BAMT version 0.5 - Easy USB based mining Linux with farm wide management tools

[TheHarbinger]

So one my rigs had it's drive crap out, so I stuck my old BAMT key in there to keep it going until I get a new drive set up for it.  Working great, however I see the version of cgminer on it is outdated.

So, my question is, is there a quick and dirty way to update cgminer on BAMT or do I need to build the newer version from source and swap it in?

you can always build any version you like and throw it into /opt/miners/cgminer.   if there is ever a "stable" version of cgminer we will push out an update via the fixer, but I am hesitant to do that simply because we've seen so much trouble with past versions.  The version currently in BAMT has reduced the number of trouble reports massively compared to all the version before it, and versions ever since always seem to have some bug reported in the cgminer thread. 

If anybody who uses cgminer on lots of rigs (enough to have a fair sample, say 20+) wants to give feedback here or directly to me, that would help me know when/if there is a good version to push out, since I don't use it myself and I don't pay that much attention.

No, I agree with you, I wasn't asking for a a newer version push via the BAMT fixer, was just asking if there was a quicker way then building from the source.

As far as a "stable" version...  You of all people should know there is no such thing.  Look at all the chaos caused when the version number in BAMT went from 0.4 to 0.5.

Anyway, since BAMT is just a temp fix for me to keep the rig up for a few days, I'll not be building from source via ssh.   

Regardless, hell of a little piece of software you put together lodcrappo.

[lodcrappo]

So one my rigs had it's drive crap out, so I stuck my old BAMT key in there to keep it going until I get a new drive set up for it.  Working great, however I see the version of cgminer on it is outdated.

So, my question is, is there a quick and dirty way to update cgminer on BAMT or do I need to build the newer version from source and swap it in?

you can always build any version you like and throw it into /opt/miners/cgminer.   if there is ever a "stable" version of cgminer we will push out an update via the fixer, but I am hesitant to do that simply because we've seen so much trouble with past versions.  The version currently in BAMT has reduced the number of trouble reports massively compared to all the version before it, and versions ever since always seem to have some bug reported in the cgminer thread. 

If anybody who uses cgminer on lots of rigs (enough to have a fair sample, say 20+) wants to give feedback here or directly to me, that would help me know when/if there is a good version to push out, since I don't use it myself and I don't pay that much attention.

No, I agree with you, I wasn't asking for a a newer version push via the BAMT fixer, was just asking if there was a quicker way then building from the source.

As far as a "stable" version...  You of all people should know there is no such thing.  Look at all the chaos caused when the version number in BAMT went from 0.4 to 0.5.

Anyway, since BAMT is just a temp fix for me to keep the rig up for a few days, I'll not be building from source via ssh.   

Regardless, hell of a little piece of software you put together lodcrappo.

thanks. fwiw building from source is just typing a few command, not a big deal and their all given in the cgminer docs.  dealing with the bugs in whatever version you choose is left as an exercise for the reader.

[Inaba]

Here's what I'd like to see as far as cgminer in BAMT:  Just include a git directory that you can compile the latest version with if you're so inclined.  Just git pull, maybe a script to autogen, configure and make. 

At any rate, I have a question: BAMT complains heartily and refuses to start when no GPUs are detected (also I think this applies to a rig with GPUs that are unconfigured, too).  I have a rig with no GPUs, so I have to start cgminer manually because BAMT refuses to go further since no GPUs are detected.  Is there any way to disable this, since the rig will never have GPUs in it.

[lodcrappo]

Here's what I'd like to see as far as cgminer in BAMT:  Just include a git directory that you can compile the latest version with if you're so inclined.  Just git pull, maybe a script to autogen, configure and make. 

sounds like a good project.  if someone makes it, i'll include in next version

At any rate, I have a question: BAMT complains heartily and refuses to start when no GPUs are detected (also I think this applies to a rig with GPUs that are unconfigured, too).  I have a rig with no GPUs, so I have to start cgminer manually because BAMT refuses to go further since no GPUs are detected.  Is there any way to disable this, since the rig will never have GPUs in it.

Trix are for kids, BAMT is for GPUs.   None of the BAMT tools, data collection, etc will work with non GPU devices anyway, so until that changes there is little point in using BAMT on a non gpu rig.   Since none of the BAMT stuff is going to work, why not disable the bamt startup script and just use the box like you would any other linux rig (or, use any other linux rig, whichever is easier).

[Inaba]

I've already made it with regards to point 1.  What do you need to include it?

With regards to point two, as you said a number of pages ago, the utility of BAMT is that it already has all the tools built in for mining, instead of gathering them yourself.  So whether or not you're using GPUs, BAMT is still useful... or is that no longer the case with BAMT?

does stock linux have the ATI drivers, the SDK, the openCL libraries, atitweak, amdoverdrivectl, phoenix and cgminer preinstalled and ready to run?
does stock linux provide updates to this software via an automatic patch system?
etc,etc.

[abracadabra]

.. whether or not you're using GPUs, BAMT is still useful... or is that no longer the case with BAMT

    

I like to use a hammer to drive a nail. 
Sounds like you like using a pliers to drive the nail.
Use the right tool for the job.

[rjk]

.. whether or not you're using GPUs, BAMT is still useful... or is that no longer the case with BAMT

    

I like to use a hammer to drive a nail. 
Sounds like you like using a pliers to drive the nail.
Use the right tool for the job.

BAMT is the "Big A Miner Thing", which sort of suggests that it could be for more than just GPUs, and it would be even more cool if all the graphs and stuff supported FPGAs of various ilks. Unfortunately, its creator has a lot less time on his hands then do the maintainers of other various bitcoin mining related things. So I suppose at this point it is a question of Patience Grasshopper and donating before anything happens.

[Cobra]

BAMT is the "Big A Miner Thing", which sort of suggests that it could be for more than just GPUs, and it would be even more cool if all the graphs and stuff supported FPGAs of various ilks. Unfortunately, its creator has a lot less time on his hands then do the maintainers of other various bitcoin mining related things. So I suppose at this point it is a question of Patience Grasshopper and donating before anything happens.

I completely agree, it would be great if BAMT was able to evolve with the ever increasing popularity of FPGA's. I think mgpumon is the best feature of BAMT and in the present state it can work great to monitor FPGA's.  As you can see by taking a look at gigavps url, it sure is cool to see all the BFL's on a single host monitored through cgminer and contributing to the GPU farm.  The UI of mgpumon certainly looks much more polished over other solutions that's for sure. I doubt that would be easy to pull off in standard Linux to monitor the FPGA's with a UI. It seems to at least play nice with them currently via cgminer.

I also see what Inaba is going for with a GPU-less rig. I can envision the new AMD Trinity APU soon to be released with a built in Radeon 7660 would meet the need to not need a standard graphics card and be very efficient while kicking a few hashes in.  When you combine that with an 80+ Gold PSU, FPGA's, and custom cables to power them from the PSU it sounds like the perfect combination to make a very efficient "next generation rig".

[Inaba]

Use the right tool for the job.

Which is what?

[mc_lovin]

If you guys are having problems with BAMT stopping mining after awhile due to network disconnect, try my fix:

http://www.bitcointrading.com/forum/index.php?topic=416.msg1235#msg1235

[lodcrappo]

If you guys are having problems with BAMT stopping mining after awhile due to network disconnect, try my fix:

http://www.bitcointrading.com/forum/index.php?topic=416.msg1235#msg1235

This "fix" is simply to remove the network-manager packager and configure your networking statically.

It is not ideal.  Still looking for something that corrects the problem without reducing functionality.

[lodcrappo]

I've already made it with regards to point 1.  What do you need to include it?

With regards to point two, as you said a number of pages ago, the utility of BAMT is that it already has all the tools built in for mining, instead of gathering them yourself.  So whether or not you're using GPUs, BAMT is still useful... or is that no longer the case with BAMT?

does stock linux have the ATI drivers, the SDK, the openCL libraries, atitweak, amdoverdrivectl, phoenix and cgminer preinstalled and ready to run?
does stock linux provide updates to this software via an automatic patch system?
etc,etc.

" ATI drivers, the SDK, the openCL libraries, atitweak, amdoverdrivectl, phoenix and cgminer"

hmmm...  which of these are useful if you are not using GPUS... 

not ATI drivers
not the SDK
not the openCL libs
not atitweak
not amdoverdrivectl
not phoenix

I'm going to assume you know that, and are just being silly.

[lodcrappo]

.. whether or not you're using GPUs, BAMT is still useful... or is that no longer the case with BAMT

    

I like to use a hammer to drive a nail. 
Sounds like you like using a pliers to drive the nail.
Use the right tool for the job.

BAMT is the "Big A Miner Thing", which sort of suggests that it could be for more than just GPUs

I am the A in BAMT, because A stands for Aaron and Aaron is me.  BAMT may support non GPU rigs in the future, but it does not support them now.
Due to extremely low donation to work ratio, I am basically only doing things that are funded in advance by donations at this point.

However, anyone is most welcome to do the work necessary to support non GPU rigs.  Send me the new code and I'll gladly put it in.

[lodcrappo]

I've already made it with regards to point 1.  What do you need to include it?

we need a tarball with any necessary files and an optional bash script with any commands that need to run before or after the tarball is unpacked.

[Isokivi]

If you guys are having problems with BAMT stopping mining after awhile due to network disconnect, try my fix:

http://www.bitcointrading.com/forum/index.php?topic=416.msg1235#msg1235

I applied the "fix", the rig nolonger randomly loses connetion, or if it does it's able to regain it. WOOHOO.
However it does not resume mining when this problem occurs, so Im having trouble seeing the benefits here : /

I'll toss in 5btc to actually fix this issue, paid when my problem rig has been up for 120 consecutive hours. Others with the problem feel free to chip in.

[TheHarbinger]

If you guys are having problems with BAMT stopping mining after awhile due to network disconnect, try my fix:

http://www.bitcointrading.com/forum/index.php?topic=416.msg1235#msg1235

I applied the "fix", the rig nolonger randomly loses connetion, or if it does it's able to regain it. WOOHOO.
However it does not resume mining when this problem occurs, so Im having trouble seeing the benefits here : /

I'll toss in 5btc to actually fix this issue, paid when my problem rig has been up for 120 consecutive hours. Others with the problem feel free to chip in.

It's much easier just to assign it a static and non-expiring IP from the router.

[Inaba]

The problem is with DHCP to begin with, so no, that does not solve the problem.

As a side note to McLovin's fix - you can accomplish the same thing by right clicking on the network icon and set your static IP in the GUI.  Works fine for me on the machines that experience this problem.

[lodcrappo]

The problem is with DHCP to begin with, so no, that does not solve the problem.

As a side note to McLovin's fix - you can accomplish the same thing by right clicking on the network icon and set your static IP in the GUI.  Works fine for me on the machines that experience this problem.

is there any rhyme or reason to which machines have this issue and which don't?  I would like to resolve it but like everything else its nearly impossible to address with no way to recreate it here.  I rotated several different nics in my test rig but none exhibit this issue.

[Inaba]

I can give you remote access to one if you want.

[lodcrappo]

I can give you remote access to one if you want.

it would be preferable to recreate the problem locally... using remote access to troubleshoot a problem that is essentially the loss of networking doesn't sound like a lot of fun for hopefully obvious reasons.
can you tell me some details of a system that doesnt work correctly?  Nic and/or motherboard seem like the most likely factors.