Setting up my first *ghetto* mining rig!!

[RealKariverson]

Maybe that's why it was crashing, after a while, it would touch or something.

No, it still crashed.  

I'm testing now with the latest drivers not the blockchain ones. to see what will happen.

EDIT: I got the r9 cards to 30MH/s with the same mild OC with latest drivers. But I'm missing a couple MH/s between the RX cards. But hey if it's stable I can live with that.

Is it safe to leave the rig with 850w pull from the wall from the RM850i PSU? Or should I go back to 28MH/s and ~800W pull?

[nerdralph]

Is it worth it to bother with custom BIOSes?

Custom bios only speeds up cryptonight and equihash, if you are only mining dagger gains are so small that it's not worth the hassle.

Only if you consider 5-10% speedup "so small that it's not worth the hassle".
http://nerdralph.blogspot.ca/2016/09/advanced-tonga-bios-editing.html

[antantti]

Is it worth it to bother with custom BIOSes?

Custom bios only speeds up cryptonight and equihash, if you are only mining dagger gains are so small that it's not worth the hassle.

Only if you consider 5-10% speedup "so small that it's not worth the hassle".
http://nerdralph.blogspot.ca/2016/09/advanced-tonga-bios-editing.html

Bad quote by me, clipped too much, sorry! OP was asking about 290 bios modding so my comment was meant to be hawaii only.

Like you said, all(?) amd's with lower than 512-bit membus typically do 5-15% more after some bios tweaking, also on dagger.

[QuintLeo]

Is it worth it to bother with custom BIOSes?

Custom bios only speeds up cryptonight and equihash, if you are only mining dagger gains are so small that it's not worth the hassle.

 BIOS from TheStilt on my Sapphire reference R9 290 cards dropped power draw some (I don't remember the actual figures, and didn't use one of the "deep undervolt" versions), dropped TEMPS a ton, and allowed me to run them at 1100 core vs TEMP LIMITING at 947 stock or less core while running 10 degrees or so COOLER despite the additional overclock.
 It was a night and day difference.

 DEFINITELY a good thing on a reference card, might not be needed on aftermarket cards with better cooling (and likely "upgraded" BIOS" already vs reference).

[RealKariverson]

Is it worth it to bother with custom BIOSes?

Custom bios only speeds up cryptonight and equihash, if you are only mining dagger gains are so small that it's not worth the hassle.

 BIOS from TheStilt on my Sapphire reference R9 290 cards dropped power draw some (I don't remember the actual figures, and didn't use one of the "deep undervolt" versions), dropped TEMPS a ton, and allowed me to run them at 1100 core vs TEMP LIMITING at 947 stock or less core while running 10 degrees or so COOLER despite the additional overclock.
 It was a night and day difference.

 DEFINITELY a good thing on a reference card, might not be needed on aftermarket cards with better cooling (and likely "upgraded" BIOS" already vs reference).

My Asus reference is not that bad. Running it 1100core and only goes up to 74C max and I only got it for 130euro because it's reference and it hashes the same exactly at the 390 and 290x.. It's my MSI 290X that goes 90-91-92, the one right behind my 390. When I moved the other to another slot it it has a bit more air it dropped 10C. Good thing I changed the thermal paste on these. Shit was hitting literally 99C the first 5 minutes of mining with previous paste.

 

[antantti]

About the first mod every reference 290(x) owner should do:



After that is done and you still want more you need to start playing with bios.

It will never be a powersaver but still a very profitable card to mine with.

[RealKariverson]

About the first mod every reference 290(x) owner should do:
After that is done and you still want more you need to start playing with bios.
It will never be a powersaver but still a very profitable card to mine with.

But you just lost half or more its resale value! I think my reference is fine. Honestly if all references are like my Asus then I'm all for them! Cheaper and cooler, noise after a certain volume is irrelevant anyway. Or I got some very bad batch of MSI 290x

[antantti]

That was just some pic from the web haha!

Just find those right screws...

Ref 290 currently sells somewhere in $100-150 area and does something like $3-4/ day. Who cares about resale value?

[RealKariverson]

That was just some pic from the web haha!

Just find those right screws...

Ref 290 currently sells somewhere in $100-150 area and does something like $3-4/ day. Who cares about resale value?

Well getting your initial investment back isn't hurting. You cut the cost of your next investment!

Anyway, going for 6:30 hours now with the latest drivers and I'm going to sleep. Will it be on when I wake up? Who knows. Rained today and it's very humid. Afraid of condensation if they shut down during the night.

Seems like effective hashrate is MUCH lower though.
With beta drivers I was getting 146MH/s reported and 150MH/s effective. Now I get 144MH/s reported and 120MH/s effective. That's one r9 card difference!

Pull from wall still fluctuates between ~790w and ~850w. IDK id that's safe.

[antantti]

Only had this one available, not a ref 290 but you get the idea.

[bassistas]

Hi guys, I am looking to get some more gpus for mining.
Currently I have 5x r9 390x, 1x 1080ti , 1x gtx980 and 5x r9 380.
r9 290 4GB caught my attention because is pretty cheap on ebay and powerful,  I read that has about 380 sol/s with overclocking in zec/zen/btg, is this true?
The same hashrate I get also on my overclocked gtx980 so I am in a dilemma what gpu to get because also gtx980 is about the same price used but sucks in ethereum mining,so I'll have to stick with equihash algorithm.

Can I achieve this hashrate with any r9 290 or some brands are voltage locked?

also has anyone measured  how much is exactly the power draw from an overclocked r9 290?
I am looking to get the asus b250 mining expert to fill all 19 gpu slots with r9 290s but how many PSU will I need and how much wattage each? can I use this one? https://www.ebay.de/itm/HP-BladeCenter-Netzteil-2450W-High-Efficiency-C7000-500242-001-488603-001/372154727230?hash=item56a6267b3e:g:df0AAOSw0W5aH~Kt

[RealKariverson]

Oh man, it crashed again righg before I closed my eyes. Pretty much the same same time as yesterday! I don't know if time plays any role. I've tried so much now, I'm getting discouraged and tired
I set it up again at stock speeds then and it still stopped an hour after.
Do you have any idea what could be causing it? Cause I'm all out of ideas.

[Victorio]

I am looking to get the asus b250 mining expert to fill all 19 gpu slots with r9 290s but how many PSU will I need and how much wattage each? can I use this one? https://www.ebay.de/itm/HP-BladeCenter-Netzteil-2450W-High-Efficiency-C7000-500242-001-488603-001/372154727230?hash=item56a6267b3e:g:df0AAOSw0W5aH~Kt

First of all, check if AMD drivers allow to hook up >10 R9 cards. Polaris are supported in Q>10, not sure about older cards.

[bassistas]

I am looking to get the asus b250 mining expert to fill all 19 gpu slots with r9 290s but how many PSU will I need and how much wattage each? can I use this one? https://www.ebay.de/itm/HP-BladeCenter-Netzteil-2450W-High-Efficiency-C7000-500242-001-488603-001/372154727230?hash=item56a6267b3e:g:df0AAOSw0W5aH~Kt

First of all, check if AMD drivers allow to hook up >10 R9 cards. Polaris are supported in Q>10, not sure about older cards.

Maybe I will go for another motherboard because I am searching all over the internet now and I cant find this model in stock.
So I think its better idea to stick with some cheap 775 socket motherboards with at least four pci-e slots each.
I have found some very cheap with ram and cpu included under 40 euros.
So do I need a 1200watt server psu for each of these motherboards? is this ok for 4x r9 290 overclocked or I need more capacity?
also can anyone tell me how these server psus work? I see they attach pci-e cables on them for the gpus (through a custom adapter) but there is no atx plug or cpu plug for the motherboard.

[Victorio]

So I think its better idea to stick with some cheap 775 socket motherboards with at least four pci-e slots each.
I have found some very cheap with ram and cpu included under 40 euros.
So do I need a 1200watt server psu for each of these motherboards? is this ok for 4x r9 290 overclocked or I need more capacity?
also can anyone tell me how these server psus work? I see they attach pci-e cables on them for the gpus (through a custom adapter) but there is no atx plug or cpu plug for the motherboard.

Even if a 775 MB has >4 PCI-E slots, not all of them may be functional simultaneously. Look for higher-end P45 models (Asus P5Q-E for example). You can slap any CPU, but preferably a dual-core and 4GB RAM.
The server PSU delivers +12V voltage to +12V consumers: GPUs, additional fans. You can power the ATX standard consumers - MB, HDD/SSD, through a DC-DC converter (picoPSU) or using a separate ATX PSU (you'll need to synchronize the server PSU with the ATX one).
You have 3 connection options for server PSU:
1. solder a couple bunch of power cables to PSU's output and split cables to each consumer
2. use a breakout board and connect consumers through detachable cables
3. solder beefy power cords to PSU's output and distribute to each consumer through a terminal block

[RealKariverson]

I can't find out why it keeps crashing after a while. If you have any idea what to check or what to try after let me know. I'm all out of ideas! Maybe a different driver version or something. But which one. I've tried latest and beta drivers, OC or stock speeds, and I've been monitoring it, it's not overheating. It's somewhat random but I've noticed a couple of patterns like both nights crashing at 3:15-20am. But could be a coincidence.
Could it be a problematic PSU? Hope not.

Edit: I was just right infront of a crash. My wifi had an interruption and the reconnecting in 20secs message appeared in claymore a couple of times. As cards were slowing down it froze and crashed. I know wifi for a miner is not ideal but where is is located connecting it with a cable is very hard. I was thinking of a wifi repeater and then ethernet cable. I hope maybe that will fix the interruptions and maybe the crashes?

[Victorio]

Edit: I was just right infront of a crash. My wifi had an interruption and the reconnecting in 20secs message appeared in claymore a couple of times. As cards were slowing down it froze and crashed. I know wifi for a miner is not ideal but where is is located connecting it with a cable is very hard. I was thinking of a wifi repeater and then ethernet cable. I hope maybe that will fix the interruptions and maybe the crashes?

It happens the miner to crash the rig if Internet connection is lost. Buy a better quality Wi-Fi receiver if you can't wire the miner to LAN.
Post the last lines of miner logs here.

[bassistas]

So I think its better idea to stick with some cheap 775 socket motherboards with at least four pci-e slots each.
I have found some very cheap with ram and cpu included under 40 euros.
So do I need a 1200watt server psu for each of these motherboards? is this ok for 4x r9 290 overclocked or I need more capacity?
also can anyone tell me how these server psus work? I see they attach pci-e cables on them for the gpus (through a custom adapter) but there is no atx plug or cpu plug for the motherboard.

Even if a 775 MB has >4 PCI-E slots, not all of them may be functional simultaneously. Look for higher-end P45 models (Asus P5Q-E for example). You can slap any CPU, but preferably a dual-core and 4GB RAM.
The server PSU delivers +12V voltage to +12V consumers: GPUs, additional fans. You can power the ATX standard consumers - MB, HDD/SSD, through a DC-DC converter (picoPSU) or using a separate ATX PSU (you'll need to synchronize the server PSU with the ATX one).
You have 3 connection options for server PSU:
1. solder a couple bunch of power cables to PSU's output and split cables to each consumer
2. use a breakout board and connect consumers through detachable cables
3. solder beefy power cords to PSU's output and distribute to each consumer through a terminal block

this particular motherboard I've found has all 4 pci-e functional simultaneously so its ok.
Can you suggest a good and cheap 1200w server psu, a picoPSU and an appropriate breakout board with cables included to order them all together from ebay? There are too many for sale and I am lost.

will this one handle 4x r9 290 or 4x r9 390?
https://www.ebay.com/i/122841705413?rt=nc

[RealKariverson]

Edit: I was just right infront of a crash. My wifi had an interruption and the reconnecting in 20secs message appeared in claymore a couple of times. As cards were slowing down it froze and crashed. I know wifi for a miner is not ideal but where is is located connecting it with a cable is very hard. I was thinking of a wifi repeater and then ethernet cable. I hope maybe that will fix the interruptions and maybe the crashes?

It happens the miner to crash the rig if Internet connection is lost. Buy a better quality Wi-Fi receiver if you can't wire the miner to LAN.
Post the last lines of miner logs here.

Today it stayed online for 8+ hours. And it didn't crash it it restarted for some reason. This is the logs before restart.

5:48:371   de4   ETH: GPU0 27.028 Mh/s, GPU1 27.086 Mh/s, GPU2 27.721 Mh/s, GPU3 10.925 Mh/s, GPU4 10.912 Mh/s, GPU5 26.094 Mh/s
04:15:49:262   444   ADL: Cannot find any AMD adapters
04:15:52:763   444   ADL: Cannot find any AMD adapters
04:15:53:606   1a34   recv: 60
04:15:53:606   1a34   srv pck: 59
04:15:53:810   1a34   ADL: Cannot find any AMD adapters
04:15:53:810   1a34   srv bs: 0
04:15:53:810   1a34   sent: 188
04:15:56:232   444   ADL: Cannot find any AMD adapters
04:15:56:732   de4   ETH: checking pool connection...
04:15:56:732   de4   send: {"worker": "", "jsonrpc": "2.0", "params": [], "id": 3, "method": "eth_getWork"}

04:15:59:998   444   ADL: Cannot find any AMD adapters
04:16:04:326   de4   send: {"id":6,"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"eth_submitHashrate","params":["0x0", "0x000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000007cc1fc2c"]}

04:16:04:483   444   ADL: Cannot find any AMD adapters
04:16:07:061   de4   ETH: checking pool connection...
04:16:08:249   de4   send: {"worker": "", "jsonrpc": "2.0", "params": [], "id": 3, "method": "eth_getWork"}

04:16:10:374   444   ADL: Cannot find any AMD adapters
04:16:14:609   444   ADL: Cannot find any AMD adapters
04:16:15:515   f6c   recv: 60
04:16:16:296   f6c   srv pck: 59
04:16:17:843   f6c   ADL: Cannot find any AMD adapters
04:16:19:609   de4   Socket was closed remotely (by pool)
04:16:19:093   444   ADL: Cannot find any AMD adapters
04:16:19:219   f6c   srv bs: 0
04:16:27:704   de4   ETH: Connection lost, retry in 20 sec...
04:16:25:625   f6c   sent: 160
04:16:30:407   444   ADL: Cannot find any AMD adapters
04:16:51:128   444   ADL: Cannot find any AMD adapters
04:16:51:534   444   em hbt: 33204, fm hbt: 0,
04:16:51:941   444   watchdog - thread 0 (gpu0), hb time 60047
04:16:53:503   444   WATCHDOG: GPU 0 hangs in OpenCL call, exit
04:16:54:144   444   watchdog - thread 1 (gpu0), hb time 62031
04:16:54:160   444   WATCHDOG: GPU 0 hangs in OpenCL call, exit
04:16:54:175   444   watchdog - thread 2 (gpu1), hb time 62109
04:16:54:175   444   WATCHDOG: GPU 1 hangs in OpenCL call, exit
04:16:54:191   444   watchdog - thread 3 (gpu1), hb time 61891
04:16:54:191   444   WATCHDOG: GPU 1 hangs in OpenCL call, exit
04:16:54:238   444   watchdog - thread 4 (gpu2), hb time 62188
04:16:54:347   444   WATCHDOG: GPU 2 hangs in OpenCL call, exit
04:16:54:832   444   watchdog - thread 5 (gpu2), hb time 62532
04:16:54:910   444   WATCHDOG: GPU 2 hangs in OpenCL call, exit
04:16:55:363   444   watchdog - thread 6 (gpu3), hb time 63188
04:16:55:426   444   WATCHDOG: GPU 3 hangs in OpenCL call, exit
04:16:55:660   444   watchdog - thread 7 (gpu3), hb time 63672
04:16:55:957   444   WATCHDOG: GPU 3 hangs in OpenCL call, exit
04:16:56:004   444   watchdog - thread 8 (gpu4), hb time 63829
04:16:56:019   444   WATCHDOG: GPU 4 hangs in OpenCL call, exit
04:16:56:176   444   watchdog - thread 9 (gpu4), hb time 64234
04:16:56:316   444   WATCHDOG: GPU 4 hangs in OpenCL call, exit
04:16:56:426   444   watchdog - thread 10 (gpu5), hb time 64562
04:16:56:566   444   WATCHDOG: GPU 5 hangs in OpenCL call, exit
04:16:56:566   444   watchdog - thread 11 (gpu5), hb time 64500
04:16:56:597   444   WATCHDOG: GPU 5 hangs in OpenCL call, exit
04:16:55:301   b3c   recv: 60
04:16:56:676   b3c   srv pck: 59
04:16:56:894   444   ADL: Cannot find any AMD adapters
04:16:57:238   b3c   ADL: Cannot find any AMD adapters
04:16:57:582   b3c   srv bs: 0
04:16:57:785   b3c   sent: 138
04:17:01:551   444   Restarting OK, exit...

This is the next log:

04:17:15:959   128   Check and remove old log files...
04:17:16:615   128   args: -epool eu1.ethermine.org:4444 -ewal 0xD2F39eC8d4161019428395a8136793BC4E3c9C33.Rig1 -epsw x
04:17:16:772   128   
04:17:17:068   128   ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
04:17:17:147   128   º     Claymore's Dual ETH + DCR/SC/LBC/PASC GPU Miner v10.1      º
04:17:17:240   128   ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ
04:17:17:334   128   
04:17:17:678   128   ETH: 1 pool is specified
04:17:17:709   128   Main Ethereum pool is eu1.ethermine.org:4444
04:17:17:787   128   DCR: 0 pool is specified
04:17:50:760   948   
04:18:25:154   948   
04:19:07:111   948   
12:38:43:859   948   Miner cannot initialize for 5 minutes, need to restart miner!
12:38:43:874   948   ADL: Cannot find any AMD adapters
12:38:45:975   948   Restarting OK, exit...

Then I found it restarted, working, waiting on the sign in page.
I cannot find out why it restarted. Today I'm gonna connect it with Ethernet. I found a cable long enough.

[Victorio]

this particular motherboard I've found has all 4 pci-e functional simultaneously so its ok.
Can you suggest a good and cheap 1200w server psu, a picoPSU and an appropriate breakout board with cables included to order them all together from ebay? There are too many for sale and I am lost.

will this one handle 4x r9 290 or 4x r9 390?
https://www.ebay.com/i/122841705413?rt=nc

It's not the best PSU you could find. Go for Delta DPS-1200 (any modification that has only +12V output is good).
PicoPSU - 180/250 W
Breakout - at least with 3 oz copper, look for it to have beefy connectors
I won't advise any cables, many of them are crap, especially the cheap ones.

ADL: Cannot find any AMD adapters

This error has nothing to do with the internet connection. Check for driver issues.