Topic: Ubuntu 11.04 Natty 64bit Headless Bitcoin mining with ATI 11.5 binary driver (Read 69644 times)

Hi Everyone,

I added a way in the original post a way to monitor the miners using an Xterminal on the main Xwindows console.  Here is the code for anyone interested.

How to monitor your screens on an Xterminal on the main Xwindows console on boot up.

   sudo gedit /etc/init/btcmonitor_0.conf
        description     "Start BTC Monitor 0"
        start on runlevel [2345]
        stop on runlevel [!2345]
        kill timeout 30
        script
          LOGINUSER=ChangeToMyLoginUser
          export DISPLAY=:0
          #Wait 40 seconds to make sure X is started.
          sleep 40
          exec  /usr/bin/xterm -geometry 80x40+0+0 -e "/usr/bin/screen -d -r gpu0"
        end script

sudo gedit /etc/init/btcmonitor_1.conf
        description     "Start BTC Monitor 1"
        start on runlevel [2345]
        stop on runlevel [!2345]
        kill timeout 30
        script
          LOGINUSER=ChangeToMyLoginUser
          export DISPLAY=:0
          #Wait 45 seconds to make sure X is started.
          sleep 45
          exec  /usr/bin/xterm -geometry 80x40+500+0 -e "/usr/bin/screen -d -r gpu1"
        end script

- Dukejer

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Hi bgd,

The post I wrote is for installation from a full desktop.  Even though I shutoff all the desktop process it still needs a lot of the components like Xorg to run the ATI driver.  When I originally installed the ATI driver on my original system I started with server also but I upgraded it to a full desktop by running
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop.  Also before you start you  may want to make sure there are no other fgrlx packages installed on the system.

-Dukejer

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Hi Dukejer,

I got to the like after the ATI driver install. Then I get:


This machine is setup as a server and so I haven't installed any desktop-related stuff, including X11.

I have an AMD 965 & ATI 5870, if that makes any difference.

Thanks for your help! -bgd

Hi vborets,

I am have not tested this setup in single user mode.  I originally set this up in a gnome desktop after ubuntu was installed.  

You should be able to find the .tar file using the home path where the AMD SDK extracted.

ex.  cd /
      sudo tar xvf ~/AMD-APP-SDK-v2.4-lnx64/icd-registration.tgz

or
      sudo tar xvf $HOME/AMD-APP-SDK-v2.4-lnx64/icd-registration.tgz

-Dukejer

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Problem not in disk or path- problem with permissions. I use single user

Hi vborets,

Did the AMDAPPSDKROOT Variable get set?

You can check it by using echo $AMDAPPSDKROOT.

Are you out of disk space?

Try running df -v to view the space.

Also did the sudo command take your password without any errors?
Sudo gives you the permissions to extract the files into /etc if you are running a user the has sudoers access rights.  Normally the first user you create in Ubuntu has sudoers access rights.

-Dukejer

If you find this post helpful feel free to donate to address: 19oQLN2v1auiGqBDFfxSDUfu8Ax6ooT6xs

Hi

I try use

sudo tar xfz $AMDAPPSDKROOT/icd-registration.tgz

but in etc/opencl/vendors    amd and ati files not present

i try extract its mannualy  - but not have permisions :-(

Thanks Dukejer, once I got to the terminal I solved all the issues. Everything works fine now. Thank you very much.

No problem, thanks for the guide. If I discover anything else I'll come post. Really want to figure out how to override my max clock and push up a few more mhz so I can break 299.6 Mhash/sec barrier and get the 300 I know I can.

Hi melanarchy,

Thanks for the suggestions.  I will try them out on a 5870 server I have available to me.

- Dukejer

Sorry, seems that I was a bit tired when trying it the first time, it works now.

BTW: I've added munin to monitor hashrate, load and temperatures as well as a script which automatically sets fan speed to max at a certain temperature threshold. If the critical threshold is passed it automatically stops the miner for the gpu running to hot. It might be dirty coding as I do not know my way around bash very well but it works for me.

If I find the time this weekend I'll describe the scripts needed

Hi coinjedi,

Did you load openssh-server?

To get to a terminal screen from the main console press control + alt + f2.  From there you should be able to login a console and put gdm.conf back into place but you need to rename startx.conf to something else without the .conf at the end first.  Also you will not be able to use the btcminer files in /etc/init but you should be able to call startminers.sh from a regular terminal within gnome.

-Dukejer

If you find this post helpful feel free to donate to address: 19oQLN2v1auiGqBDFfxSDUfu8Ax6ooT6xs

So thanks to this guide I got my 6870 set up with Natty. My box is headless (2 wires plugged in, power and ethernet) so this is the perfect guide for me.

A few things I've done.
1) Get AMDOverdriveCtrl - although this is a GUI app, you can run a batch job that will let you override the minimum memory clock and allow you to underclock your memory (I haven't yet figured out a config that allows you to override the maximum gpu clock).
Here is the config for lower memory

Save that to a file and then run AMDOverdriveCtrl -b filename

Now using aticonfig --odgc you should see a lower memory limit. You can then do sudo aticonfig --adapter=0 --od-setclocks=1000,400 (or whatever you want) to under clock the memory.

My 6870's max stock overclock is 1000 and i haven't figured out how to get AMDOverdriveCtrl to accept a config that goes above that yet.  Once you've found what works for you don't forget to save the clocks onto your gpu so they persist through reboots with aticonfig --odcc --adapter=all.

2) Use the phatk kernel (actually I noticed the guide specifies this, I just missed it the first round through)
I've also found that with the version of the SDK outlined here the phatk kernel is better than poclbm with this execution line I get 299+ Mhash/sec out of my 6870:
 ./phoenix.py -u http://XXXXX -k phatk DEVICE=0 BFI_INT VECTORS FASTLOOP=false AGGRESSION=12 WORKSIZE=128 PLATFORM=0
 

I don't use the autostart scripts, mainly because I've been futzing with values, but I launch a screen and keep phoenix open in it, and a script to look at gpu temp/current balance in another virtual window.

I'm happy to answer questions about this if people need help.

---

_{1aLV7cjRXE89KoychBaGUP8YGm5ZRVNAw - If my info is helpful donations are always welcome.}

I have followed the instructions line by line (except I am using poclmb instead of pheonix), but I am running into a lot of issues.

1) If I do everything as written I think I am running into network issues (ssh doesn't response). How can I fall back to command line?
If I just move gdm.conf and not use startx.conf, an ubuntu logo appears with four blinking dots and then a blank screen. If I use startx.conf, x-server takes over the screen. I can't make it boot into the command line.

2) If I don't move gdm.conf, Ubuntu starts with the gui and network connection, but "screen -ls" lists nothing. How can I troubleshoot my "btcminer_0.conf"?

Thanks in advance.

Hi fasti,

I have a new startminer script and new btcminer_X.conf scripts that can over
clock and underclock per card that hopefully I can upload in a couple of days.

- Dukejer

If you find this post helpful feel free to donate to address: 19oQLN2v1auiGqBDFfxSDUfu8Ax6ooT6xs

Hi hipaulshi,

You should be able to just rerun aticonfig to find the new card and then add another btcminer_X.conf file in /etc/init with the correct device number for the card in the btcminer_X.conf

The aticonfig line should be
DISPLAY=:0 sudo aticonfig --initial -f --adapter=all

- Dukejer

If you find this post helpful feel free to donate to address: 19oQLN2v1auiGqBDFfxSDUfu8Ax6ooT6xs

Just one possible thing missing, ability to underclock your memory by atleast 60% of the default ( even down to 300 if possible ). This will decrease graphic cards temperature a lot, giving you ability to overclock core more or just enjoy quieter fans.

Hi Leepfrog,

Are your receiving any errors when you run sudo service btcminer_0 start ?

service searches /etc/init for btcminer_0.  Did you create a btcminer_0.conf file in /etc/init?

Thank you,

- Dukejer

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Thanks for the response - unfortunately this does not work. I believe the reason for that is that "service" only searches in /etc/init.d/.
Do you know any possibility to work around that?

Hi Basiley,

  I have used every Linux distribution from Yggdrasil, Slackware, Caldera, Redhat, Suse, Gento, Debian, etc.  Ubuntu works fine for me.  Seems polished just enough compared to other distributions I have used in the past.  I think with a little debugging I could fix the udev issues with probably writing a udev script or some other fix but since I already have my rig autostarting in a headless configuration I have not delved into it to much.  Also taking down my rig for a bit feels like I am waisting bitcoins.  

- Dukejer

If you find this post helpful feel free to donate to address: 19oQLN2v1auiGqBDFfxSDUfu8Ax6ooT6xs