GBlack + Raspberry Pi HELP

[PowerstrokeJ]

Hello,

I have been mining now for some years, but I have only been mining with GPUs. I just bought a GBlack w/ the 5x80xGC3355 and I cannot figure how to setup raspberry pi. I am logged in and able to surf the internet n stuff through the Rasppi, but I just can't seem to figure out how to get this thing to start mining. I also have a few USB sticks and a gridseed I would like to use on my regular desktop if anyone can point me in the right direction. Yall's help will be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks,
PJ

[Zer0Sum]

I've got 2 GBlacks working well on a Win7 laptop, but it took a lot of experimentation.
And I've never been able to download any Pi image that worked.

On Win7:

(1)  First you have to install STM Virtual Com Ports... this should be easy.

(2)  Then you use BFGMiner 3.10.1... cgminer never worked for me with gridseeds.

(3)  Then you set frequency to 850, but that can go as low as 800, these chips are very finnicky

This is the bat file that runs it:

Bfgminer -S gridseed:all --set-device gridseed:clock=850 --scrypt -o stratum+tcp://mine.bitcoindark.ca:3600 -u XXXXX -p x


I also have a Zeus Lightning running perfectly on the same laptop concurrently...
 
So anything is possible... good luck, man.
 

[giveen]

I use bfgminer 5.0, a lot of bug fixes in place, 3.1 is reeeeeally old.

[not.you]

I also could not get this working on a Pi.  I used windows, installed the STM virtual comport drivers, then used zadig to switch them to WinUSB, then used cgminer from here https://github.com/dmaxl/cgminer/

You have to hot plug them with cgminer, which means launch cgminer and then plug in the USB which is kind of a pain but it works.  You can also disable a specific "generic usb hub" in the device manager to disable all of the gridseed devices, launch cgminer, and then enable that generic USB hub to have it detect all the devices so you can remotely restart.  That version of cgminer froze on me though when I connected 2 gblacks to the same computer.  It seems to do fine with 1 though.

[Zer0Sum]

You have to hot plug them with cgminer...

The version of bfgminer I'm running may be ancient... but it works and no need for hot plugging.

Here is a GBlack (10 circuits, 1 usb plug) + Gridseed Blade (2 circuits, 2 usb plugs) = 12 USB virtual ports...
This has been running for about a month with < 10 reboots...
And after a reboot the USB ports remain aligned... so just run bfgminer.

in this game whatever works, baby.

[not.you]

Can someone paste their batch file to run bfgminer with these?

[giveen]

bfgminer.exe --scrypt -o  -u  -p x -d gridseed -S gridseed:all --set-device gridseed:clock=850 --expiry 60 --queue 10

[not.you]

Thanks!  Been running bfgminer for a couple hours and I am already convinced this is better than cgminer. 

[PowerstrokeJ]

Thanks for all the responses and help! So the consensus says do not use Raspberry pi with the GBlack asic miner. If that is the case, how do uninstall the raspberry pi and hook it to my PC? Do I hoop it up with usb through the pi? Or have to have a cable running from each board?

Thanks

[giveen]

Thanks for all the responses and help! So the consensus says do not use Raspberry pi with the GBlack asic miner. If that is the case, how do uninstall the raspberry pi and hook it to my PC? Do I hoop it up with usb through the pi? Or have to have a cable running from each board?

Thanks

Take that cable that was coming out the back and plugged into the RaspPI, hook it up to a USB extendor and plug it into the computer.

[not.you]

Thanks for all the responses and help! So the consensus says do not use Raspberry pi with the GBlack asic miner. If that is the case, how do uninstall the raspberry pi and hook it to my PC? Do I hoop it up with usb through the pi? Or have to have a cable running from each board?

Thanks

If you open the case there is a USB hub inside.  It can be difficult to reach everything but you can swap out the USB cable that runs from the USB hub to the Pi for a longer one that can reach a nearby PC.  Since the USB ports on the Pi are outside the g-black case (so the USB cable should at least extend to the external rear of the case) you can just add a USB extension also.  You can leave the Pi where it is or remove it with a couple screws.  I left mine in place in case I ever try and sell it but if you don't have Pi's to use to play around with you can take them out and use them for whatever while the miners are plugged in to a PC.

If you use a windows PC the short version of the setup is this:
Use this driver: http://www.st.com/web/en/catalog/tools/PF257938
Use this miner: https://bitcointalk.org/?topic=877081

I am totally sold on bfgminer, much superior to both the cpuminer(Sandor111) and cgminer(all versions).

[PowerstrokeJ]

Ok, I installed the usb extension and have downloaded zadig. When I go to device manager when i turn on the GBlack, all the STM32 Virtual COM Ports populate. Well, they are listed under Universal Serial Bus Devices. Whenever I log on to BFGminer, i can connect to my server, but still no devices are found. Ive looked for which COM port they are on, but another website says it should be listed there.

[not.you]

Ok, I installed the usb extension and have downloaded zadig. When I go to device manager when i turn on the GBlack, all the STM32 Virtual COM Ports populate. Well, they are listed under Universal Serial Bus Devices. Whenever I log on to BFGminer, i can connect to my server, but still no devices are found. Ive looked for which COM port they are on, but another website says it should be listed there.

You need them listed under com ports or more exactly "Ports (COM & LPT)" in order for bfgminer to see them.  I think if you used zadig you have changed the drivers to WinUSB which is what most of the other software miners want (cgminer, etc...).  You need to switch the driver back. 

Do this:

In device manager, right click one of the blades and select "update driver software..."
Select the option to browse your computer for the driver
Browse to your STM drivers.  On my windows 7 pc the path is this: C:\Program Files (x86)\STMicroelectronics\Software\Virtual comport driver\Win7

Do that for all of them and they should switch to the virtual com port driver.  Then try bfgminer.

[tigerhuynh87]

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=596620.0

Minera 4.0 works for me im running 8 G-Blacks. Two Gblacks to 1 RPI

[PowerstrokeJ]

Thanks not.you. However, my drivers are in the same location, but when I try and reinstall those drivers it says that the latest driver is already up to date. I actually tried each option in zadig as well as your method and its not populating under "Ports (COM & LPT)"

[not.you]

I don't think zadig will work no matter what you do in terms of installing the STM drivers.  You can try right clicking the devices in device manager and select uninstall and then select the option to remove the driver.  I have switched them back myself but I can't remember offhand the process.  If you remove them and delete the driver you may be able to get them all to grab the correct driver by re-installing the driver file from STM. http://www.st.com/web/en/catalog/tools/PF257938 or you might have to allow the system to redetect them and then update the driver manually.

[PowerstrokeJ]

Just to clear things up, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE HELP.

I figured it out. I didn't realize that after you extract the files to the STM software folder, there was an additional .exe you must install. Everything is good now.. Hitting 30 m/h. Debating on buying another..

Again,
Thanks guys..