Want to try mining Ethereum Classic (ETC) but not sure where to start? In this guide, I’ll show you how to begin mining ETC using your Windows 10 or 11 PC — and all in less than 10 minutes! Whether you’ve got a beast GPU or just curious about crypto, stick around. I’ve got some quick tips to help you get mining fast.

First, a Look at Crypto Markets

Before we dive directly into the setup, let’s set the scene. Crypto’s on the move! As of today, the total crypto market cap sits around $2.2 trillion — not bad. Bitcoin’s steady at about $63,600, while Ethereum’s also up. But we’re really here for Ethereum Classic, right?

ETC is holding steady at $19.19 today. That’s about a 2% jump from yesterday and an impressive 8% jump for the week. Back in May 2021, it even reached a high of $119. So, if ETC were to climb back to that all-time high and you started mining right now, you’re looking at some decent potential gains. Enough about the markets though, let’s get to mining.

Setting Up on Unmineable

The easiest way to get mining is by heading over to Unmineable. It’s a super straightforward way to mine ETC and a bunch of other coins. Here’s how to start:

  1. Go to Unmineable: Type in unmineable.com or follow the link in my description. If you use the referral link, you’ll get a 25% discount on mining fees (but we’ll cover that in a sec).
  2. Check Your Algorithm: If you’ve got a newer GPU, you’re going to want to use the KawPow algorithm. Sites like whattomine.com can help you figure out which algorithm is the best for your specific hardware setup. KawPow generally works well for most rigs right now.
  3. Wizard Setup: Once on Unmineable, click on the “Get Started” wizard. You’ll have two options: basic or advanced. Most people should start with basic unless you really want to tinker with some extra settings.

Choosing GPU or CPU Mining

You’ll get two choices: GPU mining or CPU mining. For this guide, I’m sticking with GPU mining since it’s usually more effective. But feel free to follow along if you’re on a CPU — just know your algorithm may differ.

When you pick your algorithm (in today’s case: KawPow), you’ll also select the coin you’re mining. We’re sticking with Ethereum Classic for this tutorial, but you’ve got options.

Enter Your Wallet Address

Now comes the most important part. You’ll need to enter your wallet address. Triple check this. If you stick in the wrong address, any coins you mine will go to someone else, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Unmineable doesn’t let you change your address once you’ve started.

Pro tip: Just copy and paste your address directly from your wallet to avoid typos. If you copy even one wrong character, that ETC is waving goodbye forever.

Using a Referral Code to Save on Mining Fees

Here’s a fun perk. If you use the referral code BitcoinDasTips (capital B, capital T), you’ll save 25% on mining fees. Without it, you’ll pay a flat 1% fee on whatever you mine. So, if you mine 100 ETC, 1 ETC goes to Unmineable. With the code, you’ll only fork over 0.75 ETC instead.

If you’d rather pass on the referral code, just click continue without referral code. But hey, why not keep some extra ETC in your wallet?

Downloading and Setting Up Gminer

Now you’re ready to download your mining software. Unmineable lets you choose between several options, but Gminer is my personal favorite. It’s reliable, works well with a wide variety of GPUs, and I’ve never had issues with it.

Here’s how to set it up:

  1. Download Gminer: Head to the download page on GitHub and snag the latest Windows 64-bit zip file. Extract it to a folder (mining programs won’t run if they’re not extracted, so don’t forget this step).
  2. Download a .bat File: You’ll also need to download a .bat file from Unmineable. Warning: Chrome might flag it as “unverified.” If you’re not comfortable proceeding, this might not be for you. No judgment — I’ve been using these files for a while and haven’t run into issues, but as with any download from the web, always stay cautious.

Drag and drop that .bat file into your Gminer folder to finish setting things up. Easy.

Mining Time!

At this point, open the .bat file to start mining. You might get another pop-up saying “Windows is protecting your PC.” You’ll have to click More Info and then Run Anyway.

If the idea of bypassing these warnings makes you nervous, that’s totally fine. But to mine, there’s no way around it.

A command prompt window will pop up and boom! You’re officially mining Ethereum Classic.

Mining will take a bit of time to show results on Unmineable — about 15-30 minutes for your stats to show up. To see how your mining is going, just go back to Unmineable, paste in the wallet address you used, and check your stats.

Closing the Miner

When you’re done and want to stop mining, just close the command window. Seems simple, but here’s where it gets interesting: your mining stats might keep reporting even after you’ve stopped the miner. And I’ve received payments several hours after shutting it all down. Don’t panic — this is totally normal.

Common Issues to Watch For

Conclusion

Congrats! Now you’re mining Ethereum Classic like a champ. It only takes a few steps to get going, and with the market fluctuating, who knows where ETC will go? The important thing is you’re now in the game, and with that 25% fee savings from the referral code, you’re even off to a solid start.

Keep an eye on your address stats, stay patient, and above all, have fun exploring the world of crypto mining. Want more tips? Check out my other videos — there’s always something new to learn in this wild space! Happy mining!