Mining on two different graphics cards

Cryptocurrency mining is a business with big investments. If your budget is limited, you can start mining with existing equipment – for example, use different video cards. Models should be completed according to the amount of video memory and core frequency. The largest GPU manufacturers AMD and Nvidia use their own technologies, but when mining cryptocurrencies, their efficiency is almost the same. Mining on two different video cards in one farm requires additional settings. You need to download 2 types of drivers, and use separate programs for overclocking and monitoring.

Is it possible to mine on two different graphics cards?

Mining virtual currencies can be profitable even in a falling market. The main thing is to carefully calculate the risks and choose the entry point. In mining, it is important to achieve a return on investment. Due to the shortage of GPUs in stores and inflated prices for new models, users are forced to buy used GPUs or build a farm for mining with several graphics cards.

To ensure the compatibility of GPUs in one rig, you need to install drivers from both developers. The farm will work stably if there are no installation errors. It is recommended to disable automatic driver updates and Windows. They can cause errors.

Amd and Nvidia

In 2024, 2 major developers compete in the video card market – AMD and Nvidia. The companies realize their own approaches to the development of GPU architectures. The difference lies in the distribution of load between the blocks of chips:

• Nvidia uses the CUDA platform and two-cycle cycles (task overlap).
• AMD integrates control blocks with SIMD in 4 clock cycles for separate scheduling and operation processes.

These approaches yield negligible performance differences. In mining on 2 algorithms, the computer accesses video memory differently. However, in general, the differences are not significant. Of greater importance are the memory size and frequency.

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Profitability

Earnings on mining depend on the hash rate of the equipment, the complexity of the network and the quotes of cryptocurrency. In the summer of 2022, you can earn an average of $60 per month on a rig with two graphics cards (at an electricity cost of 4 rubles per kWh). From this amount, you need to deduct the cost of buying equipment and renting a room.

You can calculate profitability with the help of special online calculators. For example, WhatToMine.

In 2022, due to a strong decrease in the quotations of cryptocurrencies, the supply increased, so the prices of cards decreased. A large number of GPUs entered the secondary market. However, it is risky to use them for coin mining – you can get a non-working device.

Instructions for mining on different graphics cards on a PC

In 2024, solving this technical problem is not difficult. Most pools support farms with graphics cards from 2 or more manufacturers.

In order not to download drivers for each developer, you can use a special operating system for cryptocurrency mining – Hive OS. The necessary programs are installed in it by default.

To work with the operating system you need to:

1. Register on the Hive OS website. Pay for access.
2. Log in with your username and password.
3. Create a new Flight Sheets (mining profile). The button is located in the main menu.
4. Specify coin, pool, wallet address, miner, name Flight Sheets.
5. Check the use of Nvidia and AMD cards.
6. Save changes.

PC resources

Video cards are the main component of the rig. Additionally, you need to assemble the components:

• Power supply. For uninterrupted operation of the farm, you need a stable voltage. The power of the node depends on the maximum power consumption and the number of cards. For 4 GPUs will require a minimum of 1200 watts. To increase performance, you can buy a server unit or use 2 power supplies. The main condition is that the equipment must be new and from a reliable manufacturer.
• Processor. Mining on the CPU has long been unprofitable. To complete the farm, you can buy the most budget model. The main thing – it must be compatible with the central board.
• RAM. For mining coins, a minimum of 8 GB is required.
• Motherboard. It is necessary to take reliable models of the middle price segment. A prerequisite – a sufficient number of PCIe connectors for connecting video cards (at least 2).

Installing drivers

It should be taken into account that the use of chipsets from several manufacturers on one PC can lead to unstable operation of the farm. The problem occurs due to loading 2 types of drivers that may conflict. Proper installation minimizes this risk. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

1. Download DDU program to completely remove old drivers and the latest versions of utilities for NVIDIA and AMD.
2. Disconnect the Rig from the Internet. To do this, disconnect the LAN cable.
3. Open the DDU program. Remove old drivers (Nvidia, AMD and others) one by one.
4. Turn off the farm. Install the video cards. After that, turn on the rig.
5. Install the drivers.
6. Reboot the farm.
7. Install the rest of the programs.
8. Connect the LAN internet cable.

Incorrect operation of the Rig may be due to automatic driver updates. In this case, you need to disconnect the Internet and repeat the steps.

Author: Saifedean Ammous, an expert in cryptocurrency economics.