Claymore Dual Miner is a GPU mining program written for people who wanted to mine Ethereum and Decred at the same time on AMD and NVIDIA graphics cards. It is aimed at hobbyist miners who already understood the basics of GPU mining in the late 2010s and wanted fine-grained control over clock speeds, memory timings and pool settings.
This page is an archive entry. The project has not received code updates since May 2019, and the latest release is version 12.0. The software still runs on many systems, but it does not receive security fixes or support for newer hardware and networks. Read the safety section before downloading anything.
What Is Claymore Dual Miner and Who Was It For?
Claymore Dual Miner was built for operators running multiple GPUs, often in home rigs or small farms. Its main appeal was control: the miner exposed many options for pools, clock tuning and monitoring that simpler tools did not offer.
The typical user was comfortable editing batch files, reading hashrate logs and adjusting overclocks by trial and error. Beginners could run it with default settings, but getting the most out of AMD assembler kernels or memory straps required patience.
How GPU Dual Mining Works
Dual mining means a single graphics card computes two different proof-of-work algorithms in one session. Ethereum relies on the Ethash algorithm and a large DAG file that must sit in GPU memory. Decred uses a different hashing scheme, so the miner has to balance time between the two workloads.
The benefit depends on the card, the pool and current network conditions. Operators typically compared dual-mode results against single-coin runs before committing to one configuration.
Understanding the Developer Fee
Mining software of this era commonly charged a developer fee, a small share of hashing power directed to the author. Claymore's releases changed this fee over time. Later versions lowered it for dual mode and offered zero fee on certain low-memory cards.
When you read the fee terms, note whether the miner applies them on every operating system and which pools receive the work. Some options also routed fee time through default pools so that DAG data was not rebuilt unnecessarily.
Real-World Use Cases in the Mining Era
Hobbyists used the software on a few cards in a home PC, often while the machine was idle. Small farms used it on rigs with several GPUs and a monitoring system to watch temperatures and hashrate remotely.
Some users mined Ethereum Classic in a dedicated mode that required a username and worker format on certain pools. Others experimented with the LBC mode for Lbry Credits, where the assembler kernels provided notable speedups on AMD hardware.
Key features
Dual Ethereum and Decred mining
Support for AMD and NVIDIA cards
RX boost for Polaris cards
Assembler kernels for AMD
Runtime tuning keys
Lower GPU memory use
Remote management folder
Supported coins
The documentation mentions Ethereum (ETH) and Decred as the primary coins for dual mining. Certain options also covered Ethereum Classic pools and an ETH plus LBC mode on AMD cards. Support for other networks depends on the specific release, so check the included documentation for the exact set.
How to install Claymore Dual Miner on Windows
- 1
Download the archive
Get the Windows package from the official GitHub Releases page of the nanopool/Claymore-Dual-Miner repository or from the developer's official download location. Avoid mirrors and file-sharing sites.
- 2
Verify the file
Compute the SHA-256 checksum of the downloaded zip file and compare it with the value published by the source. Do not run the archive if the hash does not match.
- 3
Extract the archive
Unzip the package to a dedicated folder, such as a folder on a drive you control. Keep the files together so the relative paths in the documentation work correctly.
- 4
Locate the management tool
If you need remote monitoring, open the Remote management subfolder and find EthMan.exe. This utility is part of the Windows version only.
-
Configure your settings
Create a batch file with your pool address, wallet, worker name and options. Review each parameter in the documentation before starting the miner.
System requirements
- Windows operating system with a working GPU driver for your AMD or NVIDIA card
- AMD or NVIDIA graphics card with enough GPU memory for the DAG file
- Sufficient system cooling and power supply for the installed GPUs
How to use Claymore Dual Miner
Running the miner involves creating a configuration file, starting the process and watching its output. The steps below describe the general flow.
- Choose a mining pool that supports the coin and algorithm you want to mine, and note its server address.
- Create a batch file that calls the miner executable with your pool address, wallet and worker name.
- Add options for dual mode, rxboost or assembler kernels only if you have tested them on your hardware.
- Start the batch file and wait for the DAG file to generate, which may take several minutes.
- Watch the hashrate and temperature readings in the console window.
- Adjust clock speeds or runtime tuning keys in small steps, checking stability after each change.
- Log results over time to compare configurations and detect problems early.
Pros & cons
- Detailed control over dual mining and GPU tuning options
- Support for both AMD and NVIDIA cards
- Historically popular with experienced miners, with a large body of community knowledge
- Free to download, with a documented developer fee
- No code updates since May 2019, so no support for newer hardware or networks
- Ethereum's move away from proof-of-work makes it unsuitable for mining that network today
- Requires manual configuration and troubleshooting
- Developer fee is applied to hashing power
Is Claymore Dual Miner safe?
Mining software is a common target for malicious copies, so be careful. Download only from the official website or the project's GitHub repository, and verify the SHA-256 checksum before running any file. Never enter a seed phrase or private key on third-party websites, and never share them with anyone claiming to offer support.
Antivirus programs often flag GPU miners as potentially unwanted software, because mining software can use significant resources. Do not disable your protection entirely. Instead, review the flagged file, confirm its source and checksum, and add an exception only if you are confident the download is genuine. This project is archived, so it will not receive security patches for new threats.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/nanopool/claymore-dual-miner. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
Claymore Dual Miner is an older tool focused on dual mining and detailed AMD and NVIDIA tuning. Newer miners such as lolMiner and BzMiner are actively maintained and support a wider range of algorithms and hardware generations. NBMiner and T-Rex Miner were also widely used for NVIDIA cards, and they have likewise stopped development. Nanominer comes from Nanopool and targets several coins with a more modern interface. If you are researching GPU mining software for current use, a maintained alternative is generally the safer choice.
Specifications
- Price
- Free (developer fee)
- Type
- Open source
- License
- —
- Latest version
- 12.0
- Last update
- 22 May 2019
- Windows support
- Yes (official Windows version)
- Source code
- github.com/nanopool/claymore-dual-miner
Frequently asked questions
Use caution. The project has had no code updates since 2019, so it does not receive security patches. Download it only from the official source, verify the checksum, and run it with awareness of the risks. Many users now choose actively maintained software instead.
Ethereum moved away from proof-of-work mining in 2022, so this miner can no longer mine the Ethereum network. It remains relevant only as a historical reference for dual mining and GPU tuning.
Dual mining means a single GPU computes two proof-of-work algorithms at once, typically for two different coins. The miner divides time or work between them, which can improve total returns when conditions suit both coins.
The fee depended on the release and mode. Later versions reduced the fee for dual mode and offered zero fee on certain 2 GB and 3 GB cards. Read the release notes for the exact terms.
Antivirus tools often flag mining software because it uses heavy GPU resources and is sometimes repackaged with malware. Verify the file's checksum and source. Add an exception only for a verified copy rather than turning protection off.
RX boost is an option for AMD Polaris cards that applies additional memory timings to improve hashrate. The developer reported gains of around five percent, though results vary by card and configuration.
Yes, the documentation lists a Linux version as well as the Windows package. The Remote management utility, EthMan.exe, is included only in the Windows version.
Verdict
Claymore Dual Miner is a historical tool that shaped how many miners approached dual mining and GPU tuning. For readers studying mining history or reviewing old configurations, it offers useful insight. For anyone planning to mine today, an actively maintained program and a currently supported network are a much better starting point.