What is the best linux, amd driver and cgminer combo right now?

[miscreanity]

Ubuntu 11.04 x64 (kernel 2.6.38-13-generic)
Catalyst 11.11
APPSDK 2.5
cgminer 2.1.2

Multiple 69xx cards running under this configuration provides the same results as Cat 11.6 with APPSDK 2.4 and cgminer 2.0.8-2.1.0 only 2.1.2 offers even further reduced rejects/stales. No 100% CPU utilization issue.

Using APPSDK 2.6 appeared to negatively impact overall hashing speed by ~5-20MH/s per GPU with no clear reason. Considered switching to Arch, but time investment doesn't seem worthwhile at the moment with a smoothly running setup (uptime 4 days, no resets since last cgminer git build). No testing done with 5xxx cards.

[JWU42]

For what it is worth, I am on Ubuntu 11.04, Catalyst 11.6, SDK 2.1 with cgminer 2.1.2 and have been humming along with 58xx cards.

However, I am unable to restart a crashed GPU.  I have to restart the entire machine.  This is observed on both of my rigs.

Does anybody have a setup where cgminer can restart sick GPUs?

You sure about SDK 2.1?  I don't think cgminer will run unless it has 2.4...

[jake262144]

You sure about SDK 2.1?  I don't think cgminer will run unless it has 2.4...

The SDK version necessary depends solely on your cards: 2.1 supports all 5xxx cards but some 6xxx require at least 2.4.
The 7970 won't run without SDK 2.6.

[jake262144]

Nifty set-up, Catfish.
The only question I have is, why bother with lxde at all if you're going to manage the rig via ssh?
Run the X server manually and just disable the desktop manager.
If you ever need desktop access (why?) just re-enable lxde and you're done.

Make sure you have enabled all the CPU-related powers saving options in the BIOS and that you have cpufrequtils installed - the CPU should throttle all inactive cores to 800MHz cutting down power usage and heat significantly.

Any bios-flashed ASUS 6950 DCII 1GB-s? Have you been able to drop the voltages or memory speeds?

[kano]

Not actually sure why it's necessary to manually do anything to the CPU ...
Unless 'Lubuntu' is back in the dark ages?

Most (all? Well I guess not all?) Linux distros will down clock your CPU when it's not busy - with mine down to about 1/3 of the clock, it's still always under 5% utilised with cgminer and the right drivers.

Secondly, you need X running, well cgminer needs it at least.
If you use some other piece of mining software, that may not be the case, but your describing using my cgminer API - so you must be

However, there is no reason to not run an X desktop manager other than to say that you are saving some tiny fraction of used resources - that seriously makes no difference whatsoever.
Having at least some desktop manager always starting also means that if anything goes wrong with ssh access, and you have access to the computer, you can go 'visit' it and easily see what's up

Yes I probably know more about linux server management that most people around here, that's one of the things I do, but there are also many around here who know very little and it easiest for them if when they plug in and switch on the screen they see a GUI - since X is needed, why not also run a desktop manager - like xfce (yeah my USB install script which also includes HDD install details)

[miscreanity]

Any bios-flashed ASUS 6950 DCII 1GB-s? Have you been able to drop the voltages or memory speeds?

I have two of those with shaders that couldn't be unlocked. Flashing allowed for mem clock settings to be run down to 300. Haven't had any issue adjusting voltages with cgminer.

[JWU42]

You sure about SDK 2.1?  I don't think cgminer will run unless it has 2.4...

The SDK version necessary depends solely on your cards: 2.1 supports all 5xxx cards but some 6xxx require at least 2.4.
The 7970 won't run without SDK 2.6.

Understand all that - I couldn't get get 2.1 to work with cgminer on 2 boxes with nothin but 5xxx cards.

[greeners]

Thanks Kano, I followed your linux-usb-cgminer guide today and got a working system with 4 x Sapphire 5830.

I was previously running win xp, but the install was getting flakey.

With the linux-usb-cgminer setup I am unable to get the clock speed over 900 MHz.  It ignores my command line option and picks 900 and when I try and change it in cgminer it tells me I am outside of the safe range and asks if I really want to and then says it can't do it when I say do it.

The cards all ran at 960 MHz under xp.

Can anyone point me in a direction?

Thanks in advance.

[JWU42]

I have the same issue with a 6950 card.  Afterburner lets me push it further than the bios will allow.  Will have to flash the bios on those cards (very likely) to get them to 965 in Ubuntu

[kano]

Thanks Kano, I followed your linux-usb-cgminer guide today and got a working system with 4 x Sapphire 5830.

I was previously running win xp, but the install was getting flakey.

With the linux-usb-cgminer setup I am unable to get the clock speed over 900 MHz.  It ignores my command line option and picks 900 and when I try and change it in cgminer it tells me I am outside of the safe range and asks if I really want to and then says it can't do it when I say do it.

The cards all ran at 960 MHz under xp.

Can anyone point me in a direction?

Thanks in advance.

As he said above

But what did you use to get 960 MHz under xp?

I presume you don't mean it was possible with cgminer - but rather some other tool (as suggested above) like afterburner.

Either way - I think the ATI ADL drivers (that cgminer uses) won't let you go past the BIOS settings in the card - so you'd need some other tool to do that (as you did with xp?) or need to flash the BIOS.

Correct me if I'm wrong since I've never GPU mined on windows ...

[greeners]

I was using cgminer under xp and it didn't complain about having 960 MHz for it's setting. 

I also had Sapphire Trixx running (Sapphire's over clock tool), but it was not being used to do the over clock.  It was installed on the from when I was using other mining software.  I wonder if having it running was what was allowing cgminer clock high.

Guess I need to start reading up on how to flash the BIOS 

Thanks for the help!

[3phase]

Thanks Kano, I followed your linux-usb-cgminer guide today and got a working system with 4 x Sapphire 5830.

I was previously running win xp, but the install was getting flakey.

With the linux-usb-cgminer setup I am unable to get the clock speed over 900 MHz.  It ignores my command line option and picks 900 and when I try and change it in cgminer it tells me I am outside of the safe range and asks if I really want to and then says it can't do it when I say do it.

The cards all ran at 960 MHz under xp.

Can anyone point me in a direction?

Thanks in advance.

Just upgrade to Catalyst 11.6 drivers, it'll let you go above 900 MHz

[manifold]

I'm working on kubuntu 64 bit.

Cataclyst 12.2
cgminer (latest git version)
ADL SDK 3.0
App SDK 2.6

It works perfectly with no cpu usage issues. (in other combinations a 100% cpu load is anoying)

[echris1]

I am currently using:

Lubuntu 11.10 64bit
Cat 12.2 + SDK 2.6
latest cgminer, using included diablo kernel (avoids performance drop)


I used to have the export GPU_USE_SYNC_OBJECTS=1, but I just looked, and it is commented out in my cgminer launcher.

No CPU bug.

Two rigs, one is 2x6850+5850 on a sempron 145, also running p2pool just fine (which can have trouble if CPU is too busy)

Other is 3x5850, on a celeron G530. 

[ummas]

I`m running 4 rigs with diffrent combinations of 5XXX and 6XXX.
all of then runs now with that:
xubuntu 11.04
Cat 12.2 + SDK 2.6
Cgminer 2.0.6 - 2.3.1 runs slow, dunno why - yet

I`m plannig to buy somme 7970 soon.

[-ck]

Cgminer 2.0.6 - 2.3.1 runs slow, dunno why - yet

10 posts from people have tried to tell you why so far.   

[ummas]

You`re right.
i`m not running SDK 2.6 in cgminer :/
But answers came later than that post.

[Dargo]

I guess this thread is half-zombified, but I want to toss Peppermint Two into the ring as a great distro for running cgminer. Peppermint Two is based on Lubuntu 11.04, so kano's guide for installing cgminer on xubuntu 11.04 (linked in his sig above) works perfectly. The only potential snag is that Peppermint offers an automated install of proprietary AMD drivers, which you obviously don't want to do. After you install the drivers following kano's guide, Peppermint stops nagging you about the automated install. Also, if you have a display connected to your rig, you may want to set Preferences --> Power Management --> Put display to sleep when inactive for: Never (I think the inactive display caused a crash). I tried xubuntu as well, but I found Peppermint much quicker running from usb (I believe it is even leaner than Lubuntu, but I haven't tried Lubuntu). Switching from BAMT, I have ~2% improvement in efficiency and can clock my cards higher than I could in BAMT. Very happy with the results!

I did an "hd" install to a 16g usb stick (after you boot from live CD/usb, just insert the usb you want to install to and click the "Install Peppermint" icon - I think the install walks you through the same routine described in kano's guide, but I didn't pay close attention to this).

 

[CoinDiner]

@kano    Would you have any suggestions for making your linux-usb-cgminer system secure as it will be connected to the net 24/7.   I have thought about bastille and also removing apps that I wont need (like office apps , gimp etc etc)   is running tripwire overkill?    any suggestions?

[kano]

Well since there really are no important services needed on it - the first step would be to make sure both the root account and your usual login account are secure (have a safe password and/or you can't login directly to root)

The install I describe only has the following services available:
ssh (22), portmap (111), ipp/cups (631), rpc.statd and something else with a non-secure port (no idea what it is )

If you wanted to add a firewall you could just block all incoming ports except 22 (ssh) and 4028 (cgminer API)

That's more than enough in my opinion.
However, I've no idea what ssh issues there are since 11.04 - I guess go read up on that would be my answer.

If you want to describe how you think adjusting the firewall should be done, I'll test/fix it and add it to the script described as an optional security step.

Personally that as far as I'd go with it.