Cryptocurrency mining is a continuous process. In order to generate a stable income, the farm must work 24/7. But the technology is not immune to failures. Downtime can happen due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures, overclocking or program errors. To prevent the risk, use a watchdog timer – Watchdog for mijnbouw. In case of a power outage, hangs and blue screen, the programs will reboot automatically.
Using Watchdog in mining
In mining, computers work at peak power. In order to avoid failures, watchdog monitors are used. The program monitors the state of the farm and restarts it according to the set settings (in case of hang-ups, incorrect operation of the GPU, failure of the Internet connection). In 2023, miners use 2 types of controllers:
- Software. The application sends a reboot command to the system.
- Hardware. The unit performs a reboot at the level of iron. To do this, it is connected to the Power or Reset buttons with cables.
The second type of watchdog timers is considered more reliable. Closing the wires, which is performed by the hardware controller, is similar to physically pressing the reboot button. Therefore, this type of monitor is recommended for highly loaded PCs, when software tools do not help. It can be made by yourself, but it is easier and cheaper to buy a ready-made one. In July 2022, the device costs 500-700 rubles.
The user can set the waiting time in the range of 10-1270 seconds. If a signal from the OS is not received, the controller will reboot the system. It is not worthwhile to set the minimum values. This will lead to a cyclic reboot. To correct the error, you will need to disable the controller.
The table contains the types and characteristics of hardware blocks.
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Timer | Beschrijving |
---|---|
Single-relay | The device works on transistors. Available functions: monitoring of the mining program, GPUs, checking internet connection, logging. The controller is only compatible with Windows, cannot operate without power on the USB connector. |
Dual Relay | USB Watchdog 2.0 program is used to control the unit. Additional options: reboot the system and turn on the computer at a preset time. Due to the presence of a capacitor, it can operate in the event of a short power failure. During use, it is not recommended to enable the automatic update option. It may cause errors. |
Watchdog on optrons | The device has a board thickened to 2 mm and runs on WDG273 chip. Added support for Linux, USB version and 9 pin USB connectors of the center board. The PCWatchDog program is used for control. The unit has an LED status indication. When the light is blinking, the unit is communicating with the system, in operating mode the light should be constant. If there is no indication, the unit is defective. |
Werkingsprincipe
The controller works in conjunction with the OD Farm Control program. The utility allows you to track the state of the processor and video cards in the farm.
The timer is connected to the computer via USB. The flash drive is connected by wires to the keys of power on (Power) and reset (Reset). If no response is received within the set time, the electronic unit will restart the OS. If there is no response from the system, the controller will press the Power button.
Where to buy
Watchdog monitors are available in offline computer hardware stores and on marketplaces. You can order the device on AliExpress.
In July 2022, the flash drive costs about 500 rubles. The software is distributed free of charge.
Connecting and configuring the Watchdog
To set the timer, you need to connect it to the motherboard via USB Type A and PBD 10 ports. For equipment with a PBD 10 connector, an adapter will be required. If everything is done correctly, the indicator on the unit will flash red. To configure it, you need to:
- Download the PCWatchDog system management program on the official resource.
- Install the driver (you can do it without connecting the block to the central board).
- Add PCWatchDog to the autoload folder.
- Connect the timer with wires to the Power and Reset buttons.
- Start the PCWatchDog control program.
- In the Timeout field enter the waiting time in seconds, after which the reboot should take place.
- Specify the address of the resource for checking the network connection.
- In the Specified program monitoring field add a program-miner.
- To monitor the status of video cards, select Video Card Monitoring.
- To save the settings, click Save.
Testing Watchdog for a mining farm
After installing and configuring the block, it is recommended to test its operation. To do this, you need to:
- Open the Watchdog Monitor application.
- During normal operation, the window at the bottom will display the status of video cards, network connection, system time.
- To test, click Test.
The timer should reboot the farm. If it doesn’t, you should check the connection to the Reset and Power buttons.
Samenvatting
The operation of the farm does not require the constant presence of the user. But miners need to take measures for uninterrupted coin mining. Due to working at peak loads, overheating and program errors, the system can hang. Watchdog is used to automatically restart farms.
In 2023, several types of watchdogs are available to miners. The most reliable and convenient ones are on optocouplers. Such units are easy to install, inexpensive, compatible with Windows and Linux. The controller can be configured to regularly reboot the farm (once a week) to clean the RAM.
Veelgestelde vragen
📌 What is Watchdog in mining?
A watchdog is a device to automatically reboot your PC in case of a freeze or power outage.
💻 Where to buy a watchdog?
Flash drives are sold in computer hardware stores, on marketplaces. The average price in July 2022 is 500-700 rubles.
❓ How does the watchdog monitor work?
The unit establishes communication with the operating system. If the program stops signaling, the controller restarts the farm.
❗ Why doesn’t the timer work after connection?
You need to update the drivers, install the latest version of the PCWatchDog program. Also the problem may be in incorrect connection to the Reset and Power buttons – polarity must be observed. If the monitor is not detected in Task Manager, it is defective.
🖥 What operating systems is the controller compatible with?
The watchdog works on Windows and Linux.
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Auteur: Saifedean Ammous, een expert in cryptocurrency-economie.