<p>It is still there as of version 0.8.5, but just a reference implementation. It's not optimized, doesn't support pooled mining, and is not exposed via the Qt GUI.</p>

<p>To enable, start with the -gen option. But other than testnet (and even there...), it's utterly pointless.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-04T21:51:20.767Z
Is there a miner that supports pooled mining that still uses the CPU? It appears cgminer will not, nor bfgminer.
Friendly
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-04T21:54:59.957Z
I'm mining at about 2 Gh/s at testnet using **setgenerate true 1** the last number is how many cores to use, you can check your hashrate with **hashespersec**
Jonas Oestman
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-04T21:59:17.357Z
@Jonas What is testnet? Where is hashespersec?
Friendly
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-04T22:06:22.597Z
If you want to try experimenting you should not do it with real bitcoins, thats where testnet comes in. **bitcoind -testnet** it will create a "testnet3" folder, and will not overwrite your "mainnet" files :-)
Jonas Oestman
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-04T22:13:48.817Z
By the way I am periodically getting "error: no response from server". I run "bitcoind -gen &" and then a while later "bitcoind getinfo" and I get this error. Any idea what causes it?
Friendly
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-04T22:15:30.390Z
OK when I run "bitcoind -testnet" and try to getinfo, the error changes to: "error: couldn't connect to server".
Friendly
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-04T22:16:55.367Z
I am running Bitcoin-QT, and enter the commands in the console. Not sure if this answer is up to date http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/5841/bitcoind-getmininginfo-says-hashespersec-is-0
Jonas Oestman
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-04T22:19:03.703Z
If your running linux try **ps aux | grep bitcoind** that will give you a list of any bitcoind processes
Jonas Oestman
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-04T22:20:57.480Z
@JonasOestman Pretty sure that's 2 Mh/s.
Pieter Wuille
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-04T22:21:39.653Z
OK, it appears my config file had something in it that was messing things up. I reverted to just rpcuser/pass and now it works. However "bitcoind gethashespersec" is returning a value of 0 when I'm running "bitcoin-qt --server". **However** when I run "bitcoind -gen &" and then gethashespersec I do get 1931863.
Friendly
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-04T23:12:38.623Z
But my question is still not entirely answered. If I run "bitcoind -gen" without testnet, am I actually able to generate bitcoins (even if very slowly), which will end up in my wallet.dat?
Friendly
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-06T01:53:21.750Z
If you find a block (which, with a decent desktop CPU, at the current difficulty, would happen once every ~10000 years), you'll get 25 BTC in your wallet. If you don't, nothing will happen except higher electricity bill, and wear and tear on your computer.
Pieter Wuille
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-06T16:10:24.737Z
@Friendly: bfgminer does support it, though you may have to compile from source.  There is a note that the cpu mining support is disabled in some of the binary distributions.
Nate Eldredge
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-04T16:02:07.443Z
Update: [The `-gen` option for mining was removed in version 0.13.0](https://bitcoin.org/en/release/v0.13.0#removal-of-internal-miner)
RedGrittyBrick
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-04T21:26:05.040Z
2013-11-04T21:26:05.040Z
Pieter Wuille
<p>As of version 0.13.0, CPU mining has been removed from Bitcoin Core.</p>

<p><a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/49664/since-which-version-the-mining-functionality-removed-from-wallet/49696#49696">Since which version the mining functionality removed from wallet?</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-12T15:59:26.697Z
Here's the release note with the corresponding section: [Bitcoin Core 0.13.0 removed the internal mining capability](https://bitcoin.org/en/release/v0.13.0#removal-of-internal-miner)
Murch
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-12T15:55:46.650Z
2017-02-12T15:55:46.650Z
2017-04-13T12:47:33.660Z
Nate Eldredge
<p>I'm seeing conflicting claims about whether  <code>bitcoind</code> can still do CPU-based mining. As far back as 2011 people were saying that feature was going to "soon" be removed. Was mining removed?
By the way if mining is removed from <code>bitcoind</code>, what are the things it can still do?</p>

<bitcoind><miner-configuration><cpu>
Can bitcoind still do CPU-based mining or was that feature removed?
Friendly
# Can bitcoind still do CPU-based mining or was that feature removed?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-11-04)

I'm seeing conflicting claims about whether `bitcoind` can still do CPU-based mining. As far back as 2011 people were saying that feature was going to "soon" be removed. Was mining removed?
By the way if mining is removed from `bitcoind`, what are the things it can still do?

**Tags:** bitcoind, miner-configuration, cpu


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-11-04. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

It is still there as of version 0.8.5, but just a reference implementation. It's not optimized, doesn't support pooled mining, and is not exposed via the Qt GUI.

To enable, start with the -gen option. But other than testnet (and even there...), it's utterly pointless.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Is there a miner that supports pooled mining that still uses the CPU? It appears cgminer will not, nor bfgminer.  
> **username_2**: I'm mining at about 2 Gh/s at testnet using **setgenerate true 1** the last number is how many cores to use, you can check your hashrate with **hashespersec**  
> **username_0**: @username_2 What is testnet? Where is hashespersec?  
> **username_2**: If you want to try experimenting you should not do it with real bitcoins, thats where testnet comes in. **bitcoind -testnet** it will create a "testnet3" folder, and will not overwrite your "mainnet" files :-)  
> **username_0**: By the way I am periodically getting "error: no response from server". I run "bitcoind -gen &" and then a while later "bitcoind getinfo" and I get this error. Any idea what causes it?  
> **username_0**: OK when I run "bitcoind -testnet" and try to getinfo, the error changes to: "error: couldn't connect to server".  
> **username_2**: I am running Bitcoin-QT, and enter the commands in the console. Not sure if this answer is up to date http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/5841/bitcoind-getmininginfo-says-hashespersec-is-0  
> **username_2**: If your running linux try **ps aux | grep bitcoind** that will give you a list of any bitcoind processes  
> **username_1**: @username_2 Pretty sure that's 2 Mh/s.  
> **username_0**: OK, it appears my config file had something in it that was messing things up. I reverted to just rpcuser/pass and now it works. However "bitcoind gethashespersec" is returning a value of 0 when I'm running "bitcoin-qt --server". **However** when I run "bitcoind -gen &" and then gethashespersec I do get 1931863.  
> **username_0**: But my question is still not entirely answered. If I run "bitcoind -gen" without testnet, am I actually able to generate bitcoins (even if very slowly), which will end up in my wallet.dat?  
> **username_1**: If you find a block (which, with a decent desktop CPU, at the current difficulty, would happen once every ~10000 years), you'll get 25 BTC in your wallet. If you don't, nothing will happen except higher electricity bill, and wear and tear on your computer.  
> **username_3**: @username_0: bfgminer does support it, though you may have to compile from source.  There is a note that the cpu mining support is disabled in some of the binary distributions.  
> **username_4**: Update: [The `-gen` option for mining was removed in version 0.13.0](https://bitcoin.org/en/release/v0.13.0#removal-of-internal-miner)  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-02-12. Score: 1

As of version 0.13.0, CPU mining has been removed from Bitcoin Core.

[Since which version the mining functionality removed from wallet?](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/49664/since-which-version-the-mining-functionality-removed-from-wallet/49696#49696)

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: Here's the release note with the corresponding section: [Bitcoin Core 0.13.0 removed the internal mining capability](https://bitcoin.org/en/release/v0.13.0#removal-of-internal-miner)  

---

