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@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ Install AMD APP sdk, ideal version (see FAQ!) - put it into a system location.
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Download the correct version for either 32 bit or 64 bit from here:
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http://developer.amd.com/tools/heterogeneous-computing/amd-accelerated-parallel-processing-app-sdk/downloads/
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+The best version for Radeon 5xxx and 6xxx is v2.5, while 7xxx cards need v2.6 or
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+later, 2.7 seems the best.
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+
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+For versions 2.4 or earlier you will need to manually install them:
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This will give you a file with a name like:
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AMD-APP-SDK-v2.4-lnx64.tgz (64-bit)
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or
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@@ -80,8 +84,9 @@ device may be very slow to return responses, or produce errors.
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NOTE: Running intensities above 9 with current hardware is likely to only
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diminish return performance even if the hash rate might appear better. A good
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-starting baseline intensity to try on dedicated miners is 9. Higher values are
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-there to cope with future improvements in hardware.
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+starting baseline intensity to try on dedicated miners is 9. 11 is the upper
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+limit for intensity while Bitcoin mining, if the GPU_USE_SYNC_OBJECTS variable
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+is set (see FAQ). The upper limit for SHA256d mining is 14 and 20 for scrypt.
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---
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@@ -342,10 +347,17 @@ binaries will be built. It is known that the 2.6 ATI SDK has a huge hashrate
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penalty on generating new binaries. It is recommended to not use this SDK at
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this time unless you are using an ATI 7xxx card that needs it.
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-Q: Which ATI SDK is the best for BFGMiner?
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-A: At the moment, versions 2.4 and 2.5 work the best. If you are forced to use
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-the 2.6 SDK, the phatk kernel will perform poorly, while the diablo or my
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-custom modified poclbm kernel are optimised for it.
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+Q: Which AMD SDK is the best for BFGMiner?
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+A: At the moment, versions 2.4 and 2.5 work the best for 5xxx and 6xxx GPUs. SDK
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+2.6 or 2.7 works best for 7xxx. SDK 2.8 is known to have many problems. If you
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+need to use the 2.6+ SDK (7xxx and later), the phatk kernel will perform poorly,
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+while the diablo or (modified) poclbm kernel are optimised for it.
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+
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+Q: Which AMD driver is the best?
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+A: Unfortunately AMD has a history of having quite a few releases with issues
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+when it comes to mining, either in terms of breaking mining, increasing CPU
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+usage or very low hashrates. Only experimentation can tell you for sure, but
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+some good releases were 11.6, 11.12, 12.4 and 12.8
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Q: I have multiple SDKs installed, can I choose which one it uses?
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A: Run bfgminer with the -n option and it will list all the platforms currently
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@@ -355,6 +367,67 @@ Q: BFGMiner reports no devices or only one device on startup on Linux although
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I have multiple devices and drivers+SDK installed properly?
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A: Try "export DISPLAY=:0" before running BFGMiner.
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+Q: BFGMiner crashes immediately on startup.
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+A: One of the common reasons for this is that you have mixed files on your
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+machine for the driver or SDK. Windows has a nasty history of not cleanly
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+uninstalling files so you may have to use third party tools like driversweeper
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+to remove old versions. The other common reason for this is windows antivirus
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+software is disabling one of the DLLs from working. If BFGMiner starts with the
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+-T option but never starts without it, this is a sure fire sign you have this
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+problem and will have to disable your antivirus or make exceptions.
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+
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+Q: Is it faster to mine on Windows or Linux?
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+A: It makes no difference. It comes down to choice of operating system for their
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+various features. Linux offers much better long term stability and remote
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+monitoring and security, while Windows offers you overclocking tools that can
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+achieve much more than BFGMiner can do on Linux.
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+
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+Q: BFGMiner cannot see any of my GPUs even though I have configured them all to
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+be enabled and installed OpenCL (+/- Xorg is running and the DISPLAY variable is
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+exported on Linux)?
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+A: Check the output of 'bfgminer -d?', it will list what OpenCL devices your
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+installed SDK recognises. If it lists none, you have a problem with your version
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+or installation of the SDK.
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+
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+Q: BFGMiner is mining on the wrong GPU, I want it on the AMD but it's mining on
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+my on board GPU?
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+A: Make sure the AMD OpenCL SDK is installed, check the output of 'bfgminer -d?'
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+and use the appropriate parameter with --gpu-platform.
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+
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+Q: I'm getting much lower hashrates than I should be for my GPU?
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+A: Look at your driver/SDK combination and disable power saving options for your
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+GPU. Specifically look to disable ULPS. Make sure not to set intensity above 11
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+for Bitcoin mining.
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+
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+Q: Can I mine with AMD while running Nvidia or Intel GPUs at the same time?
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+A: If you can install both drivers successfully (easier on windows) then yes,
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+using the --gpu-platform option.
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+
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+Q: Can I mine with Nvidia or Intel GPUs?
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+A: Yes, but their hashrate is very poor and likely you'll be using much more
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+energy than you'll be earning in coins.
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+
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+Q: Can I mine on Linux without running Xorg?
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+A: With Nvidia you can, but with AMD you cannot.
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+
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+Q: I'm trying to mine a scrypt cryptocurrency but BFGMiner shows MH values
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+instead of kH and submits no shares?
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+A: Add the --scrypt parameter.
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+
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+Q: I can't get anywhere near enough hashrate for scrypt compared to other
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+people?
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+A: You may not have enough system RAM as this is also required.
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+
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+Q: My scrypt hashrate is high but the pool reports only a tiny proportion of my
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+hashrate?
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+A: You are generating garbage hashes due to your choice of settings. Try
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+decreasing your intensity, do not increase the number of gpu-threads, and
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+consider adding system RAM to match your GPU ram.
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+
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+Q: Scrypt fails to initialise the kernel every time?
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+A: Your parameters are too high. Don't add GPU threads, don't set intensity too
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+high, decrease thread concurrency. See the README.scrypt for a lot more help.
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+
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Q: Should I use crossfire/SLI?
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A: It does not benefit mining at all and depending on the GPU may actually
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worsen performance.
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