Mining troubles 2 BTC bounty to help me solve

[eskamobob1]

what is your total hash rate before you see performance decrease? if it is above like 3G or so, you may just be maxing out your proc... its unlikely, but still possible... also, i would personally keep messing with 11.6 (not b) because that is what most people get the best results with (myself included)... another thing is, how are your cards spaced? if they are all in an enclosed system, then they are probably downclocking because of heat... if you dont already have it, i would download some GPU monitoring tool (i just use MSI afterburner) and monitor your core clock rates... if some of them are fluctuating, then you know its not a software problem, and i would start pumping some more air into these guys... if they are not, there is a multitude of possibilities... also, what miner do you use? sometimes the GUI miner messes up at large hash rates... lastly... check for fluctuating hash rates from your card (jumping 20-30 hash per core)... if they are not changing, then it is most likely a software issue... if they are, then once again, it could be a multitude of issues

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[MelMan2002]

I know some people haven't had problems with 3+ GPUs on a 32 bit system but others have reported problems.  If the option is there you might want to try changing to 64-bit windows.

[max in montreal]

I know some people haven't had problems with 3+ GPUs on a 32 bit system but others have reported problems.  If the option is there you might want to try changing to 64-bit windows.

Does it really matter if its XP or win 7 64 bit?

[Folax]

So you need older drivers for no CPU bug, you need newer drivers for 7GPU support, so Linux is the only one that can do both

If it works under Linux I don't see why you don't want to go that route: Linuxcoin for example can even run on a USB stick which saves some power from the hard disk you're not using as a bonus.

If you want to stay Windows:
Make sure to really clean the drivers before installing new ones, this is not just a suggestion made by AMD, it's really what should be done.

[max in montreal]

I guess I am looking for some help from someone who has 7 GPU working on a windows 7 32 bit machine. Most know that certain versions of ccc work with up to 8 gpu, MSI 890fxa-gd70 can handle 4 video cards, but I would like an answer from someone with the same motherboard with6 -8 GPU running...if possible.for the time being, i am running linuxcoin and other than heat issues, all is going extremely well, but I want windows 7.

[MelMan2002]

I know some people haven't had problems with 3+ GPUs on a 32 bit system but others have reported problems.  If the option is there you might want to try changing to 64-bit windows.

Does it really matter if its XP or win 7 64 bit?

No that shouldn't matter.

[CanaryInTheMine]

I guess I am looking for some help from someone who has 7 GPU working on a windows 7 32 bit machine. Most know that certain versions of ccc work with up to 8 gpu, MSI 890fxa-gd70 can handle 4 video cards, but I would like an answer from someone with the same motherboard with6 -8 GPU running...if possible.for the time being, i am running linuxcoin and other than heat issues, all is going extremely well, but I want windows 7.

i have same mobo.
2 6990s + 6870 x2, so 6 GPUs.

win7 64 bit.
not sempron, i have some dual core chip, forget which one...
running 11.8, no issues.

it doesn't sound like power is an issue...  maybe it is the CPU having issues handling you6 6 GPUs...  it's pretty far fetched though...
linux and windows drivers will handle this CPU differently.

BTW, you should not have CCC installed at all. it interferes sometimes.  you only need the driver and SDK. nothing else.

another thing... are you running something like GPU-Z at the same time as mining and witnessing this behavior?

[max in montreal]

I guess I am looking for some help from someone who has 7 GPU working on a windows 7 32 bit machine. Most know that certain versions of ccc work with up to 8 gpu, MSI 890fxa-gd70 can handle 4 video cards, but I would like an answer from someone with the same motherboard with6 -8 GPU running...if possible.for the time being, i am running linuxcoin and other than heat issues, all is going extremely well, but I want windows 7.

i have same mobo.
2 6990s + 6870 x2, so 6 GPUs.

win7 64 bit.
not sempron, i have some dual core chip, forget which one...
running 11.8, no issues.

it doesn't sound like power is an issue...  maybe it is the CPU having issues handling you6 6 GPUs...  it's pretty far fetched though...
linux and windows drivers will handle this CPU differently.

BTW, you should not have CCC installed at all. it interferes sometimes.  you only need the driver and SDK. nothing else.

another thing... are you running something like GPU-Z at the same time as mining and witnessing this behavior?

GPU-Z is not running, and did try removing CCC but still nothing.  Right now I am installing XP 64 bit...now where did I put that product key... I'll post back in 20 min...

[max in montreal]

Long 20 minutes...OK after installing XP 64 bit, doing all updates and finally installing the latest drivers and SDK...I am still having problems, so once again I switched back to Linuxcoin.

Latest problem is that for some reason, I can see 10 monitors in the windows display properties settings. 4 of them can be enabled and stretched to, the other 6 cannot because I need dummy plugs... As I understood it, it was one dummy plug per videocard and not for GPU...If it is that then I think  imagonnafuckingdie...

[bcforum]

Long 20 minutes...OK after installing XP 64 bit, doing all updates and finally installing the latest drivers and SDK...I am still having problems, so once again I switched back to Linuxcoin.

Latest problem is that for some reason, I can see 10 monitors in the windows display properties settings. 4 of them can be enabled and stretched to, the other 6 cannot because I need dummy plugs... As I understood it, it was one dummy plug per videocard and not for GPU...If it is that then I think  imagonnafuckingdie...

Per GPU.

[max in montreal]

imagonnafuckingdie...

[bcforum]

Welcome to the wonderful world of ATI Windows drivers.

[BkkCoins]

Just use linux instead. Better than "gonnafuckingdieing".
I don't have any dummy plugs in mine under Ubuntu. I run headless and don't even hook up a monitor. Just ssh in from wherever and see what they're up to.

[max in montreal]

I understand the windows-linux argument, but its too easy to tell some to just use Linux. I am using it for the time being, but once I figure out my issues I will be jumping the Linux ship. I do not want to spend the time and effort learning Linux, or whenever there is a new issue on the linux machine, I do not want to spend hours looking for info on a simple task that I cannot perform on Linux. I am a windows guy, and other than this hic up, everything else is working as it should be.

The only advantage that Linux has is not needing the dummy plugs. other than that all arguments seem to go either way, so its just personal prefference. A dummy plug is just 1 resistor. 10 bucks and I'm set for life.

Linux is my spare. I do not want to use it until I have to.

[Big Time Coin]

Let me know if this is enough information to claim the bounty, this is from my personal experience and from reading a lot.  All the responses so far have focused on this being a software or minor hardware problem, but it is more likely an electrical power problem.

You can't safely put a 5870 and 3 5970 cards directly into the slots of a GD70 without a very high-quality power supply, like 80 plus silver or gold.  Even then, it is a bad idea because of the power fluctuation and how much power is being drawn through the ATX connector.  More info here: http://blog.zorinaq.com/?e=44

All four of those cards are drawing power through your 24-pin ATX connector, about 160W+.  This is on top of what the ram and chipsets are already pulling, and beyond the spec of both the motherboard PCI-E chipset AND the ATX connector spec.  

Try this: put at least one, preferably two or more of the cards on a powered extender cable.  Cablesaurus sells them if you aren't comfortable making your own.  And/Or use a higher quality power supply, for these 4 cards you should go for preferably 1400 W or more, since I read somewhere that 5970 can pull 300 W each plus silver or gold.  You might even need/want to use a server power supply and make custom pci-e connectors, which is detailed in a seperate post on the zorinaq blog.

If that doesn't fix, make sure you have an adequate/stable voltage coming from the wall - are you on a 15 amp or 20 amp breaker? and outlet at same amperage?  What is the total power draw on this breaker.

As for going to 5 or 6 cards, you really need to focus on getting 4 at good efficiency first, but for the 5th and 6th card you will definitely need a powered pci-e extender cable.

[max in montreal]

it sounds like a great answer, but why would it work with linux coin?

[Big Time Coin]

it doesn't matter what OS you use, you are still going to be drawing too much power through your mobo.

[max in montreal]

it doesn't matter what OS you use, you are still going to be drawing too much power through your mobo.

That is what I understood, but why then is it working right now with all 4 cards and all 7 GPU using Linuxcoin?

This is why I am questioning the power sources as a problem.