UPlexa Knowledgebase:XMRigCC

How to mine uPlexa using a CPU under Windows OS

To mine uPlexa coins using the latest algo: UPX2, you will need either a CPU (old server CPU mining also works), GPU or an IoT device for smartphone mining, mining with TV box, old Xbox, etc. In this example we'll show how to mine with your CPU with OS Windows.

Requirements for mining uPlexa

Any computer and XMRRig CC 1.9.3 or later (this is a Windows OS guide)

Preparation for mining uPlexa

1. 1.Download HWinfo to monitor CPU temps
2. 2. Note your CPU idle temp and fan speed.
3. 3. Check your PC cooler for excessive dust and clean it if needed (also valid for laptops).

After all, you don't want to kill your PC/laptop. *Having an aftermarket CPU cooler helps a lot.

1. 4. Enable Huge Pages support (increases mining speed by about 10%):

To use large pages (2-4MB) pages you specifically need to give your user the "lock pages in memory" privilege using Local Security Policy.

Note: at this time, Windows Home, Starter versions do not support changing privileges thus this feature cannot be enabled through "official means".

For Windows Professional, Enterprise, Ultimate or Server:

Run Start\All Programs\Administrative Tools\Local Security Policy Expand Local Policies\User Rights Assignment, scroll down and double-click Lock Pages in Memory. Feel free to read the explanation about the setting. Click Add User or Group and find your user - or Administrators group if your user has Admin rights - and add it in. Restart your PC for the setting to become active.

Setting up the uPlexa CPU miner XMRigCC

1. 1. Then extract the contents of the XMRigCC to a folder of your convenience.

If Anti-virus software is blocking/deleting it, please add it as an exception (consult your AV software manual on how to do this).

1. 2.Open folder server and run xmrigCCServer.exe if you need it. Otherwise you can disable server part by opening folder "server" then open file config_cc.json with Notepad or another text editor. Then add: "enabled": false, after the first bracket.

Example:

_{

   "enabled": false,
   "background": false,                            // true to run the cc-server in the background (no console)
   "colors": true,                                 // false to disable colored output

1. 3.Go back one level and open folder miner and open config.json with Notepad or another text editor.
2. 4.Fill in the fields:

"algo": "cryptonight-extremelight",   
   "threads": 15,  (put the desired number of threads there. Ideally you should input a number equal to the number of logical CPUs (threads) of your computer's processor, minus 1. In my case they are 15)
   "pow-variant" : "upx2",               
   "donate-level": 1,     (to donate more than 1% to the people who created the miner. Minimum is 1%)
   "max-cpu-usage": 95,   (all mining cores will be limited to this % CPU usage. In my case 95%. This allows browsing, watching movies, etc. while mining)                   

Under "Pools", fill in your mining pool's address and port. For username, use your uPlexa address and put something for password.

After that run the miner by starting xmrigDaemon.exe (keep in mind that the server part is still running). If you see a green sign "Accepted" that means you just produced a valid hash and submitted it to the pool!

If you want to dive into more advanced features of the miner like controlling it remotely from a webpage, dive in to the author's documentation.

Monitoring

Open HWinfo and monitor the CPU temps. Acceptable temperature for a CPU to run 24/7 is debatable among miners. For me, 65C is max temp for any semi-conductor part which must survive more than 2 years. For others, 80C is absolutely fine.

However, there are some facts which are undeniable:

• Not all CPUs are equal. Every CPU maker lists a max CPU die temperature.

This is the temperature at which the CPU dielectric insulation will melt and damage the CPU. You can search for your CPU on the web.

• Lower temps is always better than high temps.
• Constant high CPU load makes motherboard components also work harder and make more heat.
• Home motherboards are not made for 24/7 load while server boards/CPUs/fans/PSUs are.
• After 65C all semiconductor parts have half their usual life span.

Optimizing hashrate/temps/CPU usage.

You can adjust some settings to achieve best results.

There are several use cases when it comes to mining:

• 1. You want the highest hashrate available, whatever the electric cost and hardware temps are.
• 2. You want silent and completely usable PC while mining.
• 3. You want low electric cost, high mining yield and modest PC usability which allows PC to be used for watching movies, browsing with light lag.

Since I cannot cover all possible processors in this article, I'll talk about the one which I know best: AMD Ryzen 1700

Highest hashrate scenario

Use all 16 threads, CPU usage 100%, overclock the CPU at max speed which it allows without crashing.

Silent and usable PC scenario

Use not more than half the CPU threads your CPU has, set CPU usage to not more than 75%. Overclock Ryzen 1700 to 3.5Ghz, undervolt it to 1.150V

Low cost, high hashrate CPU mining, modest PC usage

Use 14 or 15 out of 16 Threads to allow 1 or two threads to be available for other apps. You can even dedicate these two cores (threads) to the apps using Task Manager's CPU Affinity. Set CPU usage to 90%, Overclock to 3.5Ghz, undervolt as much as possible. 1.105V is realistic.

Final words and warnings All of the above is recommended (by Whotheff) usage of software and hardware. Feel free to alter it to fit your liking. Improper use, voltages/temps can damage your hardware. Mining is very intensive load for any hardware so please keep that in mind in case you are planning to mine 24/7. Ensure having a good ventilation and cool air in the room when mining and do regular maintenance.

Happy uPlexa mining!