Bought an S9 Miner on Ebay and it’s missing a heatsink? Still mining fine

Hey everyone I just got another S9 from Ebay and decided to take a look inside to clean it up before I set it up for mining. Most of the screws were loose and it looked like it had been opened before. I noticed that Board 8 is missing a heatsink completely, but it’s still hashing just fine?? How is that even possible? I thought the chips were all connected in series, so if one fails, wouldn’t that take down the rest? I can share pics if needed. Thanks

please photo all 3 boards front and back. I would like to see what the missing heatsink looks like. Oh I fixed the photo for you

You are confusing terms here, heatsink is only used for cooling, the miner can run without any heatsink attached (well, not for a very long time, but you get the point!), a missing chip on the other hand will stop the miner from running, but according to your image, it seems that the 63 chips are there, also judging by the temps, it doesn't seem like there is any missing heatsink. My guess is that you are counting the empty slots or the heatsink at the backside of the board, the S9 has a few "missing" heatsinks at the back by default (IIRC it's a total of 12 missing) and the front side has 63 heatsinks.

Temperature is measured at very few points on the board, so any one individual chip could be smoking red hot and it wouldn't show up on the reading. And while one chip can run without a heatsink, it'll probably fail pretty quickly. And depending on how it fails, it can be fairly meaningless or it can cripple the whole board. Your point stands though that the backside heatsinks aren't nearly as significant as the chipside heatsinks for effective cooling, and in fact several are missing right up against the fan, by design.

yep they kind of form a v to channel the air. its why i wanted to see photos of the boards. if a heat sink is missing in that v shaped area he may get away with it. if he is missing a heatsink on the other side he will kill the board. there are some heat sinks he could fit that could help but with no photos i cant tell him what to do.

This shouldn't be a problem this is easy to fix if you have a loose heat sink you can just reattach them with any thermal adhesive. Or if you have a missing heat sink you can make a DIY heatsink that you can make from an aluminum can. If you have a budget then you can buy any heatsink or use the heatsink from an old PC motherboard located on northbridge you can cut or trim the heatsink to make sure it will fit then use artic silver or any thermal adhesive to attach it.

Here is the board, it's in position 8 (furthest away from PCIE connection for control board). It's still running fine with NO heatsink! I have a spare heatsink and some epoxy paste here to add one.... Can you explain what you mean by the V direction of airflow please?? Thanks

Plus i have tried to add a picture of the image and nothing shows? Only a link?? I have tried -HTML EMBED, BBCode (Forums), plus tried putting them in the 'add image' icon when you post on here? Cheers

Hi people. I bought S9 SE 16T used without warranty. It worked first day and then I had to relocate it and now one of its hashboard is not working and comes with different frequency than others. I'll attach the kernel log below. Please help Booting Linux on physical CPU 0x0 Linux version 4.6.0-xilinx-gff8137b-dirty (lzq@armdev2) (gcc version 4.8.3 20140320 (prerelease) (Sourcery CodeBench Lite 2014.05-23) ) #25 SMP PREEMPT Fri Nov 23 15:30:52 CST 2018 CPU: ARMv7 Processor [413fc090] revision 0 (ARMv7), cr=18c5387d CPU: PIPT / VIPT nonaliasing data cache, VIPT aliasing instruction cache Machine model: Xilinx Zynq cma: Reserved 16 MiB at 0x0e000000 Memory policy: Data cache writealloc On node 0 totalpages: 61440 free_area_init_node: node 0, pgdat c0b39280, node_mem_map cde10000   Normal zone: 480 pages used for memmap   Normal zone: 0 pages reserved   Normal zone: 61440 pages, LIFO batch:15 percpu: Embedded 12 pages/cpu @cddf1000 s19776 r8192 d21184 u49152 pcpu-alloc: s19776 r8192 d21184 u49152 alloc=12*4096 pcpu-alloc: 0 1Built 1 zonelists in Zone order, mobility grouping on.  Total pages: 60960 Kernel command line: mem=240M console=ttyPS0,115200 ramdisk_size=33554432 root=/dev/ram rw earlyprintk PID hash table entries: 1024 (order: 0, 4096 bytes) Dentry cache hash table entries: 32768 (order: 5, 131072 bytes) Inode-cache hash table entries: 16384 (order: 4, 65536 bytes) Memory: 198640K/245760K available (6345K kernel code, 231K rwdata, 1896K rodata, 1024K init, 223K bss, 30736K reserved, 16384K cma-reserved, 0K highmem) Virtual kernel memory layout:     vector  : 0xffff0000 - 0xffff1000   (   4 kB)     fixmap  : 0xffc00000 - 0xfff00000   (3072 kB)     vmalloc : 0xcf800000 - 0xff800000   ( 768 MB)     lowmem  : 0xc0000000 - 0xcf000000   ( 240 MB)     pkmap   : 0xbfe00000 - 0xc0000000   (   2 MB)     modules : 0xbf000000 - 0xbfe00000   (  14 MB)       .text : 0xc0008000 - 0xc090c424   (9234 kB)       .init : 0xc0a00000 - 0xc0b00000   (1024 kB)       .data : 0xc0b00000 - 0xc0b39fe0   ( 232 kB)        .bss : 0xc0b39fe0 - 0xc0b71c28   ( 224 kB) Preemptible hierarchical RCU implementation. Build-time adjustment of leaf fanout to 32. RCU restricting CPUs from NR_CPUS=4 to nr_cpu_ids=2. RCU: Adjusting geometry for rcu_fanout_leaf=32, nr_cpu_ids=2 NR_IRQS:16 nr_irqs:16 16 efuse mapped to cf800000 ps7-slcr mapped to cf802000 L2C: platform modifies aux control register: 0x72360000 -> 0x72760000 L2C: DT/platform modifies aux control register: 0x72360000 -> 0x72760000 L2C-310 erratum 769419 enabled L2C-310 enabling early BRESP for Cortex-A9 L2C-310 full line of zeros enabled for Cortex-A9 L2C-310 ID prefetch enabled, offset 1 lines L2C-310 dynamic clock gating enabled, standby mode enabled L2C-310 cache controller enabled, 8 ways, 512 kB L2C-310: CACHE_ID 0x410000c8, AUX_CTRL 0x76760001 zynq_clock_init: clkc starts at cf802100 Zynq clock init sched_clock: 64 bits at 333MHz, resolution 3ns, wraps every 4398046511103ns clocksource: arm_global_timer: mask: 0xffffffffffffffff max_cycles: 0x4ce07af025, max_idle_ns: 440795209040 ns Switching to timer-based delay loop, resolution 3ns clocksource: ttc_clocksource: mask: 0xffff max_cycles: 0xffff, max_idle_ns: 537538477 ns ps7-ttc #0 at cf80a000, irq=18 Console: colour dummy device 80x30 Calibrating delay loop (skipped), value calculated using timer frequency.. 666.66 BogoMIPS (lpj=3333333) pid_max: default: 32768 minimum: 301 Mount-cache hash table entries: 1024 (order: 0, 4096 bytes) Mountpoint-cache hash table entries: 1024 (order: 0, 4096 bytes) CPU: Testing write buffer coherency: ok CPU0: thread -1, cpu 0, socket 0, mpidr 80000000 Setting up static identity map for 0x100000 - 0x100058 CPU1: failed to boot: -1 Brought up 1 CPUs SMP: Total of 1 processors activated (666.66 BogoMIPS). CPU: All CPU(s) started in SVC mode. devtmpfs: initialized VFP support v0.3: implementor 41 architecture 3 part 30 variant 9 rev 4 clocksource: jiffies: mask: 0xffffffff max_cycles: 0xffffffff, max_idle_ns: 19112604462750000 ns pinctrl core: initialized pinctrl subsystem NET: Registered protocol family 16 DMA: preallocated 256 KiB pool for atomic coherent allocations cpuidle: using governor menu hw-breakpoint: found 5 (+1 reserved) breakpoint and 1 watchpoint registers. hw-breakpoint: maximum watchpoint size is 4 bytes. zynq-ocm f800c000.ps7-ocmc: ZYNQ OCM pool: 256 KiB @ 0xcf880000 vgaarb: loaded SCSI subsystem initialized usbcore: registered new interface driver usbfs usbcore: registered new interface driver hub usbcore: registered new device driver usb media: Linux media interface: v0.10 Linux video capture interface: v2.00 pps_core: LinuxPPS API ver. 1 registered pps_core: Software ver. 5.3.6 - Copyright 2005-2007 Rodolfo Giometti <giometti@linux.it> PTP clock support registered EDAC MC: Ver: 3.0.0 Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Initialized. clocksource: Switched to clocksource arm_global_timer NET: Registered protocol family 2 TCP established hash table entries: 2048 (order: 1, 8192 bytes) TCP bind hash table entries: 2048 (order: 2, 16384 bytes) TCP: Hash tables configured (established 2048 bind 2048) UDP hash table entries: 256 (order: 1, 8192 bytes) UDP-Lite hash table entries: 256 (order: 1, 8192 bytes) NET: Registered protocol family 1 RPC: Registered named UNIX socket transport module. RPC: Registered udp transport module. RPC: Registered tcp transport module. RPC: Registered tcp NFSv4.1 backchannel transport module. PCI: CLS 0 bytes, default 64 Trying to unpack rootfs image as initramfs... rootfs image is not initramfs (no cpio magic); looks like an initrd Freeing initrd memory: 17696K (cc9b9000 - cdb01000) hw perfevents: enabled with armv7_cortex_a9 PMU driver, 7 counters available futex hash table entries: 512 (order: 3, 32768 bytes) workingset: timestamp_bits=28 max_order=16 bucket_order=0 jffs2: version 2.2. (NAND) (SUMMARY)  © 2001-2006 Red Hat, Inc. io scheduler noop registered io scheduler deadline registered io scheduler cfq registered (default) dma-pl330 f8003000.ps7-dma: Loaded driver for PL330 DMAC-241330 dma-pl330 f8003000.ps7-dma: DBUFF-128x8bytes Num_Chans-8 Num_Peri-4 Num_Events-16 e0000000.serial: ttyPS0 at MMIO 0xe0000000 (irq = 158, base_baud = 6249999) is a xuartps console [ttyPS0] enabled xdevcfg f8007000.ps7-dev-cfg: ioremap 0xf8007000 to cf86e000 [drm] Initialized drm 1.1.0 20060810 brd: module loaded loop: module loaded CAN device driver interface gpiod_set_value: invalid GPIO libphy: MACB_mii_bus: probed macb e000b000.ethernet eth0: Cadence GEM rev 0x00020118 at 0xe000b000 irq 31 (00:0a:35:00:00:00) Broadcom BCM5241 e000b000.etherne:00: attached PHY driver [Broadcom BCM5241] (mii_bus:phy_addr=e000b000.etherne:00, irq=-1) e1000e: Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Driver - 3.2.6-k e1000e: Copyright(c) 1999 - 2015 Intel Corporation. ehci_hcd: USB 2.0 'Enhanced' Host Controller (EHCI) Driver ehci-pci: EHCI PCI platform driver usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage mousedev: PS/2 mouse device common for all mice i2c /dev entries driver Xilinx Zynq CpuIdle Driver started sdhci: Secure Digital Host Controller Interface driver sdhci: Copyright(c) Pierre Ossman sdhci-pltfm: SDHCI platform and OF driver helper mmc0: SDHCI controller on e0100000.ps7-sdio [e0100000.ps7-sdio] using ADMA ledtrig-cpu: registered to indicate activity on CPUs usbcore: registered new interface driver usbhid usbhid: USB HID core driver nand: device found, Manufacturer ID: 0x2c, Chip ID: 0xda nand: Micron MT29F2G08ABAEAWP nand: 256 MiB, SLC, erase size: 128 KiB, page size: 2048, OOB size: 64 nand: WARNING: pl35x-nand: the ECC used on your system is too weak compared to the one required by the NAND chip Bad block table found at page 131008, version 0x01 Bad block table found at page 130944, version 0x01 6 ofpart partitions found on MTD device pl35x-nand Creating 6 MTD partitions on "pl35x-nand": 0x000000000000-0x000002800000 : "BOOT.bin-env-dts-kernel" 0x000002800000-0x000004800000 : "ramfs" 0x000004800000-0x000005000000

The first thing you need to do is to edit your post the kernel logs is too messy to read without putting them all into "insert code tag". Why not do some basic first. - Factory reset the miner by holding Ip report button for 15 seconds then release - Flash the firmware to the latest firmware - If do not work flash it through the SD card you can find the SD card firmware of this unit from Bitmain download page If it still doesn't work try to replug all cables from the control board and PSU and also try to clean and remove dust then try it again.

Yes bro for this unit I saw a component detached from the hashboard itself. I have another unit, hashboard visually looks okay but has stopped working, the whole ASIC chain line is not showing in miner status, I'll attach the kernel log for it too. The ASIC was working fine with 15+Th/s and suddenly one of the hashboard stopped working. Please help.

Have you tried all my suggestion above? If not do them first and update here. But it looks like your hashboard is overheating? Can you try to adjust the fan speed to higher or maximum to test if the issue is over temp. Check this guide below on how to find the hidden fan control. - https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5202112.0 Also, try the low power mode, and let's hope it will run normally.

Yes I tried all your suggestions.  Except SD card flash because I couldn't find a tf service package for this unit but I installed some custom firmware then installed the original Antminer firmware again but doesn't work. As per kernel log it was heating, it just died all of a sudden.

I hope next time you need to learn how to explore a bit finding the SD card firmware. Anyway, Im going to give you a direct link for SD card firmware that you can download from this link below - https://file12.bitmain.com/shop-product-s3/firmware/024b413e-807e-4fcd-afe5-b1804289b265/2021/05/31/11/AntminerS9SE300M%E5%8D%A1%E5%88%B7%E5%AE%9A%E9%A2%910730.rar I just put them in naked URL so that you know it was directly from Bitmain page.

Dear thanks for writing, I tried but didn't happen. I guess repairing the hashboard is the only option.

If all suggestions above include SD card flashing do not work then you have a broken hashboard replacing it would be easier than repairing it but if you want to spend time repairing it there is a guide from zeusBTC that you can follow on how to troubleshoot the hashboard and how to repair it. You can find it from the link below. - https://www.zeusbtc.com/ASIC-Miner-Repair/ Scroll down and look for s9 hashboard repair and I'm sure you will need multi tester and some device to find those broken components.

Sir thanks for your usual support and reply. I habe another question, can we use Antminer S9 hashboard on S9 SE 16T? Thanks again in advance.

I think no, they are not compatible have you checked their physical appearance? They are too different maybe it will work on modified firmware but it won't fit on s9se housing. But you can get parts/components from the s9 hashboard like ASIC chips they are compatible.