Build your own mining rig - the ultimate guide (2022) straight from the experts (Part 2/2)

3.1 Assembling the mining rig frame

Now let's move on to the first component, the mining rig frame. Most frames are super easy to set up and you can't really go wrong, almost every frame comes with assembly instructions, so we won't go into too much detail here. But what you should make sure is that you tighten all screws properly so that the frame is nice and sturdy.

When you have finished assembling the frame, you still need to install the small golden screws - the mainboard holders - correctly. There are different mainboard formats, so it's best to briefly hold the mainboard over the rig and see which threads you need to use for your board.

3.2 Assembling the mainboard with CPU, CPU cooler and RAM bar

Next we come to the mainboard. First, you need to install the processor in the CPU socket holder. To do this, you need to pull the socket holder (the metal pin) to the side and fold the holder upwards. When inserting the CPU, make sure that you do not bend any of the very fine socket pins on the board and that you insert the processor correctly into the holder. The CPU holder is then closed again.

Now you need to apply some thermal paste to the processor so that the heat produced can be properly dissipated to the heat sink. A pea-sized blob is completely sufficient. Incidentally, the processor runs virtually idle during mining and therefore generates little heat, which is why a normal standard CPU fan is perfectly adequate.

Now we come to the fan. To do this, you must first connect the fan connector to the mainboard, which is ALWAYS plugged into the four pins where it says "CPU_FAN".

Now you can attach the fan properly to the board using the brackets. Make sure that all four brackets are properly seated. If you have a board with an AMD CPU, you must clamp the fan with the side brackets.

Then you need to insert the RAM bar onto the board. Here, too, you need to make sure that the RAM snaps in properly and sits correctly. Incidentally, with some boards it is relevant which of the RAM slots you insert the bar into, so if in doubt you should check the operating instructions for the mainboard to see which slot must be occupied.

Finally, you can now screw the board onto the mainboard holders. However, make sure that you do not overtighten the screws so that the board is not damaged.

As a little tip from us, make sure (even after assembling the rig) that there are no screws or other parts on or under the board, otherwise the board may not boot.

3.3 Screw the power supply unit to the mining frame and attach the power button/start button

Now we come to the power supply unit. Mounting the power supply unit is super simple, all you have to do is position the power supply unit on the specified brackets on the frame (see red circles) and screw it in place.

Now you need to connect the power button to the mainboard. There is only one plug connection (2 pins) on each mainboard, usually marked "PWR_SW". If not, simply refer to the operating instructions for the mainboard. If the connector is fixed, you can position the on/off switch anywhere on the rig where you want it to be.

3.4 Attaching the additional LED housing fans

Continue with the additional housing fans. These must be attached to the frame using the screws supplied. The fans can be positioned in both directions: Airflow towards the graphics cards or airflow (or suction) away from the GPUs. Theoretically, both directions are okay, but it is usually better to "pull" the warm air away from the cards so that the heat cannot build up there.

Once the fans have been fitted, the power cables of the fans must now be connected to the plug box. I recommend that you make a real effort here and bring the cables together properly with cable ties and then plug them into the box in an orderly fashion. Cable clutter is always annoying when it comes to attaching or detaching hardware (e.g. during assembly or for cleaning later) - and it also simply looks better when the cables are neatly laid out.

So sieht sieht beispielsweise eine ordentliche Verkabelung aus, alle Kabel wurden mit Kabelbindern zu einem Strang zusammengeführt und dann an der Steckerbox angebracht.

3.5 Hive OS auf der SSD installieren und Festplatte an den Frame schrauben

Now it's the turn of the hard disk, the SSD. You now need to install Hive OS on it. We have explained exactly how the installation of Hive OS works Here. You can of course also mine with Windows, but we always recommend using Hive OS for various reasons.

Once you have installed Hive OS on the SSD, you can screw it to the rig frame. Most frames have pre-drilled holes for this (for all hard disk types).

3.6 Power cabling for hardware

Now we come to the power cabling. Just as with the fan cabling, we recommend that you take your time and attach and lay all cables properly. Proper cable management is the be-all and end-all of rig building.

First, attach the power supply for the mainboard. The plug connection is relatively large and must (usually) be pressed into the adapter with some force. Make sure that the cable is facing in the right direction when attaching it.

Now you need to supply the processor with power and plug the CPU cable into the CPU connector. Make sure that you use the correct cable, as the CPU cable looks very similar to the PCIe cable (for the graphics cards).

Incidentally, some older mainboards only have one 4-pin connector for the processor, which is why all CPU cables can be "split" in the middle.

Als nächstes verbinden Sie die Zusatzlüfter und die SSD mit einem SATA-Stromkabel. Teilweise kann es sein, dass die Lüfter einen Molex-Anschluss haben, dann verbinden Sie den Lüfter mit dem passenden Molex-Kabel.

Now you can connect the SSD to the mainboard via the SATA data cable.

3.7 Connecting the GPU riser

Now you need to attach the GPU risers and connect them to the power supply unit. ATTENTION: in this example rig, we are using a Molex connection for the risers. However, a Molex cable is not suitable in all cases. In the first part, we taught you that a graphics card can draw up to 75 watts of power via the X16 connection (or via the riser). However, a Molex connection is only designed for a maximum of 75 watts (PCIe up to 288 watts). Many graphics cards (e.g. AMD RX 580) only consume a total of 70-80 watts, whereby a large proportion of the power is supplied via the power cabling, in which case a Molex power supply to the riser is perfectly acceptable. With a power-hungry NVIDIA RTX 3090, however, the graphics card can draw up to 75 watts of power through the riser. As you should not use 100% of the possible performance of the hardware in 24/7 continuous operation, you should definitely supply the riser with power via the PCIe connectors.

In this case, we have attached 6 risers for 6 graphics cards to the 8-GPU frame. Of course, you must always install as many risers as you want to connect graphics cards to the rig.

Next, the GPU risers must be connected to the mainboard via the USB cables and PCIe-X1 connectors.

Incidentally, you can use the X1 connectors as well as the X16 connectors on the mainboard for the PCIe X1 connectors. In our example here, we did not have enough connectors (X1 & X16) on the mainboard, which is why we installed a GPU splitter card (see chapter 2.3) so that all risers (and graphics cards) can be connected to the mainboard.

3.8 Connecting the graphics cards

Now you can connect the graphics cards to the risers. All you have to do is plug the GPUs with the X16 connection into the riser. You c

This is what it looks like when all the graphics cards are connected to the risers and properly screwed in place. Incidentally, 2 more GPUs could be attached to this one, but then you would need a more powerful power supply unit (80% rule).

You can now supply the graphics cards with power using the PCIe 8-pin to 2 x 6+2 pin connectors. For some cards, one PCIe connector is sufficient, while some GPUs require up to three (e.g. RTX 3090).

If you do not have enough cables or PCIe 6+2 connections, you can use splitter cables (pay attention to the maximum current flow), which turn one 6+2 connection into 2 x 6+2 connections.

After you have supplied all the graphics cards with power, you should neatly bring all the cables together again and "tidy up".

3.9 First start of the mining rig

The assembly of your rig is now complete. You can now start your mining rig for the very first time. All you have to do is briefly press the power button.

Now your rig should (ideally) start and you can continue with chapter 4, setting up the software. If you have problems with starting the rig, you can find troubleshooting solutions here.