What to Do When Your Mining Rig Keeps Crashing: A Troubleshooting Guide

Troubleshooting Power Supply Issues

1. Check that the power supply unit (PSU) is rated for the total power draw of your mining rig. Undersized PSUs can cause sudden shutdowns or crashes during peak load.

2. Inspect all power cables and connectors for signs of wear, overheating, or loose connections. Faulty wiring can interrupt power delivery to GPUs or ASICs.

3. Use a multimeter to test voltage output on each rail. Inconsistent or fluctuating voltages—especially on the 12V line—indicate a failing PSU.

4. Consider using multiple PSUs in parallel if running a high-GPU setup. Ensure proper synchronization and grounding to prevent feedback or short circuits.

5. Replace aging or low-efficiency PSUs with 80 Plus Gold or Platinum certified units to ensure stable performance under continuous load.

Monitoring GPU and System Temperatures

1. Install monitoring tools such as HWiNFO, MSI Afterburner, or CGMiner to track real-time GPU core, memory, and hotspot temperatures.

2. Set temperature alerts to notify you when components exceed safe thresholds—typically above 80°C for most GPUs used in mining.

3. Clean dust from fans, heatsinks, and air filters weekly. Dust buildup severely restricts airflow and insulates heat-generating parts.

4. Adjust fan curves to increase RPM at lower temperatures, ensuring aggressive cooling before thermal throttling kicks in.

5. Relocate the rig to a well-ventilated area or install additional case or room fans to improve ambient cooling.

Updating and Stabilizing Mining Software

1. Verify that your mining software—such as T-Rex, GMiner, or PhoenixMiner—is updated to the latest stable release. Older versions may contain bugs affecting stability.

2. Reinstall the miner application to eliminate corrupted configuration files or runtime errors that accumulate over time.

3. Double-check config file syntax, especially pool URLs, wallet addresses, and intensity settings. A single typo can trigger repeated disconnections.

4. Test with default clock and memory settings to determine if instability persists without custom tuning.

5. Switch to an alternative miner compatible with your hardware to rule out software-specific incompatibilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my rig crash only after several hours of operation?This often points to gradual heat accumulation. Components may function normally at startup but fail once thermal limits are reached. Review cooling efficiency and consider undervolting to reduce heat output.

Can faulty RAM cause a mining rig to crash?Yes. While GPUs handle most computations, system instability due to defective RAM can interrupt mining processes. Run memtest86 to verify memory integrity.

Should I use Windows or Linux for more stable mining operations?Linux-based mining OSes like HiveOS or SimpleMining offer greater stability and lower overhead than Windows. They are purpose-built for continuous mining workloads and remote management.

How do I know if a GPU has failed permanently?A dead GPU typically won’t initialize in the BIOS or POST screen. It may also display no signal, cause PCIe bus errors, or remain undetected by mining software even after reseating and cable replacement.