Topic: Questions re: Mining and pools (Read 3954 times)

OK, that solves that. Thanks

You cannot GPU mine unless you have at least one of OpenCL or CUDA.

First, here is my computers stats:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ @2.6ghz
NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE
Nvidia driver: 8.17.12.6099
Windows Vist Home Premium
3gb ram

GPU Caps Viewer says:
OPEN GL: Core:2.1 - GSL: 1.20
No OpenCL
no CUDA


OK, so I have installed and am running the latest Bitcoin for my PC. Im getting about 2100 khash or so from the CPU. I am thinking I should use the GPU to mine, and enter a mining pool also. I'm not a programmer, and am somewhat new to the Windows OS, but I am familiar with MacOS and the MacOS command line. I am running Bitcoin on a pc because I don't have an Intel Mac. Some limited experience on Linux also. I have read LobsterMans write up but it still leaves me with these questions:

1. GPU Caps says there is a new Nvidia driver, called R266.58. Should I install that?
2. Can I even GPU mine with only OpenGL, or must one have CUDA or OpenCL?
3. If it is possible to use my GPU, will using it in such a fashion shorten its life?
4. Can I just enter a pool using the CPU?
5. If GPU mining on my machine is possible, what miner should I use?
6. If only CPU is possible, what miner should I use?
7. I was thinking on entering the "http://mining.bitcoin.cz/" pool (i think that is called the "slush" pool?). Which of its listed miners should I use for my machine? It lists:
   •   jgarzik's CPU miner
   •   Diablo's GPU miner
   •   m0mchil's GPU miner
   •   puddinpop's CPU/GPU miners

Thanks for the help in advance…