[HOWTO] flash your jalapeno to 8+ ghs

[runlinux]

Yay! 8.74Gh/s up from 6.152 for a gain of 2.588GH/s

[macromode]

Just want to report another successful flashing of the Jalapeño. My device had the earlier firmware on it. While running it with this version and the case all closed up, cgminer 3.2.1 was showing me this:

Code:

BAJ 0:  max 84C 4.12V | 6.364G/4.448Gh/s | A:8972 R:160 HW:9 U: 39.90/m
[GetInfo] => DEVICE: BitFORCE SC FIRMWARE: 1.0.0 PROCESSOR 3: 193 MHz PROCESSOR 7: 192 MHz ENGINES: 28 FREQUENCY: 189 MHz
XLINK MODE: MASTER XLINK PRESENT: YES --DEVICES IN CHAIN: 0 --CHAIN PRESENCE MASK: 00000000 OK 0x00

Then I opened it up, scraped off the old worn thermal pads, put some new Fujipoly 1.0mm thermal pads cut to size with an x-acto knife, modified the code that decommissions engine so that at least one valid nonce is returned(thanks to @ckolivas for that idea), modified the frequency index to 8, flashed the modded firmware, downloaded the 3.3.1 rev of cgminer, and let it operate with no case, and now cgminer 3.3.1 is showing me this:

Code:

BAJ 0:  max 55C 3.91V | 8.479G/8.126Gh/s | A:75792 R:350 HW:3036 U: 41.54/m
[GetInfo] => DEVICE: BitFORCE SC FIRMWARE: 1.2.5 IAR Executed: NO CHIP PARALLELIZATION: YES @ 2 QUEUE DEPTH:40 
PROCESSOR 3: 15 engines @ 262 MHz -- MAP: FFFE PROCESSOR 7: 15 engines @ 268 MHz -- MAP: FFFE THEORETICAL MAX: 7950 MH/s ENGINES: 30 FREQUENCY: 283 MHz 
XLINK MODE: MASTER CRITICAL TEMPERATURE: 0 XLINK PRESENT: YES DEVICES IN CHAIN: 1 CHAIN PRESENCE MASK: 00000001 OK 0x00

2 extra engines operating, albeit with higher hardware error rate: from around 0.1% to 3.9%. Running cooler now too, but I think that has far less to do with properly installing a fresh pair of thermal pads, and more to do with operating with no case surrounding all that hot air.

It cost me a little over $100 in materials to perform this upgrade so it's kind of like that 2Gh/s bump BFL was offering, but clearly I got a little more bang for the buck and it was tons more fun. And woah, now I've got the firmware code to look over too.

@mmaniac, as you can see, I am also seeing voltage readings from cgminer around 3.95-4.00v. I don't know if that's good or bad, but at least you have company.

[goxed]

Just want to report another successful flashing of the Jalapeño. My device had the earlier firmware on it. While running it with this version and the case all closed up, cgminer 3.2.1 was showing me this:

Code:

BAJ 0:  max 84C 4.12V | 6.364G/4.448Gh/s | A:8972 R:160 HW:9 U: 39.90/m
[GetInfo] => DEVICE: BitFORCE SC FIRMWARE: 1.0.0 PROCESSOR 3: 193 MHz PROCESSOR 7: 192 MHz ENGINES: 28 FREQUENCY: 189 MHz
XLINK MODE: MASTER XLINK PRESENT: YES --DEVICES IN CHAIN: 0 --CHAIN PRESENCE MASK: 00000000 OK 0x00

Then I opened it up, scraped off the old worn thermal pads, put some new Fujipoly 1.0mm thermal pads cut to size with an x-acto knife, modified the code that decommissions engine so that at least one valid nonce is returned(thanks to @ckolivas for that idea), modified the frequency index to 8, flashed the modded firmware, downloaded the 3.3.1 rev of cgminer, and let it operate with no case, and now cgminer 3.3.1 is showing me this:

Code:

BAJ 0:  max 55C 3.91V | 8.479G/8.126Gh/s | A:75792 R:350 HW:3036 U: 41.54/m
[GetInfo] => DEVICE: BitFORCE SC FIRMWARE: 1.2.5 IAR Executed: NO CHIP PARALLELIZATION: YES @ 2 QUEUE DEPTH:40 
PROCESSOR 3: 15 engines @ 262 MHz -- MAP: FFFE PROCESSOR 7: 15 engines @ 268 MHz -- MAP: FFFE THEORETICAL MAX: 7950 MH/s ENGINES: 30 FREQUENCY: 283 MHz 
XLINK MODE: MASTER CRITICAL TEMPERATURE: 0 XLINK PRESENT: YES DEVICES IN CHAIN: 1 CHAIN PRESENCE MASK: 00000001 OK 0x00

2 extra engines operating, albeit with higher hardware error rate: from around 0.1% to 3.9%. Running cooler now too, but I think that has far less to do with properly installing a fresh pair of thermal pads, and more to do with operating with no case surrounding all that hot air.

It cost me a little over $100 in materials to perform this upgrade so it's kind of like that 2Gh/s bump BFL was offering, but clearly I got a little more bang for the buck and it was tons more fun. And woah, now I've got the firmware code to look over too.

@mmaniac, as you can see, I am also seeing voltage readings from cgminer around 3.95-4.00v. I don't know if that's good or bad, but at least you have company.

great job! btw how did you get to this GetInfo screen?

[Zanatos666]

~5.8Gh/s to ~8.5Gh/s.  And running even cooler with less HW errors with the case off.  Loving it.

[macromode]

That's easy. I started cgminer with the --api-listen parameter. That enables cgminer to respond to remote commands. I have a Java runtime installed on the machine that has cgminer operating, so I went over to my cgminer installation directory, and executed the included bytecode file named API.class like so:

Code:

java API stats 127.0.0.1 4028

In the cgminer installation directory, check out API-README.txt for comprehensive details. There's also a c source file, a sample php script, and a sample python script, if you'd rather go with those.

[jelin1984]

Zanatos what number you put 7 or 9?

[Zanatos666]

Zanatos what number you put 7 or 9?

Actually runlinux flashed mine for me right after he did his.  We used the pre-compiled firmware from ckolivas so it was simply plug in, erase, reprogram.

[jelin1984]

Here Here I can  find it any link I have only the bfl firmware

[Zanatos666]

Here Here I can  find it any link I have only the bfl firmware

He posted it earlier in this thread.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=244235.msg2602712#msg2602712

[jelin1984]

Ok thanks and you have less hw errors?

[bitpop]

Anyone know? There's got to be a difference?

What is ND?
Also, it seems cheapest direct from atmel.

[danattacker]

Anyone know? There's got to be a difference?

What is ND?
Also, it seems cheapest direct from atmel.

The -ND suffix is on like every digikey part number. If you want to know if it's the same, look at the manufacturer part number. I don't even know how you found the other part number without the -ND suffix. I'm guessing that they are exactly the same.

[mmaniac]

Yeah I believe those two items are the same. I ended getting my Dragon from Element 14, it was overall cheaper with shipping and sales tax compared to Digikey.   

[tom99]

Anyone know? There's got to be a difference?

What is ND?
Also, it seems cheapest direct from atmel.

if you are not sure why not call Digi-key CS or Email Digi-key.

[bitpop]

Hmm thanks
I get ocd until I know exact differences in models. But I guess you're right, they're identical.

[Zanatos666]

Ok thanks and you have less hw errors?

Yes, but I think part of that was because it was running hotter with the case on. Now that the case is off, and even flashed, it's running cooler than before.

[-ck]

Ok thanks and you have less hw errors?

Yes, but I think part of that was because it was running hotter with the case on. Now that the case is off, and even flashed, it's running cooler than before.

Not sure if you've done it or not, but with the case off, make sure to turn the fan around as well so it's blowing down instead of sucking .

[bitpop]

Flashing ckolivas next week.
Any updates until then? Or is it pretty final?

[merv77]

What is ND?
Also, it seems cheapest direct from atmel.

ND = No Discount

I thought you were a smart boy bitpop   

[bitpop]

No they told me it's the same