ATI 6970 Optimization

[heavyb]

Hey guys,

I am running an ATI 6970 on Windows and have heard a few people mention I should be able to get above the 330 Mhash/s I am getting. If anyone has any experience optimizing these cards and is willing to offer their advice I would greatly appreciate it!

[1715023207]

1715023207

[w128]

I can get 370 Mhash running one using the standard -v -w128 with the latest poclbm, catalyst drivers and sdk at stock clocks. However, I stopped running the card due to concerns about temperatures. Keeping it under 90C requires an awful lot of fan noise in spite of being feed a plenty of a cool air via an array of Noctua fans in an air-conditioned room.

For comparison, my old 5770 does 200 Mhash with a slight overclock while staying in the 60s and generating little noise.

I'd sell the 6970 to a gamer and buy a pair of 5770/5830s if you really want to mine.

[mindtheft]

I'm getting just over 400Mh/s, using a 6970 purchased from NewEgg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131394

AMD Overdrive Settings
GPU Clock 940 MHz
Mem Clock 1425 MHz
Power control +7%
Fan 76%
Temp ~73C

poclbm flags -- -w64 -f0 -v

I've gotten it up to about 450Mh/s tweaking with clock speed and power settings, but it wasn't stable.

[heavyb]

I changed it to the settings you listed and it went to about 350 Mhash/s. Thanks!

[heavyb]

those flags you listed acctually lowered it compared to -v -w128 I have it set at now.

[rgod14]

Hey, I'm running a Sapphire 6970 and getting around the 400 mark. Seems to range between 395 and 410 MH/s.

Using MSI Afterburner:

Core Clock: 950
Mem Clock: 685
Power Control: +50%
Fan Speed: 55%ish, never breaks 60%
Temp: 78ish, never breaks 80 (Can probably get this a little lower but any more than 60% fan speed and it starts to like a jet engine in my little office  )

I also use the -v -w128 flags on the newest GUIMiner.

Hope this helps!

[heavyb]

hmm I cannot seem to push it past 351 Mhash/s. I am using the Catalyst Control Center on Windows, any ideas why I cannot push this to 400?

[ensign_lee]

hmm I cannot seem to push it past 351 Mhash/s. I am using the Catalyst Control Center on Windows, any ideas why I cannot push this to 400?

Are you overclocked? If not, download MSI Afterburner to do so

[Clarithium]

Use MSI Afterburner, Alderswag.

Even though your product may not be MSI branded, it'll be able to OC it better.  Just be sure you're keeping an eye on the temps, you don't want that shit to melt.

[theBaba]

I've got the same Powercolor 6970 that mindtheft mentioned. 940Mhz/1425MHz

Win7, Catalyst 11.5

I get ~360Mh/s with defaults in guiminer/poclbm (guiminer 2011-05-21).

If I use "-v -w64 -f0" or "-v -w128 -f0" I only get about 315Mh/s.

With "-w64 -f0" or "-w128 -f0" I get the same ~360Mh/s as with the defaults, so the "-v" appears to hurt performance for my 6970.

[mindtheft]

On my PowerCooler -v hurts performance (drops to 335Mh/s) unless I bump up the power to +5-7% (more stable with 7%).

[theBaba]

On my PowerCooler -v hurts performance (drops to 335Mh/s) unless I bump up the power to +5-7% (more stable with 7%).

You're right... if I set power to +6-7% I get 397-400Mh/s with "-v -w64 -f0"

Must be bumping into the new PowerTune limiter on the 6xxx cards.

[heavyb]

MSI Afterburner and Catalyst control center had the same results.

I am running at 80 degrees C. the fan sounds like a jet engine! haha, I am going to get a few more case fans to focus on the card tomorrow as well.

Is 80 degrees C okay to run at? I have read you want to keep it under 90

[mindtheft]

80C is hot, but I had mine running that hot for a week or so with no stability issues. I improved the airflow in the case and got it down to ~73C. Still, I wouldn't be comfortable keeping it up at 80C or even where I'm at for long.

[theBaba]

With the power bumped up, mine's now sitting at 75-76C.  I've got a case with good airflow, used to have 2x nvidia 8800GTXs in here so the single 6970 is less of a heat challenge.

[PcChip]

Try phoenix with the latest PhatK kernel, and ati stream 2.4 (latest catalyst)

-k phatk DEVICE=0 VECTORS AGGRESSION=13 -v BFI_INT

[MrGaSp]

-k poclbm PLATFORM=0 DEVICE=1 VECTORS AGGRESSION=8 BFI_INT WORKSIZE=64
396MH/s
I had it at 420MH/s at one point but i lost those settings.


After messing with the settings just now..i have to thank you. 

405-420MH/s with
PLATFORM=0 DEVICE=1 VECTORS AGGRESSION=7 BFI_INT WORKSIZE=64

Works better.

The clock is
935 Core
625 Mem (lowest Afterburner will let me go to >> )
Core Volt: 1.175v

I have no issue at all keeping it cool, it runs at a stable 70-72C, i just have issues keeping my apt below 80F...even with an A/C running.  This thing puts off a lot of heat, i am just glad my case can muffle most of the noise from it.

[heavyb]

opened my case up and now have it running at 72! Still havnt been able to over clock it to around the 400 mhs point yet though..

[Xer]

2x6950 Sapphire/Gigabyte ref unlocked / overclocked
Vcore 1.200
Temp 51-53
Core 1000
Mem 625
Power Draw at socket 560W

Speed 431.5 mhash each
-v -w128 -f 0
guiminer

using phoenix i loose ~10 mhash

[heavyb]

got it up to 396.7 , update my gui miner and it made a 30 mhs difference. thanks for the advice!! Moved my miner into an empty room and took the cover off and added a third fan and am now down in the low 70's high 60's for heat.