Newbie with gear question

[cvicisso]

VERY new to this - basically just trying to mine some coins before the bottom falls out of the economy.  Yes - I've read the pros/cons of just using the $ to just purchase bitcoins directly, but - just for the sake of argument...

I'm tech 'savvy' (if I have enough reference materials to lean on) but this will be a stretch for me.  Need an assessment of the setup below for purely mining purposes.  Anything extra can/will be resold, and when the game becomes unprofitable, entire (remaining) rig will be sold/salvaged.  Please tell me what you'd pay (and what you'd replace/sell from it) for the following setup, and what I can expect to pull in in revenue.  BTW - can I add more GPUs (currently has 2 5770s)?  Remember - I'm willing to rip out stuff for the sake of increased mining performance (like - can that 7.1 sound card be replaced with another GPU - since I don't care what the thing sounds like?).

2 Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
CORSAIR XMS3 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMX8GX3M4A1600C9
Sony Optiarc Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner with LightScribe LightScribe Support - OEM
2 SAPPHIRE 100283L Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card (Running Crossfire)
ASUS Crosshair III Formula AM3 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard
Antec Twelve Hundred Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 140W Quad-Core Processor HDZ965FBGIBOX
CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-850HX 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
Logitech Performance Black Tilt Wheel 2.4 GHz Wireless Laser Mouse MX
Rosewill RCR-IC001 40-in-1 USB 2.0 3.5" Internal Card Reader
HT | OMEGA STRIKER 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card

THANKS in advance!!!!

[1714101999]

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[Vladimir]

you are too tech savvy for your own good m8, simplify!

[supa]

I stopped reading when I saw all of those random drives.

Floppy?  DVD?  WD HDDs?  Media card reader?

Use your own common sense to realize all of those are about as useful as Christmas ornaments.

[SomeoneWeird]

Only things you need for a mining rig:

Motherboard.
Decent GPU(s)
RAM (1gb for windows, 512mb for linux).
CPU (amd, not a fancy i series).

[cvicisso]

Touche.

I copy/pasted from a CraigsList add.  Ok, ok - I should have scrubbed it.  Throw me a bone.  What's it worth for mining? 

[cvicisso]

How's this:

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
8GB DDR3
ASUS Crosshair III Formula AM3 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 140W Quad-Core Processor
CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-850HX 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply

Thanks again - and sorry for the extra reading assignment!   

[SomeoneWeird]

How's this:

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
8GB DDR3
ASUS Crosshair III Formula AM3 AMD 790FX ATX AMD Motherboard
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 140W Quad-Core Processor
CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-850HX 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply

Thanks again - and sorry for the extra reading assignment!   

Don't use windows, use linux.
You only need max 1gb ram.
Depends how many GPU's your going to be running, but that PSU should be fine.

[um0rion]

Your best option is to get crap components for everything you can, but find a motherboard that fits your needs, a power supply that will be enough, and cards that get good hashrate. For a processor, go completely low end, in my mining rig I bought a 2.7ghz sempron 140 for $38, and it works beautifully. I bought 1gb of the cheapest ram I could find, but went high end on motherboard and power supply. 1kw power supply for 4x video cards, and the 890fxa-gd70, which has 4x pci-e slots that will fit 4 dual slot cards on it just fine.

[cvicisso]

Ok, let me start over now that I've read up a bit more...

How's this:

$169.99       890fxa-gd70     
$149.99       Kingwin ABT-1000MA1S Mach 1 Modular Power Supply - 1000-Watt, ATX, SLI-Ready, Six 12V Rails, 80Plus
  $39.99       AMD SDX145HBGQBOX Sempron 145 Processor - 2.80GHz, Socket AM3, 1MB Cache, 2000MHz
  $12.97       1GB DDR3

$372.94        Total

Now for graphics....

1) Can I mix/match GPUs? 
2) How about 'odd' numbers of cards (ie 3)?
3) What is your recommendation if I want to keep the GPU(s) under $800?

Thanks again.

[SomeoneWeird]

Ok, let me start over now that I've read up a bit more...

How's this:

$169.99       890fxa-gd70     
$149.99       Kingwin ABT-1000MA1S Mach 1 Modular Power Supply - 1000-Watt, ATX, SLI-Ready, Six 12V Rails, 80Plus
  $39.99       AMD SDX145HBGQBOX Sempron 145 Processor - 2.80GHz, Socket AM3, 1MB Cache, 2000MHz
  $12.97       1GB DDR3

$372.94        Total

Now for graphics....

1) Can I mix/match GPUs? 
2) How about 'odd' numbers of cards (ie 3)?
3) What is your recommendation if I want to keep the GPU(s) under $800?

Thanks again.

Good.

1) Yes, but it might be more trouble than it's worth
2) Thats fine
3) 5830's if you can find them.

[cvicisso]

Thanks!

So, it looks like I can score almost 3 5830s for the cost of one 6990.  Is the slight extra cost, reduction in future expandability, heat, power, etc, trade-off worth it?  I was thinking of just getting a 6990 (~$700) and then adding cheaper cards (eg 5830) later as funds (and power supply) would allow.  But that's why I asked the mix/match question.  How difficult/buggy would it be to try something like this?  Am I better off just sticking with 5830s for good?

Thanks again.

[cvicisso]

BUMP....

To put it more succinctly....

1) Am I better off buying a 6990 now AND...
2) Is it REALLY hard to add/mix 'lower end' cards to the 6990 rig later? OR...

3) Should I just load up with 5830s? (with no/little opportunity for expansion)

And I'll go ahead and ask...

4) With the base setup I mentioned before (mobo, mem, and PSU for $372.94), what's the best GHash/s I can get (today) for under $1500? ($1500-$372.94=$1127.06 for PSU(s))?  That would leave me enough for one 6990 and MAYBE 2 5830s.  What kind of GHash/s would that get me (and is it even possible)?

Thanks again - and sorry for the noob questions.  This stuff is facinating to me, I'm just not savvy enough (yet) to jump in.  You all have been a big help so far.  I just want to get a green light and pull the trigger ASAP!!!

[cvicisso]

BTW - once I actually GET some Bitcoins - I'll gladly donate to those who have helped.

Thanks again.

[SomeoneWeird]

BUMP....

To put it more succinctly....

1) Am I better off buying a 6990 now AND...
2) Is it REALLY hard to add/mix 'lower end' cards to the 6990 rig later? OR...

3) Should I just load up with 5830s? (with no/little opportunity for expansion)

And I'll go ahead and ask...

4) With the base setup I mentioned before (mobo, mem, and PSU for $372.94), what's the best GHash/s I can get (today) for under $1500? ($1500-$372.94=$1127.06 for PSU(s))?  That would leave me enough for one 6990 and MAYBE 2 5830s.  What kind of GHash/s would that get me (and is it even possible)?

Thanks again - and sorry for the noob questions.  This stuff is facinating to me, I'm just not savvy enough (yet) to jump in.  You all have been a big help so far.  I just want to get a green light and pull the trigger ASAP!!!

Just go with the 5830's for now, they're the best mh/$. You can always upgrade later.

4) How'd you get 1127$ for a PSU? 0_O grab a 1000w psu, a couple of 5830's and you'll be good to go

[cvicisso]

Thanks - I meant GSUs (not PSU)! 

But 2 5830s won't give me the same rate as one 6990, will it?  Slightly cheaper - true, but it hogs up an extra slot. 

What exactly is the issue with mixing different GPUs?  I'm not a UNIX user - but do plan on using it for this project (and using the experts on this forum to get me through it). 

[cvicisso]

Judging from the lack of response, I'm just going to push the 'I believe' button and assume that I should never mix GPUs on the same board.  Moving forward...

I did some more thinking... 

Which of the four options would you choose if you were me (goal is to maximize GHash/s but not break the bank)?  Remember - 890fxa-gd70 mobo, and 1000W PSU:

1) 4x5770 (~$480)
2) 4x5830 (~$852)
3) 4x5850 (~$840)
4) 2x5870 (~$876)
5) 4x6850 (~$640)
6) 4x6870 (~$700)
7) 4x6950 (~$920)
1x6990 (~$700)

What kind of hash rates would I get from each of the above?

Thanks again.

[stapler117]

FYI: tigerdirect has your mobo for $20 cheaper: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=890FXA-GD70

As far as putting different cards in the same motherboard, I'm pretty sure it's ok. I don't remember hearing otherwise. I can't say from experience since I just use the same card.

For a comparison of performance and estimates on how much you can expect from your cards with various overclocks and mining programs, checkout the wiki: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Mining_hardware_comparison

Personally, I'm going to switch to the 5770's from the 5830's since the world's cheap supply of them has ended. At least untill AMD announces their new card.

Of those eight options, I'm going to build a rig with six 5770's probably in a week or two. I'm a college student, so I can't foot the bill of some nicer cards. That should have a return on investment in about two - three weeks.

Also if you really want to hardcore, you should look into these: http://forum.bitcoin.org/?topic=6128.0. using these will allow you to have six cards in that one motherboard. As a plus, you can space the cards out more and get better airflow and cooling. Just note that if you do this with higher power graphics cards, you're going to need a bigger power supply or two and mount the cards in an unconventional way.