Topic: How to setup the 21 bitcoin computer? (Read 430 times)

YOU ARE OUT OF LUCK--

Here are some reasons: The ASIC needs to be connected to the server that is no longer in existence, this is coded in the chip and not removable.  The chip is proprietary, it does not use "stratum + TCP", it has some protocol named "twisted + TCP" or similar, according to a photo in a review.

The Raspberry Pi v2 is ok as a Raspberry Pi, but there is no software for the proprietary ASIC, period.  And, the BTC blockchain is now too large for the original 128GB micro-SD card.  Any supplied wallet software (?) is obsolete as a wallet, recent modifications make it unusable.  If you are able to copy just the blockchain as a snapshot, a current wallet might load it and save time on the initial synchronization.  A disk of 256GB or larger would be needed.

Given a 256GB SD card, the Raspberry Pi could load a current BTC wallet and synchronize.  The operating system could be any compatible with an Rpi.  The Rpi could then drive a GekkoScience USB stick miner and solo-mine BTC on the Rpi.  Any blockchain applications would need to be coded from scratch.

The proprietary ASIC is worthless, not usable.  It cannot function as intended without the 21.co server.  And, BTW, I asked you at least twice how to power it up with no exact response.  I returned my unit for a refund without ever powering it up.       --scryptr

Alrighty-then! 

Can I format it and/or load a new operating system on to it as it is built from a raspberry pi 2. can i use raspbian on this?
A copy of the blockchain on microsd came with it so that could be useful to have as well.

Thanks for more info!
Edward 

THERE IS NO 3RD PARTY SUPPORT--

The 21.co BTC computers are hard-coded in the ASIC processor to communicate with the 21.co server.  The 21.co server is down permanently.  It used a proprietary protocol for the mining bitstreams.  No 3rd party mining software can drive the ASIC chip because of this.

The units are still being sold to unwitting purchasers who hope to mine with them.  It can't be done, nobody will step in and code a work-around miner for an obsolete device.  The whole project, including instructions and device specific forums, has been dropped by 21.co, and 21.co is no longer in existence.       --scryptr

In my opinion, it's not a mining device or a mining bitcoin, it's just like a blockchain node-sized computer to create and receive network transactions, so you can use the official network. Instead you have to use 3rd party support!

THE OPERATING SYSTEM IS A CLIENT--

And the server has been taken down by 21.co.  The unit no longer has any support as-is.  I never even powered mine up, I returned it.  Further, the ASIC chip used a proprietary protocol to communicate with the server, from what I read from Luke-jr.  Luke-jr wrote and maintains BFGminer, an ASIC mining program.  He said that the ASIC on the 21 BTC computer could not work with an ordinary pool because it needed to communicate with the 21.co server.  This was hard-coded in the ASIC chip.

There are alternatives; GekkoScience has a thumbdrive ASIC that mines at 15+GH/s.  Search "GekkoScience + BitCoinTalk" and you will find several message threads.  A new thumbdrive ASIC model is planned that has near the same capacity of the 21.co BTC computer, but is fully supported by open source.

--scryptr

My 21 btc computer came with an ac-adapter
i had also plugged in ethernet, wired keyboard & wired mouse, and hdmi (to tv)
it showed me a login prompt, but after i entered my username, it wouldn't allow me to enter a password.
is there a default username and password for the computer, do i need to sign up somewhere, or you still think it won't work? anyone else using one right now?  thanks again! Edward

HOW IS IT POWERED? --

Is the single supplied power brick the only connection to power needed?  Both the Rpi and the ASIC unit have power ports.  I don't want to fry my unit when I turn it on.  I can't find basic setup instructions on the web.  Reviews and programming, yes, but all about 2 years old.

You should be able to find the End-of-Life announcement with a Google search.  I did not save the link.  A user posted his email on Reddit.

And thanks again for replying.       --scryptr

I still can't log-in.

Thanks for telling me about the end-of-life announcement for the bitcoin computer.
It's amazing they can still sell them on ebay and amazon even though they are obsolete.
It's very sad.

Thanks,
Edward

HAVE YOU MADE PROGRESS? --

I bought one also.  How did you power it up?  Does the single provided power brick power the whole system?

Have you found a default login/password?

There was an End-Of-Life announcement by 21.co for the Bitcoin Computer.  The server was being turned off for the clients (the Rpi system).  Is it even possible to operate the system without the server?

Thanks for any reply...       --scryptr

I know that it's used for programming, I was interested in all the things that it said about it, so I bought one. 
I got it running as a standalone after I bought a wired keyboard and mouse for it.  So I got it running on my TV,
now my problem is I just can't login to it.  I even got a verified profile on earn.com, but my username and password won't work for it.
Can anyone tell me how I'm supposed to log in to this thing? 

ETFbitcoin: yes that's the one, but I got mine on eBay!  I'm just trying to learn how to use it.

Thanks for your help guys!
Edward

So, why it is made and how is this thing work? Is it like a wallet or is it a computer which has 21 bitcoin inside?

Thanks for responding.
I don't even know how to get to the prompt/command line they are showing in that video.
When I plug in the USB, no devices show up on Windows. I think I found a command online that you have to run, before, but I'm still so confused.  I'd really like to get my 21 bitcoin computer running to see how profitable it may be.
It may be obsolete, but 21.co is still selling it on amazon, so maybe not.
I'll keep searching...
If anyone can give me further instructions, I'd appreciate it. Thank you.

Seems like it's obsolete. It might not even be profitable to mine from it. Either way, this looks like a fairly informative video that can walk you through the process. Nothing about running it with Windows though, just the default Raspberry Pi software. There doesn't seem to be a lot of resources online and they're all very dated.

 
Hi,
I recently purchased a 21 bitcoin computer by 21.co.  I can't find the instructions on how to set it up on their website.
The card in the box refers me to 21.co/setup

Does anyone know how to get a 21 BTC computer running with Windows?

Thanks! Edward