GekkoScience Compac BM1384 Stickminer Official Support Thread

[sidehack]

It's always fun when people see problems that I never have, even though I've tested literally every Compac on both Windows and Linux before they go out. Glad it's working for you now.

[gt_addict]

I appreciate the help, I was concerned that because I was a freebie it may have been damaged by the previous owner so thought I would come here seeing as I had problems. But it turned out that the problem was the operator  ......me 

[connersc]

I am new to linux and bitcoin mining and I am having some issues. Heres what I am working with:
Raspberry Pi 2 with Raspbian Wheezy (fully up to date as of yesterday)
1 GekkoScience Compac BM1384 Stickminer currently plugged directly in the the RPi USB (not a powered hub/no cooling)
cgminer 4.9.2 all set up following Novaks guide on this site for cgminer-gekko

I am having these issues:
1. Using sudo ./cgminer -o stratum+tcp://stratum.bitcoin.cz:3333 -u connersc.worker1 -p anything --compac-freq 150 I get an error that the --compac-freq command is not recognized and cgminer does not start. When using the same command with out that option it started with the gekko defaulting to 125. How do I change the freq/voltage?
2. I am using slushs pool and at 125 it registers with the pool and everything seems dandy (6+ GH), but twice now when it hit a block, some error occurred (not sure the error as I was away at the time) and it stopped hashing and eventually went zombie status. The first time this happened I restarted the Pi and restarted cgminer and it was back up and running. However, the second time now it wont start running properly giving errors like : compac 1: no valid hashes for over 10 secs, attempting to reset
compac 1 attempted reset got err:(0) LIBUSB_SUCCESS
compac 1: device failed to respond to restart
compac 1 failure, disabling! and then i repeats for compac 2 etc till zombie

Can anyone help me out? Did I brick it? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[sidehack]

If --compac-freq is not recognized, you are using stock cgminer and not the cgminer written for the Compac.

Have you read through this support thread at all, specifically the first page or so?

[vapourminer]

I am new to linux and bitcoin mining and I am having some issues. Heres what I am working with:
Raspberry Pi 2 with Raspbian Wheezy (fully up to date as of yesterday)
1 GekkoScience Compac BM1384 Stickminer currently plugged directly in the the RPi USB (not a powered hub/no cooling)
cgminer 4.9.2 all set up following Novaks guide on this site for cgminer-gekko

can the rpi 2 actually put out enough current to its usb port? the compac generally needs .5 amp or more depending on its speed and voltage settings.

what are you powering the rpi with?

most all of us that run rpis as controllers run the compacs on powered hubs

[connersc]

I used this method off the first page to set up everything. So, I thought this would take care of it. I did use a different dependency set though I believe. The RPi does provide enough power to run it at 125 as thats what I am doing now, though I know if I want to run it higher I will need a powered USB. I think I fixed the issue with restarting as I did have too many devices plugged in the the RPi and it wasn't getting enough juice. However, after hashing fine for hours, does the power issue explain it failing when the pool hit a block?

If you want to run the sticks on linux, you'll need either bfgminer or cgminer.  Either way you are probably going to have to compile them, but I've had little trouble with this so it's probably just a matter of running a few simple commands.

Here's what you'd do to get cgminer on linux going:
1. Open a terminal.
2. wget http://gekkoscience.com/misc/cgminer-gekko.tar.gz            

This downloads the file- you can save it from your browser instead, it's the same thing.

3. tar -xvzf cgminer-gekko.tar.gz

This extracts the files. which are compressed (like a zip file for linux)

4. cd cgminer-gekko
 
Enters the cgminer-gekko folder you just extracted.

5. sudo apt-get install build-essential autoconf automake libtool

You need to install the dependencies for cgminer.

6. ./autogen.sh

This will generate a configure script for you which will set up compiling for your system.

7. ./configure --enable-gekko

This will configure the build.  This is the most likely place to have anything go wrong, if it does, let me know exactly what's up.  Odds are it would be some package that you should have installed.

8. make

Performs the build.  If you get an error there- again, let me know details.

You are ready to run cgminer.  This should look something like:

./cgminer -o stratum+tcp://stratum.mining.eligius.st:3334 -u 1BURGERAXHH6Yi6LRybRJK7ybEm5m5HwTr --compac-freq 150

Although if you don't have permissions setup you may have to become root or use sudo, eg,

sudo ./cgminer -o stratum+tcp://stratum.mining.eligius.st:3334 -u 1BURGERAXHH6Yi6LRybRJK7ybEm5m5HwTr --compac-freq 150

cgminer should now detect any compacs plugged in while it is running.  Obviously you'll use a slightly different command to launch cgminer, if you use that one you'll be mining for us!  Most pools even post example commands, let me know if you need help figuring it out.

--
novak
[/quote]

[sidehack]

If you're running on 125MHz, turn the voltage down to 600mV and it'll use a lot less power.

If you followed the directions from the first post, and installed cgminer-gekko, then your command line will recognize --compac-freq. The sample command line in the instructions is copied directly from what we use for testing all Compacs with that software. Make sure it's spelled correctly. It looks like you are using cgminer-gekko, as with standard cgminer you'd see the stick enumerate as a U3 and try to hash at something like 225MHz, where it'd try to draw about 900mA from your USB port and probably turn off.

That doesn't explain why it would kick out after finding a block. It could be a power issue, maybe with a bit of burst current after scrapping everything and pushing entirely new work? That's not an issue I've ever seen, but then I've never run a stick directly off a Pi. Try turning the voltage down to about 590-600mV for 125MHz (610 or so if you can make it run at 150MHz) and it'll draw USB2-spec power.

[philipma1957]

I used this method off the first page to set up everything. So, I thought this would take care of it. I did use a different dependency set though I believe. The RPi does provide enough power to run it at 125 as thats what I am doing now, though I know if I want to run it higher I will need a powered USB. I think I fixed the issue with restarting as I did have too many devices plugged in the the RPi and it wasn't getting enough juice. However, after hashing fine for hours, does the power issue explain it failing when the pool hit a block?

It has a reset and a tiny power boost on the draw.

the rasp pi is lacking the testicles for that boost.

there are solutions.    use this to power the rasp pi


http://www.amazon.com/Anker-Charger-Foldable-Technology-Motorola/dp/B014ZN63T4?

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-3-Feet-Cable-External-Drive/dp/B0047AALS0/ref=sr_1_8?


and then use this to run the single  stick


http://www.amazon.com/Soumooo-Quality-Enhancer-Female-Extension/dp/B01C5IPUIQ/ref=sr_1_3?



this will allow a lot more juice for the stick.


I just added this from sidehack as he is the master. 

If you're running on 125MHz, turn the voltage down to 600mV and it'll use a lot less power.

If you followed the directions from the first post, and installed cgminer-gekko, then your command line will recognize --compac-freq. The sample command line in the instructions is copied directly from what we use for testing all Compacs with that software. Make sure it's spelled correctly. It looks like you are using cgminer-gekko, as with standard cgminer you'd see the stick enumerate as a U3 and try to hash at something like 225MHz, where it'd try to draw about 900mA from your USB port and probably turn off.

That doesn't explain why it would kick out after finding a block. It could be a power issue, maybe with a bit of burst current after scrapping everything and pushing entirely new work? That's not an issue I've ever seen, but then I've never run a stick directly off a Pi. Try turning the voltage down to about 590-600mV for 125MHz (610 or so if you can make it run at 150MHz) and it'll draw USB2-spec power.

if you try my ideas and his ideas combined you will be fine.

I know many power bricks for rasp pi's fall short.  mine will not fall short.

[connersc]

Thanks guys. The kick out after finding a block seems to be a power issue as with no other devices plugged into the Pi except the miner, it worked after the most recently block was found. I will try to reinstall/compile/whatnot using the initial directions to get the --compaq-freq to work. I appreciate the suggestions on ways to power it and I plan on buying what I need to get it working properly, I just wanted to get it to work initially first. Trying not to give into the urge to buy a few more and set up a rig as a project, because the fiance might kill me lol. Thanks for the help!

[Jake36]

@connersc

Plus with the compac directly plugged into the Pi, it may be causing heat problems in the USB chip from pulling the power to run the compac.

It may have just happened to hit some over temp cut-out just as the block was found (just a guess ??).

[sidehack]

Also, to reiterate, make sure it's spelled correctly. Because if your command line says "compaq-freq" it won't work, on account of this stick miner is in no way associated with a defunct PC manufacturer.

[Biodom]

I used this method off the first page to set up everything. So, I thought this would take care of it. I did use a different dependency set though I believe. The RPi does provide enough power to run it at 125 as thats what I am doing now, though I know if I want to run it higher I will need a powered USB. I think I fixed the issue with restarting as I did have too many devices plugged in the the RPi and it wasn't getting enough juice. However, after hashing fine for hours, does the power issue explain it failing when the pool hit a block?

If you want to run the sticks on linux, you'll need either bfgminer or cgminer.  Either way you are probably going to have to compile them, but I've had little trouble with this so it's probably just a matter of running a few simple commands.

Here's what you'd do to get cgminer on linux going:
1. Open a terminal.
2. wget http://gekkoscience.com/misc/cgminer-gekko.tar.gz            

This downloads the file- you can save it from your browser instead, it's the same thing.

3. tar -xvzf cgminer-gekko.tar.gz

This extracts the files. which are compressed (like a zip file for linux)

4. cd cgminer-gekko
 
Enters the cgminer-gekko folder you just extracted.

5. sudo apt-get install build-essential autoconf automake libtool

You need to install the dependencies for cgminer.

6. ./autogen.sh

This will generate a configure script for you which will set up compiling for your system.

7. ./configure --enable-gekko

This will configure the build.  This is the most likely place to have anything go wrong, if it does, let me know exactly what's up.  Odds are it would be some package that you should have installed.

8. make

Performs the build.  If you get an error there- again, let me know details.

You are ready to run cgminer.  This should look something like:

./cgminer -o stratum+tcp://stratum.mining.eligius.st:3334 -u 1BURGERAXHH6Yi6LRybRJK7ybEm5m5HwTr --compac-freq 150

Although if you don't have permissions setup you may have to become root or use sudo, eg,

sudo ./cgminer -o stratum+tcp://stratum.mining.eligius.st:3334 -u 1BURGERAXHH6Yi6LRybRJK7ybEm5m5HwTr --compac-freq 150

cgminer should now detect any compacs plugged in while it is running.  Obviously you'll use a slightly different command to launch cgminer, if you use that one you'll be mining for us!  Most pools even post example commands, let me know if you need help figuring it out.

--
novak

[/quote]

thant novak writeup is partially incorrect now because last time I used it, it was cgminer-gekko-rev2.
I will provide instructions in the next post.

[Biodom]

cgminer addition:

earlier instructions basically as described, then

wget http://gekkoscience.com/misc/cgminer-gekko.tar.gz

tar xzf cgminer-gekko.tar.gz

cd cgminer-gekko-rev2  #this is where there are some differences

sudo apt-get install autotools-dev libtool libusb-dev libudev-dev

./configure --enable-gekko

make

this should compile a cgminer in the dir you are in.. so you can run it by
./cgminer -o stratum+tcp://stratum.mining.eligius.st:3334 -u 1BURGERAXHH6Yi6LRybRJK7ybEm5m5HwTr --compac-freq 150

fill in your own bitcoin username (after -u)

[sidehack]

And if you want to run a U3 or most other stickminers, you'll need to --enable-icarus as well.

[zOU]

well it happens that my neighbour has the tools I need, so I'll be working on my heatsinks this afternoon.

I also received a superbpag hub last week and all 6 sticks have been running flawlessly at 310Mhs...

So modding is on its way to be finished !

------ edit---

drilling tapering done, wasn't as tricky as I thought it would.


I had to remove the usb doctors as they cause problems when only 1 cable is connected...

[christiansenn]

Hi
I download latest gekkoscience.com/misc/cgminer-gekko-win32.zip

but when I run it
Cgminer.exe application error the application was unable to start correctly 0xc00007b click ok to close the application

I tried the earlier version for win32 and that works fine but no support for eu versions of sticks.

[zOU]

What is your OS?

win32 binary: gekkoscience.com/misc/cgminer-gekko-win32.zip
The current version supports bitshopper compacs as well, and can be (and is, in the case of windows) compiled with icarus support.

[christiansenn]

win10 64 bit
I tested in Linux then it all works fine.

[sidehack]

You made sure to copy over the zlib.dll or whichever it's called?

Also, Win10 sucks. I'll probably never officially acknowledge support for Win10 because I'll never have a computer running it to test anything on. But a couple folks on here have used it with success.

[leowonderful]

You made sure to copy over the zlib.dll or whichever it's called?

Also, Win10 sucks. I'll probably never officially acknowledge support for Win10 because I'll never have a computer running it to test anything on. But a couple folks on here have used it with success.

Win10 does suck. Windows pumped it full with added things they assume their customers need, but really it's just microsoft being sold out by a few companies and it drags down performance in basically every area. The only computer that I have running Win10 is a dell 11 series laptop, and it's at 80c idling because of all the extra features on there dragging it down. Don't do it, don't upgrade! My compac works fine on W10 though, but since I use a rpi to control my compacs it's useless.