New miner needs help

[MinerEire]

Hey, just downloaded the software there and im wondering whats the best way to start mining? any tips or links to useful freeware etc?

Thanks

[1bitc0inplz]

Find a pool to join, for sure.

[MinerEire]

just reading up on pools now. how do i get into a pool though?

[kefir]

Find a pool you want to join. New pools are posted here regularly, and there's also an article on the wiki with a few:

https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Pooled_mining

When you've joined a pool you'll have received a username, password, hostname and port number. Use the standard bitcoin program something like this to do work:

Code:

bitcoin --get --rpcuser=<user> --rpcpassword=<password> --rpcconnect=<hostname> --rpcport=<port>

or get poclbm or cpuminer or some other client that may be able to work more efficiently.

[mewantsbitcoins]

for cpu's ufasoft miner is the best

[MinerEire]

im going to try to run off my gpu. i've got an ATI Radeon 5870. I dont know how to run it off that though, found a blog here http://www.newslobster.com/random/how-to-get-started-using-your-gpu-to-mine-for-bitcoins-on-windows but its a little hard to follow