This article will cover common troubleshooting issues and questions you may come across for the Pickaxe Page. 

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The Top Ten Most Common Issues When Doing A Pickaxe Scan

Performing a pickaxe scan can be a crucial step in managing your mining operation. This process allows you to discover and identify your miners on your network. However, several common issues may arise during any scan.

Here are the top ten most common problems you might encounter:

1. Pickaxe is offline: If your pickaxe server or software is offline, you won't be able to initiate a scan. Ensure that the pickaxe server is up and running. Check out this article on Why your Pickaxe might be offline for additional info. 

2. Pickaxe is not connected to the same subnet as the miners: To discover miners, your pickaxe server and miners need to be on the same local area network (LAN) subnet. Ensure they are within the same network range. Check out the Preparing a Temporary Pickaxe for Interactive Fill  article for a potential temporary workaround.

3. IP ranges are entered with the wrong syntax or are incorrect: When defining the IP ranges for the scan, a simple mistake in syntax or using incorrect IP addresses can result in failure. Double-check your IP range configurations. Check out this article on Common IP Address Syntax Errors

4. Miners are in sleep mode when the scan is attempted: Miners may enter sleep mode or low-power states, causing them to be temporarily unreachable during a scan. Ensure that the miners are awake and operational. Check out this article on What you need to know about Miners in Sleep Mode for additional information.

5. High CPU usage on the server due to other programs running: High CPU usage on the server where the pickaxe software is running can affect the scan's performance. Close any resource-intensive applications to free up system resources. Check out this article on Why high CPU usage impacts your Pickaxe performance.

6. Wrong miner profile selected before the scan: If the wrong miner profile or configuration is selected before the scan, you won't be able to detect your miners. Make sure you've chosen the correct settings. Check out this article on Understanding Miner Profiles for additional information.  

7. Username/Password mismatch: If you've configured your miners with specific usernames and passwords for access, make sure you enter the correct credentials during the scan. Incorrect login information will prevent successful discovery.

8. Firewall or security software blocking communication: Firewalls or security software on either the server or miners might block the scan. Review firewall settings to ensure they are not hindering communication between pickaxe and the miners. Check out this article on Firewalls, Security Software and Pickaxe for additional information. 

9. Network issues: Network connectivity problems, such as cable issues, router problems, or network congestion, can affect the scan's ability to discover miners. Check the overall health of your network. Check out this article on What can cause Potential Network Issues. 

10. Outdated version of Pickaxe: Using outdated or incompatible versions of Pickaxe can result in issues during the scan. Ensure that you are using the latest and most compatible software version. Check out this article on how you can get Pickaxe to auto update again. 

To successfully conduct your first pickaxe scan, it's crucial to address these common issues systematically, ensuring that your mining operation is well-managed and efficient. Additionally, referring to the documentation or support resources can provide further guidance in resolving these issues.

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Why does my Pickaxe appear offline?

If your Pickaxe appears to be offline after you run the start-service from the installation folder and it still does not appear online. Here are a few things to check:

1. The Pickaxe application isn't running.

Generally this happens because the host server was shut down or you never setup the Windows/Linux service that manages the Pickaxe therefore a reboot of the host machine will take the Pickaxe offline.

2. The Pickaxe application is unable to communicate with Foreman.

This can point to the Internet connectivity or DNS resolution or something of that sort. It can be something with the network in some way.

3. The API token being used for that Pickaxe belongs to a user that has had their access deleted.
This can happen if you are not using a service account and is using a single user's token. The issue with using an individual user token is if their access gets revoked then their API token won't have the access therefore the Pickaxe won't have access. This could also happen if the user tied to that token has their credentials changed. For the Pickaxe to run properly it will need certain credentials.

Here's docs on how to setup a service account: documentation here.

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Why is IP Report not Working During Interactive Miner Add or Replace?

If you are pressing the IP Report button during Interactive Miner Add, but Pickaxe isn't finding your miners, it could be because your Windows Firewall is blocking the traffic between your miners and Pickaxe. To ensure that Windows Firewall doesn't interfere with your miner's ability to talk to Pickaxe, there are a couple of settings that we recommend changing on the computer running Pickaxe.

Configuring the Firewall

To get started, pull up the Windows Defender Firewall settings page from the Control panel on your computer.

Once you have the Windows Defender Firewall control panel open, select 'Advanced settings' from the side panel. This will launch a new pop-up window where you can modify rules for both inbound and outbound traffic through your firewall.

From this page, select 'Inbound Rules' from the left-hand pane and then click 'New Rule' from the Actions menu that appears on the right side of the screen. This will launch the New Inbound Rule Wizard in a new window.

When it asks what type of rule you would like to create, select the 'Port' options and then click the 'Next' button to proceed. This will bring you to the 'Protocols and Ports' page.

Check the boxes next to 'UDP' and 'All local ports' before clicking the 'Next' button. This will bring you to the screen where you can create your logic for new connections on your network.

Select 'Allow the connection' from the list of options and then click 'Next' to proceed to the Profile settings.

All three boxes on this page should be checked before moving on to the final section.

Finally, give your new rule a name and then click 'Finish' to close the Rule Wizard and save your new firewall rule.

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Why is Pickaxe not finding all of my miners?

The following guide covers when tuning our agent is appropriate and how the knobs can be adjusted.

Depending on the size and structure of your operation, you may have network latency.  While this typically doesn't affect the operation of a miner, depending on the severity, it can lead to problems in Foreman, which often manifest as:

• Bulk ASIC scans finding an inconsistent number of miners
• Bulk ASIC scans finding no miners at all
• Miners fluctuating between 'Miner not updating' and updating properly
• Commands failing to complete, often marked as 'Miner not reachable', 'Connect timed out', or 'Failed to obtain a response'

By default, Pickaxe waits 1 SECOND for reads (obtaining metrics, obtaining MAC addresses, etc) and up to 20 SECONDS for writes (rebooting, changing pools, etc).  These values serve as a good starting point, but they can be tuned.

Another consideration is that miners must be in Normal or Low power mode in order to be detected with a network scan. If a miner is in Sleep Mode or is currently offline, it will not appear on a Pickaxe scan.

If Pickaxe is running local to the miners

When Pickaxe is connected directly to the network with the miners, you can generally use a shorter connection read timeout.  For local network connections, 1 SECOND is long, which can lead to slower scans when bulk importing.

The following configuration is sufficient for this deployment (from the Pickaxe page, identify the appropriate Pickaxe and click the Configure button):

It's recommended that the write timeout always be 20 SECONDS.

 If you begin to notice inconsistent miner connectivity, identifiable by the bullet points at the start of this post, readjust the read timeout back to 1 SECOND.

If Pickaxe is running under a VPN

To promote reliability, it's recommended that Pickaxe always run local to the miners. Running under a VPN requires that the VPN remain open 24/7.

When Pickaxe is running under a VPN and connected to miners remotely, network latency drastically increases since the data is now traversing the Internet rather than being isolated to local networking equipment.

For remote connections, 1 SECOND may be too short.  If you're noticing inconsistent miner connectivity or miners failing to be discovered during a bulk import, the read timeout needs to be adjusted.

The following configuration is sufficient for this deployment (from the Pickaxe page, identify the appropriate Pickaxe and click the Configure button):

It's recommended that the write timeout always be 20 SECONDS.

If you continue to notice inconsistent miner connectivity, identifiable by the bullet points at the start of this post, increase the read timeout by a few more SECONDS and try again.

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Why is my Pickaxe offline?

There can be several reasons why Pickaxe might be offline. It's important to investigate and address these issues to ensure the proper functioning of your mining operation.

Here are some common reasons why Pickaxe might be offline:

1. Server Hardware or Power Issues:

   • Hardware Failure: Hardware components, such as the server's motherboard, power supply, or network interface, can fail, rendering the server offline.
   • Power Outages: Power interruptions or electrical issues can cause Pickaxe to go offline. Ensuring a stable power supply or using backup power sources like uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) can help.

2. Software and Operating System Problems:

   • Software Crashes: Pickaxe may crash or freeze due to bugs, conflicts, or resource issues.
   • Operating System Issues: Problems with the server's operating system can lead to it going offline. Regular updates and maintenance can help prevent this.

3. Network Connectivity Problems:

   • Network Outages: Loss of internet connectivity or network outages can prevent Pickaxe from being online. Troubleshoot network issues and ensure a reliable internet connection.
   • Firewall or Security Software: Overly restrictive firewall settings or security software can block Pickaxe communication with miners. Adjust firewall rules if necessary.

4. Maintenance and Updates:

   • Scheduled Maintenance: Pickaxe might be intentionally taken offline for scheduled maintenance, updates, or configuration changes. Ensure that you are aware of planned maintenance and downtime.
   • Update Errors: Updating Pickaxe can sometimes result in errors, causing temporary downtime.

5. Resource Exhaustion:

   • High Resource Usage: If the server is running resource-intensive applications or services, it may become unresponsive. Monitoring and managing system resources can help prevent this.

To resolve issues with an offline pickaxe server, it's crucial to identify the specific cause of the downtime and take appropriate actions. Regular monitoring, maintenance, and proper documentation of your server and software configurations can help prevent many of these issues and enable quick recovery in case of downtime.

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