Bitcoin Contraption of the week

[jake262144]

Perhaps an uninformed question as I'm not doing Windows mining, can't you just request 330MHz in cgminer?
Does the card refuse to set memory that low?

Works fine here. Though my dedicated miners run linux, my main PC is also used for mining and runs both windows and linux. I have no problem letting cgminer set the memory clock to 300 on any OS.

If it helps, on windows I do not use catalyst other then enabling the overdrive (it still shows default clocks btw). I dont use any of the other trix/whatever apps. Just wait until catalyst has fully loaded before launching cgminer, and it will set 300 Mhz with no problems.

I was trying to help cypherdoc with that post. That's what I get for failing to specify my target...
There, fixed.

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[P4man]

I was trying to help cypherdoc with that post.

So was I

[bulanula]

Laugh all you want. It does work.... and better than the stock one :p




... provided you only have 1 per rig lol.

wait, thats a 5870 and you're getting 456.22 MH/s?

I get 503 on my 5870 @ 1090/330. P4's 456mhash @ 1000mhz has a small room for improvement; I can do 461.47 at 1000/330.

Kernel ?
SDK ?
Software config ?

Thanks !

[cypherdoc]

Perhaps an uninformed question as I'm not doing Windows mining, can't you just request 330MHz in cgminer?
Does the card refuse to set memory that low?

Works fine here. Though my dedicated miners run linux, my main PC is also used for mining and runs both windows and linux. I have no problem letting cgminer set the memory clock to 300 on any OS.

If it helps, on windows I do not use catalyst other then enabling the overdrive (it still shows default clocks btw). I dont use any of the other trix/whatever apps. Just wait until catalyst has fully loaded before launching cgminer, and it will set 300 Mhz with no problems.

i'm sure this doesn't work on the 69xx cards.

[cypherdoc]

+1 nice, a support on the side just in case
dunno why i have the feeling that i lose money every time i have to RMA a card, hmm

Because you do, lol.
Im wondering if I should RMA the card. Its only a fan, and I fear it might take weeks and end up getting something completely different in return, like a *shrug* 6870 or something. This card also happens to be my best overclocker, it will do almost 1.1Ghz at stock voltage.

OTOH,  just replacing the fan will void warranty, and I still have ~18 months of warranty on it. Its not unthinkable it will actually break in that time.

To complicate matters more, Im going to oil cool these cards in a few weeks. I, pretty sure that will void warranty anyhow, as the stickers wont survive that, and I am not going to be able to clean it without taking it apart. So this would be my last opportunity to get a "free fan"

decisions, decisions,...  

i have a Powercolor with 2 exposed fans, both of which have several blades knocked off (don't ask).

when i run the card, it makes a huge racket and vibrates like hell (out of balance?).  any thoughts?

[jake262144]

Here are a few recommendations:
(1) the easy solution - buy an aftermarket cooler.
(2) the DIY solution - buy a failed Powercolor card with identical fans and swap the fans.
(3) the ghetto solution - remove the fans and the shroud. Use zip ties to fasten some case cans to the heatsink. When in doubt, use duct tape.

The fans will vibrate because as you guessed correctly, they are out of balance. This condition will seriously degrade the fans' MTBF.
I wouldn't wait until the fans jam and the plate du jour is roasted Powercolor GPU à la lyonnaise

[P4man]

i have a Powercolor with 2 exposed fans, both of which have several blades knocked off (don't ask).

when i run the card, it makes a huge racket and vibrates like hell (out of balance?).  any thoughts?

You will kill the fan bearings real fast like that. As long as it cools, I see no harm in keeping it running provided you have software that shuts the card down when it overheats (use auto-gpu in cgminer!), because one of these days  the fans will give out. Might as well replace them now. You dont mention warranty, but Id be shocked if broken blades  or PCBs are covered

BTW I just got an email back from my PC shop, they cant tell me what I will get as RMA so Im gonna put another cooler on it and screw the warranty. Id like to replace only the fan, but I cant find a fan that could fit anywhere, so I picked up an aftermarket cooler (deepcool V6000).

[cypherdoc]

i have a Powercolor with 2 exposed fans, both of which have several blades knocked off (don't ask).

when i run the card, it makes a huge racket and vibrates like hell (out of balance?).  any thoughts?

You will kill the fan bearings real fast like that. As long as it cools, I see no harm in keeping it running provided you have software that shuts the card down when it overheats (use auto-gpu in cgminer!), because one of these days  the fans will give out. Might as well replace them now. You dont mention warranty, but Id be shocked if broken blades  or PCBs are covered

BTW I just got an email back from my PC shop, they cant tell me what I will get as RMA so Im gonna put another cooler on it and screw the warranty. Id like to replace only the fan, but I cant find a fan that could fit anywhere, so I picked up an aftermarket cooler (deepcool V6000).

this is my card with the broken fans. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131394 

can i replace the fan assembly with one from an aftermarket company like deepcool?  how is it powered?

[P4man]

The deepcool one is powered by 2 3-pin case fan headers. No software fan control. Its also not mentioned as being compatible with your card. I dont know how different a 6970 layout is, as its compatible with a huge range of cards, so it might fit, but no guarantee. ANyway, I didnt buy it because its particularly good, I just got a good deal on one, and Im sure it will prove more than adequate when I plunge it in my oil bath.

[BkkCoins]

Do these cards ever fail except for the fans? It seems like I keep hearing about the fans going but I haven't noticed if other things die too (before waranty).

[jake262144]

Do these cards ever fail except for the fans? It seems like I keep hearing about the fans going but I haven't noticed if other things die too (before waranty).

Video cards, like all electronic devices may fail even when lying unused on a shelf...
Unless done right, mining can drasticly reduce the expected useful lifetime of the card.

[BkkCoins]

Do these cards ever fail except for the fans? It seems like I keep hearing about the fans going but I haven't noticed if other things die too (before waranty).

Video cards, like all electronic devices may fail even when lying unused on a shelf...
Unless done right, mining can drasticly reduce the expected useful lifetime of the card.

Well, I know they CAN fail. But have there been many reports of spontaneous death? I don't recall any recently.

[jake262144]

Did you check the links I provided?

[P4man]

Fan failures are most common, unsurprisingly, as its mechanical, we run our fans much faster than most people, and particularly the cheap brands often use crap fans (Im looking at you, XFX).

As per above link though, cards dying altogether is not exactly unheard off.

[cypherdoc]

what about removing the entire fan assembly from my card and using a high speed floor fan?

i mean the fan assembly itself blocks airflow.

[BkkCoins]

Did you check the links I provided?

Doh! Didn't think of that

[P4man]

On most cards the "assembly" is really a duct forcing the air through the heatsink fins. Looking at the pictures of your card, it doesnt seem to be the case, the fans blow right through the cooler dont they? If so, should not be a problem removing the shroud and mounting whatever other fans on it with tieraps or anything. Get creative .

[TheHarbinger]

Cards with fail fans go into the mineral oil tank.   

[P4man]

Cards with fail fans go into the mineral oil tank.   

I have been wondering about that. I actually think its a pretty good idea to have working fans even when submerged in oil. Perhaps removing the shrouds is enough when there is a high enough flow of oil, but Id rather have a fan on it.

[TheHarbinger]

Yes, it would be better to have the fan on it, but you can pull the shroud and drop a $10 120mm in front of it instead.  The main thing is to make sure the oil flows across the heatsinks, how you do it doesn't really matter.