Tutorials
Build a Cryptocurrency Mining Rig:
List of Mining Rig Parts
Mining rig frame (optional if you have a good solid desk or stand) ~$50 to $70
You need to acquire all the following hardware parts described above. GPUs are the most crucial part of the whole mining rig setup as it’s the component that generates the profits. It’s recommended you purchase six GTX 1070 GPUs. You will only need one to start the process. You can check out GPU profitability here https://www.nicehash.com/profitability-calculator
As of recently CPU mining profitability has now nearly matched GPU mining profitability so any 3rd generation or later Zen (Ryzen) processor is now profitable thanks to Raptoreum. You can see CPU profitability on https://mineraptoreum.com/
This tutorial is broken down into two parts building the mining rig hardware and then managing/installing software needed to run the rig (i.e. modify system BIOS and installing OS mining software, overclock/underclock software).
Part I - Building the Rig Hardware
How to Build a Mining Rig
After you’ve successfully gathered all the components needed, you will have to start assembling the rig. It may seem like a daunting task initially, but it’s like building a Lego set if you follow the instructions accurately.
Step 1) Attaching the Motherboard Your 6 GPU+ capable motherboard should be placed outside the mining frame. Experts suggest putting the package box with foam or an anti-static bag beneath it. Before going for the next step, make sure that the lever holding down the CPU socket protection has been released.
Step 2) Attaching the processor
Next, you have to attach your processor to the Motherboard. Insert your selected CPU into the motherboard socket. Be careful while removing as there will be some thermal paste stuck to the CPU fan. Make a mark on both the motherboard socket as well as the side of the CPU. These markings need to be done on the same side while attaching them, or the CPU will not fit into the socket. However, you need to be extra careful with the CPU pins while placing your processor into the motherboard socket. They can easily bend, which will damage the whole CPU.
You should have the manual handy with you at all times. Refer to it when you install the heat sink on top of the CPU.
You need to take the thermal paste and apply it to the heat sink’s surface before you attach the processor. The heat sink’s power cable should be connected to the pins titled “CPU_FAN1”. You should check your motherboard manual to locate it if you don’t spot it easily.
Step 3) Installing RAM
The next step involves installing the RAM or system memory. It is pretty simple to insert the RAM module into the RAM socket in the Motherboard. After opening the motherboard slot’s side brackets, carefully start to push the RAM module into the RAM socket.
You have to be extra careful in this step as the RAM can only lock into the socket in one way. Sometimes you need a harder push to place the RAM in the correct slot but be careful not to damage it. The side brackets are designed to lock in automatically when the RAM has been fitted correctly.
Step 4) Fixing Motherboard to frame
Depending on your mining frame or whatever you are using as a substitute, you have to carefully place the Motherboard onto the frame. You should take extra care when handling the Motherboard as you do not want to scratch the bottom. In case you have a mining rig with a metal frame, the Motherboard should only touch the frame at the point where the holes for screws are present. Tightly fix the screws to attach the Motherboard firmly.
Step 5) Attaching the Power Supply Unit
Your Power Supply Unit should be placed somewhere near the Motherboard. Make sure you have enough space in the mining rig to include the PSU in it. Search for the 24-pin power connector present in motherboards. They normally have a single 24 pin connector. They should be attached to the Motherboard firmly, or the mining rig will not boot. The CPU’s 8-pin power connector should be connected to the Motherboard located closest to the processor. You should always be careful not to mix up PCI-e 6+2 power conductor and the CPU connector as they are both 8 pin connectors. CPU cables are thicker in comparison to the PCI-e cable.
Step 6) Attaching USB risers
The x16 USB riser has to be assembled with the PCI-e x1, which is the shorter PCI-e x1 connector. This needs to be connected to the Motherboard. To power the risers, you need an electric connection. This depends on your riser model as you might need either a PCI- e six-pin connectors, a SATA cable, or a Molex connector to connect it. Be careful while connecting all the corresponding power cables to each of the USB risers. Use up to 2 Molex or SATA connectors for each PSU cable. Do not connect 3 or 4 power connectors to 3 or 4 risers as it can damage them.
Step 7) Attaching GPUs
The graphics cards should be placed firmly on the frame using the USB riser. Plug the PCI-e 6+2 power connectors into your GPU. You have to attach all these connectors to the remaining 5 GPUs later.
Step 8) Final Steps Lastly, you need to make sure if the cables are correctly connected. The graphics card, which is connected to the main PCI-E slot should be connected to your monitor.
After connecting the mouse and keyboard, proceed to turn your rig on. Do this by connecting the power switch to power pins on the Motherboard. If you’re not sure where to find it, you can check the motherboard manual. If it boots, it’s a sign that the rig is working fine. When everything is correctly installed, you will see the BIOS message show up on your screen.
Part II - Managing the Rig Software
Starting the Cryptocurrency Mining Rig Now that all the components have been attached, it’s time to turn on and configure the bitcoin miner. The first thing you have to do is configure the BIOS settings.
Step 1) BIOS configuration for mining: Each motherboard model will have a different BIOS appearance. Pressing on F2 or DELETE will allow you to access the BIOS while booting. After entering the BIOS setup press F7 to enter Advanced Mode. In the advanced tab, change the following settings to the ones given below: Go to System Agent (SA) Configuration followed by DMI/OPI Configuration and set DMI Max Link Speed to Gen1Go to System Agent (SA) Configuration and enter PEG Port Configuration. Change All PCIEX16_x to: Gen1Go to PCH Storage Configuration and change the settings for All SATA devices that do NOT have an SSD to “Disabled” Go to PCH Configuration and then to PCI Express Configuration. Change PCIe Speed to Gen1Go to On-board devices Configuration. Change HD Audio Controller settings to “Disabled” Go to APM Configuration settings and set the Restore AC Power Loss option to Power On. (this step is optional)Next, go to the BIOS Boot settings and make the following changes: Fast Boot: Disabled Above 4G Decoding: Enabled After these steps have been completed, plug your bootable USB Windows USB stick into the Motherboard.
Step 2) Windows 10 installation: After switching the CPU on, the screen will display (copying files… getting files ready). Be sure not to enable Cortana or OneDrive. You need to turn off location, relevant ads, speech recognition, diagnostics, and other tailored experiences. After that, the system will automatically reboot once everything is completed. Log in to Windows 10 and open Device Manager. You should see the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 and Intel Onboard Graphics. Install any updates that are due.
Step 3) Nvidia Driver Installation: Windows automatically recognizes the driver for the GTX 1070. But it’s always preferred that you download the latest drivers from Nvidia’s website. After downloading the relevant file, right-click on the installer and run as administrator. Select custom installation and uncheck everything except the graphics driver. You will be asked to restart once the process is finished.
Step 4) Tuning Windows 10: Select the System option on the lower left-hand corner. Turn off everything in the Notification and actions option. Change the sleep settings to “never”. Click on the settings button in the performance section and click on the “Adjust for best performance”. Uncheck the automatically manage paging file size and set both the initial size and maximum size to 16384 MB. After this has been completed, close all the windows until you reach the “About” screen. You can make changes to the update and security section as you wish. Turning on the windows update will provide your computer with frequent updates. But it can also halt the entire mining process when updating takes place.
Step 5) For GPU overclocking/underclocking it is recommended to install MSI Afterburner for Nvidia and AMD Radeon utility for AMD cards. For CPU overclocking/underclocking it is recommended you install Ryzen Master Ryzen CPUs and Intel Extreme Tuning utility for Intel CPUs. The overclock settings for GPU and CPU is heavily dependent on the video card or processor you have and there are specific tutorials available on YouTube.
Step 6) Cash out your cryptocurrency mining profits to fiat currency on any crypto exchange of your choice such as Coinbase, Kucoin, TradeOgre. There are a few methods that can be considered when cashing out a) HODL, HODL, HODL - hold on to your coins until they reach your goal price in 1, 5, or 10 years for substantial profits at that time or b) cash out coins right away - this will offset your cost and allow you to achieve profits right away or c) cash out only enough cryptocurrency to fiat that will offset your cost and HODL the rest d) reinvest all profits in more hardware to grow your crypto farm until you have your very own crypto mining empire.
Happy mining!