How to enable 4g in BIOS. UEFI of ASUS motherboards will provide mining support
Nowadays, the words “Mining”, “Blockchain”, “Bitcoins” are heard literally everywhere: from tram passengers to serious businessmen and State Duma deputies. It is difficult to understand all the subtleties and pitfalls of these and related concepts, however in the database on our website You will quickly find comprehensive information covering all aspects.
Briefly, all the necessary knowledge will be presented in this article.
So, let's start with the blockchain. Its essence is that computers are united into a single network through a set of blocks containing automatically encrypted information that gets there. Together these blocks form a database. Let's say you want to sell a house. After completing the documents, you need to go to a notary, then in his presence, having certified the transfer with your signature, they will give you the money. It takes a long time, and besides, you have to pay a fee.
Thanks to blockchain technology, it is enough to:
- Arrange.
- Find out the recipient's account.
- Transfer money to the recipient's account.
And not just money. You can issue an electronic signature and send documents and any other information, including confidential information. Again, notaries and other officials are not needed: it is enough for you and the recipient (be it a private person or a government agency) to identify yourself in your computer.
The transaction takes place over a secure communication channel, no one sees (including banks and the state) who transferred what and to whom.
The possibility of hacking is excluded due to the huge number of blocks described above. A hacker needs to find a cipher for each block, which is physically impossible.
Other uses of blockchain:
- Insurance;
- Logistics;
- Payment of fines
- Marriage registration and much more.
The concept of cryptocurrency is closely related to blockchain. Cryptocurrency is a new generation of decentralized digital currency created and operating only on the Internet. No one controls it; currency is issued through the work of millions of computers around the world, using a program to calculate mathematical algorithms.
Briefly it looks like this:
1. You intend to transfer money to someone.
2. A mathematical code is generated, passing through the blocks already known to you.
3. Many computers (often representing a collection of them, with powerful processors and, as a consequence, greater bandwidth) process digital information, transmitting them to the next blocks, receiving a reward for this (some transactions can be made for free)
4. Mathematical code reaches electronic wallet recipient, money appears on his balance sheet.
Again, as is the case with blockchain, cryptocurrency transfers are not controlled by anyone.
Although the database is open, with all the addresses of those transferring and receiving money, no one knows the owner of this or that address from which the transfer is made, unless the owner himself wants to tell.
There are many currencies that work on a similar principle. The most famous is, of course, Bitcoin. Also popular are Ethereum, Rittle, Litecoins, Numits, Namecoins and many others. The difference between them is different types encryption, processing and some other parameters.
Miners make money from money transfer technology.
These are the people who created the above-mentioned set of computer video cards, which generates new blocks that transmit digital information - bitcoins (or rittles, or any other cryptocurrency). For this they receive a reward in the form of the same cryptocurrency.
There is competition between miners, because... The technology is programmed to become more complex with each transaction. At first it was possible to mine from one computer (2008), but now such a currency as Bitcoin is simply unprofitable for individuals: you need a lot of video cards (they are collectively called farms), with enormous computing power. To do this, separate premises are rented; the energy costs for work are comparable to the costs of industrial enterprises.
But you can make money on other, less popular, but developing cryptocurrencies. There is also a distinction between solo mining and pool mining. Solo is the creation of your own farm, the profit is taken for yourself. The pool brings together other people with the same goals. You can earn much more, but you have to share it with everyone.
Both individuals and entire states have become interested in the prospects for using blockchain technology in general and cryptocurrencies in particular.
Cryptocurrency is legal in Japan. In Russia, next year they are going to adopt regulations on the legalization of blockchain, cryptocurrency transfers and mining. It is planned to transfer some operations to the blockchain framework. It makes sense to study this in more detail, and, if desired, start earning money. It's obvious that now information Technology will develop and enter our lives more and more.
Perhaps many personal computer users have seen such an option as Above 4G Decoding in their BIOS. The name of this option can be translated as “decoding over 4 GB”. It belongs to the category of options designed to configure the operating parameters of 64-bit graphics accelerators connected to. This function can be found, in particular, on some motherboards manufactured by ASUS. The option can take only two values – Disabled and Enabled.
Many devices personal computer, in particular, devices connected to PCI and PCI-Express expansion slots require data exchange with central processor. As a rule, in this case, the method of data exchange through RAM (memory-mapping I/O) is used. This method involves using as a means to access a device that the CPU can access via the address bus motherboard.
However, data exchange between the processor and the device using RAM may make it difficult to use RAM for other purposes and reduce computer performance. Therefore, if your computer has a lot of RAM installed, then for 64-bit expansion devices it makes sense to use RAM beyond 4 GB and bypass the limitation imposed by traditional 32-bit architecture.
The described function is intended to enable the provision of address space for devices in an area over 4 GB in data exchange mode through RAM. The RAM I/O mode enabled by the function can be used by 64-bit PCI-Express graphics accelerators.
The function is found only on motherboards that support 64-bit PCI-Express devices. It can be useful when using not only video cards, but also other expansion cards, in particular graphics coprocessors from the Nvidia Tesla family.
Graphics cards and other devices less than 32 bits cannot address memory larger than 4 GB and therefore do not need to use this address space. In addition, it is obvious that the option does not make sense for those computers that have less than 4 GB of RAM installed.
The Above 4G Decoding function can usually be found in the BIOS section dedicated to PCI and PCI-Express I/O bus settings, which may be called, for example, PCI Subsystem Settings. You can enable the option by setting the value to Enabled, and disable it by setting the value to Disabled.
Should I include it?
You should be careful when enabling this option. Installing this option if your system does not have a graphics accelerator that supports addressing technology over 4 GB, may result in the system not working for displaying images on a computer monitor. If this happens, the only way out of the situation can often be default. Therefore, the option can only be enabled if your computer has a 64-bit PCI-Express video card. Enabling the option will free up some of the RAM used for the needs of the video card.
Otherwise, if you do not have a 64-bit video card installed in your system, it is best to leave the function disabled. Also, the option should be left disabled if 64-bit is not installed on the computer. operating system or less than 4 GB of RAM present. In some cases Computer BIOS automatically determines the need to enable the function when the computer boots.
4G – mobile communications fourth generation, allowing data transfer at speeds exceeding 100 Mbit/s for mobile devices. It is not surprising that more and more users want to know how to enable 4G LTE on Android: previously, such speeds were only available on computers.
Before attempting to connect to 4G, you need to make sure that mobile device supports the operation of this standard. If you have a modern smartphone, then no problems should arise, but it is advisable to check its specifications on the manufacturer’s website or in any large online hardware store.
The next stage is checking the operator and coverage area. On everyone's website mobile operator There is a network coverage map with the ability to switch between different standards. This map clearly shows that while 2G and 3G are available almost everywhere, the 4G network is just beginning to spread throughout the country. 
Not only the phone, but also the SIM card must support 4G. You can usually find out whether a SIM card will work in the fourth generation network using the USSD command. For example, TELE2 subscribers need to dial *156# on their phone and press the call button. An SMS with the result will be sent in response. If the SIM card does not support the LTE standard, you can replace it with another one at the communication store. After installing a new SIM card into your phone, you will receive a message with settings for working in the fourth generation network.
If the device has “pure” Android without shells from third-party developers, then to enable 4G you must follow these steps:
Changes are saved automatically, so you can exit settings and enjoy all the benefits of modern communications. To connect to the mobile Internet, lower the top menu on the work screen and activate data transfer. 
Another option is in the same section where you selected the network type, check the box next to “Data transfer”. When prompted that an open connection may result in data transfer and associated charges, click OK. The costs in this situation are mobile traffic included in the tariff by the operator.
On Samsung phones The process of turning on 4G is slightly different due to the nature of the shell stretched over Android. To use the fourth generation network:
As a result, a Samsung smartphone will start working on a 4G network, provided that other requirements are met: the device supports the standard and is in the coverage area.
If the phone does not work on the 4G network, then the reasons for the problem may be different:
- The mobile device does not support the 4G-LTE standard.
- The operator does not provide 4G network access services.
- The phone is out of coverage area.
- Mobile Internet is not configured.
If the first three reasons are difficult to cope with, then check the condition mobile internet and, if necessary, each user can configure it. The first step is to make sure that mobile data is turned on. 
It would not be an exaggeration to say that the leading manufacturers of personal platforms “ overslept» cryptocurrency boom in terms of support from its own motherboards. When Bitcoin mining had just started, and economical ASIC gadgets had not yet entered the game (with billions of dollars in turnover, the extraction of digital monetary assets is still perceived as a game in which sooner or later the bank would be “broken”), installing four video adapters was the norm.
Today the bill is on computers, the core of which are GPUs installed on one mining platform has exceeded a dozen, and already a dozen PEG adapters are perceived as a “problem”: the cost of the motherboard, central processor, plus memory and storage is significantly visible against the background of the total cost of video cards, even taking into account their exorbitant price.
The first bell rang in the spring of this year, when the problems of installing professional video cards with colossal amounts of video memory on board made themselves felt. It became obvious that placing the range of graphics accelerator addresses that has grown out of the “short pants” of 32-bit addressing in a 4-gigabyte space is both difficult and problematic (why, it is explained). To solve this problem, ASUS then equipped its products based on the flagship (at that time) Intel Z270 chipset with the option Above 4G Decoding:
Fig 1
The ability to 64-bit address video adapter resources outside the 32-bit space (which is four gigabytes of addressable memory) came in handy for Ethereum miners. Vitalik Buternin’s new cryptocurrency has revived the mining process on personal platforms, first of all, demonstrating a confident increase in exchange rate value.
Fig 2. Vitalik Buternin (left), founder of the Ethereum project
It turned out that if graphics adapter drivers support 64-bit addressing, then, thanks to enabling the option Above 4G Decoding V UEFI installations BIOS, you can provide mining on almost any number of video cards. Their use will be regulated by completely different factors that do not depend on the initialization of the personal platform.
Sensitively responding to the needs of a skinny market by today's standards, ASUS quickly updated the UEFI of motherboards that were not originally intended for cryptocurrency mining. Fortunately, the hardware was completely ready for this. The process stretched from the beginning of March to the end of July, when Above 4G Decoding has become the default option for all new products.
The update to the expandable proprietary software interface even affected such market veterans as ASUS H170 Pro and ASUS Z170-A. Developed more than two years ago, these platforms based on various versions of the 170 chipset from Intel, however, are still within the warranty window (remember that the Taiwanese manufacturer guarantees three years of service for its motherboards). Their use in mining farms is fully justified - entry-level budget processors cover cryptocurrency needs, significantly reducing the overhead costs of an infrastructure startup.
Those who like to study the capabilities of the BIOS (UEFI) of their computer or laptop can often find in it an option called “Above 4g decoding”, which has two states - Enabled (activated) and Disabled (disabled). It is most often located on the “Advanced” or “Boot” tab and is almost always initially turned off.
In this article we will tell you what this parameter is responsible for and when it needs to be activated.
What does Above 4g decoding do?
To answer this question, we will provide a short reference on the functioning of a computer. It is no secret to many that the interaction of some devices connected to the motherboard with the central processor is carried out through RAM. Data, for example from a video card, awaits its turn in a specially designated area of RAM before being processed by the central processor.
This leads to the fact that the performance of the RAM is reduced in its remaining tasks, which can result in a decrease in overall system performance.
To solve this problem, a technology was invented to move a section in RAM for data exchange between the processor and PCI devices beyond the limit of 4 GB. Of course, if you have more than 4 GB of RAM. It's called Above 4g decoding.
But for this option to work, several conditions must be met:
- The amount of installed RAM must be more than 4GB;
- The operating system must be x64 bit;
- Devices connected to PCI and PCI-Express slots must support 64-bit addressing.
Do I need to enable Above 4g decoding?
This should only be done if you are completely sure that all the above conditions are met on your computer. Otherwise, activating this setting may result in .
If this has already happened to you, then you can correct the situation by resetting BIOS settings, for example from the motherboard for a few minutes.
