[Cast XMR] high speed XMR/CryptoNight miner for RX Vega GPUs (2 KHash/s)

[goodb]

Hi guys, how can I see the "shares stats" for each card ? . It is very important ,alone hash rates doesn't mean anything.. I am seeing total shares but if (which) cards are sending shares or not , How many shares are sent/rejected /stale, it is very important for multi GPU systems.. Any idea ?..

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[Jungork]

Hey I’m having problems. I was running a single Vega 64 just fine, but after changing the motherboard and adding 3 rx 580 the miner stops working after 20 min and the pc freezes after that if I do anything (just clicking somewhere).

I removed the rx 580 but it does not fix the problem.

The card keeps running after the screen freezes and it’s still blowing how air, but I’m not getting any hashrate on the mining pool.

Does anyone know what the problem might be? I’m using the asrock pro 110 btc

Check your BIOS settings to make sure they are correct and set windows pagefile to 32GB+

what are the correct bios settings?

[cranefist]

I am having an issue with Vega 56 crashing when trying to tweak as per the tutorial here: http://www.gandalph3000.com/cast_xmr/cast-xmr-optimized-cryptonight-miner-for-rx-vega/

I have the Vega "Blockchain" drivers installed (fresh install). If I try to use any of the settings bellow as per the tutorial, I will hash for no more than 3 or 4 minutes, my screen goes all pixelated, and Windows 10 crashes forcing me to reboot.

If I leave Cast running with "default" Vega settings, I am hashing at 1600H/s and its stable, but I obviously want to increase it if possible.

Settings I have tried without success:

1900 Hash/s with 150 watts power consumption

    Core Frequency: -10%
    Memory Clock: 945 MHz
    Power Limit: -22%

2000 Hash/s with 200 watts power consumption

    Core Frequency: -10%
    Memory Clock: 965 MHz
    Power Limit: 0

2050 Hash/s with 225 watts power consumption

    Core Frequency: -10%
    Memory Clock: 990 MHz
    Power Limit: +12%


Anyone have any ideas on how to properly tweak the Vega settings as I dont really have any experience on overclocking or undervolting GPU's.

Tx  

Try raising the power limit a bit, like -20% instead of -22%. And always disable and enable the driver in device manager before starting cast.

I can get away with 950mhz memory and -20% power limit.

[Cyan_Antares]

I am having an issue with Vega 56 crashing when trying to tweak as per the tutorial here: http://www.gandalph3000.com/cast_xmr/cast-xmr-optimized-cryptonight-miner-for-rx-vega/

I have the Vega "Blockchain" drivers installed (fresh install). If I try to use any of the settings bellow as per the tutorial, I will hash for no more than 3 or 4 minutes, my screen goes all pixelated, and Windows 10 crashes forcing me to reboot.

If I leave Cast running with "default" Vega settings, I am hashing at 1600H/s and its stable, but I obviously want to increase it if possible.

Settings I have tried without success:

1900 Hash/s with 150 watts power consumption

    Core Frequency: -10%
    Memory Clock: 945 MHz
    Power Limit: -22%

2000 Hash/s with 200 watts power consumption

    Core Frequency: -10%
    Memory Clock: 965 MHz
    Power Limit: 0

2050 Hash/s with 225 watts power consumption

    Core Frequency: -10%
    Memory Clock: 990 MHz
    Power Limit: +12%


Anyone have any ideas on how to properly tweak the Vega settings as I dont really have any experience on overclocking or undervolting GPU's.

Tx  

use this guide instead, you dont need the AMD settings utility...

http://vega.miningguides.com/

[pyr8]

I am having an issue with Vega 56 crashing when trying to tweak as per the tutorial here: http://www.gandalph3000.com/cast_xmr/cast-xmr-optimized-cryptonight-miner-for-rx-vega/

I have the Vega "Blockchain" drivers installed (fresh install). If I try to use any of the settings bellow as per the tutorial, I will hash for no more than 3 or 4 minutes, my screen goes all pixelated, and Windows 10 crashes forcing me to reboot.

If I leave Cast running with "default" Vega settings, I am hashing at 1600H/s and its stable, but I obviously want to increase it if possible.

Settings I have tried without success:

1900 Hash/s with 150 watts power consumption

    Core Frequency: -10%
    Memory Clock: 945 MHz
    Power Limit: -22%

2000 Hash/s with 200 watts power consumption

    Core Frequency: -10%
    Memory Clock: 965 MHz
    Power Limit: 0

2050 Hash/s with 225 watts power consumption

    Core Frequency: -10%
    Memory Clock: 990 MHz
    Power Limit: +12%


Anyone have any ideas on how to properly tweak the Vega settings as I dont really have any experience on overclocking or undervolting GPU's.

Tx  

Try adding on the command of cast-xmr.exe: -I 2 --fastjobswitch

What does the command do for the card exactly?

[pyr8]

Vega 56 without a BIOS mod often has issues past about 940 memory clock - and mine gets unhappy at anything above 935.
Apparently one of the ways AMD deliberately "crippeled" the 56 to avoid having it poach 64 sales was to limit how high the memory volts COULD go, to limit memory clock speeds.

 Try running a little lower memory clock setting if you want STABLE performance.

Interesting, have you tried the 64 Bios on your 56 yet? If so, are you still able to use the card for gaming with the 64 Bios installed?
I use my machine as a daily driver, not a dedicated miner and I want to be able to swap drivers out when I want to game (not very often mind you).

As far as your card not liking anything above 935 MHz, I am experiencing the exact same behavior out of mine.
I tried 940 and upped the power limit from -22 all the way up to "0", no go!

I tried a few different configurations and the 3 listed below seem to be running stable now after almost 45 minutes (fingers crossed).

1850 H/s @ 150W: Core -10% Memory Clock: 935 MHz Power Limit: -20%

1835 H/s @ 140W: Core -10% Memory Clock: 935 MHz Power Limit: -22%

1830H/s @135W:Core -10% Memory Clock: 935 MHz Power Limit: -25%

[pyr8]

I am having an issue with Vega 56 crashing when trying to tweak as per the tutorial here: http://www.gandalph3000.com/cast_xmr/cast-xmr-optimized-cryptonight-miner-for-rx-vega/

I have the Vega "Blockchain" drivers installed (fresh install). If I try to use any of the settings bellow as per the tutorial, I will hash for no more than 3 or 4 minutes, my screen goes all pixelated, and Windows 10 crashes forcing me to reboot.

If I leave Cast running with "default" Vega settings, I am hashing at 1600H/s and its stable, but I obviously want to increase it if possible.

Settings I have tried without success:

1900 Hash/s with 150 watts power consumption

    Core Frequency: -10%
    Memory Clock: 945 MHz
    Power Limit: -22%

2000 Hash/s with 200 watts power consumption

    Core Frequency: -10%
    Memory Clock: 965 MHz
    Power Limit: 0

2050 Hash/s with 225 watts power consumption

    Core Frequency: -10%
    Memory Clock: 990 MHz
    Power Limit: +12%


Anyone have any ideas on how to properly tweak the Vega settings as I dont really have any experience on overclocking or undervolting GPU's.

Tx  

use this guide instead, you dont need the AMD settings utility...

http://vega.miningguides.com/

Are you running a 56 on 64 Bios?

[goodb]

Guys and gals - for general Vega troubleshooting, please use the Vega thread. Let's leave this thread for discussion of Cast specifically.

I am second for this..Topic seems to be pure vega thread..I have dozens of 480/580 8gb..(and all the miners have big rigs with those cards in my country (germany) .. someone with one/2 vega card , leads all the thread..And our questions are ignored..sad..

[Cyan_Antares]

So.. to sum it up, in order to keep the rig running all the time, after every restart and so on..

First, this is how my Cast XMR folder looks like, with Cast XMR, devcon and OverdriveNTool inside:

https://s18.postimg.org/d456tnk7d/Capture.jpg

Below is the bat file content (Mine.bat, which calls itself when the timer expires). I start numbering the Vegas with r1 and p1 to work with OverdriveNTool because I use the Intel iGPU. If you don't use an iGPU they should be numbered starting from r0 and p0.

cd
devcon.exe disable "PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_687F"
timeout /t 5
devcon.exe enable "PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_687F"
timeout /t 5
OverdriveNTool.exe -r1 -r2 -r3 -r4 -r5 -r6 -p1Vega56 -p2Vega56 -p3Vega56 -p4Vega56 -p5Vega56 -p6Vega56
timeout /t 1
cd

@echo off

echo -------------------------------------------------------------------
echo Restarts the miner every 40 minutes //you can set it to your own liking
echo -------------------------------------------------------------------
echo:

set executable=cast_xmr-vega.exe
set commandline=  -G 0,1,2,3,4,5 -S xmr-eu1.nanopool.org:14444 -u YourWalletAddress.RigNameOfYourChoice %*
set runforseconds=2400
set restartinseconds=2
set /a counter=0
timeout 2
:start
start "cast_xmr-vega" %executable% %commandline%
echo:
echo The program is going to run for %runforseconds% seconds
timeout %runforseconds%
taskkill /f /im %executable%
cd
Mine.bat
echo:
echo Restarting the app in %restartinseconds% seconds (%counter%)
timeout %restartinseconds%
set /a counter+=1
echo:
echo:
goto start

If you want your rig running ALL the time without you having to do anything even if you restart Windows or the computer powers off, you can call your own bat when Windows starts and you can automate the login process in Windows, following these steps:

Step 1: Configure BIOS Settings to power on the computer automatically if for whatever reason power is lost
Before we even get to Windows, make sure your mining computer’s BIOS settings are in order. Power on your computer, and press the “delete” key a few times immediately after power on. You should end up in the BIOS configuration area. Do the following, then save & exit:
Change power options so that the computer automatically turns itself on whenever power is restored. The reason for this is two-fold: first, it’ll make sure that your miner automatically starts up after a power outage. Second, it makes powering the computer on much easier if you don’t happen to have a power switch connected to the motherboard.
Disable all components that you don’t plan to use. This might save a little bit of power, and since your miner will likely be running 24/7, it’ll add up. For me, that meant disabling onboard audio, the USB 3.0 ports, one of the SATA controllers, the Firewire port, and the serial port.
If you’re running a lot of GPUs (4+), additional tweaks might be necessary to ensure that they’re all recognized by the OS. Exact tweaks vary by motherboard, but setting the PCIe speed to Gen1 is usually a good place to start. No need to change anything now, but make a mental note that you may need to come back and play around a bit if all of your GPUs don’t show up in the OS later.

Step 2: Configure automatic login
If you’re building a dedicated mining rig, then you probably want your mining rig to boot up and start mining automatically, without any user intervention. We’ll need to enable auto-login for that to be possible.
Right-click on the Start Menu and select “Run”. Type “netplwiz” (without the quotes) at the prompt, and click “ok”.
Uncheck the box that says “Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer”.
Click “Apply”. You’ll be prompted to enter your password to confirm the change.

Step 3: Configure your miner to start automatically
We want our rig to automatically start mining whenever it’s powered on or rebooted. That way, we keep mining losses to a minimum whenever a power outage occurs, and we don’t have to worry about manually starting it back up in other situations.
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the folder where you created “mine.bat” in the previous step.
Right-click on your mine.bat file, and pick “Copy”.
Now, navigate to %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup (should be something like C:\Users\[YOUR WINDOWS USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup).
Right-click anywhere on the empty background of the Startup folder and select “Paste shortcut”.
You should see a shortcut to your mine.bat file appear in the startup folder. Windows should automatically execute it upon bootup.

Note: This simple methods don't deal with hash rate drops you can experience when switching the VGA output on your iGPU and so on, there is the JJ script for that, but I don't experience that. This mostly works for rigs running 24/7 at home or remotely via Chrome Remote Desktop.

thank you for the tip. with this setting helps my vega rig run more stable without loss of hash rate. it helps also reduce the possibility of sudden freeze, that I think caused by HBM high temps/errors.

well, I would like to share some of my discoveries after some sleepless nights   over getting things stable --in addition to setting up the Vega 56 rig with 6 cards, I have a desktop computer with a single RX 570 and the program never failed, so overall Cast XMR tends to run well, I guess it depends on several factors.

STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO SET UP YOUR VEGA CARDS TO START MINING AT HIGH SPEED AND LOW POWER CONSUMPTION

So I finally managed to keep everything stable and these are my settings and bats. First of all, this is how the folder with the tools to start mining looks like:

https://s31.postimg.org/cwmzlv31n/Capture.jpg

Imho, it is a good idea to keep all the software you need in the same folder, to make things easier for you.

Note that now I have 2 bats, one called Mine.bat which only runs once at Windows startup.. and it disables then enables the Vega cards, AND finally it calls Mine2.bat (this one runs in an infinite loop). These are the contents of Mine.bat:

cd
devcon.exe disable "PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_687F"
timeout /t 5
devcon.exe enable "PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_687F"
timeout /t 5
OverdriveNTool.exe -r1 -r2 -r3 -r4 -r5 -r6 -p1Vega56 -p2Vega56 -p3Vega56 -p4Vega56 -p5Vega56 -p6Vega56
timeout /t 1
cd
Mine2.bat

Note1: the command line starts numbering the Vegas with r1 and p1 to work with OverdriveNTool because I use the Intel iGPU as the main GPU. If you don't use an iGPU they should be numbered starting from r0 and p0.

Note2: You shouldn't need to run devcon.exe more than once after you start the OS!! That's because once it disables and then re-enables the Vega cards they should never go below 1900Hs, except on very rare occasions where one of them can drop to 1700 something but in the next hash, it is back into the 1900s. However it might be useful to use that batch file again when you switch video output ports -say you use a HDMI headless ghost and you need to use an old VGA monitor with your rig, so you unplug the HDMI ghost and plug the monitor, that's normal and always causes a hash rate drop and the average hashrate drops from 1900+ to 1700 something for every card.

Note3: To keep everything automated with devcon.exe and any other mining program at startup so no program prompts you to let them run as an administrator, press the Windows key on the keyboard and search for user -or something similar- thus the Change User Account Control settings program appears, then just launch it and change the slider to Never notify.

IMPORTANT!!: OverdriveNTool.exe looks into a file called OverdriveNTool.ini for the parameters. These are my settings (I called the profile just like that, Vega56 but that parameter can be changed, and the OverdriveNTool command line needs to reflect that name (for Vega 64 owners, I have no experience with those, so the settings might differ):

[Profile_0]
Name=Vega56
GPU_P0=852;900
GPU_P1=991;900
GPU_P2=1084;900
GPU_P3=1138;900
GPU_P4=1150;900
GPU_P5=1202;900
GPU_P6=1212;905
GPU_P7=1407;935
Mem_P0=167;900
Mem_P1=500;900
Mem_P2=800;900
Mem_P3=935;900


FINAL NOTE: Where it says 935..., that's an important setting for stability. Vanilla Vega 56 cards can start complaining with any value above that, and this can cause random hangs in Cast XMR or devcon.exe (but you shouldn't need to use devcon.exe more than once, at startup, or in special situations), and those random hangs can mean quite a few minutes without mining til the corresponding bat file kills and restarts Cast XMR..., and that affects productivity a lot.

This amazing Vega mining guide I used to learn and helped me immensely when I started, which you can find here, http://vega.miningguides.com/ uses 950 as a value instead of 935. Don't! It works, it can go for hours or days without issue, but in my personal experience anything above 935MHz can be problematic and it ends up manifesting.

Then I have another one called Mine2.bat, which is called by Mine.bat after disabling and enabling the cards with devcon.exe to keep them mining at 1900Hs. These are the contents of the batch file (infinite thanks to FgTeamBR   who gave me the basis for this!!):

timeout /t 1
OverdriveNTool.exe -r1 -r2 -r3 -r4 -r5 -r6 -p1Vega56 -p2Vega56 -p3Vega56 -p4Vega56 -p5Vega56 -p6Vega56

@echo off

echo -------------------------------------------------------------------
echo Restarts the miner every 30 minutes //you can set it to your own liking, of course
echo -------------------------------------------------------------------
echo:

set executable=cast_xmr-vega.exe
set commandline=  -G 0,1,2,3,4,5 -S xmr-eu1.nanopool.org:14444 -u YourWalletAddress.RigNameOfYourChoice %*
set runforseconds=1800
set restartinseconds=2
set /a counter=0
timeout 2
:start
start "cast_xmr-vega" %executable% %commandline%
echo:
echo The program is going to run for %runforseconds% seconds
timeout %runforseconds%
taskkill /f /im %executable%
cd
Mine2.bat

This one ends up calling itself in an infinite loop, which is what we want.

VERY IMPORTANT!!: Note the OverdriveNTool.exe line at the very start of the batch file. I added this file after having issues and my own findings while running the cards for hours without apparent, superficial issues.

I repeat that you DO NOT need to call devcon.exe every time you restart Cast XMR, this reduces the stress on the cards plus you don't lose 20 seconds of mining while the cards are disabled and re-enabled.

HOWEVER, it is important that you refresh the OverdriveNTool settings in the cards from time to time, plus you restart Cast XMR, the entire process doesnt take up more than 3 seconds, and it's very convenient.

From personal experience, I have been running the Vegas for hours without an issue but for no apparent reason, I noticed that one of them was running at like 83ºC -had to use GPU-Z to check that- and it was as if it FORGOT their settings and aside from running hot, the fan speed dropped to 1500rpm for whatever mysterious reason, while the other cards kept their fans spinning at 3000+ rpm, the intended speed.

Plus, one of the cards permanently dropped the hashrate to 1700H/s, also for no apparent reason, so it seems like sometimes the cards can't recall their intended settings. After restarting their settings with OverdriveNTool, they go back to normal.

The temperature thing is very dangerous, it can significantly reduce your graphics card life for obvious reasons.

Finally, also from personal experience I'd wholeheartedly recommend Remote Chrome Desktop to use as a remote manager for your rig. It is easy to use and set up, just don't forget to have a mouse plugged into the physical machine so the mouse pointer is always visible and that's it. An excellent program!

Some additional tips to keep your rig running 24/7 with basically no intervention of yours -remember to run your .bat file with devcon.exe every time Windows starts and that's it.

If you want your rig running ALL the time without you having to do anything even if you restart Windows or the computer powers off, you can call your own bat when Windows starts and you can automate the login process in Windows, following these steps:

Step 1: Configure BIOS Settings to power on the computer automatically if for whatever reason power is lost
Before we even get to Windows, make sure your mining computer’s BIOS settings are in order. Power on your computer, and press the “delete” key a few times immediately after power on. You should end up in the BIOS configuration area. Do the following, then save & exit:
Change power options so that the computer automatically turns itself on whenever power is restored. The reason for this is two-fold: first, it’ll make sure that your miner automatically starts up after a power outage. Second, it makes powering the computer on much easier if you don’t happen to have a power switch connected to the motherboard.
Disable all components that you don’t plan to use. This might save a little bit of power, and since your miner will likely be running 24/7, it’ll add up. For me, that meant disabling onboard audio, the USB 3.0 ports, one of the SATA controllers, the Firewire port, and the serial port.
If you’re running a lot of GPUs (4+), additional tweaks might be necessary to ensure that they’re all recognized by the OS. Exact tweaks vary by motherboard, but setting the PCIe speed to Gen1 is usually a good place to start. No need to change anything now, but make a mental note that you may need to come back and play around a bit if all of your GPUs don’t show up in the OS later.

Step 2: Configure automatic login
If you’re building a dedicated mining rig, then you probably want your mining rig to boot up and start mining automatically, without any user intervention. We’ll need to enable auto-login for that to be possible.
Right-click on the Start Menu and select “Run”. Type “netplwiz” (without the quotes) at the prompt, and click “ok”.
Uncheck the box that says “Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer”.
Click “Apply”. You’ll be prompted to enter your password to confirm the change.

Step 3: Configure your miner to start automatically
We want our rig to automatically start mining whenever it’s powered on or rebooted. That way, we keep mining losses to a minimum whenever a power outage occurs, and we don’t have to worry about manually starting it back up in other situations.
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the folder where you created “mine.bat” in the previous step.
Right-click on your mine.bat file, and pick “Copy”.
Now, navigate to %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup (should be something like C:\Users\[YOUR WINDOWS USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup).
Right-click anywhere on the empty background of the Startup folder and select “Paste shortcut”.
You should see a shortcut to your mine.bat file appear in the startup folder. Windows should automatically execute it upon bootup.

Conclusion
Personal experiences might differ, but with those settings a Vega 56 rig could run 24/7 without hashrate drops and very stable, which is the point, at an average of 1940H/s or so.

[Cyan_Antares]

I am having an issue with Vega 56 crashing when trying to tweak as per the tutorial here: http://www.gandalph3000.com/cast_xmr/cast-xmr-optimized-cryptonight-miner-for-rx-vega/

I have the Vega "Blockchain" drivers installed (fresh install). If I try to use any of the settings bellow as per the tutorial, I will hash for no more than 3 or 4 minutes, my screen goes all pixelated, and Windows 10 crashes forcing me to reboot.

If I leave Cast running with "default" Vega settings, I am hashing at 1600H/s and its stable, but I obviously want to increase it if possible.

Settings I have tried without success:

1900 Hash/s with 150 watts power consumption

    Core Frequency: -10%
    Memory Clock: 945 MHz
    Power Limit: -22%

2000 Hash/s with 200 watts power consumption

    Core Frequency: -10%
    Memory Clock: 965 MHz
    Power Limit: 0

2050 Hash/s with 225 watts power consumption

    Core Frequency: -10%
    Memory Clock: 990 MHz
    Power Limit: +12%


Anyone have any ideas on how to properly tweak the Vega settings as I dont really have any experience on overclocking or undervolting GPU's.

Tx  

use this guide instead, you dont need the AMD settings utility...

http://vega.miningguides.com/

Are you running a 56 on 64 Bios?

just vanilla (take a look at my previous post if it's helpful for you), the Vega cards aren't mine and I am proud to make them work with stability being the most important factor, but they cost the owner 600€ each and he had a hard time finding them, I dont want to risk it. Maybe if they were my Vega 56 cards I'd flash the bios, but having them work well without much intervention is the main idea.

[maleone41]

https://imgur.com/a/69wNg

any idea why one of my cards has such a low hash rate?

https://imgur.com/a/69wNg

I'm having the same issue. Whatever card I specify doesn't show a hashrate, and when it eventually does, it's like 30 h/sec and then the miner freezes.

When I do G=0,1,2,3,4 - 3 doesn't work

When i do G=0,1,2,4,3 - 4 doesn't work

When i do G=1, 2, 3, 0, 4, - 0 doesn't work

Thoughts/help anyone?

[Cyan_Antares]

https://imgur.com/a/69wNg

any idea why one of my cards has such a low hash rate?

https://imgur.com/a/69wNg

I'm having the same issue. Whatever card I specify doesn't show a hashrate, and when it eventually does, it's like 30 h/sec and then the miner freezes.

When I do G=0,1,2,3,4 - 3 doesn't work

When i do G=0,1,2,4,3 - 4 doesn't work

When i do G=1, 2, 3, 0, 4, - 0 doesn't work

Thoughts/help anyone?

which cards do you have? Have you disabled crossfire?

[Hbks]

Guys I have a silly problem, namely every time my screen turns itself off ( or I turn it off ) the hashrate drops from 1900 to circa 1700. I tested that multimple times and I am 100% sure this is what happens.
 It can go with 1900 h/s for days ( if I keep my screen on ) but as soon as I turn it off and on again bang 1700. I have to restart miner to get back to 1900 then.

It's single Vega 64 running on Cast, plus there are 6x RX 560 running on Claymore ( due to some reason I would get a astonishing 300h/s on claymore hence split )

My screen is connected to iGPU

Anyone faced this problem?

Cheers!

[Cyan_Antares]

Guys I have a silly problem, namely every time my screen turns itself off ( or I turn it off ) the hashrate drops from 1900 to circa 1700. I tested that multimple times and I am 100% sure this is what happens.
 It can go with 1900 h/s for days ( if I keep my screen on ) but as soon as I turn it off and on again bang 1700. I have to restart miner to get back to 1900 then.

It's single Vega 64 running on Cast, plus there are 6x RX 560 running on Claymore ( due to some reason I would get a astonishing 300h/s on claymore hence split )

My screen is connected to iGPU

Anyone faced this problem?

Cheers!

use a HDMI dummy plug, also called headless ghost, plus set the screen timer to never turn off in the energy settings

[commonorx]

So.. to sum it up, in order to keep the rig running all the time, after every restart and so on..

First, this is how my Cast XMR folder looks like, with Cast XMR, devcon and OverdriveNTool inside:

https://s18.postimg.org/d456tnk7d/Capture.jpg

Below is the bat file content (Mine.bat, which calls itself when the timer expires). I start numbering the Vegas with r1 and p1 to work with OverdriveNTool because I use the Intel iGPU. If you don't use an iGPU they should be numbered starting from r0 and p0.

cd
devcon.exe disable "PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_687F"
timeout /t 5
devcon.exe enable "PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_687F"
timeout /t 5
OverdriveNTool.exe -r1 -r2 -r3 -r4 -r5 -r6 -p1Vega56 -p2Vega56 -p3Vega56 -p4Vega56 -p5Vega56 -p6Vega56
timeout /t 1
cd

@echo off

echo -------------------------------------------------------------------
echo Restarts the miner every 40 minutes //you can set it to your own liking
echo -------------------------------------------------------------------
echo:

set executable=cast_xmr-vega.exe
set commandline=  -G 0,1,2,3,4,5 -S xmr-eu1.nanopool.org:14444 -u YourWalletAddress.RigNameOfYourChoice %*
set runforseconds=2400
set restartinseconds=2
set /a counter=0
timeout 2
:start
start "cast_xmr-vega" %executable% %commandline%
echo:
echo The program is going to run for %runforseconds% seconds
timeout %runforseconds%
taskkill /f /im %executable%
cd
Mine.bat
echo:
echo Restarting the app in %restartinseconds% seconds (%counter%)
timeout %restartinseconds%
set /a counter+=1
echo:
echo:
goto start

If you want your rig running ALL the time without you having to do anything even if you restart Windows or the computer powers off, you can call your own bat when Windows starts and you can automate the login process in Windows, following these steps:

Step 1: Configure BIOS Settings to power on the computer automatically if for whatever reason power is lost
Before we even get to Windows, make sure your mining computer’s BIOS settings are in order. Power on your computer, and press the “delete” key a few times immediately after power on. You should end up in the BIOS configuration area. Do the following, then save & exit:
Change power options so that the computer automatically turns itself on whenever power is restored. The reason for this is two-fold: first, it’ll make sure that your miner automatically starts up after a power outage. Second, it makes powering the computer on much easier if you don’t happen to have a power switch connected to the motherboard.
Disable all components that you don’t plan to use. This might save a little bit of power, and since your miner will likely be running 24/7, it’ll add up. For me, that meant disabling onboard audio, the USB 3.0 ports, one of the SATA controllers, the Firewire port, and the serial port.
If you’re running a lot of GPUs (4+), additional tweaks might be necessary to ensure that they’re all recognized by the OS. Exact tweaks vary by motherboard, but setting the PCIe speed to Gen1 is usually a good place to start. No need to change anything now, but make a mental note that you may need to come back and play around a bit if all of your GPUs don’t show up in the OS later.

Step 2: Configure automatic login
If you’re building a dedicated mining rig, then you probably want your mining rig to boot up and start mining automatically, without any user intervention. We’ll need to enable auto-login for that to be possible.
Right-click on the Start Menu and select “Run”. Type “netplwiz” (without the quotes) at the prompt, and click “ok”.
Uncheck the box that says “Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer”.
Click “Apply”. You’ll be prompted to enter your password to confirm the change.

Step 3: Configure your miner to start automatically
We want our rig to automatically start mining whenever it’s powered on or rebooted. That way, we keep mining losses to a minimum whenever a power outage occurs, and we don’t have to worry about manually starting it back up in other situations.
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the folder where you created “mine.bat” in the previous step.
Right-click on your mine.bat file, and pick “Copy”.
Now, navigate to %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup (should be something like C:\Users\[YOUR WINDOWS USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup).
Right-click anywhere on the empty background of the Startup folder and select “Paste shortcut”.
You should see a shortcut to your mine.bat file appear in the startup folder. Windows should automatically execute it upon bootup.

Note: This simple methods don't deal with hash rate drops you can experience when switching the VGA output on your iGPU and so on, there is the JJ script for that, but I don't experience that. This mostly works for rigs running 24/7 at home or remotely via Chrome Remote Desktop.

thank you for the tip. with this setting helps my vega rig run more stable without loss of hash rate. it helps also reduce the possibility of sudden freeze, that I think caused by HBM high temps/errors.

well, I would like to share some of my discoveries after some sleepless nights   over getting things stable --in addition to setting up the Vega 56 rig with 6 cards, I have a desktop computer with a single RX 570 and the program never failed, so overall Cast XMR tends to run well, I guess it depends on several factors.

STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO SET UP YOUR VEGA CARDS TO START MINING AT HIGH SPEED AND LOW POWER CONSUMPTION

So I finally managed to keep everything stable and these are my settings and bats. First of all, this is how the folder with the tools to start mining looks like:

https://s31.postimg.org/cwmzlv31n/Capture.jpg

Imho, it is a good idea to keep all the software you need in the same folder, to make things easier for you.

Note that now I have 2 bats, one called Mine.bat which only runs once at Windows startup.. and it disables then enables the Vega cards, AND finally it calls Mine2.bat (this one runs in an infinite loop). These are the contents of Mine.bat:

cd
devcon.exe disable "PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_687F"
timeout /t 5
devcon.exe enable "PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_687F"
timeout /t 5
OverdriveNTool.exe -r1 -r2 -r3 -r4 -r5 -r6 -p1Vega56 -p2Vega56 -p3Vega56 -p4Vega56 -p5Vega56 -p6Vega56
timeout /t 1
cd
Mine2.bat

Note1: the command line starts numbering the Vegas with r1 and p1 to work with OverdriveNTool because I use the Intel iGPU as the main GPU. If you don't use an iGPU they should be numbered starting from r0 and p0.

Note2: You shouldn't need to run devcon.exe more than once after you start the OS!! That's because once it disables and then re-enables the Vega cards they should never go below 1900Hs, except on very rare occasions where one of them can drop to 1700 something but in the next hash, it is back into the 1900s. However it might be useful to use that batch file again when you switch video output ports -say you use a HDMI headless ghost and you need to use an old VGA monitor with your rig, so you unplug the HDMI ghost and plug the monitor, that's normal and always causes a hash rate drop and the average hashrate drops from 1900+ to 1700 something for every card.

Note3: To keep everything automated with devcon.exe and any other mining program at startup so no program prompts you to let them run as an administrator, press the Windows key on the keyboard and search for user -or something similar- thus the Change User Account Control settings program appears, then just launch it and change the slider to Never notify.

IMPORTANT!!: OverdriveNTool.exe looks into a file called OverdriveNTool.ini for the parameters. These are my settings (I called the profile just like that, Vega56 but that parameter can be changed, and the OverdriveNTool command line needs to reflect that name (for Vega 64 owners, I have no experience with those, so the settings might differ):

[Profile_0]
Name=Vega56
GPU_P0=852;900
GPU_P1=991;900
GPU_P2=1084;900
GPU_P3=1138;900
GPU_P4=1150;900
GPU_P5=1202;900
GPU_P6=1212;905
GPU_P7=1407;935
Mem_P0=167;900
Mem_P1=500;900
Mem_P2=800;900
Mem_P3=935;900


FINAL NOTE: Where it says 935..., that's an important setting for stability. Vanilla Vega 56 cards can start complaining with any value above that, and this can cause random hangs in Cast XMR or devcon.exe (but you shouldn't need to use devcon.exe more than once, at startup, or in special situations), and those random hangs can mean quite a few minutes without mining til the corresponding bat file kills and restarts Cast XMR..., and that affects productivity a lot.

This amazing Vega mining guide I used to learn and helped me immensely when I started, which you can find here, http://vega.miningguides.com/ uses 950 as a value instead of 935. Don't! It works, it can go for hours or days without issue, but in my personal experience anything above 935MHz can be problematic and it ends up manifesting.

Then I have another one called Mine2.bat, which is called by Mine.bat after disabling and enabling the cards with devcon.exe to keep them mining at 1900Hs. These are the contents of the batch file (infinite thanks to FgTeamBR   who gave me the basis for this!!):

timeout /t 1
OverdriveNTool.exe -r1 -r2 -r3 -r4 -r5 -r6 -p1Vega56 -p2Vega56 -p3Vega56 -p4Vega56 -p5Vega56 -p6Vega56

@echo off

echo -------------------------------------------------------------------
echo Restarts the miner every 30 minutes //you can set it to your own liking, of course
echo -------------------------------------------------------------------
echo:

set executable=cast_xmr-vega.exe
set commandline=  -G 0,1,2,3,4,5 -S xmr-eu1.nanopool.org:14444 -u YourWalletAddress.RigNameOfYourChoice %*
set runforseconds=1800
set restartinseconds=2
set /a counter=0
timeout 2
:start
start "cast_xmr-vega" %executable% %commandline%
echo:
echo The program is going to run for %runforseconds% seconds
timeout %runforseconds%
taskkill /f /im %executable%
cd
Mine2.bat

This one ends up calling itself in an infinite loop, which is what we want.

VERY IMPORTANT!!: Note the OverdriveNTool.exe line at the very start of the batch file. I added this file after having issues and my own findings while running the cards for hours without apparent, superficial issues.

I repeat that you DO NOT need to call devcon.exe every time you restart Cast XMR, this reduces the stress on the cards plus you don't lose 20 seconds of mining while the cards are disabled and re-enabled.

HOWEVER, it is important that you refresh the OverdriveNTool settings in the cards from time to time, plus you restart Cast XMR, the entire process doesnt take up more than 3 seconds, and it's very convenient.

From personal experience, I have been running the Vegas for hours without an issue but for no apparent reason, I noticed that one of them was running at like 83ºC -had to use GPU-Z to check that- and it was as if it FORGOT their settings and aside from running hot, the fan speed dropped to 1500rpm for whatever mysterious reason, while the other cards kept their fans spinning at 3000+ rpm, the intended speed.

Plus, one of the cards permanently dropped the hashrate to 1700H/s, also for no apparent reason, so it seems like sometimes the cards can't recall their intended settings. After restarting their settings with OverdriveNTool, they go back to normal.

The temperature thing is very dangerous, it can significantly reduce your graphics card life for obvious reasons.

Finally, also from personal experience I'd wholeheartedly recommend Remote Chrome Desktop to use as a remote manager for your rig. It is easy to use and set up, just don't forget to have a mouse plugged into the physical machine so the mouse pointer is always visible and that's it. An excellent program!

Some additional tips to keep your rig running 24/7 with basically no intervention of yours -remember to run your .bat file with devcon.exe every time Windows starts and that's it.

If you want your rig running ALL the time without you having to do anything even if you restart Windows or the computer powers off, you can call your own bat when Windows starts and you can automate the login process in Windows, following these steps:

Step 1: Configure BIOS Settings to power on the computer automatically if for whatever reason power is lost
Before we even get to Windows, make sure your mining computer’s BIOS settings are in order. Power on your computer, and press the “delete” key a few times immediately after power on. You should end up in the BIOS configuration area. Do the following, then save & exit:
Change power options so that the computer automatically turns itself on whenever power is restored. The reason for this is two-fold: first, it’ll make sure that your miner automatically starts up after a power outage. Second, it makes powering the computer on much easier if you don’t happen to have a power switch connected to the motherboard.
Disable all components that you don’t plan to use. This might save a little bit of power, and since your miner will likely be running 24/7, it’ll add up. For me, that meant disabling onboard audio, the USB 3.0 ports, one of the SATA controllers, the Firewire port, and the serial port.
If you’re running a lot of GPUs (4+), additional tweaks might be necessary to ensure that they’re all recognized by the OS. Exact tweaks vary by motherboard, but setting the PCIe speed to Gen1 is usually a good place to start. No need to change anything now, but make a mental note that you may need to come back and play around a bit if all of your GPUs don’t show up in the OS later.

Step 2: Configure automatic login
If you’re building a dedicated mining rig, then you probably want your mining rig to boot up and start mining automatically, without any user intervention. We’ll need to enable auto-login for that to be possible.
Right-click on the Start Menu and select “Run”. Type “netplwiz” (without the quotes) at the prompt, and click “ok”.
Uncheck the box that says “Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer”.
Click “Apply”. You’ll be prompted to enter your password to confirm the change.

Step 3: Configure your miner to start automatically
We want our rig to automatically start mining whenever it’s powered on or rebooted. That way, we keep mining losses to a minimum whenever a power outage occurs, and we don’t have to worry about manually starting it back up in other situations.
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the folder where you created “mine.bat” in the previous step.
Right-click on your mine.bat file, and pick “Copy”.
Now, navigate to %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup (should be something like C:\Users\[YOUR WINDOWS USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup).
Right-click anywhere on the empty background of the Startup folder and select “Paste shortcut”.
You should see a shortcut to your mine.bat file appear in the startup folder. Windows should automatically execute it upon bootup.

Conclusion
Personal experiences might differ, but with those settings a Vega 56 rig could run 24/7 without hashrate drops and very stable, which is the point, at an average of 1940H/s or so.

This is all so unnecessary. I have now setup 3 Vega 64/56 rigs in the past month (16 Vega cards all different manufactures) and not one of them needs this crap script. If you do the reg mod/soft power play tables its beyond me why you need overdriven? Set the fan speed and temps in wattman and you are done. The rigs run 24/7 with no problems. If you need a script like this just understand that you are doing it wrong. The pools will hate the constant disconnect reconnect as they work to establish diff levels.


This kind a stuff just makes me laugh!


  

[xekojm]

https://imgur.com/a/69wNg

any idea why one of my cards has such a low hash rate?

https://imgur.com/a/69wNg

I'm having the same issue. Whatever card I specify doesn't show a hashrate, and when it eventually does, it's like 30 h/sec and then the miner freezes.

When I do G=0,1,2,3,4 - 3 doesn't work

When i do G=0,1,2,4,3 - 4 doesn't work

When i do G=1, 2, 3, 0, 4, - 0 doesn't work

Thoughts/help anyone?

Just a work-around, but what happens when you run multiple instances with 0,1,2 on one and 3,4 on the other?

[maleone41]

https://imgur.com/a/69wNg

any idea why one of my cards has such a low hash rate?

https://imgur.com/a/69wNg

I'm having the same issue. Whatever card I specify doesn't show a hashrate, and when it eventually does, it's like 30 h/sec and then the miner freezes.

When I do G=0,1,2,3,4 - 3 doesn't work

When i do G=0,1,2,4,3 - 4 doesn't work

When i do G=1 2, 3, 0, 4, - 0 doesn't work

Thoughts/help anyone?

You set G=0, 1,2,3 or -G 0,1,2,3,4

sorry, was writing quickly, i use the -G

[maleone41]

https://imgur.com/a/69wNg

any idea why one of my cards has such a low hash rate?

https://imgur.com/a/69wNg

I'm having the same issue. Whatever card I specify doesn't show a hashrate, and when it eventually does, it's like 30 h/sec and then the miner freezes.

When I do G=0,1,2,3,4 - 3 doesn't work

When i do G=0,1,2,4,3 - 4 doesn't work

When i do G=1, 2, 3, 0, 4, - 0 doesn't work

Thoughts/help anyone?

Just a work-around, but what happens when you run multiple instances with 0,1,2 on one and 3,4 on the other?

Tried that and it didn't work either. I tried launching all of them individually in order too. the first three and the last one perform fine. The 4th one, regardless of which card it is, performs poorly.

FYI - I'm using 5 RX 580s.

[commonorx]

https://imgur.com/a/69wNg

any idea why one of my cards has such a low hash rate?

https://imgur.com/a/69wNg

I'm having the same issue. Whatever card I specify doesn't show a hashrate, and when it eventually does, it's like 30 h/sec and then the miner freezes.

When I do G=0,1,2,3,4 - 3 doesn't work

When i do G=0,1,2,4,3 - 4 doesn't work

When i do G=1, 2, 3, 0, 4, - 0 doesn't work

Thoughts/help anyone?

Just a work-around, but what happens when you run multiple instances with 0,1,2 on one and 3,4 on the other?

Tried that and it didn't work either. I tried launching all of them individually in order too. the first three and the last one perform fine. The 4th one, regardless of which card it is, performs poorly.

FYI - I'm using 5 RX 580s.

Have you overclocked the cards?
Are all the cards the same?
Are all the settings on all the cards the same? GPU/Mhz Memory speed?
Have you set an appropriate amount of VM for 5 cards?
Do you have enough space on your HDD for the VM space needed?
Do you have crossfire disabled?
What drivers/version are you using?
Have you enabled and disabled all the 580's before you started to mine?
Which version of CAST XMR are you using?
What switches are you using?
Have you tried STAK-XMR-AMD as a comparison? Use dual threads 512 and 4 for workload for 580's
Are you sure the 4th card is not always the same card when you try?
Are you using onboard video or the 580s?

Please report back with answers to all those questions.

[tf2addict]

Just a quick question, is there a specific Vega 64 that i should look out for or are they pretty much the same?

Pretty much the same.  I would go strictly for the best price.