Braiins OS & Braiins OS+ custom ASIC firmware: optimize performance & efficiency

[wolfen]

I can flash the t9 controller to braiins if I flash it to s9 dec5 firmware first.
Trying to flash a controller with t9 firmware installed will stop you.
If I flash a s9 controller (non c5) to braiins my 550 and 600 s9 hashboards will run better/faster with brains.
Gives new life to old s9 batch hashboards if you have  spare t9 controllers to flash or s9 non c5 boards

I have all my non c5 controllers running braiins now. Very stable.

Took a t9 with 3 57 chips boards.
Flashed controller to s9 dec5. Then flashed to braiins. Boots up and runs.
No temps show but is appears to be running well. Fans run at full speed.

[Artemis3]

I can flash the t9 controller to braiins if I flash it to s9 dec5 firmware first.
Trying to flash a controller with t9 firmware installed will stop you.
If I flash a s9 controller (non c5) to braiins my 550 and 600 s9 hashboards will run better/faster with brains.
Gives new life to old s9 batch hashboards if you have  spare t9 controllers to flash or s9 non c5 boards

I have all my non c5 controllers running braiins now. Very stable.

Took a t9 with 3 57 chips boards.
Flashed controller to s9 dec5. Then flashed to braiins. Boots up and runs.
No temps show but is appears to be running well. Fans run at full speed.

This is a good discovery, are you using the --no-sensor-scan option?
IIRC there are at least three types of T9: T9, T9+ and T9++ each with different controllers. Which one is yours? First type?

[wolfen]

Yes just the t9. Same form factor and board shape as the s9 just 57 chips. No options on scan.

Have some t9+, I'll try an s9 braiins controller on it.

[bjmag94]

Okay I flashed this onto my S9 around 12 hours ago, was running fine, hashing nicely, I tried to over clock, I went from 650 Mhz to 675, then 700, then 725 still fine, then 750, around 5 minutes after going to 750, my s9 dropped to 10 th/s, I didn't think much of it at a first glance, until I noticed that the software was not reading my board/chain at all..
I also noticed on that board there is no red light on it, have a fried my board?
I only got the miner 2 days ago, so I don't know all that much about them, any help or suggestions what it might be would be helpful, I am going to revert back to my backup when I switch my miner on in the morning, thank you everyone

[wolfen]

When you crank up the frequency it pulls more and more juice. You can get a amp meter on amazon for $10.
You have to run them for a hour or so to make sure it is stable. At least they are cheap now. When they were $2000-$3000 it was a disaster.
If you set the freq back down to 550 and the red light is still out board probably toast.
Usually if the red light does not come on you are done.

[bjmag94]

Okay thank you, why drop it to 550 may I ask? I was thinking maybe I've fried a chip or a capacitor.
Although I thought the s9 could handle up to around 1125 Mhz, correct me if I'm wrong.

[Artemis3]

Okay thank you, why drop it to 550 may I ask? I was thinking maybe I've fried a chip or a capacitor.
Although I thought the s9 could handle up to around 1125 Mhz, correct me if I'm wrong

Efficiency. You want to max the amount of hashing for the less energy consumption. After certain zone you start spending more energy per hash which makes it pointless. Besides the PSU would have to big much bigger (Ie. 2200w).

In most circumstances you earn more money by downclocking the chips to 500ish mhz rather than going the opposite direction.

And is far better to have two "cool and quiet" S9s producing 20THs and consuming 1600w than a single S9 producing 20th but consuming 2000+w, not to mention the stress to the chips and the high temperatures and maxed fans (who also consume power).

Remarkably an S9 that by default used to consume 100W/T can now consume 80W/T downclocking it like that.

[bjmag94]

Thank you, I'll have a look soon when I switch the miner back on may have to run it with only 2 boards until I can afford a new one, might even take the board in to a computer shop to get them to look at it, hopefully downclocking fixes the issue, however I don't think it will as I unplugged everything except that hashing board and switched the power on and still no red light on it, so I'd say either a chip or capacitor is stuffed or the board is fried.

[wolfen]

Cheaper to buy a whole s9 than to get the board fixed. That’s why I have a stack of dead boards and a bunch of shells with controllers

[bjmag94]

Cheaper to buy a whole s9 than to get the board fixed. That’s why I have a stack of dead boards and a bunch of shells with controllers

Haha I don't really have the money for either at the moment, thinking about finding a board on ebay and just replacing it.
I will test all the chips first and see if it is one of them, if not I'll buy a new board eventually and just run two boards in the meantime.


I have now reverted back to bitmain FW and still no change on the board, no red status light on the board, nor is it showing in the Ant Miner interface.

Miner Status page: https://i.imgur.com/xyW8YzI.png

System page: https://i.imgur.com/aOgkPqr.png

Sorry for flooding this thread, thank you for the help, I appreciate it, it looks like it may be time to test each chip individually and go from there, if no result from there I shall buy a new board off eBay.

[Artemis3]

Then try disconnecting all three boards, and connect only one, power on and check. Swap power and data cables, try to see if that makes a difference.

You cannot check every chip individually (its way too advanced) but each board is doable.

[bjmag94]

Then try disconnecting all three boards, and connect only one, power on and check. Swap power and data cables, try to see if that makes a difference.

You cannot check every chip individually (its way too advanced) but each board is doable.

Already tried all that, no luck, looks like it might be time to buy a new board.

[micairvas]

@braiins Is there any chance to make FW for T15/S15 antminers?

[Artemis3]

@braiins Is there any chance to make FW for T15/S15 antminers?

I think they are planning it, as long as Bitmain won't stop them. I'm not sure what the situation is with SSH access as i don't own an S15...

Hey, #Miners! You may be thinking that you own your @BITMAINtech S15 mining hardware, but you are wrong. The new S15 comes completely locked, no ssh, no telnet. The factory firmware is signed to prevent attacker to supply Trojan images stealing hash rate - apparently The intent seems good but its evil! You should be able to take complete control of your device. NOTE: logging into the device via serial console is not a production acceptable way. Or would you like to run around your farm with a serial cable ;-)? @james_hilliard did some research on this and was able to bypass signature check and as proof of concept enabled ssh. Come on @BITMAINtech give the community the sources and you'll get a chance to patch the security hole. #TakeBackControl @braiins_systems #BraiinsOS

https://twitter.com/janbraiins/status/1095446379156201478

It would be sad if serial was required to start the firmware replacement process, but if it comes to that, then so be it...

we r planning April update, there r a few fixes in sensor detection on S9

[wolfen]

Upgraded board from s9 dec5 to braiins. While configuring /etc/cgminer.conf went to zero length.
Grabbed cgminer.conf off another braiins miner.
Laid it down in /etc/and everything is fine. Had to change the worker.
Found that the cgminer.conf file is a json file with no newlines.
I tried to indent for easier reading and it and it got sick. Reverted and AOK.
Grabbed some xlinix boards off amazon. Upgraded them to braiins and replaced one of my C5 controllers with it. Works great.
My C5 controllers run the chips at 100C. I like the 75C from braiins better. braiins boots faster with the no-preheat.

[Artemis3]

Upgraded board from s9 dec5 to braiins. While configuring /etc/cgminer.conf went to zero length.
Grabbed cgminer.conf off another braiins miner.
Laid it down in /etc/and everything is fine. Had to change the worker.
Found that the cgminer.conf file is a json file with no newlines.
I tried to indent for easier reading and it and it got sick. Reverted and AOK.
Grabbed some xlinix boards off amazon. Upgraded them to braiins and replaced one of my C5 controllers with it. Works great.
My C5 controllers run the chips at 100C. I like the 75C from braiins better. braiins boots faster with the no-preheat.

You are not alone. I have gotten that bug (blank /etc/cgminer.conf) before. Can be fixed by reinstalling the firmware package or just doing what you did

[wolfen]

The only way I have installed is by using the braiins web image using the dec 5 s9 GUI
Running 100 s9 in a modified 20 ft shipping container, all modified to braiins now.
Switched all my s9 550 and 600 fixed mhz controllers to xilinx boards.

[Rumipl]

Hi, I tested the firmware on the S9 13.5 T model and S9i 14 T model and it's great !
I have around 200 old S9 with fixed frequency of 550 MHz can I use the Braiins - OS firmware on the fixed frequency models as well ?

br

[wolfen]

You need the Xilinx controller board they are cheap on ebay
If you use the web image install it will stop you from installing on the old controllers

[Artemis3]

Hi, I tested the firmware on the S9 13.5 T model and S9i 14 T model and it's great !
I have around 200 old S9 with fixed frequency of 550 MHz can I use the Braiins - OS firmware on the fixed frequency models as well ?

As far as i know, the only possible limitation could be the controller itself:

What Antminer S9 flavors are supported?

All S9 variants (S9, S9i, S9j) are supported, however, the amount of possible variations is rather high. Initially, for this reason we recommend testing our SD card images first. Once you are confident that the firmware operates according to your expectations, you can apply factory transitional firmware images.

So as suggested, try booting one unit with the sd card first. If it doesn't work, you remove the card and move the jumper back and its like nothing ever happened. No worries.