List of essential software on a Windows Mining Machine (XP and 7)?

[Dalkore]

Hello,

Can someone give me a list of essential software I will need on a windows based mining rig?   Here is what I have so far:


SEE THE POST BELOW.

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[bitlane]

Windows Stuff....

Catalyst 11.12 ('special' version of 11.12 is available for 7xxx cards, I am running it)
SDK 2.1 (for 5xxx Series Radeons)
SDK 2.4 (for 6xxx Series Radeons)
SDK 2.6 (for 7xxx Series Radeons)
CGMiner 2.4.1
MSI AfterBurner -latest version?- (for Voltage adjustments on 7xxx cards only. All other Controls through CGMiner)
VNC Software (TightVNC, UltraVNC etc) for managing 'headless' Windows Rigs, as Windows RDP DOES NOT WORK due to driver control/desktop interaction.
GPU-Z (for 'familiar' video Card Info)
GPU-Caps Viewer (GPU & OpenCL Info)


I am currently running over 11.2 GH/s over five (5) Windows 7 x64 'Headless' Mining Rigs using everything above. It's my 'Mining Bible for Windows'....lol

**For a Windows 7 Miner (such as myself), the BEST Driver is CAT 11.12 and it's the only driver I use on 3 different generations of Radeons.
11.12 for 'Windows Miners'
- NO 100% CPU Bug.
- Support 5+ Video Cards (Win7x64, I am running 3x 5-card rigs and 1x 6-card rig...most 12.x drivers that I tried DO NOT support more than 4 cards).
- As I said above, 11.12 is available even for 7xxx Cards (Special RC Version from ATI/AMD).
....It's the only driver a Windows 7 Miner really needs (just remember to use an appropriate SDK version for your specific video cards).

[Dalkore]

Where is the official location to download CGMiner?  

What do you mean by "headless"?


Thank you, I have downloaded all those except CGminer.

[bitlane]

I added more to the list... (GPU-Z and GPU Caps Viewer)

Edit your above post and Un-quote my post/list, as I will add more when I come across it or check my rigs (to minimize confusion).

Headless = NO MONITOR/KB/MOUSE (just a network cable plugged in, that's it).

CGMiner is in this Forum's 'Mining Software' section, PINNED Post at top of page.

For CGMiner, you will need to launch it from the CMD Line using a BAT file (I do it that way) or you can create a config file.
I still prefer the CMD line and BAT file.

If you need help with BAT files, tell me what cards and I will give you 'samples' to copy/paste.

I have been mining on Windows since day 1 of my mining operation and can help if you need it.
I refused to go to Linux every time I ran into a problem...LOL

Hope that helps,
bitlane.

[Dargo]

CGMiner is better than GUIMiner, but GUIMiner is probably a lot easier just to get up and running your first time. But with bitlane's help CGMiner might be OK at first go.

[Dalkore]

CGMiner is better than GUIMiner, but GUIMiner is probably a lot easier just to get up and running your first time. But with bitlane's help CGMiner might be OK at first go.

Where do I download it?  I did a search and nothing came up that seemed official.

[bitlane]

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=28402.0

..right where I said it would be

[arklan]

so quick question - i just got my first ATI card. currently getting about 285 mhash on a 6870. i'm just using the current most up todate drivers, and do not have the amd sdk installed. (or, admittedly, anything else but the mining software, which is currently guiminer... i'll experiment with CGminer though.)

what kind of benefit would i see if i downloaded the sdk and that particular driver? any idea? why are they the ideal?

[wildemagic]

CGMiner is better than GUIMiner

I use GUIMiner with phoenix dropped in as the OpenCL miner.  I get better hash rates with this combo than both CGMiner and DiabloMiner.  I also get a more responsive desktop.

Using a saphire 5850@666/150/0.95v

kind regards

[Dalkore]

CGMiner is better than GUIMiner

I use GUIMiner with phoenix dropped in as the OpenCL miner.  I get better hash rates with this combo than both CGMiner and DiabloMiner.  I also get a more responsive desktop.

Using a saphire 5850@666/150/0.95v

kind regards

What is "Phoenix"?

[BR0KK]

its the same as cgminer? .....

For windows boxes i prefer a up to date virus scanner.

No bitcoin-qt operations on a miner

[BinaryMage]

CGMiner is better than GUIMiner

I use GUIMiner with phoenix dropped in as the OpenCL miner.  I get better hash rates with this combo than both CGMiner and DiabloMiner.  I also get a more responsive desktop.

Using a saphire 5850@666/150/0.95v

kind regards

What is "Phoenix"?

its the same as cgminer? .....

No. Phoenix is a mining program, similar but not identical to CGminer, that allows you to choose from a limited selection of kernels. I have also found it to be faster, but probably slightly harder to use, at least in the command line version.

If you feel adventurous, I'd suggest giving BAMT a try. It's a Linux distro (Debian 6) specially set up and optimized for mining. I've found it efficient and stable. Configuration is a little challenging if you have no Linux experience, but the advantages are well worth it.

[Dalkore]

No. Phoenix is a mining program, similar but not identical to CGminer, that allows you to choose from a limited selection of kernels. I have also found it to be faster, but probably slightly harder to use, at least in the command line version.

If you feel adventurous, I'd suggest giving BAMT a try. It's a Linux distro (Debian 6) specially set up and optimized for mining. I've found it efficient and stable. Configuration is a little challenging if you have no Linux experience, but the advantages are well worth it.

Bamt seems to be down.  Is there any mirrors or could someone link me the lastest version?

[ssateneth]

Lots of info there that I agree with bitlane. Some things that may be important though.

AFAIK, all 67xx and lower radeons are compatible with, and should use, 2.1 SDK. I have a 6770 mining happily on 2.1, probably because it's detected as a Juniper, the same as the 5770's that I have. Unfortunately I don't have ANY voltage control on that card, but thats besides the point (stealing the thread here.. anyone want to buy a 6770? )

Sapphire Trixx 4.3.0 may be less cumbersome for some people. I've never been able to underclock memory further than 600MHz with Afterburner. Sapphire Trixx now also supports undervolting. For dedicated miners though, I would only use software clock/voltage adjustments for the initial phase of finding optimum clocks, then later BIOS flash (back up the original VGA BIOS!) using the clocks and volts you want using RBE. I have 2 dedicated rigs and flashed the BIOS on all cards to optimum frequencies and volts, making reboots (if any) extremely painless.

CGMiner also may be more robust as far as features and being noob proof, but I also found that phoenix + phatk2 has speed leads on all other freely available miners when used on 2.1/2.4 SDK compatible hardware (have no clue with 7xxx cards, havent used them). Phoenix does not have fan adjustments though. In lieu of that, I use Glakkeclock to force a fixed fan speed of my choosing; it runs on OS startup inside a .bat file

All of my experience is on Win7 x64. I swear by 2.1 SDK, 11.12 OR 12.1 driver, Phoenix 2 miner, and phatk2 kernel.

[BR0KK]

ATI (Or AMD) relabels small cards. Especially small cards just get a new fancy name

[BinaryMage]

No. Phoenix is a mining program, similar but not identical to CGminer, that allows you to choose from a limited selection of kernels. I have also found it to be faster, but probably slightly harder to use, at least in the command line version.

If you feel adventurous, I'd suggest giving BAMT a try. It's a Linux distro (Debian 6) specially set up and optimized for mining. I've found it efficient and stable. Configuration is a little challenging if you have no Linux experience, but the advantages are well worth it.

Bamt seems to be down.  Is there any mirrors or could someone link me the lastest version?

http://bamter.org/download.html. Any of those mirrors should do.