Building Cheap Miners : My "Secret"

[MinersRus]

This is an update from a previous post: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1955358.msg35830295#msg35830295
The previous post has broken links whereas this one works now and in the future.

For those here who are running Ubuntu Linux on HP Servers here is how to install HP Health Software and access very useful data from those servers:

Open Shellinabox to the Server (or do this locally from a terminal screen):

// Get the latest version of hp-health from here: https://downloads.linux.hpe.com/SDR/repo/mcp/Ubuntu/pool/non-free

wget http://downloads.linux.hpe.com/SDR/repo/mcp/Ubuntu/pool/non-free/hp-health_10.62-2_amd64.deb

// https://www.tecmint.com/install-local-deb-packages-in-debian-ubuntu-linux-mint
// gdebi is a tiny command-line tool for installing local deb packages. It resolves and installs package dependencies on the fly.


// get the deb installer
sudo apt install gdebi

// Install HP-Health

sudo gdebi hp-health_10.62-2_amd64.deb

Answer y to install


---------------------


Now you can access server data using the HPASMCLI Commands

HP ProLiant Servers - HPASMCLI Commands
https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-c03474917

To access the power consumption readings on a server running a Linux operating system (OS), sum the “Power” data from all power supplies that are present. The Linux command below will return the power supply data needed:

sudo hpasmcli -s "show powersupply"

This is an example from an HP DL580 G7 Server:

miner@DL580-G7-7:~$ sudo hpasmcli -s "show powersupply"

Power supply #1
        Present  : Yes
        Redundant: Yes
        Condition: Ok
        Hotplug  : Supported
        Power    : 360 Watts
Power supply #2
        Present  : Yes
        Redundant: Yes
        Condition: Ok
        Hotplug  : Supported
        Power    : 380 Watts
Power supply #3
        Power Supply not present
Power supply #4
        Power Supply not present


Other interesting HP Health commands:

sudo hpasmcli -s "show temp"
sudo hpasmcli -s "show IML"
sudo hpasmcli -s "show fans"
sudo hpasmcli -s "show server"

sudo hpasmcli -s "show dimm"

sudo hpasmcli -s "set uid on"
sudo hpasmcli -s "set uid off"

HP ProLiant Servers - HPASMCLI Commands
https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-c03474917

sudo hpasmcli -s "clear IML"

Clearing the log is useful if you purchased the system used. That way any issues that get logged now are from when you were using the system and not stale issues from before you had the system.

[4thKor]

Is anybody running ROI on a DL-580 G7? I have three, two with E7-4870's and one with X7560's. The E7 boxes are up and running Hodlminer v1.4.1 with no issues, but I can't get the X7560 box to configure properly. Something to due with the CPU's, but not sure what. Get an aeskeygenassist error on making the miner. Running Ubunto 18.04. Thought maybe one of you guys might have a solution.

[MinersRus]

Is anybody running ROI on a DL-580 G7? I have three, two with E7-4870's and one with X7560's. The E7 boxes are up and running Hodlminer v1.4.1 with no issues, but I can't get the X7560 box to configure properly. Something to due with the CPU's, but not sure what. Get an aeskeygenassist error on making the miner. Running Ubunto 18.04. Thought maybe one of you guys might have a solution.

The X7560 lacks the AES instruction and because of that it is very poor for mining and probably the reason for the aeskeygenassist error.

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Xeon/Intel-Xeon%20MP%20X7560%20-%20AT80604004869AA%20(BX80604X7560).html

The E7-4870 does have the AES instruction but it is not the optimal processor for mining on the DL580 G7. The best is the E7-8837.

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Xeon/Intel-Xeon%20E7-8837.html

The 10-core processors are worse hashing even if they have two more cores because the processor clock is much lower. The E7-8837 runs at 2.8 GHz on all 8-cores whereas the E7-4870 only runs at 2.53 GHz. I have verified that the E7-4870 is worse than the E7-8837 for mining.

This article explains why: They say L3 cache is king… Is it? http://www.cointainer.life/2018/03/10/say-l3-cache-king

On eBay I have been picking up sets of four E7-8837's for $40 or less.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LOT-OF-4-Intel-Xeon-E7-8837-SLC3N-24M-Cache-2-66GHz-6-40GT-s-QPI-H567445/292670668001

Be sure to update the BIOS on the HP DL580 G7 before you put in E7-8837 processors. If you don't it will not even boot to the BIOS screen.
https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/swd/public/detail?sp4ts.oid=4142793&swItemId=MTX_0b8f3842a4cd4835b6dd193ee9&swEnvOid=4184

There are a lot of posts here about mining on a HP DL580 G7.

You may want to start on page 30 of this thread and read forward from there.

Selected posts that might be of interest to you:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1955358.msg33071070#msg33071070
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1955358.msg36789923#msg36789923
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1955358.msg36161105#msg36161105
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1955358.msg33628607#msg33628607

[4thKor]

Excellent info here!

Except how to flash the BIOS. I installed FreeDOS on USB, unzipped the BIOS file and loaded the RomPaqUSB file on it. Not sure what to do from there or if that's even right.

I'm a noob at flashing the BIOS on these things. Didn't realize I could even do it without giving HP rights to my wife, two of three kids, dog, and truck.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I have ten 8837's on the way. 

[MinersRus]

Excellent info here!

Except how to flash the BIOS. I installed FreeDOS on USB, unzipped the BIOS file and loaded the RomPaqUSB file on it. Not sure what to do from there or if that's even right.

I'm a noob at flashing the BIOS on these things. Didn't realize I could even do it without giving HP rights to my wife, two of three kids, dog, and truck.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I have ten 8837's on the way. 

You need to format the USB so that it is blank. Then follow these instructions:

Installation Instructions are Here in this link: https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/swd/public/detail?sp4ts.oid=4142793&swItemId=MTX_0b8f3842a4cd4835b6dd193ee9&swEnvOid=4184#tab2

Installation:

1. Obtain a formatted USB Key media.

2. Download the SoftPaq to a directory on a system running Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, or Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 and change to that directory.

3. From that drive and directory, execute the downloaded SoftPaq file: Simply double click on the SPxxxxx.exe file and follow the installation wizard to complete the SoftPaq installation process. At the end of a successful installation of the SoftPaq a web page will automatically appear to provide you with the different methods for restoring and/or upgrading the firmware on the system.

4. After the USB Key is created, you may delete the downloaded file if you wish.

5. Insert this USB Key into the USB Key port of the system to be updated and power the system on to boot to the USB Key.

[4thKor]

You need to format the USB so that it is blank. Then follow these instructions:

Installation Instructions are Here in this link: https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/swd/public/detail?sp4ts.oid=4142793&swItemId=MTX_0b8f3842a4cd4835b6dd193ee9&swEnvOid=4184#tab2

Installation:

1. Obtain a formatted USB Key media.

2. Download the SoftPaq to a directory on a system running Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, or Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 and change to that directory.

3. From that drive and directory, execute the downloaded SoftPaq file: Simply double click on the SPxxxxx.exe file and follow the installation wizard to complete the SoftPaq installation process. At the end of a successful installation of the SoftPaq a web page will automatically appear to provide you with the different methods for restoring and/or upgrading the firmware on the system.

4. After the USB Key is created, you may delete the downloaded file if you wish.

5. Insert this USB Key into the USB Key port of the system to be updated and power the system on to boot to the USB Key.

I REALLY appreciate your help! I love these machines, but have always been limited on what I can do with 'em. Lack of knowledge and HP's insistence on a license hasn't helped any...

[MinersRus]

I REALLY appreciate your help! I love these machines, but have always been limited on what I can do with 'em. Lack of knowledge and HP's insistence on a license hasn't helped any...

Yes HP locking information on the older G7 products is a bummer. However ever so often a public link becomes available.

I was able to download the HPE SPP G7.1 2018.iso (SPP for the DL580 G7) from this site https://www.teimouri.net/review-hpe-service-pack-proliant-2018-03-0-hpe-spp/#.W9TKv2cpUS8 earlier this year when they reviewed the HPE Service Pack For ProLiant 2018.03.0 (HPE SPP). The download link has now been removed but it was in plain site for quite a while.

Here are some additional links for the HP DL580 G7:

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/home/productHome?sp4ts.oid=4142793

From the above link you can obtain:
HP ProLiant DL580 G7 Server User Guide
HP ProLiant DL580 G7 Server Maintenance and Service Guide
HP ProLiant DL580 G7 Server - Configuring System Board
HP ProLiant DL580 G7 Server - LED Indicators

etc

[4thKor]

Got the BIOS flashed on the first rig. 8837's will be here tomorrow and I'll take 'em for a spin.

Can I flash the X7560 rig with this BIOS and run E7 series CPU's if I replace the mem cartridges with E7 ones? I've never figured out what the actual difference is between a "standard" DL580 and a E7 series.

[MinersRus]

Got the BIOS flashed on the first rig. 8837's will be here tomorrow and I'll take 'em for a spin.

Can I flash the X7560 rig with this BIOS and run E7 series CPU's if I replace the mem cartridges with E7 ones? I've never figured out what the actual difference is between a "standard" DL580 and a E7 series.

Yes you should flash the X7560 rig with the BIOS update. That needs to be done so that you can use E7 processors in it. Most of my DL580 G7 purchases had X7560's in them and they were flashed to the BIOS update and had E7-8837's installed without any issues.

As for the memory cartridges you can use either the ones labeled "E7 Only" or the plain ones as they both work with E7 processors. The ones labeled "E7 Only" do not work with the X75xx series processors.

To save a bunch of power you should check this out:

Save power on the DL580 G7's by running with the minimum number of memory cartridges
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1955358.msg36789923#msg36789923

I only have a single cartridge in the rightmost slot on processor 0. It has only 8GB of memory installed on it. Either 4x 2GB or 2x 4GB. Each memory cartridge uses 30 watts even if it contains no memory sticks. I saved 210 watts by only using a single memory cartridge.

[4thKor]

From the testing I've done ROIcoin does indeed use memory. I'll test again, but it appears that I get way more hash with all eight cartridges with mem installed in each. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[MinersRus]

From the testing I've done ROIcoin does indeed use memory. I'll test again, but it appears that I get way more hash with all eight cartridges with mem installed in each. Hopefully I'm wrong.

I am not familiar with ROIcoin but having looked at the git page it appears that it is memory focused and not cache focused. Please correct me if I am wrong.
https://github.com/ROIcoin/ROIcoin

As for HP DL580 G7 memory and memory configuration here is a link:

HPE ProLiant DL580 G7 Server - Configuring Memory
https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=c02283239

Look at the "Memory performance optimization" section in the above for suggestions to obtain the best memory speed.

And if you are using eight memory cartridges be sure to turn on Hemisphere mode.

Also be sure that NUMA is enabled in the BIOS (ACPI SRAT) :

HPE ProLiant DL580 G7 Server - Configuring NUMA Memory
https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-c02142071

I want to point out that you may be able to run with a single cartridge installed in slot 1. If you are using 8GB memory modules you can put 64GB in a single module. When this is done all the processors can access the memory in that single cartridge. Processor 1 has a direct link and processors 2, 3 and 4 has to do a hop through processor 1 to get to it. I am running all my HP DL580 G7 systems with a single cartridge and it only slows down monero mining by 1-2%. Monero mining is cache bound and not memory bound. The slowdown may be different for mining ROIcoin.

I suggest testing with these configurations:

Only one cartridge in slot 1

Four cartridges in slots 1, 3, 5, 7

All eight cartridges

Getting back to mining ROIcoin I have tried to find out how it actually works when mining. I have tried searching but have been unable to find an example of the config file. If you could post an actual config it would be helpful.

Here are my assumptions:

Since ROIcoin mining uses a 1GB AES Pattern Search PoW (HOdl) in memory I assume that each processor CORE is working on a single instance of this 1GB of memory.

If that is how it works then each of the eight core E7-8837's need access to 8GB of memory or 64GB total memory. Which can be in 1, 4 or 8 cartridges.

[4thKor]

Unfortunately, I do believe the 4870's are better performers with ROI. The most I can get out of the 8837's is 1200 h/s. That's with all eight mem carts and four dimms per in hemisphere mode. With the 4870's I was getting 1300 h/s with just two dimms per cart.

Kind of a bummer, actually.

EDIT: I'm running 32 threads per core and 128gb HugePages mem and am now getting almost 1300 h/s. Kinda' cool to be running that many threads.

2nd EDIT: Learning a lot about these things. E7 processors WILL NOT work on a system board that's not Revision OB or later. The one in my X7560 rig is OA. Dead in the water on that I guess. Found a complete chassis cheap and I made an even cheaper offer. Maybe they'll take it.....

[sundownz06]

With the price of Monero XMR falling below $100 (currently at $95) I have shut down all my HP DL580 and Dell R815 Servers. They are no longer profitable at that price. Also it doesn't help that the temperatures are now above 100 degrees again here in Texas as that causes all the server fans to run at 100%.

I will keep my four Vega 56's mining but that is all I will be running until the price rises above $120 or Fall/Winter comes.

Profit is quite bad now on the R815s -- I'm looking at 10 cents a day as of now on XMR, haha. I had a pretty darn good run with them initially... I mined 67 coins of XMR since 4 months ago... sold them along the way.

I will keep them on as long as it's above zero... and perhaps even a bit below zero on speculative coins... I already converted 11 of my R815s and all my AMD cards to XTL (Stellite) as a bit of a speculative gamble. May put the rest of my R815s back onto ITNS coin which is my other speculative coin.

-----

But I am still very pleased with my HP Z400s -- they've been handling the summer heat well.

Further update on the Z400s... still all going strong.

I've really only had hard drive failure issues on the refurb Z400 systems... and that is a cheap fix.

-----

On the R815s... I am doing roughly double my power cost on Webchain as of now too -- so they are also holding on. Totally stopped mining Monero.

[MinersRus]

On the R815s... I am doing roughly double my power cost on Webchain as of now too -- so they are also holding on. Totally stopped mining Monero.

Do you mine Webchain and sell some or all of it?

I have 7x HP DL580's and 5x R815's powered off as they are unprofitable on Monero but if I could mine Webchain and exchange it to BTC and then get BTC to Coinbase that would be great. I am a small time miner and have to pay my electric bill from my mining operations.

[4thKor]

Just an update. Switched out the I/O board ($30 on eBay) on the DL580 that wouldn't boot with E7's and am now up and running. Using standard mem cartridges too, which is great!

I've also tested ROI coin with several memory configurations and the best hash is definitely achieved using all eight cartridges, using two 4gb mem sticks per. Haven't tried one yet, but really don't see a need to either. Setting huge_pages to 1024 is also optimal. Plus I've figured out how to achieve the same hashes with 8837's as with 4870's. A little tweaking on settings and all is well! These processors are pretty amazing.

You guys really should check out ROI coin. If you deposit coins for a one year period the returns are astronomical. It's a relatively unknown coin right now, so difficulty is very low. It also equates to the coin not being very high in value, but with the team of devs behind it and some time I'm totally confident this will change. And even if it doesn't increase in value after three years of rolling everything into deposits, which is unlikely as more people get on board, the returns are absolutely amazing!

[MinersRus]

Just an update. Switched out the I/O board ($30 on eBay) on the DL580 that wouldn't boot with E7's and am now up and running. Using standard mem cartridges too, which is great!

I've also tested ROI coin with several memory configurations and the best hash is definitely achieved using all eight cartridges, using two 4gb mem sticks per. Haven't tried one yet, but really don't see a need to either. Setting huge_pages to 1024 is also optimal. Plus I've figured out how to achieve the same hashes with 8837's as with 4870's. A little tweaking on settings and all is well! These processors are pretty amazing.

You guys really should check out ROI coin. If you deposit coins for a one year period the returns are astronomical. It's a relatively unknown coin right now, so difficulty is very low. It also equates to the coin not being very high in value, but with the team of devs behind it and some time I'm totally confident this will change. And even if it doesn't increase in value after three years of rolling everything into deposits, which is unlikely as more people get on board, the returns are absolutely amazing!

I haven't heard of ROIcoin until you mentioned it. In fact I misinterpreted your post where you asked: "Is anybody running ROI on a DL-580 G7?". I thought you were asking about "Return on Investment" on the purchase price of the HP DL580 G7 and the cost of mining on it. That was why I was posting about reducing power these systems use when mining.

As an example I have two  HP DL580 G7's each with 4x E7-8837 Xeon Processors and 8x Nvidia GTX 750 GPUs. When mining Monoreo they use 2114 watts for both or 1057 watts each. They are currently powered down as the profitability has been negative recently. Today it is a few  dollars on the plus side:

https://www.cryptocompare.com/mining/calculator/xmr?HashingPower=6418&HashingUnit=H%2Fs&PowerConsumption=2114&CostPerkWh=0.074&MiningPoolFee=1

2% profit and paying $112.63 for electricity and only earning $3.34 is not worth it. If Monero gets back to $130 or higher then I will turn them back on.

I do hope that your electricity cost is low as these systems do burn the power and since you are using seven more cartridges that is an additional 210 watts per system above what I am seeing.

Have you installed HP-Health on your system?
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1955358.msg47096127#msg47096127

If you have then doing: sudo hpasmcli -s "show powersupply"
will show you the power used by the power supplies installed. To get the wall power take into the account the power supply efficiencies. If for example the power supplies are labeled 94% on the fan then take your measured power and divide by 0.94 to get the wall power. Example 888 watts divided by 0.94 is 945 watts.

On the subject on ROIcoin is there a market (exchange) where they can be traded to BTC?

[4thKor]

I haven't heard of ROIcoin until you mentioned it.

On the subject on ROIcoin is there a market (exchange) where they can be traded to BTC?

ROICoin is relatively new. I just discovered it myself a few weeks ago. It is listed on a few small exchanges, but the problem is no one is currently trading. Everybody is depositing due to the huge returns. The original deposits are maturing in the next few months, so consensus is that the market will start opening up as miners start selling to recoup costs. The devs are also pursuing listings. There has been some bad luck with exchanges in the past, so they're being cautious on choice of new ones.

As for power used on these beasts, I'm currently paying that out of my pocket. Of all the coins I've researched and mined this one stands way out above the rest for me. I see a tremendous opportunity. I also believe this thing will take off and become a top coin in the future. I might add that the target audience are the GPU miners with their CPU's not doing much to contribute to their endeavors. Not many miners are dedicated to just mining ROI as I am.

The thing to do would be to research ROI. I have, and I'm impressed! And do the math on deposits.....

[MinersRus]

With more and more GPUs coming online thanks to the Loud guys adding the algo to xmrig and xmr-stak for GPUs w/ a 3% dev fee, I feel the nethash is going to go up and profitability is going to go down.  Especially when someone I know has gone from 70KH/s to 80KH/s in the last 2 days and has more rigs to throw at it once he finishes accumulating what he wants with XTL. 

I had gotten up to 25KH/s but my vegas aren't reporting anywhere near pool side what they are miner side so I put them back on something else I've been speculating on.  Still #2 after you know who though! 

As an aside, I did reach out to the good Doktor from SRBminer and he is looking into adding webchain support for SRB.  That means a well polished miner with only .85% dev fee instead of what the Loud guys did of just adding an algo to a miner and then slapping a 3% dev fee on that.  I actually really don't like what they did.  They opened pandora's box in a way by allowing GPUs to come to the party that was CPU only and they did it not for their own cards (from what I'm aware of they have old GPUs), but did it for that 3% dev fee when they really didn't do much at all.  Oh and that 3% is forced.  You can change it but it will always be 3% and it's binary release only, no source for those of us who can compile and edit out fees.

SRBminer has still not added Webchain so instead of my HP DL580 G7's with 8x GTX 750's powered down because they are unprofitable I would like to use that "Loud guys adding the algo to xmrig and xmr-stak for GPUs w/ a 3% dev fee" miner. Can you point me to where I might obtain it. Thanks.

FYI: Here is what my 2x HP DL580 G7's with 8x GTX 750's with negative 20% profit on Monero is:
https://www.cryptocompare.com/mining/calculator/xmr?HashingPower=6418&HashingUnit=H%2Fs&PowerConsumption=2114&CostPerkWh=0.074&MiningPoolFee=1.0

Hopefully Webchain would be profitable on them.

[PharmEcis]

loudmining.com under downloads!

[4thKor]

Anybody know of a step by step guide for installing XMRigCC in Ubuntu 18.04? Finally getting time to plop some GPU's in these things, but don't know enough about Linux to get this miner going. I'm basically stuck from the gitgo.

I'll be running Pro Duo 8gb, RX580's, and Vega 64's. Same cards per rig to at least simplify that part of it.

Discovered a new coin that at least SOME of you are aware of, and I need to consolidate stuff for efficiency.