6 gpus using risers - sabertooth z87

ivanlabrie · Jan 2, 2014

Hi guys, I'm building a mining rig which will help me get a Titan for folding on my main rig

*(same price as a new 280x locally...insane deal!)
It's a build for a client who will give me 20% of the profits for managing it.

I'm trying to get Win 8 to recognize more than 4 gpus but haven't gotten it to work yet.

Any tips? I'm using powered risers...I'm sure some of you have experience with these kind of setups.

*Or a 4p amd rig...or both

Pierre3400 · Jan 2, 2014

I think your limit is with the motherboard.

oG AnarCHy · Jan 2, 2014

Why not try Linux?

EarthDog · Jan 2, 2014

W8 will recognize 4 GPUs.. its not that.

The Sabertooth only supports 3 PHYSICAL GPUs I believe... it does quadSLI/CFx, but that is with 2 dual cards.

ivanlabrie · Jan 2, 2014

What the board supports not necesarily means anything for folding/mining...that's why I ask.
4 gpus work fine with risers, more than that, won't.

And linux, I'll try again, I can install ubuntu on the hdd anyway.

Adak · Jan 2, 2014

I'm confused now. The mobo supports a max number of GPU's, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything for mining and/or folding with GPU's? :shrug:

ivanlabrie · Jan 2, 2014

Adak said:
I'm confused now. The mobo supports a max number of GPU's, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything for mining and/or folding with GPU's?

I mean, I've seen boards run 6 or 7 gpus, despite the board only supporting say 3 gpus in xfire... :popcorn:

Adak · Jan 2, 2014

OK, I see.

EarthDog · Jan 2, 2014

ivanlabrie said:
I mean, I've seen boards run 6 or 7 gpus, despite the board only supporting say 3 gpus in xfire...

Are those coming off of PCIe 16x physical slots though? I am wondering if the 1x/4x (whatever they are in that was not mentioned) cannot be a GPU slot? No clue... guessing here. The only other slots the overpriced sabertooth has are 3 PCIe 16x and a couple of 1x slots...

ivanlabrie · Jan 2, 2014

Yeah, it has 3 16x and 3 1x slots...I'll try with ubuntu tomorrow.
Hope I can get it to work, otherwise I'll just run 4 cards on that thing and get a different board for the spare cards.
4 per rig sounds good imho, gotta find a good and cheap psu to power each one. Been using dual 850w since it was cheaper and enough power for 6 gpus.

EarthDog · Jan 2, 2014

You did not understand my question... sorry if I was vague. In the PC's you have seen 6 GPUs, was that on 16x physical slots or were they using 1x/4x? I don't know much about the 'magic internet money' (lol, love that heading) or how GPUs can be seen on a 1x/4x slot in the first place. I guess you have seen 1x slots be used before on these powered risers?

EDIT: Here is a thought... does the board have a PLX chip? There may not be enough PCIe lanes to go around...It goes 16/0/0 or 8/4/4 for 3 cards... There is only 16x lanes so I am not sure how, with the 3 PCIe slots populated, it gets more lanes or how you are using 4 in the first place honestly...

moho · Jan 2, 2014

do they show up in device manager or not at all?

ivanlabrie · Jan 2, 2014

I get 4 in device manager and they work...more, no go.
I'm experimenting with changing slots, some boards disable certain slots when you use others.
It's a pain cause I'm not in the room and I have a guy swap slots and then I ssh and see what I can do lol
Tomorrow I'll try ubuntu. If it doesn't work I'll just get an amd based rig and go 3 gpu per rig and call it a day.

EarthDog · Jan 2, 2014

EarthDog said:
You did not understand my question... sorry if I was vague. In the PC's you have seen 6 GPUs, was that on 16x physical slots or were they using 1x/4x? I don't know much about the 'magic internet money' (lol, love that heading) or how GPUs can be seen on a 1x/4x slot in the first place. I guess you have seen 1x slots be used before on these powered risers?

EDIT: Here is a thought... does the board have a PLX chip? There may not be enough PCIe lanes to go around...It goes 16/0/0 or 8/4/4 for 3 cards... There is only 16x lanes so I am not sure how, with the 3 PCIe slots populated, it gets more lanes or how you are using 4 in the first place honestly...

ivanlabrie · Jan 2, 2014

1x risers on all cards...?

EarthDog · Jan 2, 2014

Ivan you ok?? Am I? Lol!

Just asking if it is even possible to split the lanes up any more than you have on this board i guess is the question in my mind. id imagine a board with a plx chip can do more than one without... And I am not sure if the sabertooth has one... Check some reviews or look at some naked shos of the board (no heatsinks on) and look for the chip.

On the examples you have seen this working, see if those boards are x79 or have plx on them to confirm or bunk this theory.

ivanlabrie · Jan 2, 2014

I've seen p8z77 and similar boards with 6 gpus, running win 8 just fine.

Here's an example: http://www.gobitgo.com/articles/1002/How-to-Mine-with-6-GPU/

EDIT: I think I understand now...the spare two pci-e slots are 2.0 and don't come from the cpu lanes, rather from the chipset.

This might do the trick: http://www.gobitgo.com/articles/1001/How-To-Correctly-Use-and-Install-PCI-E-Riser-Cables/

wish me luck tomorrow!

EarthDog · Jan 2, 2014

Thanks for links... Good reads!

One thing I noticed is that it said you can run 6 gpus if your "hardware supports it". It does not explain what that means though. That article does show a board with and without a plx chip so that bunks the plx theory.

Hope it works.. GL!

Edit: yeah, not sure how the PCIe 1x lanes are wired...the 16x lanes are from the cpu though.

ivanlabrie · Jan 2, 2014

Yeah, I'm getting ready to order a z87x-oc for the next rig in case this saberkitty fails to power 6 gpus at once. I'll just leave 3 in the fullsize slots or maybe 4 with risers and use the spare two on the other board.

Pierre3400 · Jan 3, 2014

ivanlabrie said:
Yeah, I'm getting ready to order a z87x-oc for the next rig in case this saberkitty fails to power 6 gpus at once. I'll just leave 3 in the fullsize slots or maybe 4 with risers and use the spare two on the other board.

You should just go for the H61/H81 boards made for BTC from AsRock, they are cheap and will run 6 GPUs without issues.

When i had my H61DEL, i installed windows, drivers, and plugged all 6 gpu's, on initail boot, it took like 3/5 mins of screen flashing to sort it all out, reboot and all was perfect. :attn:

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