GekkoScience NewPac / Terminus R606 (BM1387) Official Support Thread

[DaveF]

Same PC or is it on your wifes?

Can you use the PCIe power to test?

If it behaves the same then it's got to be the unit, unless we are both missing something obvious.

I have a bunch running here for people and every issue has been USB or bad power, never had a bad 606 yet.

-Dave

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[1714945364]

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[gt_addict]

What version of cgminer are you running? I found I had better results with my newpacs on the May 13th version rather than May 26th. Havent a clue why. I helped vh with some testing on my win10 pc as it seems to be a real fickle machine running Newpacs.

P.S. i know yours is 606 but its the same chips and controller 

[MoparMiningLLC]

Same PC or is it on your wifes?

same PC - I am trying yet another cable, it's been running 10 mins so far.

edit: tried the wifes pc with the 3 cords I am getting the same results.

What version of cgminer are you running? I found I had better results with my newpacs on the May 13th version rather than May 26th. Havent a clue why. I helped vh with some testing on my win10 pc as it seems to be a real fickle machine running Newpacs.

P.S. i know yours is 606 but its the same chips and controller  

I am using the May 26th version. if the 3rd cable is not the answer, then I will try the May 13th version.

Tried May 13th version and it wont go over 400 mhz and not for long before it goes to 200 mhz then to zero and the no chips message.


I might have to get a raspberry pi and try that though I have zero experience using them. My guess is that it is not difficult.

[os2sam]

I might have to get a raspberry pi and try that though I have zero experience using them. My guess is that it is not difficult.

Here's a link to mstroziers instructions step by step instructions.  Also review the top post.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5053833.msg50968875#msg50968875

[MoparMiningLLC]

ok thanks! will look into it. the only hard part I have had is how to add other commands - when I start the supplied cgminer it automatically starts by asking for pool information - and it does that every time I start it.

[os2sam]

Look at the top post and it shows how to add the commands for the pool information on the command line so that you don't have to do that.  In Windoze it's easiest to create a batch file in Linux create a .sh file or type in the complete command line, Linux remembers command line history through reboots so you don't have to retype it every time.

[MoparMiningLLC]

Look at the top post and it shows how to add the commands for the pool information on the command line so that you don't have to do that.  In Windoze it's easiest to create a batch file in Linux create a .sh file or type in the complete command line, Linux remembers command line history through reboots so you don't have to retype it every time.

will do, I got your pm and I did have a .bat file but I was not running it but instead was running the generic one I downloaded lol

But I am going to have to stop posting in this thread as a moderator keeps deleting what I post here - I think 4 or 5 posts now. They are not even merging them so the screenshots are gone, the text etc

[os2sam]

But I am going to have to stop posting in this thread as a moderator keeps deleting what I post here - I think 4 or 5 posts now.

Yeah, so are mine which is why I PM'd you.  Feel free to drop a note via PM if you like.

[MoparMiningLLC]

But I am going to have to stop posting in this thread as a moderator keeps deleting what I post here - I think 4 or 5 posts now.

Yeah, so are mine which is why I PM'd you.  Feel free to drop a note via PM if you like.

will do - just frustrating for the posts to be deleted especially as they are ON topic and are focused towards getting one of the R606 to work.

[sidehack]

I'd guess it was frodocooper being overzealous again. That guy's been problematic since he started as a mod.

Additionally, weird your pod is dropping out. They're all tested for 12 chips and run at 550MHz at V5 or lower for 24 hours before getting sent out. Each one is tested in various ways both before and after that burn-in, meaning it gets plugged in and run for various durations at least four times.

If it refuses to operate right despite a good controller, good power and all that, talk to the seller about warranty replacement. The seller probably can give you startup and testing advice also.

[nuanicaj]

I'd guess it was frodocooper being overzealous again. That guy's been problematic since he started as a mod.

Additionally, weird your pod is dropping out. They're all tested for 12 chips and run at 550MHz at V5 or lower for 24 hours before getting sent out. Each one is tested in various ways both before and after that burn-in, meaning it gets plugged in and run for various durations at least four times.

If it refuses to operate right despite a good controller, good power and all that, talk to the seller about warranty replacement. The seller probably can give you startup and testing advice also.

My two are doing 800 mhz.   sweet.

[MoparMiningLLC]

I'd guess it was frodocooper being overzealous again. That guy's been problematic since he started as a mod.

Additionally, weird your pod is dropping out. They're all tested for 12 chips and run at 550MHz at V5 or lower for 24 hours before getting sent out. Each one is tested in various ways both before and after that burn-in, meaning it gets plugged in and run for various durations at least four times.

If it refuses to operate right despite a good controller, good power and all that, talk to the seller about warranty replacement. The seller probably can give you startup and testing advice also.

Yea it runs great for 12 chips well it says (12+) for around 30 mins then it just starts dropping every few mins till it says 6 chips and 200 mhz then it goes to 0 chips.

I will talk with minefarmbuy (who I purchased it thru) I just wanted to  hear from you first.

I have tried swapping the usb cords - I wish I had a second way to power it to see if its the power brick. I gotta look around I may have a pc psu somewhere that I can try. I dont want the issue to be the unit.

edit: hmm i wonder if the brick for my Apollo will work on the R606 - time to find out

2nd edit: the Apollo psu does work for the R606 - so its up and running at 550 mhz (setting 5) started at 11:19 lets see if it can make it past 30 mins.

3rd edit: lasted 55 mins before going to zero chips

[philipma1957]

Quite interesting  if it fails I would be willing to swap my r606 for your r606  and run yours in my setup .

My r606 is great.  But it is in a hi end pc build  using a spare  pcie cable from the  psu.

I have a ryzen 7 2700
I have a 1000 watts corsair psu
I have 32gb ram
I have an aorus mobo
I have a 1 tb ssd
I also co mine with 1 1080ti and 1 1660ti and the cpu all pointed to nice hash

along with 3 newpacs  and 1 r606 pointed to viabtc  doing bch

[MoparMiningLLC]

we could try. my pc is as follows:

intel i9 - 9900
850 watt corsair psu
w/ liquid cooled chassis
64 gb ddr 2666 mhz ram
dont recall what mb
128 gb m2 drive
2 tb ssd
2 tb 7200 rpm sata drive\
nvidia RTX 2070 oc 8gb gddr6

[mstrozier]

It very well could be a bad unit possibly damaged due to shipping.  I just had one replaced under warranty as it was doing the same as yours.  At first it was working ok but would reset every half hour to hour.  Then after a few days it would start doing like yours, reset and keep dropping Mhz as well as chips until down to 0.  Had the unit replaced and now working great.

**edit**
Read some of the other posts.  It also will not matter which system you run this in.  You will probably continue to get same results.  I've ran these in my Ryzen 2600 Windows machine, my FX-8350 powered Linux mint system and also Raspberry Pi 3 b+ (I don't suggest this model) and now have all of my miners controlled by a Raspberry Pi 4 (2 futurebit moonlanders, 4 newpacs, 2 r606 pods).   My moonlanders are clocked at 700Mhz.  The newpacs are at 450Mhz.  And both r606 are at 650Mhz (volt 5).  With active cooling on all units with a Pi 4 as the controller.

[sidehack]

With as much as has been tried, it most likely is a bad machine. The BM1387 ASICs are really difficult to reliably solder with the equipment I have. Pins are sub-quarter-millimeter dimensions which means virtually zero solder, and the comparably massive belly pads can cause lift. Took us about six months of trial and error to find a stencil profile, placement method and reflow oven speed/temp profile that worked satisfactorily, but it's not perfect. It's basically an exacerbation of the same issue we had with R606, where there'd be pad contact or, at best, an unreliable solder joint, while testing that then gets disconnected once conditions change after some burn-in by the customer, resulting in dropped chips.

I'll keep making R606 and testing as strenuously as I can before releasing, but unfortunately until we start using a different, better ASIC in a new version, this is going to keep happening to a percentage of pods.

[MoparMiningLLC]

With as much as has been tried, it most likely is a bad machine. The BM1387 ASICs are really difficult to reliably solder with the equipment I have. Pins are sub-quarter-millimeter dimensions which means virtually zero solder, and the comparably massive belly pads can cause lift. Took us about six months of trial and error to find a stencil profile, placement method and reflow oven speed/temp profile that worked satisfactorily, but it's not perfect. It's basically an exacerbation of the same issue we had with R606, where there'd be pad contact or, at best, an unreliable solder joint, while testing that then gets disconnected once conditions change after some burn-in by the customer, resulting in dropped chips.

I'll keep making R606 and testing as strenuously as I can before releasing, but unfortunately until we start using a different, better ASIC in a new version, this is going to keep happening to a percentage of pods.

understood and to be clear this is a r606 that I have.

what I see as it slowly lowers the speed is 0: GSI 0 - peak adjust: target frequency 550mhz - > 543.75mhz

[mstrozier]

understood and to be clear this is a r606 that I have.

what I see as it slowly lowers the speed is 0: GSI 0 - peak adjust: target frequency 550mhz - > 543.75mhz

This is what mine was originally doing.  Is this similar?

Screen shot 1 ---> https://ibb.co/XXc1zTR

Screen shot 2 ---> https://ibb.co/QQdkvQ0

If so the vendor you ordered the unit from will be able to assist.

[MoparMiningLLC]

Yes, eventually it does that, the number of chips drop until it reaches zero and then it goes to "off"

so, you had the same issue? what was the resolution? was it a bad unit? I know there are not many as I have not seen anyone else now besides you that has said they had issues.

and the vendor will help? do you mean by replacing or there is a fix?

[mstrozier]

The unit had to be RMA since it was faulty.  As Sidehack explained earlier.  You will need to contact the vendor you purchased the unit from for a replacement.    It's rare for it to happen and these vendors are great and work well with the community.  I received the replacement today for my faulty one and it's working great.  On volt 5 it settled on 669Mhz at 881Gh/s average per unit. (I have two of them in total).    Just make sure you have decent airflow in the area if overclocking them.   I have 2 usb fans over my newpac's / moonlanders and 120mm fans mounted additionally to the rear of my R606's for added cooling.   And a antique 1930's fan pulling air from outside (have it on my table by the window) with ceiling fan going.  So entire room has good air flow.  I'm in mountain area and the weather has been quite nice lately so no need for A/C for the moment