GekkoScience 2Pac/Compac BM1384 Stickminer Official Support Thread

[achtung082]

I rebuilt the controller for my 2Pac's and now a strange issue I've never had before. This is really probably more an Ubuntu 14.04 question.

Does anyone know why a screen session would show active in "ps -aux",  but not be listed with "screen -ls" (sudo and su don't work either)? The miners are connected to the pool and running but I can't connect to the screen session.
If I run the same startup script after boot manually everything works as expected. I use the same boot process on all my miners and have never seen this issue before, but is has been a while since I rebuilt one.

root      2133  0.0  0.0   2680  1016 ?        Ss   14:25   0:00 SCREEN -dmS vtg ./loadvtgkk.sh
root      2138  0.0  0.0   1388   456 pts/0    Ss+  14:25   0:00 /bin/sh ./loadvtgkk.sh
root      2139  4.9  0.2 248036  5164 pts/0    S<l+ 14:25   0:02 ./cgminer -o stratum+tcp://xxxxxxxxxxxxx:xxxxx -u xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
root      2151  0.0  0.0   1388   512 ?        S    14:25   0:00 /bin/sh /etc/init.d/ondemand background
root      2157  0.0  0.0   1328   396 ?        S    14:25   0:00 sleep 60
root      2161  0.0  0.0   1804   696 tty1     Ss+  14:25   0:00 /sbin/getty -8 38400 tty1
root      2202  0.2  0.0      0     0 ?        S    14:25   0:00 [kworker/0:3]
root      2210  1.2  0.1   9704  3008 ?        Ss   14:26   0:00 sshd: miner [priv]
miner     2260  0.2  0.0   9704  1516 ?        S    14:26   0:00 sshd: miner@pts/2
miner     2263  0.2  0.0   2524  1528 pts/2    Ss   14:26   0:00 -bash
miner     2274  0.0  0.0   2344   856 pts/2    R+   14:26   0:00 ps -aux
miner@odroid-server:~$ sudo screen -ls
[sudo] password for miner:
No Sockets found in /var/run/screen/S-root.

Use su root to access the screen. It's running as the root user. (sudo will launch the command as the current user with super user privileges, but screen is running as a totally different user.)

If your screen launches as part of your startup, you need to launch it as your miner user, not the root user. (su miner -c '<script to run' )

The script won't even run with su at startup, but does also work if you run it from the cli after boot.

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[Dadbodfiesta]

I'm trying to configure the 2pac on a raspberry pi but after I finish entering the code, the readout says there are no gekko devices enabled.  What am I missing here?

Do you use cgminer?
Did you compile it yourself exactly like described in post #1?
What operating system do you use?

I got the 2pac configured but when i go to run "./cgminer -o stratum+tcp://pool.ckpool.org:3333 -u 1BURGERAXHH6Yi6LRybRJK7ybEm5m5HwTr -p x --suggest-diff 32"
I get an error saying that cgminer command wasnt found

try this to make sure you are in the right directory-
cd git/vthoang/cgminer
./cgminer -o stratum+tcp://pool.ckpool.org:3333 -u YOURWALLETID -p x --suggest-diff 32

I'm assuming of course you set everything as per page 1. If so, that should do the trick I would think. If you give the command to run cgminer without being in the correct directory, it won't work.

I guess it was just a syntax error, your suggested code worked but im getting a new error saying there is no work coming from the servers.  I signed up with slushpool and registered a worker.. not sure what else I need to do here.

[wavelengthsf]

The script won't even run with su at startup, but does also work if you run it from the cli after boot.

Are you running it through rc.local?

Here's what mine looks like:

su - pi -c "/usr/bin/screen -dmS miner /home/pi/git/vthoang/cgminer/cgminer --config  /home/pi/.cgminer/cgminer.conf --gekko-2pac-freq 150 --suggest-diff 90"

(My user is named pi)

[achtung082]

The script won't even run with su at startup, but does also work if you run it from the cli after boot.

Are you running it through rc.local?

Here's what mine looks like:

su - pi -c "/usr/bin/screen -dmS miner /home/pi/git/vthoang/cgminer/cgminer --config  /home/pi/.cgminer/cgminer.conf --gekko-2pac-freq 150 --suggest-diff 90"

(My user is named pi)

My startup is a bit more convoluted and has multiple instances of cgminer setup for different hardware.
/etc/init.d/startup.sh

#!/bin/bash
#debian
cd /home/miner
sudo ./loader.sh

##debian BBB### Don't use ###
#su - root /root/loader.sh

------------------
/home/miner/loader.sh

#!/bin/bash
DEFAULT_DELAY=0

sleep 10
screen -dmS vtg "./loadvtgkk.sh"
sleep 15
screen -dmS hfa "./loadhfa.sh"
#sleep 20
#screen -dmS gsb "./loadgsb.sh"
#sleep 35
#screen -dmS bxf "./loadbxf.sh"
sleep 40
screen -dmS gpd ./loadgpd.sh


Each one of these load scripts has its own cgminer path and is built for the specific chip/miner. I have been running this setup on BBB, PI, Odroid, Banana PI and full PC for some time and it has worked very well and not so well in certain circumstances.

[achtung082]

I built a new board with Debian and everything works as expected.

[sunk818]

Y cables: you connect  the top side of the Y to two slots on the hub, then connect the third to your stick, which would be getting double the power (if needed)

do you have a source for cheap y cables? so two A males and one A female? I have the unpluggable 60w usb 2.0 hub, but still getting zombie sometimes. hoping extra volt/amp will give me more watts reliably.

[hercthx]

Hey builders, my apologies if in the wrong thread, if so please advise where to re-post.

I'm wondering if you have any suggestions for a heat resistant material. I'm building a little rig using a 20 port USB 3.0 array. The issue is that for these sticks, the port rows are a tad too close together. I was wondering if any of you guys could suggest a material I could put between the rows of sticks to keep the heat-sinks of one row from contacting the next row's boards, as well as preventing some kind of heat transfer from happening. I know i'll get transfer no matter what, just looking to minimise said transfer. 

I was initially thinking of using port extenders, but that would put the heat sinks from the lower row up against the next higher rows lower half of the board so no go on that I'm thinking.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts, or advice you may have.

[der_wasi]

Do you want to use every port of a 20 port USB hub? If you overclock them to about 200 MHz you will need about 10 W per stick. That makes 2 A per stick. That would be a 200 W power supply.

[hercthx]

Yes the array is rated at 200w, that's not the issue I'm facing however.

Right now I only have 4 slots or 1 row filled at 250mhz and they are hot AF, so far no discolorization, but can only keep my finger on the heat-sinks for about 5 seconds before the ouch factor sets in even with fan assisted cooling. Therefore I feel when I get to the point of filling the slots row by row this may be too hot.

The first 12 I'll be arranging every second row, but when I get the final 8 I'll be filling up the empty rows, and as the array gets more filled out, I'll start dialling them back, maybe even back to 200mhz, but even still the rows are too close together so I'm looking for a solution to insulate contact and heat between rows as best as I can, with whatever materials you guys can suggest. Contemplating maybe breadboard insulated with high-heat tape? IDK

[Biodom]

Y cables: you connect  the top side of the Y to two slots on the hub, then connect the third to your stick, which would be getting double the power (if needed)

do you have a source for cheap y cables? so two A males and one A female? I have the unpluggable 60w usb 2.0 hub, but still getting zombie sometimes. hoping extra volt/amp will give me more watts reliably.

i don't remember what i used exactly, just chose one with really thick cables either on ebay or aliexpress.
however, i just looked and see these two almost identical items:

one is cheap ($1.58), but on a slow ship from china:
https://www.ebay.com/i/322525934262

the same item on amazon is $5, but you would probably get it sooner:
https://www.amazon.com/Female-Dual-Extra-Power-Cable/dp/B00M4SH7KW

one more:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XPJLBSJ #expensive at $8.57; this one has usb 3, which could give a little more kick, it is also prime, so you get it in 2 days, if you are on prime.

make sure that ends are correct (check your hub-two M ends go there and the stick-it goes to F connector).
when i ordered, had to also order m-f adapters as ends were wrong, so check the pics of items above against your hub and stick.

[sidehack]

Logic - would everyone and their mothers be building giant GPU rigs for ethereum if cheap simple ASICs would do the trick?
Logic - are hard-wired circuits precognitively forward-compatible with algorithms that hadn't been created yet when they were designed?
Logic - is this simple question likely to have been asked (and answered) a thousand times already over the past couple years?

[dpimenta]

Hi there guys, i'm new to this stuff, but i have read all the stuff needed to put this usb miner working. The only trouble i have is, the usb miner is working slowly, the hash rate is about 2-3 Gh/s. I've changed the mhz to 150,125, but the results are pretty much the same, arround 4Gh/s. i thought the problem was the hub usb (i use a aukey CB-H19) but i realise that the is more than enough. I run the system (windows 10 64bits) in a virtualization server running vmware.

If someone knows what's happening.

https://imgur.com/a/TWWKQ

[hercthx]

Did you try adjusting the voltage? When you up your clock-speed its best to up your voltage as well as per the power chart in the readme file. plus make sure your USB port is supplying sufficient power.

[sidehack]

Is that one of them auto-switching pools that'll have you drop everything and restart your work frequently?

[Valnurat]

I can see I have a lot of HW failures.
Is this because it does not get the power it should have?

Try turning up your ASIC voltage. The pot is located on the backside of the stick in the right bottom corner right next to the USB port. Try turning it clockwise until the flat side is at 3 o´clock. If you are still getting HW errors turn it further until there are no HW errors anymore.

I have tried what you wrote and I bought myself a USB safety tester, but when I turning ASIC voltage clockwise nothing happens. No matter what I do, it just sticks to the same numbers as you can see in the picture.


Another thing is that on 1 of my sticks the voltage is not there anymore.

[der_wasi]

I think at the left stick the screw is missing.

The USB voltage doesn´t change if you turn the potentiometer. So you won´t be able to see that on your tester.
Turn it clockwise, for at least the one stick, that has a screw and check if the HW errors are less.
Alternatively you can run the stick with 50 MHz and see if it works.

[Valnurat]

I think at the left stick the screw is missing.

The USB voltage doesn´t change if you turn the potentiometer. So you won´t be able to see that on your tester.
Turn it clockwise, for at least the one stick, that has a screw and check if the HW errors are less.
Alternatively you can run the stick with 50 MHz and see if it works.

Oh, I thought that was for controlling the "power" for the stick.

How do I read the chart of power draw?
If I run the stick with 200 MHz how much power is used?

[hercthx]

You can google the 2PAC BM1384 USB Setup Guide PDF if you don't find it at the top of post, the chart is at the bottom of the document.

The screw adjusts the voltage on the stick, the stick voltage can be measured with a multi-meter detailed elsewhere in this post.

I got that tester device as well, so far as I can tell, it will return USB port electrical values, like how many amps are provided at which voltage, great for checking the condition of a port and info for calculating how much time it will take to charge a device and so on. I don't think it measures the power requirements of a device though. I just got it, so I'm still figuring it out myself.

Reading this post thoroughly, and completely, will take a bit of time, but really does answer pretty much all questions! That with a bit of googling really can get your build going!

Also that left stick with no screw is, well, screwed (yes I know bad dad pun), don't think you will be able to properly adjust the voltage or get any for that matter. IDK more knowledgeable people than myself could confirm.

[Valnurat]

You can google the 2PAC BM1384 USB Setup Guide PDF if you don't find it at the top of post, the chart is at the bottom of the document.

The screw adjusts the voltage on the stick, the stick voltage can be measured with a multi-meter detailed elsewhere in this post.

I got that tester device as well, so far as I can tell, it will return USB port electrical values, like how many amps are provided at which voltage, great for checking the condition of a port and info for calculating how much time it will take to charge a device and so on. I don't think it measures the power requirements of a device though. I just got it, so I'm still figuring it out myself.

Reading this post thoroughly, and completely, will take a bit of time, but really does answer pretty much all questions! That with a bit of googling really can get your build going!

Also that left stick with no screw is, well, screwed (yes I know bad dad pun), don't think you will be able to properly adjust the voltage or get any for that matter. IDK more knowledgeable people than myself could confirm.

Hmm, I did ask where to read the chart. I asked how do I read the chart?

[der_wasi]

You don´t need the chart. Just turn the pot clockwise until there are no more new HW errors (That´s when the HW counter stops counting. Not when it sets to zero.).