<p>If you mean the <code>generate</code> function, which creates blocks on demand, it is only available for the Regtest mode. Use the <code>-regtest</code> option to run in Regtest mode.</p>

<p>If you mean the <code>setgenerate</code> mining function, it has been disable since the 0.13 version of Bitcoin Core, due to the fact that mining difficulty became too high for doing it with CPUs.</p>

<p>If you want to restore that functionality you will need to restore the mining functionality code from a previous version and try to integrate it again in the source code (you will need to recompile it).</p>

<p>debug.log is the reference log file. You can refine the log output through the command line options. See <a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Running_Bitcoin" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Running_Bitcoin</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-18T14:09:52.110Z
You can also use external mining software such as [cpuminer](https://github.com/pooler/cpuminer).
Nate Eldredge
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-18T13:51:14.403Z
2018-01-18T13:51:14.403Z
FedFranz
<p>I'm running the <code>generate</code> command on a bitcoin core fork (with <code>difficulty = 1</code>) and <code>bitcoind</code> running in another window and outputting the best/vs. hashes as it should when generate is running.</p>

<p>However, nothing has been mined yet; generate keeps returning empty brackets. A similar command worked on this machine so I know its powerful enough to mine at this low difficulty. </p>

<p>How do I check what's going wrong? Perhaps a verbose option for generate or something other than debug.log (this just outputs <code>keypool return</code>/<code>keypool reserve</code> throughout. I have also tried to mine in the debug console of QT client but with no luck either.</p>

<miner-configuration><mining-technical-details><error>
Debug Bitcoin Core Mining
user3190635
# Debug Bitcoin Core Mining

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-01-18)

I'm running the `generate` command on a bitcoin core fork (with `difficulty = 1`) and `bitcoind` running in another window and outputting the best/vs. hashes as it should when generate is running.

However, nothing has been mined yet; generate keeps returning empty brackets. A similar command worked on this machine so I know its powerful enough to mine at this low difficulty.

How do I check what's going wrong? Perhaps a verbose option for generate or something other than debug.log (this just outputs `keypool return`/`keypool reserve` throughout. I have also tried to mine in the debug console of QT client but with no luck either.

**Tags:** miner-configuration, mining-technical-details, error


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-01-18. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

If you mean the `generate` function, which creates blocks on demand, it is only available for the Regtest mode. Use the `-regtest` option to run in Regtest mode.

If you mean the `setgenerate` mining function, it has been disable since the 0.13 version of Bitcoin Core, due to the fact that mining difficulty became too high for doing it with CPUs.

If you want to restore that functionality you will need to restore the mining functionality code from a previous version and try to integrate it again in the source code (you will need to recompile it).

debug.log is the reference log file. You can refine the log output through the command line options. See <https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Running_Bitcoin>

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: You can also use external mining software such as [cpuminer](https://github.com/pooler/cpuminer).  

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