<p>Before GPU mining all mining was done on the CPU.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-14T04:11:23.243Z
Was the mining software integrated with the bitcoin client or something, or was there any notable open source CPU mining software?
Kiril
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-14T05:23:07.303Z
@Lirik The very first bitcoin miner was in the standard client, and it is still the reference implementation. However, it's disabled, because CPU mining is so inefficient.
Nick ODell
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-20T15:53:45.813Z
@NickODell CPU mining isn't disabled.  Its off by default and hidden in the GUI.  I can open the debug console and mine on the TestNet with no problems.
makerofthings7
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-14T04:08:32.513Z
2013-03-14T04:08:32.513Z
placeybordeaux
<p>According to the <a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/History#2010" rel="nofollow">Bitcoin history</a>, the OpenCL miner was released publicly in October 2010. How was mining done before that? There were about 4 million coins mined until then, so there must have been some mining software out there. Any ideas on what was it and how did mining work in those early days?</p>

<history><mining-software>
How did mining occur before OpenCL?
Kiril
# How did mining occur before OpenCL?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-03-14)

According to the [Bitcoin history](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/History#2010), the OpenCL miner was released publicly in October 2010. How was mining done before that? There were about 4 million coins mined until then, so there must have been some mining software out there. Any ideas on what was it and how did mining work in those early days?

**Tags:** history, mining-software


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-03-14. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Before GPU mining all mining was done on the CPU.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Was the mining software integrated with the bitcoin client or something, or was there any notable open source CPU mining software?  
> **username_2**: @Lirik The very first bitcoin miner was in the standard client, and it is still the reference implementation. However, it's disabled, because CPU mining is so inefficient.  
> **username_3**: @username_2 CPU mining isn't disabled.  Its off by default and hidden in the GUI.  I can open the debug console and mine on the TestNet with no problems.  

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