Official FutureBit Apollo BTC Software/Image and Support thread

[DaveF]

...Alas this statement is completely false and thus shows that indeed these miners have not been tested to be able to find blocks...

KDB upgrade will be today for the rest of the solo code.

Most of it is already live but I ended up writing a testing program to simplify comparing shift data in the database against shift data in the share log files.
Previously I'd do manual checks and balances to make sure things were OK, but with this solo change I've made a lot of changes in the code involved in processing shifts (internally called the markersummary table), so for the final step (over the last week or so) I've written a completely separate program to do the full shift process of a range of log files to compare against the database.

This will of course also simplify future change tests, like the blocksummary code mentioned before, that is in the live code but never enabled, that is one of the next updates that I'll do.

Solo will be switched on soon after the update.

Edit: you can now switch a new account to solo.
See Help->Solo first.
You'll get an Accounts->Solo menu item when you login to a new account, if your account is within the time limit.

So before you deployed this you went out and got enough miners and mined till your new code found a block?
Otherwise how do we know that you didn't make a mistake somewhere and the fact that your pool has not found a block in 10+ months is because it can't find one due to buggy code.

When you and Luke had your fight years ago I actually figured you were in the right, but since I really don't like people who push religion my view might have been skewed.
Then you had the falling out with CK-
Now you are here campaigning against someone who is making hardware.

I'm really starting to think it's you.

Things I CAN say 100% about the products that  @jstefanop makes
1) The Apollo CAN find blocks for lower difficulty SHA coins that are compiled against older versions of bitcoin. Can't speak to 20.x +
2) His Scrypt miners found blocks with no issues.

Also, this is a support thread. If you have an issue post in the other thread.

-Dave

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[jstefanop]

...
From someone who runs a pool its pretty concerning that you dont know how blocks are found. If our software can submit a valid share to a pool, it can also find a valid block and thats all the proof you need. But you already know that or should know that...so once again whats your agenda?

Alas this statement is completely false and thus shows that indeed these miners have not been tested to be able to find blocks.
The usual worry about people who don't understand what they are doing and are only looking for profit.
Even phil has made an attempt at understanding the issue in his post above, but alas not quite got it right.

Edit: I wrote the first, original block testing screen notification code in cgminer
I think I might know what I'm talking about ...

The software is designed for stratum pool implementation. Its not a solo miner, and the solo miner implementation will piggy off open source stratum proxy that connects directly to the node.

Prove how my statement is completely false? Oh wait you cant. As long as our software submits valid shares > pool diff then it will submit a valid share > network diff.

If you want to attack me then attack me with correct arguments, like "since the software is closed sourced I could be throwing out valid shares >= network diff"

Now that im thinking about it that would be a fun way to attack these centralized chinese pools 

[jstefanop]

If our software can submit a valid share to a pool, it can also find a valid block and thats all the proof you need.

But can is too little here, it has to.
You can ask slush pool and Genesis mining about that stuff

So here my question again:

Why is the backend code not published under an open source license?
I mean its BTC, small nice community project...

Do not trust, verify!

I like the product. Bring mining back to small people, decentralized, quiet etc. Would be happy to support the project and preorder.
But for sure I will not buy a closed source miner, which has never shown that it can find blocks.
Especially not if it is to be used for solomining. (Whether this is right for the target group "are first time miners" is another question.)

I really don't see any understandable reason not to publish the code.

If I could I would. The backend software runs Exahashes worth of hashrate, and finds BTC blocks everyday. Of course you have to take my word for it, and I wish you didn't but I think I have built enough reputation around here that im not some bad actor. Unfortunately to be able to provide a product like this I had to make some compromises I did not want, but we weighed those to be worth being able to get a product like this out to market.

Of course the more successful this product is, the less compromises we have to make...would love to port the firmware over to cgminer and hopefully we can get there soon.

[oldman123]

I received my base unit and an add-on hashing unit today.   I have both powered by a external server power supply.   The external unit was attached to the main unit.   The external unit's front LED started flashing right away, but no lights from the main unit's front LED.   I have an ethernet cable plugged into the base unit and it's lights were flashing, but nothing ever displayed on the HDMI display.   I let if it boot for several minutes and the main unit got warm - fan was working and I could see one RED and one green (flashing) LEDs on the main units hashboard.   This matched what LED's were lit on the add-on hashing unit.    I checked my router and saw no new DHCP devices getting an address.    The cable & switch port worked with a PC before moving the cable to the Apollo BTC.

Any thoughts?

[jstefanop]

I received my base unit and an add-on hashing unit today.   I have both powered by a external server power supply.   The external unit was attached to the main unit.   The external unit's front LED started flashing right away, but no lights from the main unit's front LED.   I have an ethernet cable plugged into the base unit and it's lights were flashing, but nothing ever displayed on the HDMI display.   I let if it boot for several minutes and the main unit got warm - fan was working and I could see one RED and one green (flashing) LEDs on the main units hashboard.   This matched what LED's were lit on the add-on hashing unit.    I checked my router and saw no new DHCP devices getting an address.    The cable & switch port worked with a PC before moving the cable to the Apollo BTC.

Any thoughts?

Are the yellow LEDs on the bottom flashing rapidly? This means its connected to your network and hashing.

If so you need to do double check your router or IP scanner, one of the IPs is the Apollo.

For monitor out issues, try powering off your display and power it back on when its connected to HDMI port on the Apollo, this has worked on some displays we tested. Some displays won't work at all, so try another display if you have one or your TV and see if it works that way.

[oldman123]

I received my base unit and an add-on hashing unit today.   I have both powered by a external server power supply.   The external unit was attached to the main unit.   The external unit's front LED started flashing right away, but no lights from the main unit's front LED.   I have an ethernet cable plugged into the base unit and it's lights were flashing, but nothing ever displayed on the HDMI display.   I let if it boot for several minutes and the main unit got warm - fan was working and I could see one RED and one green (flashing) LEDs on the main units hashboard.   This matched what LED's were lit on the add-on hashing unit.    I checked my router and saw no new DHCP devices getting an address.    The cable & switch port worked with a PC before moving the cable to the Apollo BTC.

Any thoughts?

Are the yellow LEDs on the bottom flashing rapidly? This means its connected to your network and hashing.

If so you need to do double check your router or IP scanner, one of the IPs is the Apollo.

For monitor out issues, try powering off your display and power it back on when its connected to HDMI port on the Apollo, this has worked on some displays we tested. Some displays won't work at all, so try another display if you have one or your TV and see if it works that way.

Right now, the Ethernet port only has the green light flashing.   On the bottom of the SBC, I have a green led (near the side of the ports) and there is a red LED in the corner by the M.2 drive card.   

I will check the monitor next - have to go find a long HDMI cable and/or another monitor.   

[jstefanop]

I received my base unit and an add-on hashing unit today.   I have both powered by a external server power supply.   The external unit was attached to the main unit.   The external unit's front LED started flashing right away, but no lights from the main unit's front LED.   I have an ethernet cable plugged into the base unit and it's lights were flashing, but nothing ever displayed on the HDMI display.   I let if it boot for several minutes and the main unit got warm - fan was working and I could see one RED and one green (flashing) LEDs on the main units hashboard.   This matched what LED's were lit on the add-on hashing unit.    I checked my router and saw no new DHCP devices getting an address.    The cable & switch port worked with a PC before moving the cable to the Apollo BTC.

Any thoughts?

Are the yellow LEDs on the bottom flashing rapidly? This means its connected to your network and hashing.

If so you need to do double check your router or IP scanner, one of the IPs is the Apollo.

For monitor out issues, try powering off your display and power it back on when its connected to HDMI port on the Apollo, this has worked on some displays we tested. Some displays won't work at all, so try another display if you have one or your TV and see if it works that way.

Right now, the Ethernet port only has the green light flashing.   On the bottom of the SBC, I have a green led (near the side of the ports) and there is a red LED in the corner by the M.2 drive card.   

I will check the monitor next - have to go find a long HDMI cable and/or another monitor.   

Ok so it has successfully booted, your just not getting an internet connection. Id double check your ethernet wire (ie check if you plugged it in a WAN port instead of LAN port) and router settings in case something is not configured correctly there.

[gt_addict]

If/when an SSD change is needed does the drive need to be formatted first or would a brand new drive just swap in?

[jstefanop]

If/when an SSD change is needed does the drive need to be formatted first or would a brand new drive just swap in?

If you pop in a fresh SD card at the same time as a new SSD it will automatically format and set it up.

You can do it manually as well by launching the gparted app installed in the system, and initializing it with a single partition. You then need to add a folder called "Bitcoin" in the root directory of the partition.

Adding a "format and setup new SSD" button in the UI is on our list.

[LatinSlovak]

Hello, on the dashboard I am getting the following error.  “ there is a problem fetching stats, internal error”.  How do I fix this?

[achtung082]

Have a couple issues:

1) GUI does not refresh and display miner status correctly. How does one force the interface to refresh /reload from ssh or monitor the miner status from ssh.

2) No disable node option. How can the node be disabled so that is does not run on power up or reboot. Clicking stop is possible but how can it be disabled completely?

3) Miner randomly disconnects from pool, GUI does not refresh and show activity but miner are cold. The red led still flashes as if it is mining, but the miner is cold and does not show as being connected to the pool. I have 4 units, One full unit and 3 miner boards, 1 miner boards had issues the first day, 1 miner board with the above behavior. I'll connect a monitor tomorrow to monitor from the linux desktop.

[kano]

...Alas this statement is completely false and thus shows that indeed these miners have not been tested to be able to find blocks...

KDB upgrade will be today for the rest of the solo code.
...

...
Also, this is a support thread. If you have an issue post in the other thread.

-Dave

You posted here so I'll reply here.
1) KDB is the database system I wrote that manages the pool, it doesn't generate work for miners, so changes to KDB don't require block level testing. The solo changes did not require any ckpool changes, though I did remove a few lines of code that sent, no longer necessary data, to KDB.
Though I do still do block level tests on KDB sometimes anyway.
KDB also submits blocks as a failsafe, because it is an exact bitwise block test, whereas ckpool's block submit code is based on an inaccurate floating point block test.
I also do standard low level block submission tests to both ckpool and kdb all the time.
2) Yes I do the necessary full block level testing each time I make changes to ckpool and bitcoin that could affect the code dealing with blocks.
3) These jokers here 'supposedly' have written a new miner ... and have stated that they have never done the necessary testing that it can find blocks - I wonder what excuse they'll give when they add solo mining direct to the local bitcoind to their code?

... see the post by someone else above, about slush, that you clearly have conveniently forgotten all about, or were you not around back then?
Or are you just chiming in to post false information for some other reason?

[oldman123]

I received my base unit and an add-on hashing unit today.   I have both powered by a external server power supply.   The external unit was attached to the main unit.   The external unit's front LED started flashing right away, but no lights from the main unit's front LED.   I have an ethernet cable plugged into the base unit and it's lights were flashing, but nothing ever displayed on the HDMI display.   I let if it boot for several minutes and the main unit got warm - fan was working and I could see one RED and one green (flashing) LEDs on the main units hashboard.   This matched what LED's were lit on the add-on hashing unit.    I checked my router and saw no new DHCP devices getting an address.    The cable & switch port worked with a PC before moving the cable to the Apollo BTC.

Any thoughts?

Are the yellow LEDs on the bottom flashing rapidly? This means its connected to your network and hashing.

If so you need to do double check your router or IP scanner, one of the IPs is the Apollo.

For monitor out issues, try powering off your display and power it back on when its connected to HDMI port on the Apollo, this has worked on some displays we tested. Some displays won't work at all, so try another display if you have one or your TV and see if it works that way.

Right now, the Ethernet port only has the green light flashing.   On the bottom of the SBC, I have a green led (near the side of the ports) and there is a red LED in the corner by the M.2 drive card.   

I will check the monitor next - have to go find a long HDMI cable and/or another monitor.   

Ok so it has successfully booted, your just not getting an internet connection. Id double check your ethernet wire (ie check if you plugged it in a WAN port instead of LAN port) and router settings in case something is not configured correctly there.

John - I swapped cables with another PC and my office and after a reboot, the Apollo BTC's Ethernet yellow went crazy and it logged into the network.   The original cable is working fine on the PC with no issues.

I went thru the wizard and put in password and mining pool info.    Once in the UI, I see the node synchronization going strong with 10/32 connections and about 65% sync'ed after about 6 hours.  

I started up the mining about last night and I noticed that hashboard 1 starting mining right away, hashboard 0 quite some time to show any consistent hashrates.    Running overnight, the dashboard was showing expected rates over night.

[jstefanop]

I received my base unit and an add-on hashing unit today.   I have both powered by a external server power supply.   The external unit was attached to the main unit.   The external unit's front LED started flashing right away, but no lights from the main unit's front LED.   I have an ethernet cable plugged into the base unit and it's lights were flashing, but nothing ever displayed on the HDMI display.   I let if it boot for several minutes and the main unit got warm - fan was working and I could see one RED and one green (flashing) LEDs on the main units hashboard.   This matched what LED's were lit on the add-on hashing unit.    I checked my router and saw no new DHCP devices getting an address.    The cable & switch port worked with a PC before moving the cable to the Apollo BTC.

Any thoughts?

Are the yellow LEDs on the bottom flashing rapidly? This means its connected to your network and hashing.

If so you need to do double check your router or IP scanner, one of the IPs is the Apollo.

For monitor out issues, try powering off your display and power it back on when its connected to HDMI port on the Apollo, this has worked on some displays we tested. Some displays won't work at all, so try another display if you have one or your TV and see if it works that way.

Right now, the Ethernet port only has the green light flashing.   On the bottom of the SBC, I have a green led (near the side of the ports) and there is a red LED in the corner by the M.2 drive card.   

I will check the monitor next - have to go find a long HDMI cable and/or another monitor.   

Ok so it has successfully booted, your just not getting an internet connection. Id double check your ethernet wire (ie check if you plugged it in a WAN port instead of LAN port) and router settings in case something is not configured correctly there.

John - I swapped cables with another PC and my office and after a reboot, the Apollo BTC's Ethernet yellow went crazy and it logged into the network.   The original cable is working fine on the PC with no issues.

I went thru the wizard and put in password and mining pool info.    Once in the UI, I see the node synchronization going strong with 10/32 connections and about 65% sync'ed after about 6 hours.  

I started up the mining about last night and I noticed that hashboard 1 starting mining right away, hashboard 0 quite some time to show any consistent hashrates.    Running overnight, the dashboard was showing expected rates over night.

Awesome...could have been a weird type of ethernet cable that the Apollos network controller couldn't handle. The USB connected hashboards is a known issue we are trying to figure out if its a firmware or general STM32 USB driver issue. Usually a power cycle on the standard unit will fix it if its taking a really long time to connect.

[oldman123]

Another situation I just noticed.   Hashunit #1 is showing in the UI as "Inactive" .  Hashboard #0 is active in the UI.    In checking the bottom of the board #1, all four lights are flashing like it is hashing.    When I looked at the mining pool console, it looks like I only have one hashing board mining. 

I hit the restart button in the Miner dashboard and when the mining restarted the second hashboard showed up in the UI as active and it looks like it is mining at the pool with both hashboards now.

[jstefanop]

Another situation I just noticed.   Hashunit #1 is showing in the UI as "Inactive" .  Hashboard #0 is active in the UI.    In checking the bottom of the board #1, all four lights are flashing like it is hashing.    When I looked at the mining pool console, it looks like I only have one hashing board mining.  

I hit the restart button in the Miner dashboard and when the mining restarted the second hashboard showed up in the UI as active and it looks like it is mining at the pool with both hashboards now.

Yep, any hiccups with the standard units just power cycle them and restart in the dashboard...that should solve most issues.

[philipma1957]

If/when an SSD change is needed does the drive need to be formatted first or would a brand new drive just swap in?

If you pop in a fresh SD card at the same time as a new SSD it will automatically format and set it up.

You can do it manually as well by launching the gparted app installed in the system, and initializing it with a single partition. You then need to add a folder called "Bitcoin" in the root directory of the partition.

Adding a "format and setup new SSD" button in the UI is on our list.

Yeah I found gpart I formatted a drive with a single partition and it tells me you are not the owner you can not add a folder.

Went to the original 500gb ssd shut node off and found I am not the owner I can not add a folder.

So I have a spare ssd stick nvme.2 and it will not work. since it is empty and will not add the folder Bitcoin

it is mining fine at viabtc.

I am over  0.001444 BCH

I will mine 0.1 BCH
then mine 0.1 BHA
then mine 0.1 BSV

then leave it at BTC just let it stack the sats and hodl

[yaoyaocnx]

Hi admin futurebit,

just recieve BTC apolo today and runing well.

But i got an issue of futurebit dashboard,

no show "Current hashrate" and keeps 0
no show "Miner power usage" and keeps 0
no show "Hardware errors" and keeps 0
no show "Miner uptime" and keeps 0
and Status keep stay in "Inactive"
 
But on the mining pool side monitor shows realtime hash rate around 7.9 Th/s

How to solve the local monitor issue ?

[05sonicblue]

I've been running my full node unit for over a week now mining BCH on btc.com. Been on Turbo for most of that time. About every other day the miner stops and I have to go into the dashboard and start the miner again. Is this a known issue? Not sure if it's disconnects or the hardware trying to shutdown. Here are the raw stats for fan and temp. It would be really nice to have a failover pool in the event it's caused by disconnects, or at least have the system try to reconnect after 15 minutes or so. Everytime it has happened, I just click start miner and it starts right back up hashing with valid shares.

"fans": {
      "int_0": {
        "rpm": [
          3679
        ]
      }
    },
    "temperature": {
      "count": 2,
      "min": 0,
      "avr": 34,
      "max": 68
    },

[jstefanop]

Hi admin futurebit,

just recieve BTC apolo today and runing well.

But i got an issue of futurebit dashboard,

no show "Current hashrate" and keeps 0
no show "Miner power usage" and keeps 0
no show "Hardware errors" and keeps 0
no show "Miner uptime" and keeps 0
and Status keep stay in "Inactive"
 
But on the mining pool side monitor shows realtime hash rate around 7.9 Th/s

How to solve the local monitor issue ?

Can you send an email regarding this issue...we had one other report of this and trying to diagnose whats going on.