Running an FPGA on Raspberry Pi, possible?

[LordMord]

I would really like to know if somebody got that to work.

I would try myself but is hard to get your hands on a Raspberry Pi in the moment.

[wogaut]

OK, here's what I got so far:

Code:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install autoconf
sudo apt-get install libtool
sudo apt-get install libncurses-dev
sudo apt-get install yasm
sudo apt-get install curl
sudo apt-get install libcurl4-openssl-dev
sudo apt-get install pkg-config

Download zip archive from https://github.com/ckolivas/cgminer

Code:

unzip ckolivas-cgminer-v2.4.1-9-gb69d735.zip 
cd ckolivas-cgminer-b69d735/
./autogen.sh
./configure --enable-bitforce

configure then quits after a while with the following errors:

Code:

./configure: line 9269: syntax error near unexpected token `PKG_CHECK_MODULES'
./configure: line 9269: `PKG_CHECK_MODULES(LIBCURL, libcurl >= 7.15.6, AC_DEFINE([CURL_HAS_SOCKOPT], [1], [Defined if version of curl supports sockopts.]),'

Any insights are appreciated!

Edit: Doing a

Code:

curl-config --version

results in

Code:

libcurl 7.21.0

so the libcurl version should work.

[Jackbauer]

Python will run fine on the device, its what they recommend you learn (the device is mostly meant for students). But honestly unless you try it yourself you will never know, ARM is a weird platform, some things will run fine with no issues, some things will explode.

[wogaut]

Python will run fine on the device, its what they recommend you learn (the device is mostly meant for students). But honestly unless you try it yourself you will never know, ARM is a weird platform, some things will run fine with no issues, some things will explode.

I'm confused, is this in response to the specific configure issues I quoted in my last post? Doesn't seem to help, sorry man.

[wogaut]

OK, with the hint of P_Shep https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=28402.msg919542#msg919542
and some additional command lines here's how to compile and install cgminer on your Raspberry Pi:

Note: These instructions are for Debian Squeeze Linux http://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads. Other Linux distros may differ.

Code:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install autoconf
sudo apt-get install libtool
sudo apt-get install libncurses-dev
sudo apt-get install yasm
sudo apt-get install curl
sudo apt-get install libcurl4-openssl-dev
sudo apt-get install pkg-config

Download zip archive from https://github.com/ckolivas/cgminer

Code:

unzip ckolivas-cgminer-v2.4.1-9-gb69d735.zip 
cd ckolivas-cgminer-b69d735/
aclocal
./autogen.sh
export LIBCURL_CFLAGS='-I/usr/include/curl'
export LIBCURL_LIBS='-L/usr/lib -lcurl'
./configure --enable-bitforce
make
sudo make install

Now to run your BFL Single:
Plug it in now (may need a USB hub if you plan to also use USB kbd/mouse, I got around that with a PS/2-USB splitter).
Do a quick check if it registered with your Raspberry Pi Linux:

Code:

ls -l /dev/ttyUSB*

will show some ttyUSB device (typically ttyUSB0).
If not, check out that post: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=65879.msg915045#msg915045

Run cgminer the usual way but add the option

Code:

-S auto

Have fun!  

[LordMord]

th wogaut now i only need to get my hands on a Raspberry Pi.

[punin]

Has anyone gotten Raspberry Pi to work with Ztex boards?

Edit: Hashing happily away!

[matthewh3]

Has anyone gotten Raspberry Pi to work with Ztex boards?

Edit: Hashing happily away!

On P2Pool?

[jothan]

I am doing this this, I am successfully running 6 BFL singles off of a DreamPlug with minimal CPU usage (< 2%).

Code:

cat /proc/cpuinfo 
Processor	: Feroceon 88FR131 rev 1 (v5l)
BogoMIPS	: 1192.75
Features	: swp half thumb fastmult edsp 
CPU implementer	: 0x56
CPU architecture: 5TE
CPU variant	: 0x2
CPU part	: 0x131
CPU revision	: 1

Hardware	: Marvell GuruPlug Reference Board
Revision	: 0000
Serial		: 0000000000000000

https://www.globalscaletechnologies.com/t-dreamplugdetails.aspx

[lafiamafia]

what is an FPGA?

[wogaut]

what is an FPGA?

GIYF 

[lafiamafia]

what is an FPGA?

GIYF 

as it turns out, it is

[BitMinerN8]

I was able to get cgminer 2.5.0 running on the Pi. Thanks wogaut for the guide. I am a linux newbie and could use some help on a few commands.

1. How can you get cgminer to run in the background? I tried adding a "&" after the command but it does not seem to work. (tried sudo in front too) Example:
./cgminer -S auto -o pool:8332 -u acct -p pass &

I want to be able to keep it running and use "screen" to attach (screen -ls then screen -r PID) after I SSH to the Pi. I did a "sudo apt-get install screen", but it does not show any PID when I do a "screen -ls".

2. If I can get it to run in the background, where would the best place be to insert that command so that it starts on boot when the Pi is powered up? I found this: http://www.debian-administration.org/articles/28 but got a little confused and figured there might be a specific file to put it in?

Thanks for any hints.

[wogaut]

Glad my guide is of use.

I noticed that cgminer doesn't like I/O redirections (like the '&' at the end).
When putting the '&' at the end without anything, it takes it as a command line parameter and fails.
When using '`' quotes for the cgminer command before appending the '&', it will run the CPU near 100% on the RPi.

The best I found is to put your cgminer command line into a script (e.g. startminer.script) that you can access from within a startup file.
Make sure your script is executable:
chmod a+x startminer.script

I shamelessly put it at the end of /etc/rc.local using the screen command (so rc.local would not hang there):

screen -dmS miner /home/pi/startminer.script

[BitMinerN8]

Glad my guide is of use.

I noticed that cgminer doesn't like I/O redirections (like the '&' at the end).
When putting the '&' at the end without anything, it takes it as a command line parameter and fails.
When using '`' quotes for the cgminer command before appending the '&', it will run the CPU near 100% on the RPi.

The best I found is to put your cgminer command line into a script (e.g. startminer.script) that you can access from within a startup file.
Make sure your script is executable:
chmod a+x startminer.script

I shamelessly put it at the end of /etc/rc.local using the screen command (so rc.local would not hang there):

screen -dmS miner /home/pi/startminer.script

I was able to create the script and launch it with screen command above, but it looked like it was not working on boot. (sudo nano /etc/rc.local) added before the exit 0. (sudo reboot) Then I did a ps -e -f and found it was running. When I put it after the exit 0 it did not seem to work.  

(I'm sure you know already, this is for others that might be following along...)
You need to sudo and then it works:

Code:

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ screen -ls
No Sockets found in /var/run/screen/S-pi.

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo screen -ls
There is a screen on:
        1428.miner      (26/07/12 16:26:54)     (Detached)
1 Socket in /var/run/screen/S-pi.

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo screen -r 1428

Bingo! It connects fine, CTRL-A, D and it disconnects. Exactly what I wanted.   Thank you!

Please send me your address so I can donate.  

[wogaut]

Yes, before the exit statement, otherwise it would be ignored.

Glad it works for you!

[BitMinerN8]

What is the max number of BFL Single anyone has running on a Pi? 

[btrash]

I thought this was done already with some of the prebuilt FPGA out there

[BitMinerN8]

I thought this was done already with some of the prebuilt FPGA out there

Oh, I have it working with 3, but it started getting very unresponsive. I was going to add another 2 and see if it could handle it, but I need a bigger USB hub with more ports. I was just asking to save time if anyone had hit a wall on usability.

[Jezzz]

Going to try and set this up with 10 BFL singles tonight or tomorrow.  I'll post back with results.