Which OS is better for cryptocurrency mining?

Mining is a very effective way to make a profit. And therefore, every stage of preparation formining will directly affect the performance of the process. In this article, we will compare Windows and Linux operating systems so that users understand which will be more convenient for you to work with.

Windows vs Linux

As a rule, to begin with, almost everyoneprefers Windows. Firstly, Microsoft products come with Windows 10, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7, which have their own advantages, such as driver support. However, when using Linux, the user has hundreds of different options to suit almost any market niche. You can do just about anything in a Linux distribution, but while some make specific tasks easier, others are tailored to suit other types of workloads. While there are endless comparisons between Windows and Linux, it is worth noting that mining is highly dependent on the performance of graphics cards (GPUs).

GPU manufacturers are mainly targetinggamers, because that's their main market, and gamers live on Windows. For stable operation, GPUs themselves need drivers, so Windows – it is the most common OS used by most people in the world. However, it has its drawbacks.

For example, Windows doesn’t do very welltasks when running multiple GPUs. While two or three cards will be enough for games, people use more than 6 GPUs at the same time for mining, and in this case, the Microsoft operating system may fail.

In turn, Ubuntu from Linux is absolutelyit's free and works flawlessly. Other advantages over Windows are that new updates can be implemented without restarting the operating system, and the installation process of Ubuntu is also much faster than Windows. The price for installing the official version of Windows may be very high, but running a dozen systems will cost a fortune.

Stability and reliability

One of the main reasons to choose Linux overWindows – system stability. Linux is much less prone to random crashes and can deploy updates while the system is running without restarting. However, it is possible to set up separate scripts to automatically resume mining after a system failure so that the process is not delayed. Although, as a general rule, we have already mentioned that multiple GPU settings are much easier and more reliable to manage on Linux than on Windows. It's also worth noting that Windows in general is much more accepting of updates, sometimes even forcing users to restart their computer without being asked to do so. Linux does not force updates on anyone. In addition, as a rule, it is not even recommended to update the system without understanding what exactly is being fixed and how.

Scripts

Both operating systems offer hugescripting capabilities. Windows has its very powerful tools in the form of batch files that can be placed in the startup folder for automatic launch.

On the other hand, Ubuntu from Linux isoperating system for scripts. It supports a huge variety of scripting languages ​​and options for automating mining hardware. One of the coolest features of Linux – This is Crontab, a file that runs on a schedule and can be programmed to check the status of your mining operations, including restarting the system, as well as checking various prices and switching to the most profitable cryptocurrency to mine completely automatically.

Ultimately, it comes down to the level of human comfort and the size of the mining installation.