PiMiner - DIY mining controller/monitor with Raspberry Pi [v1.1]

[LaserHorse]

hrrrmm … possible you have another instance cgminer running in the background?

Your best bet is to reboot the Pi and try running cgminer normally (not in background) using:

sudo ./cgminer-3.1.1/cgminer --config /home/pi/cgminer.conf -S /dev/ttyUSB0 -S /dev/ttyUSB1

If cgminer runs into an issue, it should display an error.

[Rotorgeek]

Guys thanks for all the help, I got it fixed.
Someone asked me for a screen grab of the .conf file and when I was editing out the login info I noticed something.

The instructions said Update the below template with your mining pool credentials by replacing "PoolAddress:Port",
"UserName.WorkerName", and "Password" with your info, then copy & paste into the nano editor: Well I din't verify it transferred over properly.  There were some line break errors. I fixed those and it's up and hashing away.

[LaserHorse]

excellent 

[howzbit]

Also - please ensure you're using a USB hub which is compatible with the RPi.
As a general rule - avoid USB 3.0 hubs!

a list of verified compatible hubs can be found here:
http://elinux.org/RPi_VerifiedPeripherals#Working_USB_Hubs

Thank you for this!

I'm planning on building a PiMiner also...just gather all the parts.

Wish me luck!

[LaserHorse]

Thank you for this!

I'm planning on building a PiMiner also...just gather all the parts.

Wish me luck!

Good Luck!

Working on v1.1 now - new features coming soon.

[howzbit]

Quick question:

I'm planning to run 30 usb miners with the PiMiner, could I hook up 3 of these 10 port USB hubs (RPi non-compatible) to say 1 D-link hub that is compatible for the RPi?

Will this work?

I plan to add more later.

[LaserHorse]

I'm planning to run 30 usb miners with the PiMiner, could I hook up 3 of these 10 port USB hubs (RPi non-compatible) to say 1 D-link hub that is compatible for the RPi?

Will this work?

Unforch, not likely.  USB 1.1 devices, like the Erupters, don't work through USB3 hubs on the Pi.
sucks. I wanted to use one as well.

[howzbit]

I'm planning to run 30 usb miners with the PiMiner, could I hook up 3 of these 10 port USB hubs (RPi non-compatible) to say 1 D-link hub that is compatible for the RPi?

Will this work?

Unforch, not likely.  USB 1.1 devices, like the Erupters, don't work through USB3 hubs on the Pi.
sucks. I wanted to use one as well.

So my best bet would to use link multiple USB 2.0 hubs but I'm hardly seeing compatible 10-port on that list with enough amps to use all 10-ports.

Correct me if I'm wrong but each USB miner uses .5a, right?

[LaserHorse]

So my best bet would to use link multiple USB 2.0 hubs but I'm hardly seeing compatible 10-port on that list with enough amps to use all 10-ports.

Correct me if I'm wrong but each USB miner uses .5a, right?

yup .5A
most accomodating hub i've used so far is the d-link dub-h7

[jimmy3dita]

yup .5A
most accomodating hub i've used so far is the d-link dub-h7

+1

I'm using the same model (newer, black version) it's well built and works great connected to the Pi.

Note that I haven't done tests with the Block Erupters, by now it's connected only to some FPGAs
(powering the Pi itself too)

[LaserHorse]

Project updated to version 1.1

New in v1.1:
    • Added mining auto-start after boot (see tutorial for setup)
    • Time format changed to dd:hh:mm
    • Abbreviated large share count (ex. 12300 == "12k3")
    • Revised error % calculation: 100 * HW / (diff1shares + HW)
    • Added MtGox last, high, & low price (currency can be changed in PiMinerInfo.py)
    • Removed cgminer data logging (was appending nohup.out)
    • Misc. tutorial revisions/clarifications

Tutorial: http://learn.adafruit.com/piminer-raspberry-pi-bitcoin-miner/
Code: https://github.com/adafruit/PiMiner

[MineForeman.com]

Project updated to version 1.1

I STILL have not received my LCD, it was supposed to get here on Friday but I just called the UPS guys and apparently it has taken a scenic  trip around New Zealand.

When it does actually manage to get here I will be 'git pull'ing .

It does bring something up, my intentions are to be including a version of PiMiner in MinePeon (if that is OK with you, I have always had intentions to add LCD's and TFT's and there is no point re-inventing the wheel).  How would you like to work together (assuming you do), my preference is that I just push from my own git any improvements and pull any of yours.

The last thing I want to do is fork, that never seems to work out happily .

Neil

[LaserHorse]

Project updated to version 1.1

I STILL have not received my LCD, it was supposed to get here on Friday but I just called the UPS guys and apparently it has taken a scenic  trip around New Zealand.

When it does actually manage to get here I will be 'git pull'ing .

It does bring something up, my intentions are to be including a version of PiMiner in MinePeon (if that is OK with you, I have always had intentions to add LCD's and TFT's and there is no point re-inventing the wheel).  How would you like to work together (assuming you do), my preference is that I just push from my own git any improvements and pull any of yours.

The last thing I want to do is fork, that never seems to work out happily .

Neil

Ugh - sorry to hear about UPS going off-course!  They're usually rock-solid for me here :/

I'd love to collaborate - and you are totally welcome to use the PiMiner code in MinePeon.  
I have to check a few things regarding push privileges - can get back to you on that tho.

and yah - forking seems a very effect way to divide good intentions …

[Rotorgeek]

So I was wondering if there was a way to launch Pi.Miner form a "autorun" script when the Pi boots? Then press and hold the up button to launch cgminer with the predefined config file? The bonus would be still having the ability to SSH in independently and see the output from cgminer.

P.S. I also think you should come up with a way for people to mine on a schedule and be able to set aside time to mine (say thanks) to you for a given period of time per day/week, like cgwatcher does.

[LaserHorse]

So I was wondering if there was a way to launch Pi.Miner form a "autorun" script when the Pi boots? Then press and hold the up button to launch cgminer with the predefined config file? The bonus would be still having the ability to SSH in independently and see the output from cgminer.

The tutorial now describes how to add auto-start and the scripts have been updated to support this functionality. This method starts cgminer up as well. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to run cgminer as a background job which can then be brought to the foreground. Whenever I tried, cgminer just stops while in background - this is why I ended up using nohup.  I'm open to better solutions, of course.

P.S. I also think you should come up with a way for people to mine on a schedule and be able to set aside time to mine (say thanks) to you for a given period of time per day/week, like cgwatcher does.

Interesting, but would need to be 1000% bulletproof/bug free - don't want to risk messing with folks' income!
In any case, my address in in my sig

[MineForeman.com]

I haven't been able to run cgminer as a background job which can then be brought to the foreground. Whenever I tried, cgminer just stops while in background - this is why I ended up using nohup.  I'm open to better solutions, of course.

I don't know what you are using for init there are a few ways around it, if your using something oldish like SystemV (it has the /etc/init.d file structure) I have used this method a few times with limited success;-

http://askubuntu.com/questions/257808/how-can-i-use-init-d-or-some-other-method-to-run-a-screen-script-on-boot-up/

The issue with SystemV is that it is brain dead when it comes to monitoring processes and if the miner dies in background its dead.  You can do some sort of bash loop but its not ideal.

Id your using a more modern distro that has systemd instead everything gets easy, use this;-

Code:

[Unit]
Description=cgminer
After=network.target openntpd.service

[Service]
Type=forking
ExecStart=/usr/bin/screen -dmS cgminer /opt/minepeon/bin/cgminer --api-listen --api-allow W:127.0.0.1 --sharelog /opt/minepeon/log/share.log -c /opt/mi
nepeon/etc/miner.conf
ExecStop=/usr/bin/screen -S cgminer -X quit
Restart=always

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

And systemd will baby sit the process for you, you can even switch too it (screen -r) kill the miner and get dumped out and when you look at your process list it is still there .

Neil

[pitan]

Love it but not the tinker type...
Anybody doing mass production or anything similar will be interested
 

[alexrossi]

Project updated to version 1.1

New in v1.1:
    • Added mining auto-start after boot (see tutorial for setup)
    • Time format changed to dd:hh:mm
    • Abbreviated large share count (ex. 12300 == "12k3")
    • Revised error % calculation: 100 * HW / (diff1shares + HW)
    • Added MtGox last, high, & low price (currency can be changed in PiMinerInfo.py)
    • Removed cgminer data logging (was appending nohup.out)
    • Misc. tutorial revisions/clarifications

Tutorial: http://learn.adafruit.com/piminer-raspberry-pi-bitcoin-miner/
Code: https://github.com/adafruit/PiMiner

definitely love this project! Hope you'll continue to keep updated the code with new features.
I'm going to build a piminer + 5/6 block erupters (with the d-link dub-h7), do you think that 6 is too much for the dlink? (higher probability of hw errors?)

[LaserHorse]

definitely love this project! Hope you'll continue to keep updated the code with new features.
I'm going to build a piminer + 5/6 block erupters (with the d-link dub-h7), do you think that 6 is too much for the dlink? (higher probability of hw errors?)

Thnx - always good to hear!  Been a bit busy of late, but additional features are in the works.

I use the dub-h7 with 5 erupters @ <1% HW errors.  I've seen reports of it being used w up to 6, but no comparisons of error rate.

[SilentStray]

I'm totally in love with this project! Will be adapting it for BFL Jalapenos.