Total Noob: Gaming And Mining, Possible?

[THE_NETVOR]

Hi

I'm a not so wealthy Gamer, and I can't afford running/having 2 PCs at the same time, I'm about to buy a new CPU n Mobo n RAM for gaming (should be able to get it by July), last year I heard about Mining and I heard AMD is the best GPU to do mine with, so, I sold my PS3 and bought a HD7950 3GB, which I've installed into an old pc I had laying around (Core2 Quad Q8300, 4GB RAM)

Its come to the time where I need to upgrade,  and I saw the ASRock H81 Pro BTC, which I plan on getting with an Intel i5-4670K and 8GB of Corsair Vengence 1600MHz

I would like to know if I could mine while I'm not gaming, or even better while I'm gaming, (even if I have to use low settings when I game, which I do anyway) and about how many hours of mining is required to get 1BTC or equivelent amount of other cryptocurrencies

I will be running Win8 64Bit, until I can get Win7 64Bit.

PC I Will Be Mining On:
Intel i5-4670K @ 3.4GHz (might OC in the future if needed)
ASRock H81 Pro BTC
Corsair Vengence 8GB @ 1600MHz
Antec 520W Neo Eco
PowerColor HD7950 3GB Boost State (GPU Clock: 925MHz, Memory Clock: 1250MHz, will OC in future if needed)

So:
1) Can I mine while I'm not gaming?
2) Can I mine while I'm gaming?
3) How many hours of mining is required to get 1BTC? (or equivelent)

Thanks In Advance

// THE_NETVOR \\

[Yakamoto]

1) Yes. Many people without ASICs or USBs do this. Make sure to use your GPU (Graphic processing unit) as your miner as opposed to your CPU, since GPU is faster.
2) Maybe. Computer will probably melt though. I wouldn't count on good mining rates while gaming, unless you use a USB or ASIC miner.
3) Based on hardware... I'd estimate at least a month. For full BTC you REALLY need efficient or fast ASICs. I recommend you mine other crypto currencies, since they are easier to mine for and more profitable.

Sorry if this isn't what you're looking for, and my mining time estimate may be off by a week. Or month. Expect it to take a LONG time.

[howzar]

1) Yes. Many people without ASICs or USBs do this. Make sure to use your GPU (Graphic processing unit) as your miner as opposed to your CPU, since GPU is faster.
2) Maybe. Computer will probably melt though. I wouldn't count on good mining rates while gaming, unless you use a USB or ASIC miner.
3) Based on hardware... I'd estimate at least a month. For full BTC you REALLY need efficient or fast ASICs. I recommend you mine other crypto currencies, since they are easier to mine for and more profitable.

Sorry if this isn't what you're looking for, and my mining time estimate may be off by a week. Or month. Expect it to take a LONG time.

Perfect response, really great to see someone posting to help others, not just for signature bonuses.

[Yakamoto]

1) Yes. Many people without ASICs or USBs do this. Make sure to use your GPU (Graphic processing unit) as your miner as opposed to your CPU, since GPU is faster.
2) Maybe. Computer will probably melt though. I wouldn't count on good mining rates while gaming, unless you use a USB or ASIC miner.
3) Based on hardware... I'd estimate at least a month. For full BTC you REALLY need efficient or fast ASICs. I recommend you mine other crypto currencies, since they are easier to mine for and more profitable.

Sorry if this isn't what you're looking for, and my mining time estimate may be off by a week. Or month. Expect it to take a LONG time.

Perfect response, really great to see someone posting to help others, not just for signature bonuses.

Heh. Well I'm working my way up to signature bonuses, but I help out the community regardless. The sig bonuses are, as you said, a bonus. If you ever need anything, just ask!

[Chrithu]

1) Yes. Many people without ASICs or USBs do this. Make sure to use your GPU (Graphic processing unit) as your miner as opposed to your CPU, since GPU is faster.
2) Maybe. Computer will probably melt though. I wouldn't count on good mining rates while gaming, unless you use a USB or ASIC miner.
3) Based on hardware... I'd estimate at least a month. For full BTC you REALLY need efficient or fast ASICs. I recommend you mine other crypto currencies, since they are easier to mine for and more profitable.

Sorry if this isn't what you're looking for, and my mining time estimate may be off by a week. Or month. Expect it to take a LONG time.

I'd like to add something to point 3:

With a 7950 if I recall correctly the best hashrate you can get would be around the 700 to 800 MH/s mark.

So if he does not mine constantly, because mining while gaming is DEFINETLY NOT advisable when GPU mining about a year probably a lot more is a much better estimate on mining a full BTC. Not to mention that the GPU's power cost will eat that all up almost completely. I am currently hashing at 3.1 GH/s combined with two Antminer U2s and calculated about 6 to 7 months until they've mined me a full BTC.

I strongly recommend to NOT mine SHA 256 coins (Bitcoin, Namecoin, Devcoin) using a GPU. You are better off connecting your GPU to a multipool that is mining scrypt coins and converts them to BTC automatically.

Also I currently wouldn't advise to invest in asics unless you have lot's of spare money to buy big ones and get electric power cheap.

What I'd do if you really want get into mining:

Start off with scrypt multipools as I have suggested. Convert the altcoins you mine there into Bitcoins and use those Bitcoins to buy GH/s on Cex.io or to do daytrading.

While you do that become an active an constructive member in this fine community and take advantage of the signature campaigns and provide paid services for bitcoins. Every now and then someone's looking for a translator.

[LendingTree]

1) Yes. Many people without ASICs or USBs do this. Make sure to use your GPU (Graphic processing unit) as your miner as opposed to your CPU, since GPU is faster.
2) Maybe. Computer will probably melt though. I wouldn't count on good mining rates while gaming, unless you use a USB or ASIC miner.
3) Based on hardware... I'd estimate at least a month. For full BTC you REALLY need efficient or fast ASICs. I recommend you mine other crypto currencies, since they are easier to mine for and more profitable.

Sorry if this isn't what you're looking for, and my mining time estimate may be off by a week. Or month. Expect it to take a LONG time.

I'd like to add something to point 3:

With a 7950 if I recall correctly the best hashrate you can get would be around the 700 to 800 MH/s mark.

So if he does not mine constantly, because mining while gaming is DEFINETLY NOT advisable when GPU mining about a year probably a lot more is a much better estimate on mining a full BTC. Not to mention that the GPU's power cost will eat that all up almost completely. I am currently hashing at 3.1 GH/s combined with two Antminer U2s and calculated about 6 to 7 months until they've mined me a full BTC.

I strongly recommend to NOT mine SHA 256 coins (Bitcoin, Namecoin, Devcoin) using a GPU. You are better off connecting your GPU to a multipool that is mining scrypt coins and converts them to BTC automatically.

Also I currently wouldn't advise to invest in asics unless you have lot's of spare money to buy big ones and get electric power cheap.

What I'd do if you really want get into mining:

Start off with scrypt multipools as I have suggested. Convert the altcoins you mine there into Bitcoins and use those Bitcoins to buy GH/s on Cex.io or to do daytrading.

While you do that become an active an constructive member in this fine community and take advantage of the signature campaigns and provide paid services for bitcoins. Every now and then someone's looking for a translator.

2 Antminer U2's will never mine 1 btc in 7 months.  More like 400 months.

[PangPang]

2 Antminer U2's will never mine 1 btc in 7 months.  More like 400 months.

If you start now, you will never get 0.02 BTC with 4 GH/s (2 * U2).
But, Chrithu could have been hashing for months already since the difficulty was much lower.

You can use a profit calculator to check your expected mining revenue and profits.

[PangPang]

I strongly recommend to NOT mine SHA 256 coins (Bitcoin, Namecoin, Devcoin) using a GPU. You are better off connecting your GPU to a multipool that is mining scrypt coins and converts them to BTC automatically.

Also I currently wouldn't advise to invest in asics unless you have lot's of spare money to buy big ones and get electric power cheap.

Very much agree. You can hardly get profits in buying mining equipment now.
You could use profit-switching pools such as https://www.multipool.us/ and http://clevermining.com/ to mine the most profitable coin automatically.

[Chrithu]

2 Antminer U2's will never mine 1 btc in 7 months.  More like 400 months.

If you start now, you will never get 0.02 BTC with 4 GH/s (2 * U2).
But, Chrithu could have been hashing for months already since the difficulty was much lower.

You can use a profit calculator to check your expected mining revenue and profits.

Yeah true hence I spoke out against buying any kind of asic now.

This maybe off-topic here now, but what I kind of speculate on is that the way mining works might be fundamentally rethought when devs see the decentralized nature of Bitcoin in danger, and then mining with lower hashrates might become more attractive again.

[LendingTree]

2 Antminer U2's will never mine 1 btc in 7 months.  More like 400 months.

If you start now, you will never get 0.02 BTC with 4 GH/s (2 * U2).
But, Chrithu could have been hashing for months already since the difficulty was much lower.

You can use a profit calculator to check your expected mining revenue and profits.

The antminer sticks will never make 1 btc, even if he got them when they first came out. FACT

[whitelife]

if you are gpu mining (which I guess the question is about) yes you can mine and game if the intensity of your mining is pretty low and you have a beafy gpu(s)

[THE_NETVOR]

Thanks For All That Info So Far -- Really Appreciate It

4) Is it possible to mine multiple currencies at the same time?
5) Can I mine with both CPU n GPU at the same time? (While Not Gaming)
6) What would be the most profitable currency using that setup:
6.1 - while gaming?
6.2 - while not gaming?

**Note I'm Not Paying For Power Usage, It Is Free Where I Stay**

7) If my pc 'melts' should I have made enough coins to replace the parts and still have some profit? (I have heard that some places accept BTC's)

**Also 1 month for a full BTC is not too bad I think**

Does the ASRock H81 Pro BTC effect the rate of mining? (I probably won't get another GPU until I have built up a secondary PC for just gaming)
9) Does the CPU count toward GPU mining? (EG will an i5 with HD7950 mine faster than an i3)

Thanks In Advance
Netvor

[shorena]

Thanks For All That Info So Far -- Really Appreciate It

4) Is it possible to mine multiple currencies at the same time?

There are so called multi pools for alt coins: list here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=424541.msg4623156#msg4623156

5) Can I mine with both CPU n GPU at the same time? (While Not Gaming)

Yes

6) What would be the most profitable currency using that setup:
6.1 - while gaming?

Makes no difference you will just get lower hash/s.

6.2 - while not gaming?

Its highly debatable which coin is the most profitable. There are many lists and charts (e.g. http://www.coinwarz.com/cryptocurrency ), but in the end you can never be sure.

**Note I'm Not Paying For Power Usage, It Is Free Where I Stay**

This is good since that means you basically get free coins. You have the hardware anyway and it has use for you anyway, so the coins while you dont use it are just on top. As well as the free heat.  

7) If my pc 'melts' should I have made enough coins to replace the parts and still have some profit? (I have heard that some places accept BTC's)

**Also 1 month for a full BTC is not too bad I think**

You will need longer.

Edit (missed that part of the question): It is highly unlikely that you will mine enought to afford a new GPU, but this depends on several factors including
- how long does your GPU live
- how do the coins you mine develop in price (if you mine alt coins directly)
- how does the price of bitcoin develop

Does the ASRock H81 Pro BTC effect the rate of mining? (I probably won't get another GPU until I have built up a secondary PC for just gaming)

No, the board has no or very little effect on the hash/s.

9) Does the CPU count toward GPU mining? (EG will an i5 with HD7950 mine faster than an i3)

No, the CPU only makes sure your GPU has enough to work, which any reasonable CPU can do without a problem. You might get a problem with an old Pentium 133 MHz

Thanks In Advance
Netvor

[activebiz]

If mining btc, u should be using asic not gpu

[Injust]

If mining btc, u should be using asic not gpu

Well of course, an ASIC would always be better than a GPU at this point, if you're paying for the equipment and the electricity.