BAMT - Easy persistent USB key based linux for dedicated miners/mining farms

[max in montreal]

I am trying to get an answer for somthing but it seems like I have not properly phrased the question.

If I have a 5870, a card with 1 gpu, and a 5970, a card with 2 gpu...when I mine, in total I have gpu 0,1 and 2. Lets say the 5870 gpu is 0, and the other on the 5970 with the fan is 1, and the one without the fan is gpu 2.

If I swap the slots they are in, will the gpu number for the 5870 still be 1 or will that change?

[1713906947]

1713906947

[1713906947]

1713906947

[1713906947]

1713906947

[1713906947]

1713906947

[lodcrappo]

I am trying to get an answer for somthing but it seems like I have not properly phrased the question.

If I have a 5870, a card with 1 gpu, and a 5970, a card with 2 gpu...when I mine, in total I have gpu 0,1 and 2. Lets say the 5870 gpu is 0, and the other on the 5970 with the fan is 1, and the one without the fan is gpu 2.

If I swap the slots they are in, will the gpu number for the 5870 still be 1 or will that change?

there is no 100% sure answer to this, but chances are that yes it will change.  exactly how, when and where are entirely up to your motherboard.

on every boot, bamt uses the ATI driver tool to regenerate the X config from scratch, because people move cards around and whatnot between boots.  the order it gets back from the ATI driver is the order that the GPUs are assigned to screens in X, and so it is also the order that they will show up as in atitweak, phoenix, etc.   the ATI driver just takes the order of the devices on the pci bus, afaik, and that is determined by your motherboard.

[AniceInovation]

Glad to see BAMT revitalized
Question: does mgpumon "catch" the windows miners using cgminer?

[lodcrappo]

Glad to see BAMT revitalized
Question: does mgpumon "catch" the windows miners using cgminer?

No, but it would not be impossible to add something that would.

[AniceInovation]

I would certainly appreciate it, i have some miners on windows because i need wireless, if mgpumon could read those, that would be the cherry in the top of the cake 
Does anyone else need such a feature?

[lodcrappo]

THE OCTOBAMT CHALLENGE

Spent some time trying to help LittleDuke get 8 GPUs working in bamt.  Also reviewed this thread and a found everyone else who has tried 8 got the same results we did:  It doesn't work.

7 GPUs = totally fine
8 GPUs = the ati driver crashes, machine locks up, game over

Pretty sure more than 8 is impossible on any linux box, but it would be nice to get that 8th slot working for people who cram 4 5970s into a box etc.

I don't have any machines anything like that, so testing things is quite difficult here.  If you do have a rig that can support 8 GPUs, I hearby invite you to enter the first annual OCTOBAMT challenge!

The rules are simple:  Using any tool or technique, get BAMT working with 8 GPUs.  The solution must be something we can apply to the standard BAMT image without reducing the existing BAMT functionality, otherwise anything goes.

The first person to complete the challenge will be awarded a fantastic prize package which includes unspecified items of practically undefinable value.  You will be as a god among men, celebrated and feared throughout the land.  Don't let this amazing opportunity pass you by.

Hints:
My suspicion is that the drivers we use are just broken.  Limited experiments with other versions have revealed that certain versions, such as 10.11 and 11.12 behave differently than our version (11.6 iirc).  Other versions, 11.7-11.10 seem to lock up just the same as 11.6.
However, 10.11 and 11.12 seem to introduce their own problems, which may or may not be something that can be resolved.

The challenge has been completed, I have seen the light and it is BAMT with 8 GPUs descending from heaven.
I'll post more details on that later, but an issue has come up...

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any way to get more than 7 working with the current 32bit version.
A 64bit kernel/driver is what makes 8 gpus happy.

So..  who's going to be sad if we abandon 32 bit machines?
Who's going to be sad if we never support 8 gpus (i.e. go to 64bit)?

It's one or the other, as far as I am concerned.  No freakin way I am maintaining two builds.

Speak now, if you care.


PS - please no "omg i want to mine this other thing that needs 64 bit blah".  I don't care about alternate and scam chains ever working in bamt.  This is about supporting the people who want to use it for the things it is designed to do.   If you do have 8 GPUs, or if you do have hardware that requires 32bits, I'd love to know.

[bulanula]

THE OCTOBAMT CHALLENGE

Spent some time trying to help LittleDuke get 8 GPUs working in bamt.  Also reviewed this thread and a found everyone else who has tried 8 got the same results we did:  It doesn't work.

7 GPUs = totally fine
8 GPUs = the ati driver crashes, machine locks up, game over

Pretty sure more than 8 is impossible on any linux box, but it would be nice to get that 8th slot working for people who cram 4 5970s into a box etc.

I don't have any machines anything like that, so testing things is quite difficult here.  If you do have a rig that can support 8 GPUs, I hearby invite you to enter the first annual OCTOBAMT challenge!

The rules are simple:  Using any tool or technique, get BAMT working with 8 GPUs.  The solution must be something we can apply to the standard BAMT image without reducing the existing BAMT functionality, otherwise anything goes.

The first person to complete the challenge will be awarded a fantastic prize package which includes unspecified items of practically undefinable value.  You will be as a god among men, celebrated and feared throughout the land.  Don't let this amazing opportunity pass you by.

Hints:
My suspicion is that the drivers we use are just broken.  Limited experiments with other versions have revealed that certain versions, such as 10.11 and 11.12 behave differently than our version (11.6 iirc).  Other versions, 11.7-11.10 seem to lock up just the same as 11.6.
However, 10.11 and 11.12 seem to introduce their own problems, which may or may not be something that can be resolved.

The challenge has been completed, I have seen the light and it is BAMT with 8 GPUs descending from heaven.
I'll post more details on that later, but an issue has come up...

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any way to get more than 7 working with the current 32bit version.
A 64bit kernel/driver is what makes 8 gpus happy.

So..  who's going to be sad if we abandon 32 bit machines?
Who's going to be sad if we never support 8 gpus (i.e. go to 64bit)?

It's one or the other, as far as I am concerned.  No freakin way I am maintaining two builds.

Speak now, if you care.


PS - please no "omg i want to mine this other thing that needs 64 bit blah".  I don't care about alternate and scam chains ever working in bamt.  This is about supporting the people who want to use it for the things it is designed to do.   If you do have 8 GPUs, or if you do have hardware that requires 32bits, I'd love to know.

I think the number of people running 8 cards on a single rig is vastly outnumbered by the people running 32bit only CPUs so I think stick to i686 for now.

The fact BAMT supports i686 is a major reason to go for that and avoid Linuxcoin ( which is amd64 only and does not work on older machines ).

If BAMT goes to amd64 as well then what are we to use for those older machines that are still capable of mining but just lack a amd64 capable CPU ? Certainly not Winblows.

Thank you for the hard work and I certainly hope BAMT will stay i686 ( if it ain't broke don't fix it ) as it is now !

[gnar1ta$]

All my rigs are 64bit. And also only 6 cards. So either way works for me.

[max in montreal]

either way works for me, but if i were you, i'd make my donators happy first...

[BitMinerN8]

I have 12 rigs in my farm, they all can handle amd64, but I'm not at the present time attempting to run 8 GPU on any of them.

[DeathAndTaxes]

I think the number of people running 8 cards on a single rig is vastly outnumbered by the people running 32bit only CPUs so I think stick to i686 for now.

Do you know of anyone who has a 32bit only CPU for dedicated mining rigs.  I mean generally hashing farms are made up of AMD CPU and 100% of AMD desktop CPU have been 64 bit for 9 years now.

I honestly don't know of  a single person with a 32bit only rig and certainly no mining farms of dedicated rigs.

[DeathAndTaxes]

So..  who's going to be sad if we abandon 32 bit machines?
Who's going to be sad if we never support 8 gpus (i.e. go to 64bit)?

It's one or the other, as far as I am concerned.  No freakin way I am maintaining two builds.

Speak now, if you care.

1) Glad you aren't supporting crap chains.
2) I don't think there is much loss going to 64bit.  A $22 sempron is 64 bit capable.
3) Never knew of issues with >7 GPU.  I run 3x5970 = 6 GPU just fine but someday I might want to put the 8th GPU in.

I wouldn't consider it pressing but I would favor 8 GPU over legacy support.  I mean we got to cut the cord someday.  AMD first 64bit CPU was released in 2003.

[jamesg]

So..  who's going to be sad if we abandon 32 bit machines?
Who's going to be sad if we never support 8 gpus (i.e. go to 64bit)?

It's one or the other, as far as I am concerned.  No freakin way I am maintaining two builds.

Speak now, if you care.

1) Glad you aren't supporting crap chains.
2) I don't think there is much loss going to 64bit.  A $22 sempron is 64 bit capable.
3) Never knew of issues with >7 GPU.  I run 3x5970 = 6 GPU just fine but someday I might want to put the 8th GPU in.

I wouldn't consider it pressing but I would favor 8 GPU over legacy support.  I mean we got to cut the cord someday.  AMD first 64bit CPU was released in 2003.

+1

I would like to be able to run 4x5970 rigs. I am 64bit ready, willing and able.

[BitMinerN8]

@lodcrappo

I am proposing a bounty of 10 BTC for some cosmetic mods with the web based mgpumon (http://myminer/mgpumon/) If this is not enough, let us know and maybe some others will want to pitch in for the cause, if they like my ideas. I am not knocking what you have done already, it's awesome and has revolutionized keeping tabs on my mining gear from one main "Farm Dashboard". Love it. I can hit it from my phone or tablet and know exactly what is going on.

Proposed changes or enhancements:

1. Format the display for 1024x768 so it looks good on a tablet (iOS/Android) or small sized web browser frame.
   ~ Currently on some displays you really have to scroll around or switch from portrait to landscape to try and see everything.

2. Reduce the font size a point size or two on the top title with the gradient. (This might help with item 1.)
   ~ Currently the Farm hashrate and Farm stats wraps on a small screen to the point where you can't read them.

3. All black background with white text, charcoal accents on tables and headings. Keep the gradient on the top title.
 
4. The option to click on the IP address of the Rig and have it go to the Munin graphs. (http://myminer/)
   ~ This would be a huge time saver to launch to your rig right from the main "Farm Dashboard".

I know these are my particular "wants", and other people may or may not like them. I'm just throwing it out there. I just have an affinity for "dark" UI interfaces. Maybe you can make a config file we could edit for our own color preferences if that is easier to do. If you don't want to change the colors, maybe you could still do items 1,2, and 4.

Thank you for your time.

[AniceInovation]

Glad to see BAMT revitalized
Question: does mgpumon "catch" the windows miners using cgminer?

No, but it would not be impossible to add something that would.

I'm also gonna start putting my bitcoins where my mouth is.
Would you do it for 10 BTC?

[lodcrappo]

ok.. for 32 vs 64 so far I see many opinions, but only 1 person who needs 32 bit support and only 1 person who could actually use 8 gpu support.

add myself on the side of 32 bit (most of my farm was 32bit, when i had one) and one other person I know doing 8 gpus, and we have a dead tie of 2 to 2.

anybody else actually using 32bit or 8 gpus?

[lodcrappo]

@lodcrappo

I am proposing a bounty of 10 BTC for some cosmetic mods with the web based mgpumon (http://myminer/mgpumon/) If this is not enough, let us know and maybe some others will want to pitch in for the cause, if they like my ideas. I am not knocking what you have done already, it's awesome and has revolutionized keeping tabs on my mining gear from one main "Farm Dashboard". Love it. I can hit it from my phone or tablet and know exactly what is going on.

Proposed changes or enhancements:

1. Format the display for 1024x768 so it looks good on a tablet (iOS/Android) or small sized web browser frame.
   ~ Currently on some displays you really have to scroll around or switch from portrait to landscape to try and see everything.

2. Reduce the font size a point size or two on the top title with the gradient. (This might help with item 1.)
   ~ Currently the Farm hashrate and Farm stats wraps on a small screen to the point where you can't read them.

3. All black background with white text, charcoal accents on tables and headings. Keep the gradient on the top title.
  
4. The option to click on the IP address of the Rig and have it go to the Munin graphs. (http://myminer/)
   ~ This would be a huge time saver to launch to your rig right from the main "Farm Dashboard".

I know these are my particular "wants", and other people may or may not like them. I'm just throwing it out there. I just have an affinity for "dark" UI interfaces. Maybe you can make a config file we could edit for our own color preferences if that is easier to do. If you don't want to change the colors, maybe you could still do items 1,2, and 4.

Thank you for your time.

There is already a config file that lets you do all but one of these items:  mgpumon.css which is located at /var/www

The link to miner is already done and will be available in a future edition.

So.. basically this is already done.  You can send the 10 btc any time you'd like.

[lodcrappo]

Glad to see BAMT revitalized
Question: does mgpumon "catch" the windows miners using cgminer?

No, but it would not be impossible to add something that would.

I'm also gonna start putting my bitcoins on my mouth.
Would you do it for 10 BTC?

Always a tough call with the bitcoin stuff.

10 btc at current prices gets you about half an hour of my time, if you were one of my "real" clients hiring me.  I'd need about 2 hours to add this feature.

OTOH, when working on BAMT I rarely make anything at all... Time vs donations = I don't even make minimum wage.

So.. do I encourage ppl to give *something* at least and work cheap, or do I refuse until a reasonable rate is offered?  Who knows?  Mostly I just do whatever I feel like on any particular day

BTW..  off topic but where is this alleged 50 BTC for adding cgminer?

[max in montreal]

so finally i have 1 maching mining away nicely, and would like to tweak it a bit more. On one machine I have a 5870 and two 5970, so 3 video cards and 5 GPU in total. to start I changed it to 800/300, and all gpu are giving me about 360 Mhs. I am not complaining, but every time I change the numbers in the bamt config file, nothing happens, always still hashing at 360ish...what else can I do?

[lodcrappo]

so finally i have 1 maching mining away nicely, and would like to tweak it a bit more. On one machine I have a 5870 and two 5970, so 3 video cards and 5 GPU in total. to start I changed it to 800/300, and all gpu are giving me about 360 Mhs. I am not complaining, but every time I change the numbers in the bamt config file, nothing happens, always still hashing at 360ish...what else can I do?

press R in gpumon or type /etc/init.d/mine restart

after changing config.  otherwise, nothing will change.