Lancelot's firmware

[squall1066]

Question 1) I keep getting told to update my firmware on these to v42 but no one will tell me how I do it, When I search around I see I need a Jtag lead? Can anyone elaborate?


Question 2) I have had problems with stability on 2 boards, Both reporting as running 1GHz, I got Blackarrow on and he sorted it in 5 min, I since lost my HDD and with the help of another member I got back to square one, Blackarrow is too busy at the moment, I would like someone to see what's going on.



The second card runs like the first for about an hour then goes "off" status, Though still powered on.

Can anyone help me? I am not very technical on Linux so if you need more info, Please tell me how to get that up for you.

Regards

[blackarrow]

Question 1) I keep getting told to update my firmware on these to v42 but no one will tell me how I do it, When I search around I see I need a Jtag lead? Can anyone elaborate?

1, install XILINX Lab tooles (or ISE).
2, find and open "iMPACT" tool. press "cancel" if any dialog box popup.
3, connect the Platform Cable, power Icarus. the indicator light on the cable turn green.
4, click " Boundary Scan".  click "Initialize Chain". press "cancel" if any dialog box popup.
5, click "SPI/BPI ?" icon at the top of xc6slx150 device. and assign the MCS file. select "SPI PROM", "W25Q64BV/CV", "4".
6, repeat step 5 for the other FPGA.
7, right click FLASH icon and select program.
8, wait for at least 8 min, than it will fail.
9, turn off Icarus, and tun on. you will find the FLASH is already updated.
10, do  7~9 for the other FPGA.
11, finish.

Question 2) I have had problems with stability on 2 boards, Both reporting as running 1GHz, I got Blackarrow on and he sorted it in 5 min, I since lost my HDD and with the help of another member I got back to square one, Blackarrow is too busy at the moment, I would like someone to see what's going on.

1Ghz report is cgminer's bug. However, the performance is better: look at the accepted packages. I would leave the firmware as it is as it outperforms the 200mhz version.

The second card runs like the first for about an hour then goes "off" status, Though still powered on.

Can anyone help me? I am not very technical on Linux so if you need more info, Please tell me how to get that up for you.

This is due do dodgy hub. Use a better hub. If you do not have one, try to switch the ports in the hub but this is only a temporary solution that won't solve the problem for good.

[squall1066]

Thanks for your reply, I Have been doing some fiddling and plugged the "off" one directly into the computer (thus avoiding any hub) and It still goes off, I also tryed changing the USB lead, Still goes off after about one and a half hours. I will still try other ports in the system but for now is there anything else I can try?

I will take your advice and leave the firmware, As its good accepted packages.

[blackarrow]

Thanks for your reply, I Have been doing some fiddling and plugged the "off" one directly into the computer (thus avoiding any hub) and It still goes off, I also tryed changing the USB lead, Still goes off after about one and a half hours. I will still try other ports in the system but for now is there anything else I can try?

I will take your advice and leave the firmware, As its good accepted packages.

You can always try the 200mhz firmware on the device that goes off.
Also, the new cgminer (newer than 3.1.1) should restart it automatically.

[squall1066]

Thanks for your reply, I Have been doing some fiddling and plugged the "off" one directly into the computer (thus avoiding any hub) and It still goes off, I also tryed changing the USB lead, Still goes off after about one and a half hours. I will still try other ports in the system but for now is there anything else I can try?

I will take your advice and leave the firmware, As its good accepted packages.

You can always try the 200mhz firmware on the device that goes off.
Also, the new cgminer (newer than 3.1.1) should restart it automatically.

Cool, I will give an update a try, I have tryed a different system and it still goes off.

I thought 3.1.1 was the latest? That what I use and that does not re-enable the device?

[blackarrow]

I thought 3.1.1 was the latest? That what I use and that does not re-enable the device?

Not yet released. You can build it like this:

Code:

git clone https://github.com/ckolivas/cgminer.git
cd cgminer
git pull --all
git checkout icarus-dev
CFLAGS="-g -W -Wall" ./autogen.sh --enable-bflsc --enable-icarus --enable-bitforce --enable-modminer --enable-ztex
make

[squall1066]

Afraid none of that helped, But I did solve the problem, I spent alot of time just switching around leads and psu's but I decided to attach the board to a molex connector, So far it's been on around 6 hours no problems!

I did try molex before, And it did not work because I did not know how to use CGminer properly, So it never showed the device up before.

I will try and update the firmware with the instructions provided, I would like to know how to do it.

[RamirezX]

I just updated my Lancelots with v42 firmware. It looks it's faster. But the Idle time is too long now, degrading average speed of hashing. It takes 2-3 sec.
Is there any possibility to cut the idle state?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r29LQ8m8jrA

EDIT: change of  --icarus-timing solves it

[kodo]

This is cool thanks.