GekkoScience NewPac / Terminus R606 (BM1387) Official Support Thread

[minefarmbuy]

New build (90e7d31).  

Some minor updates (medium-to-major if it affects you)

Windows binary: cgminer-4.11.1-windows-gekko-90e7d31.7z

- Merged in some needed changes for macOS build.
- Found and fix a cgminer crash condition when receiving noise from the asic.
- Lowered no nonce detection sensitivity.

Best practice update process: keep old working version handy.

• move the existing "cgminer" folder to "cgminer.yyyymmdd"
• clone repository to create a new cgminer folder as noted from first post instructions.

Oh shit, I wish I could list asics this fast.

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[philipma1957]

I have a folder for my windows mining it is on desktop I call it virus free.  I exclude it from windows defender.

in that folder I have cgminer folder I exclude it from windows defender.

I copy that set of nested folders  to   a usb stick. for  backup

I then will do   a new folder call it  new cgminer  put it in  the desktop set of folders.

So  

{virus free folder} -----( cgminer folder + new cgminer folder)

I then test both versions against each other for a day

Lastly I make a new usb stick  with  the new and older folders for backup

[minefarmbuy]

What is recommended for diff if your mixing 2pacs and newpacs? Still 32? I'm letting it auto adjust but can take a while to display shares.

[419mining]

I have a folder for my windows mining it is on desktop I call it virus free.  I exclude it from windows defender.

in that folder I have cgminer folder I exclude it from windows defender.

I copy that set of nested folders  to   a usb stick. for  backup

I then will do   a new folder call it  new cgminer  put it in  the desktop set of folders.

So  

{virus free folder} -----( cgminer folder + new cgminer folder)

I then test both versions against each other for a day

Lastly I make a new usb stick  with  the new and older folders for backup

Ya, unfortunately most AV really despises cgminer. I mean, what could be wrong about connecting to the internet over a uncommon port, scanning your USB connections every 5 seconds and processing massive amounts of cryptography. 

[vh]

What is recommended for diff if your mixing 2pacs and newpacs? Still 32? I'm letting it auto adjust but can take a while to display shares.

Somewhere in the approximate neighborhood of 5X the total hash rate in Gh/s is a good place to be at.

[minefarmbuy]

Thanks vh. for example, with a single newpac at 40 gh, diff should be 200? If I'm hashing 200 gh, 1k diff with multiple sticks (just to spell it out for me)?

[vh]

Thanks vh. for example, with a single newpac at 40 gh, diff should be 200? If I'm hashing 200 gh, 1k diff with multiple sticks (just to spell it out for me)?

Yes, that is correct.

[minefarmbuy]

Well I have six 2pac's and two newpac's on my kdata 10 port hub now. I do run winX and feel free to rib me for it. I promise I'll work up to linux at some point.

I find that running separate batch files is best for hashrate for 2pacs (at least with my setup). I had all clocked to 200 with zero issues. Was looking to OC more but the newpacs arrived. so now I run them on 4.10.0 at 175 mhz hashing about 19 or more gh. The newpacs are of course on 4.11.1 clocked at 200, diff set at 225, hashing about 45gh each. Only thing is I can't run the asic boost code at all as I get nonce error right off. Otherwise I have 8 sticks mining happily on this hub. I have one more newpac coming to me I might be able to squeeze it in if I run stock 150 on the 2pac's otherwise I'm maxed with this hub linked below. I would go back to sipolar but we'll be testing a hub by sidehack this weekend and hopefully I'll have it myself by next week.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073LVHC3B/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[BigIron8]

Unfortunately, I found this to be true, also. I am running 6 newpac and three 2-pac sticks at 175MHz on a 49-port eyeboot hub, along with four more newpac sticks, two each on two 10-port Sipolar hubs. With each new release of cgminer 4.11.1, I attempt to use asic boost. It always results in numerous nonce errors on different sticks which forces my hashing rate down by a good 200ghs or more. Once I remove the asic boost  statement and restart, it stabilizes and I am no longer seeing the nonce errors. I also have two Terminus pods plugged into the hubs, but it does not seem to be related to USB bandwidth. With Terminus at 200MHz, newpacs at 175MHz, and 2-pacs at 100MHz, I average 600ghs. It took me awhile to figure out that asic boost was causing my problems, and I hope on a future release of cgminer that I will be able to safely use it for the power savings and reduced USB traffic.

I am very impressed with the Sidehack hardware and the Eyeboot and Sipolar hubs (and this is not a compensated endorsement). 

[sidehack]

I haven't put AB releases on the test stations yet, only using it on my own bench. It worked perfectly for me, pushing six sticks to 145GH each. I've been meaning to update the test stations so maybe that'll reveal an issue VH can track down?

[vh]

Post the pool name.

I’m going to take an initial assumption and start with bravo-mining.com does not support Asicboost.

[minefarmbuy]

solo.ckpool.org for me.

[vh]

solo.ckpool.org for me.

darn,  i was hoping it would be a simple one.

retried but my basic check seems fine:

• Single NewPac - Windows 7, direct usb no hub
• wiped and downloaded latested windows build
• open up single_test_mining.bat, changed pool.ckpool.org to solo.ckpool.org, added --gekko-newpac-boost
• started up bat, no unusual errors, hashrate as expected.  checked in --verbose and still seems normal

-- edit --

note:

if you are running your own build steps and reusing directories, make sure to run the associated autogen / autoreconf + configure steps.  
there are some flags in configure.ac that needs to be picked up that will be missed with just a pull & make.
^ this may cause invalid work to be generated.

[minefarmbuy]

Yea, surface works fine. I'll adjust once I'm done running around at home.

[minefarmbuy]

So I found that my hub is potentially the bottleneck for asic boost not working. Plugged the newpac right into my pc and seemed fine. Both versions of 4.11.1 ran without error for a couple minutes I could spare without cooling compared to in the kdata hub I'm running which would hash up to 20gh then start dropping, throwing nonce errors. I tried the hub on usb 3.0 and 2.0, so next is another device just to be thorough.

I have a surprise from sidehack waiting for me so I'll check out the demo hub he sent to our sourcing agent that he works with. Pretty good timing there.

[BigIron8]

I have only tried asic boost on Kano.is, where I believe there is an almost flawless implementation.

[minefarmbuy]

Ckpool works fine, it's just the hub. The pool thread has a list of asic boost pools for reference in the reply's. Not sure how updated it is at this point. https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=104664.0

I ordered a usb wire, and looks like I can use my desktop psu for power with this. Not a big amazon fan but got same day delivery. Ill get it pumping tonight hopefully or tomorrow. Thanks sidehack.

[419mining]

We've got some nice 7Amp power bricks that work great with the new hub. Same ones we sourced for the Terminus pods.

[minefarmbuy]

I looked at a few but didn't know what specs the hub is designed for yet. Will be nice anyway since it will run on my desktop to just power through that psu and open up a spot on my power strip as well.

I'll be excited to OC now I have the three we used for media and now on a separate hub. I had to downclock the 2pacs to run the first two I "found". The wife will be mad if I'm up late tinkering on what is my first day off in a few weeks. I'll wake up early and set it up while she sleeps.

[gt_addict]

Im using a plugable 7port 60w hub and connected to bitminter which I think supports asic boost. Tried adding the —gekko-newpac-boost flag and had the same issue with it. Starts running fine then decides to decrease hashrate over time. Running without the flag and its doing ok for the past couple of days.