Project Update

[chooka03]

Hmmm so Dataman said that the Geko does WU's about every 4mins so I'm guessing the 1x 1.6GH WU I'm running now which is taking over 20min means something isn't right. :/
26min so far for 96%.

The config file obviously worked because I've received work units. I installed zdig and the driver required then restarted BOINC.

Hmm... seems I need to play around a bit. Kashi, how long do your 1.6GH WU's take?

Edit - I got it working...kind of (this is sounding familiar) I actually think its the USB connection that is poorly made. I transferred the miner to another USB port and noticed for the first time the purple light which you mentioned Kashi. Previously it was just a green power light.
However after the first WU, I could hear a really, really high pitched noise coming from the miner and no flashing purple light for the next WU. I wiggled the miner slightly and the purple light started flashing and the miner stopped with the ear piercing screech.
As I type I've noticed the same thing happening again. Next WU has started but no purple light :/
These things are too temperamental.

[kashi]

Ah Grey Whale Inn, great name.

And in Mendocino, too.

Immediately brings the song to mind. Good, that will help erase current Black Is Black and The Toys - Lover's Concerto earworms.

Fast talkin' guys with strange red eyes
Have put things in your head

And started your mind to wonderin'
I love you so, please don't go
Please stay here with me in Mendocino.
Mendocino, Mendocino,

Where life's such a groove
You blow your mind in the morning.


Hope you have a pleasant time.

We just got our deck repaired yesterday, imported Oregon is horrid for decks in Australian weather, always rots. Must be cheaper than other wood, that's why they keep using it, this is the 3rd house we've had with rotting Oregon decks.

Don't know about Schrodinger's cat, I reckon my 2nd Gekko is not really green but a Norwegian Blue. It's not really dead, just pining for the fjords.

Actually got it to go for one task by playing with the power screw. Bit dicey I suppose, think you're meant to measure the voltage when adjusting that screw.
The power screw is the little silver thing (potentiometer?) with the recessed Philips head to the left of the silver USB connector that sticks out. Wouldn't start the next task though so I gave up.

It's a very fine adjustment, so be careful as it's probably possible to overvolt it and blow it up. In other words, that's why it's recommended using a multimeter to check the voltage. I will read some more about it but the support thread is so gigantic I just had a quick look. I think to the left is less and to the right is more but you should check any of this for yourself.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1173963.0

My working stick is currently showing an average time of 3 mins 42 secs in BOINC Manager, generally tasks take between 3 to 4.5 minutes, there's some outliers under 2 minutes but almost none over 5 minutes. If you see really long ones in my lists of tasks, that will be where I've been trying to get the 2nd stick to work and swapping between sticks.

Agree they're too temperamental, in fact they're a right bastard.  

[chooka03]

Thanks mate.
Yeah I feel that I've wasted my money.  :hbang: In 4 hrs I've only completed 7 tasks.
It's flaky as. 

Doesn't matter which USB port I use. Oh look...I unplugged it and plugged it back in for the hundredth time and its decided to work again. EXTREMELY FLAKY.

I can only assume it the device itself.
Oh well.

[Dataman]

I love the smell of cool, salt air as I lie warm in a super-soft bed. They make their own breakfast pastries here and I ate so many it was almost embarrassing.  :drool:

Admit it Kashi. You have an advanced alien intelligence that is not of this earth!!!  biggrin I would have never noticed a screw on a IC card. Delicate adjustment? You mean I can't use my 18 V cordless screwdriver? I look at it this way; it does not work now so if I blow it up then it will not work then either. I will 'screw it" when I get back.

Ahhh, it is a beautiful morning here. The kind that make you damn glad you are still alive. We are off to take a walk on the beach.

"Life is good and it just keeps working out."

[chooka03]

Well sadly guys I think I'm going to give up on my ASIC miner
I find that no matter which USB port I use, it often completes one task then needs to be hotplugged about 10 times before it works again. That's just not practical.

I can only imagine that perhaps we shouldn't have strayed from the BU list of working devices. It seems that Jugnut's BiFury is consistent.

I might persist on and off to try to get it to work (try a hub maybe?) or contact the supplier for any tips.
Happy crunching all.

[kashi]

Breakfast pastries sounds yum. Not something I'm familiar with.

Nothing like the smell of salt air to clear the head. Except for a surf of course, getting a bit of salt water up the nose from catching a few waves is better than reaching for the neti pot. A decent surf, a few rays, now there's something that builds a mighty hunger and sometimes requires a nice cold ale or 2 as well. Even dunking your head in the salt water gives a lot of benefit if surf is too rough or swim fitness has left the building.

Haha, I have no experience with electronics, can't even use a soldering iron. Did buy one a few years ago, only managed to burn myself and make a mess on my desk. Old Klipsch speaker needing repair still sits next to my bed, I've got new titanium tweeter diaphragms from Bob Crites waiting for Godot. No Vulcan intelligence here, I read about the little adjustment pot on that Gekko support thread.

Well the warning to be careful was aimed at chooka as well, since he has only one, not 2 or more like you and I. So feel free to go to town. I'm going to leave further fiddling with my 2nd stick until I get a powered hub. The one that works on my new computer will not work at all on my old computer, so the compatibility/power of the USB port is obviously one of the main factors affecting whether or not these sticks work reliably or at all.

Edit: That's a shame chooka, yes try a hub. Also give that support thread some study if you haven't already. I'll probably be ordering the Plugable USB 2 60W hub from Amazon later today, my motherboard has moved to Frankfurt so I need a PSU now, so I'll be able to combine shipping. It's US$35 but recommended: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1343497.msg13719840#msg13719840

Pity I can't get the little Arctic Breeze USB fan anywhere, was using an old case fan and managed to jam my fingers in the spinning blades twice. Maybe I can find some cheap crap similar on AliExpress. Don't need a fan unless overclocked, my working stick misbehaves when cooled, runs more reliably boiling hot, haha.

[chooka03]

Hi Kashi,

Oh I won't be playing with the voltage on mine. I think it will be a matter of time before it ends up in land fill or a recycling station.
I wouldn't mind buying a hub but I'd like it to be USB3.0. We are heading towards USB 3.1 so USB 2.0 is too obsolete for my liking. Also, I don't know how to buy off Amazon US. I've heard there's a way to do it but I'm not sure how.

Other than BU, I don't really have need for a hub so again I don't think I can justify the expense. As much as I love BOINC, I think sometimes I need to take a step back and acknowledge...... that it is just BOINC.
Perhaps it might just take a while to get over this guttered feeling of wasting near $100.00.

Plenty of rain here in Brisvegas today. Power even went out for a few hours this morning. 

[chooka03]

Hey Kashi,

After trolling through numerous forums, I also came across this hub as being recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/Superbpag-Portable-Charger-Transfer-Samsung/dp/B013OK10YM

[Dataman]

Hey Kashi,

After trolling through numerous forums, I also came across this hub as being recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/Superbpag-Portable-Charger-Transfer-Samsung/dp/B013OK10YM

That is the one I bought. Works great. I suggest you try a voltage adjustment and get your stick working. The more I read, the Gecko is NOT adjusted at the factory and I bet you an OZ dollar it is under voltage and that is why it is unstable. Rotate it slightly clockwise in small increments until it is stable. I am going to clock mine as soon as I get back home.

[kashi]

Yep, don't just chuck it out if you can't get it to work. Take your time to think about having a go at the screw and/or seek advice from the seller or manufacturer.

Yes I mentioned that recommended Superbpag USB 3 hub in a previous post. Unfortunately it is unavailable to be shipped to Australia. 

I can understand you not wanting to spend that much on a powered hub just for 1 stick. I was reluctant to get the Plugable USB 2 hub as well, now that USB 3 is current. However USB 3 hubs often don't work with Raspberry Pi if I ever get one and also can interfere with radio. And of course I don't actually need a USB 3 hub for anything yet.

In the past I've mainly bought records on Amazon US, due to a combination of greater availability, better price and relatively very cheap delivery charges. Apparently Collectors Choice Music is often now cheaper but I haven't bought anything from them yet.

Buying from Amazon US is easy, all you need is a credit card and patience to wait until stuff arrives. Deliveries although cheap are sometimes very slow especially at Christmas season when Aussie customs holds everything up. I always buy in US dollars and let my credit card do the conversion because it's cheaper than letting Amazon do the conversion to AU$. Have purchased many records from Amazon US, a few from Amazon UK and once an Oscar Peterson box set from Amazon Germany.

Also purchased a few bits of hardware from Amazon US, either unavailable in Australia or specials listed on OzBargain site such as M.2 SSDs, flash sticks, wireless mice, etc. and once a Timex watch for my brother's birthday. Although there's quite a lot that can't be shipped to Australia they have some great specials surprisingly often as their pricing model is a bit different to most Australian online shops and for some classes of goods fluctuates quite a lot.

Can be a little frustrating if you miss a bargain by delaying. They had a very good discount on an eVGA 850W T2 Titanium PSU a month ago but I decided not to buy then as the Germans were mucking me around delaying the dual motherboard. At the start of May it went back up to US$219.99.

Wouldn't purchase more expensive computer hardware from Amazon unless it was unavailable or eye wateringly expensive in Australia AND had international warranty such as eVGA brand.

Perhaps try it out with something small to get the hang of it and see how you go. You may enjoy it. We all need to buy stuff now and again and Amazon is the biggest shop in the Western world. 

[chooka03]

Ah thanks for those tips Dataman & Kashi.

I found out you can get goods posted to Aus by creating an account with Shopmate - https://shopmate.auspost.com.au/ This is what a few friends & family use.
Interesting fact about the conversion rate. Thanks for sharing that! 

I let it go overnight and it seems to have done ok except for a 2hr stopage then when the WU timed out it seems to have started again until another roughly 2hr stopage. *sigh*

http://www.bitcoinutopia.net/bitcoinutopia/results.php?userid=6049&offset=0&show_names=0&state=4&appid=

Well at least I can see the potential of what it can do if you are just running 1 of these Kashi. 11Mil/day.
Enjoy what's left of the weekend all :)

Oh ps.... From what I read on forums last night, it seems we are using the stores which the fanboi's suggest - Holy Bitcoin, Eyeboot & Bitcoinware.net. They also mentioned ASICPuppy (How cool is that name!) but htye have bugger all stock vs the other stores which are sold out.
I think we have been looking at hardware during a popular time for Bitcoin. Seems the price has broken out above resistance at $465.00. (One of my hobbies is share trading and candlestick charting :)) Might explain why the world has sold out of miners.

http://www.coindesk.com/price/

[chooka03]

Looking at the photo in this thread, the flat part on the potentiometer on mine is exactly opposite the one in this photo. I'm assuming if I was to place it in the same position as the photo, that would be the maximum?

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1173963.0

I'm sure turning it 1 mm - 2mm at a time would be the safest bet.

Haven't got much to lose.

Looks like I need to get myself a mutimeter.
My initial findings are when I back the screw off a little, I got some activity as indicated by the purple flashing light but the flashes were slower and the WU was barely making progress,,,,, consistant with less voltage I guess.
I've since wound it back to where it was and the activity has picked up but I'm not game to increase the voltage without a mutimeter. Good excuse to either A)visit the shops or B) visit the parents as dads will have one :)

[chooka03]

So went to my nephews b'day party today and in that time, 1 WU times out after 7234 seconds @ 2:41 UTC. The next task completed at 3:58 UTC after running for 4588 seconds. This was followed by another WU which took about the same time (4352 sec) to complete. So it seems if I just leave it it eventually starts working again but with horribly long durations.

Righto so the mutimeter tells me that my miner is working at 0.62V which is at the lower end of the acceptable range. When it stops working again....which it will, I'll play around a bit more. Right now though, its been working for a few hours.
Talk about inconsistant.  ???

[chooka03]

WOW....touch wood its having a good run now. Looks like 5 hrs without stopping  ???
Touchwood, touchwood,touchwood  While it's running I'm not game to touch it at all let alone play with the voltage now.

[Dataman]

Got mine working again. The unstable one ran all night without invalids. The "dead" one ran all night with 2 invalids but seems to recover itself. Will work on it today. All 4 Geckos are running. Now if I can only get the 2 antminers going.
Looks like a 37 million credit day.

Home again to the heat. 36.5 C today. We would have stayed another day but our room was booked for today.


EDIT: Cranked up the power to the unstable one and it is good so far. Need to buy more Articbreeze fans though. The antminers are very frustrating though. They both can't be defective. I am doing something wrong but damned if I can figure it out.  :hbang: