To mine cryptocurrencies, you can’t take any device with a processor and video card and start mining whatever coin you want. You need to choose a network, find out what equipment will be productive enough. When mining ether you need to load a special data block, and its value is regularly growing. The size of Ethereum’s DAG file is now 4.914 gigabytes. The choice of a video card suitable for mining depends on this parameter.
What is a DAG file
It is a set of data loaded into the graphics processor when a user connects a miner. Thanks to the dag file, the graphics card searches for blocks, writes them to the network. The data contains all the information from the blockchain: transactions performed, blocks mined.
The algorithm is conceived so that the file increases by 8 MB every 30 thousand blocks. This period is called an epoch, and it lasts on average 4-5 days. All those who mine etherium have copies of transactions and blocks stored in their miners, which will not allow them to affect the work of the algorithm.
Due to the change in volume after epochs, after a certain time, it will not be possible to mine cryptocurrency on some cards.
At the time of writing, the size was 4.88 gigabytes. According to the epoch change calendars, it will exceed 5 GB after August 24, 2022. The card will have to be changed for a corresponding one – 6 GB.
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- New blocks are quickly added to the network.
- The protection of the blockchain has a high level.
- Compared to BTC, it is easier to mine ETH thanks to the dag-file.
The increase in DAG leads to pushing out of the network device models that do not fit the amount of memory. With many pros of ether mining, this is a major disadvantage.
Where etherium is located
DAG loading is handled by the mining program. When the hardware starts, it uploads data to the RAM of the graphics processor of the video card. To get detailed information about the device and the size of the file, use the GPU-Z utility. If you enable it during the coin mining process, the DAG data will be displayed in the “Memory Usage” section. The program will show the total volume on the connected cards.
You can access the DAG by typing Ethash in the computer search – this is the folder where the system copies block data. Usually access to such information is needed if the equipment is unstable. After the file is found, the following manipulations are performed:
- Change the parameters to reduce the maximum load. The system by default sets it to 100%. The user needs to change the characteristic, specifying the figure 95%.
- Deleting the folder. After the start of mining, the latest version will be downloaded, which can solve the problem of unstable operation.
Ethereum DAG file size
In June 2022, 4 gigabyte video cards for ether mining were already useless as 4.883 GB was required to download. According to the calendar, 5GB will be overcome on August 24, 2022.This is a date calculated according to the average calculation speed, which varies according to the change in difficulty. It is known that the algorithm is built in such a way that the mining era is equal to mining 30,000 blocks. Then comes the next period, and 8 MB is added to the volume of data.
A graph with the size of the etherium DAG file as of today can be plotted using the epoch shifts. The table shows the dates when the volume crossed the mark, after which the memory of some cards was no longer enough to upload it, as well as the time of such transitions.
| Date | Size (GB) | Block height (mln) | Epoch |
|---|---|---|---|
The size changes not so rarely as in the table – every 30 000 blocks (epoch) 8 Mb are added. Dynamics is tracked by calendar or this widget.
How to pick up a video card by ETH dag-file
When choosing equipment, attention is usually paid to the hash rate and the complexity of the network. Profitability is calculated on special services-calculators: substitute the name of the card, the cost per kilowatt per hour and get profit taking into account electricity costs. If the user mines ether, then you also need to know the volume of the dag file to correlate it with the amount of memory of the video card.
It is not worth for ETH mining to take a device with less RAM than is required to download data. It is better to keep a reserve within 500 MB.
You should choose a bigger difference – this will allow you to mine etherium on the same hardware for a long time. When the volume of downloaded data comes to the size of the memory of the technique, it will no longer be possible to mine on the device.
According to the table, 4 gigabytes is not enough to mine Ethereum. The date when 5 GB cards can be transferred to another cryptocurrency is August 24, 2022. Owners of equipment with 6GB RAM can freely mine ether until the middle of 2024.
How the memory of the video card affects the speed of mining
The amount of RAM determines how much information the graphics processor will receive and display in a short period of time. Images, color information, and more are loaded into the video memory. The higher the parameter, for example, the more modern games the computer can pull.
When mining ether, the suitability of the device for the network depends on the amount of memory. If it is enough to load the ETH dag-file, it is enough for the equipment to connect to Ethash and start mining the coin. That is, video memory in this case is used to record information about transactions in the network.
This parameter does not affect the speed, but it can limit the process. If the video card memory is not enough, then mining ether will be impossible – the information will not be loaded, and the device will not work in this network.
Summary
When choosing a device for cryptocurrency mining, a high hash rate is not enough. You also need to have enough space to load the DAG. This is a set of information about the network, which is written to the free RAM of the card. Its value grows by 8 MB every 30,000 blocks. The period over which this number of tasks is computed is called an epoch.
The size can be found in ether mining calculators, in the Ethash computer folder or viewed with the GPU-Z utility, which reflects all the parameters of work.
The actual file size is necessary to know when choosing equipment for ETH mining. If you take a video card with insufficient memory, it will not be able to accommodate the file and connect to the network.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ If I connect 2 4GB video cards, will it count as 8GB?
The file is written to each device separately in its entirety, so both cards will not be able to pump Ethereum.
📟 Do all Ethash cryptocurrencies have the same number of blocks per epoch?
No. Ethereum Classic has a figure of 60,000.
❗ The more memory, the faster the mining?
RAM is needed to store the file, and the speed depends on the hash rate, which differs from one device model to another.
💲 How large should I buy a card so that I don’t have to think about replacing it when mining ETH?
If you buy an 8GB card, it will last until April 2028. There are 24GB, but they are very expensive.
💻 Are the card’s video memory and the computer’s RAM the same thing?
No. The former is for storing information displayed on the monitor, the latter is needed for fast computer operation.
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Author: Saifedean Ammous, an expert in cryptocurrency economics.
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