New Build: Dedicated Bitcoin Miner (Headless)

[fnord0]

-- What your budget is (and whether it includes taxes, shipping charges, and/or other costs): ~1600
-- Which parts you need within that budget: ATI/AMD GPU's!
-- What the system is going to be used for: Bitcoin dedicated headless mining using linux
-- All of the components that you already have and/or are planning on reusing: Brand New
-- Which components you are considering getting (list out your components with model numbers/names along with links to the stores you're getting them from): Here is the link to the newegg wishlist -- here's the full list ::
1x - MSI 890FXA-GD70 AM3 AMD 890FX SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
4x - XFX HD-687A-ZHFC Radeon HD 6870 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
1x - G.SKILL Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR
1x -COOLER MASTER Silent Pro Gold Series RSC00-80GAD3-US 1200W ATX 12V v2.3 / EPS 12V v2.92 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS ...
1x -AMD Athlon II X2 255 Regor 3.1GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor ADX255OCGMBOX
1x - Seagate Barracuda Green ST1500DL003 1.5TB 5900 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
1x - Rosewill RNX-N2X IEEE 802.11b/g/n USB2.0 Wireless-N 2.0 Dongle (2T2R) Up to 300Mbps Data Rates WPA/WPA2 (AES, 64,128-WEP ...

-- The question(s) you have -- or, the reason you made the thread in the first place
-- Be as specific/detailed as possible (without writing a novel -- some of us have short attention spans here...)

Stoked on the HardOCP Bitcoin GPU mining comparison -- So, I'm going to build a new dedicated bitcoin miner, this time going for multi-gpu, obviously it's going to be ATI/AMD GPU - figured we'd go with the suggestion from the article = 6870's, specifically QUAD-GPU! I have 3x dedicated mining boxes - all on 6970 GPUs (2x have crossfire, 1x is sitting by itself)

Figured we'd run this build by the knowledgable peeps @ hardOCP forums to see if anyone has any suggestions here. The biggest issue I have right now is the COMPUTER CASE. For everything I've done with the cases of my dedicated miners, I find that I have to take the side-panel off, and point a box-fan at it 24x7, with the fans on the GPUs running @ full 100%.

What do ya'all think about a case for this dedicated bitcoin miner build?! Reading this forum post @ bitcoin forums it makes me think I should just go for as minimal of a case as possible... at the same time I have 2x cats, and don't want to find one day them doing something to my miner without a case. As far as things go right now, the cases my dedicated miners are sitting in are NORMAL computer cases, just have the sides off with a box-fan pointed right at each miner ... this doesn't pose a threat so far = the cats have been fine. But thinking about the "minimal case" thing, that has me throwing caution to the wind.

The ultimate plan is to go this route for => headless mining using linux

thanks all,
-fnord0

 

[Dangman]

I recommend this case as it can actually fit all those video cards well on account of it having eight expansion slots:
$90 - Lian Li Lancool PC-K56 ATX Case

I recommend getting this PSU + mobo combo instead:
$460 - Corsair 1200AX 1200W Modular PSU + MSI 890FXA-GD70 AM3 AMD 890FX SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard

Once you factor in the above combo deal and the shipping costs of that Coolermaster PSU, the above Corsair is only $13 more. The significantly higher quality of the Corsair is well worth the extra $13.

 

[fnord0]

excellent! I am definately going with the PSU + mobo combo, good catch
what do u think about this case or this one? beings we are going to have 4x PCI-E video cards, this thing is going to get HOT (!)

 

[Dangman]

excellent! I am definately going with the PSU + mobo combo, good catch
what do u think about this case or this one? beings we are going to have 4x PCI-E video cards, this thing is going to get HOT (!)

They don't have the eight expansion slots that would allow for an easier fit of the four video cards. The XCLIO A380PLUS-BK doesn't have enough space between the seventh expansion slot and the bottom of the case to fit a dual slot card.The Blackhawk might be an ok choice but again the lack of the 8th expansion might hurt a little.

 

[fnord0]

wow, thanks much for your input! it is very appreciated looks like Im going with yr suggested case - might have to expose the side, which is not a big issue to me, just put a box fan up next to it. we will try first with no fan, and with to see the difference.

 

[Mr34727]

You may want to check out a profit calculator before you drop all this money. 6870's aren't great for mining, and it will take about 6 months to pay it off- assuming no difficulty increases and a stable BTC price (the difficulty will go up in a couple days, and continue to rise.

If you are not dissuaded, I would pick up something like this-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112318&Tpk=k57
- 8 expansion slots
- 4x140mm fans
- beastly psu holding mechanism for hefty psu's (for when you go to move it around)
- Lian Li

Also, you will not be able to cool 4x gpus with that HSF design. They shoot air into the case, instead of outside it. I would go with these instead-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150506

Looks like that rebate is one per address, so here is another one-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150507


Also, for fans in that Lian Li, you can pick up some inexpensive Yate Loons that will move alot of air (140mm)