requirements on syntax, but once you get it right all you need is a shortcut to cgminer.exe in your startup folder. (After renaming example.conf to cgminer.conf of course) Then, it will auto load the config values from the file, with no need to pass any arguments or anything.

I have written my config file.....I just cannot for the LIFE of me figure out where to put the -v -w 256. 

I feel like a complete idiot. 

Last line:

Those are only if you are appending the values to the command line. In the config file, as P4man pointed out, its "worksize" : "256", instead of w 256 for example. It is rather confusing.

OK, so I got that changed, and now my 5870 is cranking 400+......but the 6950 I have with it dropped 100 MH.   Is there a way I can use different settings per card on the worksize? 

open up note pad and copy paste this in and make sure you edit the stuff out

cd C:\Users\NAMEOFYOURCOOMPUTER\Desktop\cgminer-2.2.3-win32

start /affinity 0x2 cgminer -o pit.deepbit.net:8332 -u ACCOUNT -p PASSWORD  -v 2 -w 256 -g 4 -k phatk -I 1 --gpu-memclock 300 --temp-target 65 --auto-fan

and make sure you SAVE AS .bat file

then run it

For the 6950:
"worksize" : "256","128",

Assuming its your second card. Otherwise switch the values obviously.

Oh god it made me puke in my mouth a little to see that horrible string of command line arguments & windows batch files when cgminer has such an easy to configure config file.  :)

It would be like putting a cargo topper on the roof of a ferrari.

On edit: looks like someone did that
http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/images/12/2011/11/4564286de4e6e40d70fba974df822591.jpg

who cares if it works!

I'm curious about how you'll split up those valuably 2 btc to all the knowledge revealed here.

when I use just "256", the 5870 runs great, and the 6950 runs slow.

When I use "128, 256", (5870 the 2nd gpu) the 6950is back to normal, but the 5870 runs slow.  


AAARRRGGGGG

I was thinking the exact same thing. 

Either a lottery of some feats of strength. 

Paper, rock, scissors via posted SHA-256 hashes.

You are missing 2 quotes there:

"worksize" : "128", "256",

If you have a 6 series and a 5 series in the same computer you should just run two instances of a miner and set it correct for each.

BTW that was a Lambo. Really yall couldn't tell?

I tried that, and it would not even load the config with the extra quotations.....

Looks I was wrong.
Try this, no space:
"worksize" : "128,256",

Or paste your config file.

This.  the 5870 is now at 430 MH/s and the 6950 is stable at 340.

I am splitting the bounty between Joshwaa and P4man.   (so post your addresses) 

Thanks for all the advice everyone.....you guys are amazing.  

I imagine a 256 worksize will be great for all of my 5970's as well?  

Thats very low on the 6950.
Sig addy is good. Thanks!

Yes, most any 5 series card uses 256.

any advice on how to ramp it up?  There is another .5 BTC for ya if you can get a significant boost.  

Hmm. you cant set 2 different worksizes with cgminer then? Didnt know that, sounds like worthy of a bug report.

As for the bounty; tbh, I think next time you would do better not offering one instantly in the title to avoid lots of bounty hunters giving sometimes questionable advice hoping to get it right. You can always offer one later should you not get adequate help, or just offer it to whomever helped you without promising it up front. Im not saying that for this thread in specific, just something Ive observed a few times when bounties are involved..

As for my share of it; since i believe you have a large farm, consider pointing some of it to bitminter rather than sending me coins. We could use some extra hashing power, and with PPLNS, zero fees, you dont have much to lose (unless you are hopping or renting your rigs).

If you cant or dont want to, then I wont refuse a coin sent here:
1P99tan9oX16aFgSaLWR8N8pZR4pndhxvx

Honestly using CGminer I am not the best help. I have my 6950 at 950/685 getting 392MHash just for a guide for you.

I sent the bounty.

I will consider pointing some of my power your way, but cannot promise anything at the moment.  I will check out your pool and let you know. 

You should take a close look @ Bitminter.  I get about <0.2% stales on 10GH/s.  PPLNS, no fees, w merged mining (which isn't much but could boost your mining company gross revenue by 1% to 2%).

Coin received, gracias.
BTW, its not my pool, I just mine there and Im a fanboy ;).

BTC received! Thanks!

I am looking over the webpage now. 

PPLNS = ?  I assume it only pays per share to the extent of gross revenue? 

Not exactly per share. Each time a block is found, you get paid for your hashrate over the last 10 shifts, a shift taking as long as 1/10th an average block. Its comparable to proportional payout, except it cant be hopped profitably, so you dont fork over 20% to hoppers.

However, your revenue is dependent on pool luck. You can have days with no payout at all if no blocks are found, and days where you make 4x as much as you would on a PPS pool.

In the end you should get ~1.5% more than on ABC pool, since there are no fees, but you will have to average that over weeks.

I am looking too looks nice.

Sigh, you could/should have just compiled the 5xxx series binaries with 2.1 SDK  and the 6xxx series with the 2.5 SDK and run just one instance of CGMiner.  These people have you jumping through hoops for no reason.

I tried the settings in this thread, then followed your suggestion and in a few seconds I got more mhash than ever with minimal tweaking, so thanks!

Love this!

I am glad to hear it! I like to help whenever I can. Let me know if you need anything else...