MSI R9 280X 38SB and UBUNTU setup

[chulo]

Hello everyone, this is my first post!

There seems to be a lot of controversy about the MSI R9 280X Gaming 3G OC 38SB version.  

I get 760K hash, undervolted to 1137, running at 70-72 degrees with GPUs fans locked between 30-75%  

Full disclosure: I use a milk crate as a case.  I have a box fan setup on the PCI side of the GPUs blowing towards the power connection side.

I read this card can be undervolted to 945mv and put out 650K hash rates; however, I have not tried it myself, yet.  I am a total newbie, so an additional 100K hash is more interesting now.

Here are my CGMINER settings:

./cgminer --scrypt -o stratum+tcp://<yourpool:port> -u <yourusername> -p <yourpassword> -g 2 -I 13 -w 256 --auto-fan --gpu-fan 30-75 --temp-cutoff 85 --temp-overheat 80 --temp-target 72 --gpu-memclock 1500 --gpu-engine 1080 --gpu-powertune -20 --expiry 1 --scan-time 1 --queue 0 --no-submit-stale

Please note the price of these cards, and many others, are well above MSRP at most shops.  I would encourage each of you to be patient and order from the smaller shops not looking to gouge your eye out (Google Shop BLT).  

Code:

If you’re having trouble flashing the 38SB version to an older bios to undervolt:
Read these instructions to get familiar with what you will be doing: http://www.cryptobadger.com/2013/10/undervolting-in-linux-via-modified-bios/

Now go do everything below.

Materials:
USB Thumb Drive

Software:
ATIFLASH (to flash your BIOS)
VBE7 (VBE7.0.0.7b.exe) [to modify your BIOS]
HP USB Disk Utility  (to write the DOS bootable disk)
MS-DOS System Files (to make a DOS bootable disk)

Download ATIFLASH:
http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2230/atiflash-4-07/start?server=6

Download VBE7:
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=189089

Download HP USB DISK Utility + MS-DOS System Files here: 
http://rumorscity.com/2013/12/04/how-to-create-a-dos-bootable-usb-drive/
(password: rumorscity)

Download this BIOS! (***ONLY FOR MSI r9 280X cards!***)
http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/149351/msi-r9280x-3072-131029.html

Rename the new BIOS new.rom 
Load the HP USB Disk Utility Program, point the software to the win98sys directory (from the MS-DOS System File extraction), pop in your USB thumb drive – make it go!  When it’s done, toss on the ATIFLASH, VBE7, and new.rom at the root level of the thumb drive [e.g. f:/atiflash, f:/VBE7, f:/new.rom].

Load VBE7 from the thumb drive, open the new.rom on the thumb drive. Look at this link:
http://rumorscity.com/2013/12/09/how-to-modify-video-bios-to-undervolt-gpu-in-linux/

In section 3 and 4, write 1137.  VDDC should read 1137 now, save the rom (overwrite the new.rom file).

Now let’s back up the roms on your GPUs (let’s do both positions, just in case).  Look at the link again: http://rumorscity.com/2013/12/09/how-to-modify-video-bios-to-undervolt-gpu-in-linux/
Go to step 7, look at the pic of the switch and locate yours. 

Pop in the USB bootable thumb drive you made.  

Assuming everything booted up, and depending on how many video cards you have, you’re going to go from 0 (the first one) to the last, saving off the first position’s bios.  

To explain what you’re doing:
[program] [parameters; such as –s, -f, -p][device][file]
atiflash  -s (save)  0 (first GPU/Device 0) 0first.rom (the file name we gave it)

I have three GPUs connected at the same time, so mine look like this:
atiflash  -s 0 0first.rom
atiflash  -s 1 1first.rom
atiflash  -s 2 2first.rom
Poweroff/flip GPU switch to second position/save second position bios
atiflash  -s 0 0second.rom
atiflash  -s 1 1second.rom
atiflash  -s 2 2second.rom

Type ls, ensure you see all copies of roms on your flash drive.

If you do, now we do the bios flash! Let each one finish, reboot after you flash your last device.
atiflash  -f -p 0 new.rom
atiflash  -f -p 1 new.rom
atiflash  -f -p 2 new.rom

REBOOT!  Ensure your flash works (if it comes on, you should be good!). 

Get back to mining!

http://s28.postimg.org/4xmatpd0t/useme_760.jpg

[1715583790]

1715583790

[1715583790]

1715583790

[crazyates]

For undervolting, I agree with using VBE7. However, I find it easier to use Rufus to image a USB drive with FreeDos, and then copy the atiflash.exe over. Rufus is a quick simple download, and it's 3 mouse clicks away from a fully booting DOS USB stick. It's quick, and a lot simpler (aka noob friendly) than the HP utility and the dos files.

[chulo]

For undervolting, I agree with using VBE7. However, I find it easier to use Rufus to image a USB drive with FreeDos, and then copy the atiflash.exe over. Rufus is a quick simple download, and it's 3 mouse clicks away from a fully booting DOS USB stick. It's quick, and a lot simpler (aka noob friendly) than the HP utility and the dos files.

That would have been good to know a few days ago! There is a pretty big barrier for newbies to cross and gain entrance into the mining world.

I'll definitely have to check that out, thanks!

[CryptoCaptain]

I just want to point out, I love that you have L33T voltage

[qosmio]

you write :
In section 3 and 4, write 1337. (he fixed it)

1337 for vdcc is a little high, are you sure? this is actually overvoltage mod and not undervoltage.

[Gazza1]

I think he meant 1137, but yeah he should definitely edit it

[chulo]

holy crap! I edited - really sorry about that.  Thank you everyone and yes, I did mean 1137!

I tinker with this in my very limited spare time, which comes at the expense of sleep.


Also, wanted to point out this post:

https://litecointalk.org/index.php?topic=14451.15

Person is applying thermal compound to the GPU chips - I have no idea if he has done this, or is thinking about doing it...

Anyone played with it?

[qosmio]

your rom MSI.R9280X.3072.131029 (128kb) did not work for my msi r9 280x v277-38sb
if i modify it with vbe7 then the card not boot anymore, it only works unmodified.
But I try another rom MSI.R9280X.3072.131009 from here http://rumorscity.com/2013/12/12/msi-r9-280x-bios-update-to-fix-overheating-and-vrm-temperatures/  
It is only 64kb big and it change from msi to amd.
The subsystem id fixed from 2777 to 2775 to accept flashing, this one I can change anything and after flash it still boots also with gpu-z lower voltage confirmed my sweetspot is 1050 vdcc , coreclock cannot go higher than 1165 otherwise it crash. temp stops at 76.

[chulo]

Interesting - my cards are  v277-38SB as well. Either way, it seems to reason these cards can definitely be flashed and undervolted.

By the way, were you trying the 1137 voltage?

I'm glad you got it to work.

I'm going to try undervolting to 945mv tomorrow.

[qosmio]

your rom (128kb) did not work for me, but the one I found MSI.R9280X.3072.131009 (64kb) was ok to change VDDC

[chulo]

your rom (128kb) did not work for me, but the one I found MSI.R9280X.3072.131009 (64kb) was ok to change VDDC

Fantastic! Glad this post and responses have helped.

What did you undervolt to? What type of hash rates are you getting?

[punkrock]

GPU-Z "lies" I think. I also tried to undervolt my SB38's and measured it with a multi-meter directly on the cards and it didn't work. But I will try your tutorial tomorrow.

What you all can do for us: Please mine with cgminer and press "G" and show us the screenshot with undervolted VDDC (without using Afterburner or other software of course). Or measure with a multi-meter to verify 100% that you undervolted the SB38.

Thank you very much. I hope this will work for me.

[punkrock]

Sadly, I think I have to dissapoint you all. Without Afterburner it's impossible to undervolt this card. You can easily test it, by using a kill-a-watt.
Use a modded BIOS with a setting of 1143 VDDC and measure the power of your computer / rig with a kill-a-watt. And now modify the BIOS with VBE7 and set it to 950 VDDC - for me, the Kill-A-Watt shows the same Watts, but when I use Afterburner and set it to -94 I gett about 200 Watts less.

All I can say: GPU-Z and CGminer are showing only the VDDC which is set in the BIOS but it's not the truth. Watts don't lie. Try it for yourself.

P.S.: I used this BIOS and modified it: http://rumorscity.com/2013/12/12/msi-r9-280x-bios-update-to-fix-overheating-and-vrm-temperatures/

[Pt0x]

Hi!

Anyone had success undervolting the cards with samsung memory?

[punkrock]

*PUSH*

Any news about this card? Maybe there is a new BIOS out there, which can undervolt this crappy card?

[qosmio]

I put corsair h100i waterblock on it. Now with 47C I use it with original BIOS with 100% load without worries.

[rcandeias]

Interesting - my cards are  v277-38SB as well. Either way, it seems to reason these cards can definitely be flashed and undervolted.

By the way, were you trying the 1137 voltage?

I'm glad you got it to work.

I'm going to try undervolting to 945mv tomorrow.

I am having a problem of some of my cards crashing when running cgminer the cards I have although the outer box is all the same, on the serial# some are v277-38SB  while others are v277-36SB  now I changed the bios on both to 015.040.000.000.003435 (113-C3865000-X77) as I assumed all are pretty similar ....I have another rig again same cards but somehow works great all ok and mining is great...really confused why I am having problems with second rig where all cpu, mobo. ram etc etc is all the same ...any ideas / help would be welcomed.