Windows 10 for mining. The best settings, configurations and subtleties of mining on Windows

I decided to prepare this post, as I am often asked about what configurations, software versions and drivers I use.

In general, the topic is small, but it seems to me that these settings are very important, and it is worth applying them for every mining farm. If you have any other tricks and tips that I missed, then write in the comments, and I will definitely add them!

This Windows setting can be used when mining any alternative cryptocurrency: Ethereum, Ethereum Classic, ZCash, Zclassic, Monero, PascalCoin, Expanse, Ubiq, Decred, etc.

This is how I set up my OS to work with a mining farm!

Windows OS installation and settings for a mining farm

It's important to know:

* Do not connect ethernet cable to farm during Windows setup or after completion
* Connect ONE video card in the slot PCI-E 16x using a usb riser
* I always use 120GB SSDs (may be larger)
* Always use only one C: partition (if you have a 240GB SSD, create an additional disk partition and use it to mine Storj)

Windows OS version for mining rack

* Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64bit

Motherboard and BIOS

In some motherboards, you will need to use special BIOS settings so that they work correctly with USB risers and other equipment. Take Biostar TB85 and Z170A Gaming Pro Carbon, for example.

For Biostar TB85 I use the following BIOS settings:

* Set the CPU cooler speed to Auto, as it is set to 100% by default
* Switch PCIe slot speed from Auto to Gen1
* Next, we find the setting Restore on AC / Power Loss and change the position to Power On or Last State(that is, when the power is turned off and its subsequent appearance, the mining farm will turn on automatically).

The subtleties of Windows 10 registry settings for mining

* As soon as Windows is installed and launched for the first time, I always run a special file mining.bat, which makes all the necessary settings in the OS registry (). Not all services are disabled, but only those that, as it seems to me, will wastefully load the system and equipment
* Create a new restore point or backup your registry file
* Start the system in Administrator mode
* Once all settings are made, restart the farm

Settings List

* Replace Utilman with CMD
* Disable Cortana, Bing Search and Searchbar
* Disable automatic Windows updates
* Disable hibernation mode
* Disable tracking services
* Disable WAP Push Message Routing Service
* Disable Windows Search
* Disable Superfetch
* Disable Windows Defender
* Disable OneDrive
* Disable Quick Access used by default in Explorer
* Display the Computer icon on the desktop
* Show file extensions
* Disable the lock screen
* Turn on the classic view of the control panel
* Hide the indicator of compressed NTFS files
* Disable the general use of Windows updates
* Remove Pin to start
* Classic mode of vertical distance between icons
* Remove the version tab from properties
* Disable jump lists
* Disable telemetry and data collection
* Change the background of the Login screen
* Disable Windows error reporting system
* Remove standard Windows applications
* Block telemetry servers

Disable Windows Updates (double check!)

* In the Execute field, enter services.msc, the services window will appear
* Find there Windows Update
* Click Stop if the status is set to Live or Checking / Running
* Select Disabled in option Startup type
* Apply and reboot the system
* Do these steps again and make sure that updates are actually disabled
* If you want to disable other services ...

Increasing virtual memory

* Enter in the search This PC, right-click and select the option Properties
* Then click on Advanced System Settings
* In the tab Advanced, In chapter Performance click on Settings
* Go to the tab Advanced
* Below you will see Virtual memory, click Change

1. Uncheck “ Automatically manage paging file size for all drives»
2. Check the box for “ Custom size»
3. In the field " Initial size (MB)»Enter 3000 (or 16000 at once)
4. In the " Maximum size (MB)»Enter 16000 (or even 20,000)
5. Click Set, then Ok and Apply

* Reboot the farm

Energy saving and settings

* Write off in search Power options
* Click on Show additional plans
* Choose a plan High performance
* With plan enabled High performance, click Change plan settings
* Select Never for all items in the options " Turn off the display" and " Put the computer to sleep»
* Click Change advanced power settings and find there " PCI Express» -> « Link State Power Management", Make sure the setting is set OFF
* Reboot the farm

Windows 10 is gaining more and more popularity among miners every day. This is due to the presence of a graphical interface that simplifies the operation and configuration of the farm, as well as the stable operation of the system, although many prefer Linux and their various assemblies in this regard. We decided to devote this article to those who mine under a "window" OS. Let's figure out how to carry out the basic setup of Windows 10 for mining.

Windows 10 for mining: swap file size

Some miners quite often complain that their farm falls off for unknown reasons. Most often this is due to the fact that a low level of virtual memory is set in the drain on Windows 10. In order to eliminate this problem, you need to increase the paging file. For this:

• Open "This PC" - on the top bar, find the "Settings" button and select "System".

• Then on the left tab we find the button "About the system" and click on the link "Information about the system".

• Select the item "Additional system parameters", go to the "Advanced" tab and in the "Performance" item click on the "Parameters" button.

• There we go to the "Advanced" tab and in the "Virtual memory" item we press the "Change" button.

To quickly configure the swap file: Start-Run sysdm.cpl

Now you need to decide what swap size to install. For example, in the Claymore program, it is recommended to set this figure to at least 16 GB. Even if you only have 4 GB of RAM, you can safely install 16 GB. If your RAM holds 16 GB on board, then you can set the swap to 32 GB. The higher, the more stable your farm will be.

Windows 10 for mining: power mode

Very often, when using Windows 10 for mining, there are problems with interruption of work due to the fact that the computer goes into sleep mode or deactivates some of its systems after a certain period of inactivity. This is unacceptable in the case of cryptocurrency mining, so we get rid of it. This is done as follows:

We go to "Options" and select the item "Additional power options". In the window that opens, go to the "Settings" of the power scheme and in the drop-down menu opposite the item "Put the computer into sleep mode" select "Never" so that the system does not automatically turn off your PC when it is idle.

Windows 10 for mining: auto-update drivers

Drivers for a video card are the basis for efficient mining and a high hashrate of your GPU farm, so it is necessary to exclude any systemic impact from outside. Accordingly, automatic driver updates in Windows 10 should be disabled. To do this, in the "Run" line, called by the Win + R keyboard shortcut, insert the following text:

rundll32 newdev.dll, DeviceInternetSettingUi

A window will appear on the screen in which you will be asked whether you want to download and install updates, you just need to click "No" and confirm your choice by clicking the "Save" button.

Now your Windows 10 mining system is ready. Of course, there are a number of deeper settings for the OS to increase the stock hash rate of the farm. The above points are more focused on the basic setting, without which you shouldn't start mining at all.

We constantly receive many questions regarding the installation and configuration of the Windows 10 operating system for mining rigs and decided to write a summary material on this topic that is able to answer most of the questions of beginners. Many of the nuances and settings that we will talk about today are very important for an optimal mining process. If you know any other Windows 10 tricks or settings that will not be discussed in this article, then please write about them in your comments or on our forum.

These Windows settings are applicable for mining any altcoins, such as: Ethereum, Ethereum classic, ZCash, Zcash classic, Monero, Pascal coin, Expanse, Ubiq, Decred and others. Now let's move on to the Windows settings for mining rigs.

Installing and configuring Windows on a mining rig:

• Do not plug in the Etherenet cable during Windows 10 setup and immediately after.
• Connect only one graphics card to PCI-E 16x slot via USB riser.
• I use at least 128Gb SSD drives for my mining rigs (larger drives can be used).
• Use only one partition (drive C :), if you have an SSD installed larger than 256GB, you can create an additional partition, for example, for mining BURST.
• Please use the following operating system version:.
• Depending on the motherboard model you are using, you may need to make some initial BIOS adjustments in order for the USB risers to work correctly. I'll take the Biostar TB85 motherboard as an example.
• For Biostar TB85 motherboard, I use the following BIOS settings: " CPU fan control= auto "," PCIe Speed= Gen1 "," Restore on AC / Power Loss= Power On or Last State "- this option makes it possible to automatically start the mining rig when power appears in the network after a power outage.
  
  
• After Windows is installed and booted for the first time, it is recommended to run .bat file to change Windows registry settings(I don't turn off everything, but only those things that from my point of view are absolutely unnecessary, such as Windows updates, Cortana, crash reporting, and so on). Run as administrator. After the changes are accepted, reboot the system.
  
• List of possible settings:
  
• Before changing the windows registry, it is highly recommended to make a backup of your registry or a Windows restore point.
• Optional disable Windows update. Start-> Run (Startup-> Run) enter " services.msc", after which a window with Windows services will open. Search for" Windows Update". Select" Stop"if the status is set" Live" or " Checking / Running". Option" Startup type"turn in position" Disabled". Then apply and reload (Apply, Restart).
  
  
• Increase virtual memory in the system: In the search enter " This PC", then right-click on it and select the option" Properties". Then click on" Advanced system settings". On the tab" Advanced" In chapter " Performance"click on the button" Settings". Now go to the" Advanced", at the bottom of the window you will see the section" Virtual Memory", click on the button" Change". Uncheck the box" Automatically manage paging file size for all drives". Select the item" Specify size (Custom Size)". In field " Initial size"enter" 16 000 ", In field " Maximum size"enter" 16 000 "or more for example" 20 000 ". Click" OK" and " Apply"and reload the rig.
  
  
• Changing the power consumption settings. In the search enter " Power Options". Press " Show additional plans". Select the item" High Performance"and click on" Change Plan Settings". Select value" Never"for all items. Click" Change advanced power settings". Go to item" PCI express-> Link State Power Management"and make sure the value is set to" Off"this is usually the case, but better check it out. Reload the rig.
  
  

AMD driver version and their installation and removal:

• I usually use one of two versions of AMD video drivers for my mining rigs. This is version 16.9.1 (

You can mine cryptocurrency on different operating systems, including Mac OS and Linux. But most users prefer to do this on Windows, which, if configured correctly, is capable of supporting the mining of most promising E-coins. Let's take a look at how Windows 10 is built for mining.

Which OS Windows to give preference

There are constant discussions among users about what is better for crypt mining, Windows 7 or 10. Each of the versions has its own advantages and disadvantages:

1. Windows 7 for mining is good in that it spends less video adapter resources during operation and is close to the golden mean between the consumed energy resources and the level of performance. On the other hand, it supports a limited number of video cards, setting more than 5 GPUs is already problematic.
2. The use of Windows 10 for mining is characterized by high stability of the farm, the presence of a graphical interface and the ability to connect many video cards. However, optimizing the system for efficient operation of the computer in the process of mining cryptocurrency will require more effort.

The choice, as always, remains with the user, however, given the high load on the PC in the process of calculating blocks of digital currencies, it is better not to consider options with a 32-bit system. A version of a computer with a 64-bit system will provide Windows 7 or 10 mining much more efficiently.

Basic system settings for efficient mining

Setting up Windows 10 for mining is an important preparatory step. It will take some time, but it cannot be neglected, since the stability of the system and the extraction of coins directly depend on it. We will not go into all the subtleties, but will focus only on the basic parameters that are most important when installing mining programs.

Increase the size of the paging file. Insufficient virtual memory in the stock version of the system often leads to a farm shutdown. You can solve this problem by increasing the paging file:

• go to "My Computer" - "Options" - "System";
• go to "System Information" - "Additional Options";
• select the "Advanced" tab and open "Parameters" in the "Performance" section;
• click on "Advanced" - "Virtual memory" - "Change"

• then go to "Start", enter sysdm.cpl into the command line and configure the size of the file we need.

It is important to select the correct paging file size. For example, the popular Claymor mining client requires at least 16 Gb, so we set exactly this figure, even if the computer's RAM is only 4 Gb. If there is more RAM (for example, 16 Gb), then you can install a swap file for 32 Gb, this will help increase the stability of the farm.

Correction of the diet. The mining of cryptocurrencies involves the continuous operation of a computer around the clock. However, by default, a mechanism can be set to deactivate some systems in the absence of activity for some time. You can get rid of this like this:

• go to "Options" - "Additional power options";
• a window will open in which we select "Setting up a power plan";
• in the window relating to putting the PC into sleep mode, click on the window with a drop-down menu and select the "Never" item.

Now the computer will not turn off automatically, no matter how long it is idle in passive mode. In addition, to improve the hash rate and overall performance, it is advisable to switch the power mode to maximum performance.

Disable protection and auto-updates. In the tenth Windows, disabling automatic updates is not easy. It is impossible to do this directly in the system, so you will have to use the special Show or hide updates program (official Microsoft utility), as well as third-party DWS or Win Updates Disable, which can be downloaded from Github or another reliable resource.

By the way, you can also disable auto-update via the command line:

• press Win + R;
• enter text;
• put an end to the desired window, refusing updates from the manufacturer.

Before turning off the automatic upgrade, you need to download the latest drivers suitable for the video adapters installed in the PC from the official resource.

Correction of additional parameters

In addition to the above steps, for good mining, it is advisable to perform some more manipulations. They will allow you to optimize the system and avoid abnormal situations.

BIOS setup for mining. It is necessary to make some changes to the BIOS file to work correctly with the used hardware:

• CPU fan speed should be set to Auto as it is set to 100% by default.
• you can experiment with the speed of the PCI-E slot: set it to Gen1 or Gen2, to whom it suits for better hashrate stabilization;
• It is important to set the computer and the farm to turn on automatically after the power supply appears in the event that a power outage is possible. To do this, set the position "Restore AC Power Loss" to the "Last State" or "Power On" position /

Different motherboards need different BIOS settings, but these can be safely taken as a basis.

Launching crypt mining after reboot in automatic mode. So that after the system freezes and reboots, you do not have to turn on mining manually, you need to configure it as an administrator. In the command line, enter cmd, in access to it, right-click and select "Run as administrator". In the line that appears, insert the bcdedit / set bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures command and press Enter, a confirmation of the successful completion of the process should appear.

Displaying a shortcut for mining on the desktop. This function is needed just for convenience, so that you do not have to look for the required startup file when starting mining. Open "My Computer" and type in% appdata% in the address bar. After that, the path is as follows: "Microcoft" - "Windows" - "Start Menu" - "Programs" and send a shortcut to the desktop for startup.

Also, in order to avoid the need to configure everything anew if technical problems arise, you need to make a backup copy, that is, copy the hard disk with all the settings for mining cryptocurrency and save it on removable media. This will make it possible to restore the operating system by changing only the network name of the PC and the product key. You can copy a disc using the Acronis True Images utility.

Having properly prepared the operating system of your computer, you can safely start mining digital coins in the widest range: from Bitcoin and Ethereum to Zcash, Monero or Dogecoin.

Only the lazy does not talk about cryptocurrencies and mining. If you are determined to create your own farm for mining cryptocurrency at home, then you should download Windows 10 for mining so that the mining process goes quickly. This is the lightest version of the operating system. Everything is done in order not to waste resources on anything else, except for the extraction of Bitcoins or other crypt.

The main difference is high performance, which is very important when mining. It is simply not better to find this version, since all the others are less powerful. Naturally, you cannot take any assembly of Windows 10 and run the farm, you should take a responsible approach to the choice of the system.

How to choose the right OS build for creating a farm?

• Maximum productivity;
• High speed of work.

This means we exclude any 32-bit versions in favor of 64-bit ones.

We also do not pay attention to home and initial builds, or corporate ones, as they focus on other functions of the operating system.

The optimal choice is the maximum assembly, with x64 bit depth. It is this kind of Windows 10 for mining that will provide a fairly good "exhaust" and result. Please note that it is not only the software that affects, but also the hardware. This means that even installing the required assembly, you will not get a good result on an outdated computer. But if you installed a regular distribution, it would be even worse.

What else do you need to work with cryptocurrency?

If you are serious about the process of mining cryptocurrency, then you will have to fine-tune the operating system. The changes will affect memory and processor operation, as well as video cards. Using GeForce models, we recommend downloading and installing to improve the settings and improve the performance of your computer.

We are sure that Windows 10 for a mining farm, which you can download from our portal, will give a good start to your endeavors! Be sure to share your successes in mining precious coins in the comments. We hope you build a whole farm and get rich and share your secret with us and the rest of the readers!