Tune Malairte miner thread count for the best output without freezing your PC

A step-by-step method for finding the thread count that gives your Malairte CPU miner the most stable hashrate while keeping the rest of the machine usable.

The single setting that most affects a CPU miner is the thread count. Too few and you leave hashrate on the table; too many and the whole PC becomes sluggish for no extra reward. Here is a methodical way to find the right number for your specific processor.

Step 1: Find out how many threads you have

On Windows, open Task Manager, go to the Performance tab, and read the Logical processors count. On Linux, run nproc. That number is your ceiling. A modern CPU might report 8, 16, or 32 logical threads.

Step 2: Start at half

Set the miner thread count to half your logical processors. On a 16-thread chip, start at 8. Run the miner for ten minutes and note the steady hashrate once it has settled.

Step 3: Step up and compare

Increase by one or two threads, restart the miner, and let it settle again for ten minutes. Record the new hashrate. Keep stepping up. You will usually see hashrate climb, then plateau, then sometimes fall as the threads start fighting over memory bandwidth and cache.

Step 4: Watch for the cache wall

Malairte hashing is memory-hard, so it leans heavily on CPU cache and memory bandwidth, not just core count. On many CPUs the best hashrate comes well short of using every thread, because beyond a point the cores starve each other. The plateau or dip you found in step 3 is that wall.

Step 5: Leave headroom for the system

Even if maximum hashrate comes at full threads, back off by at least one or two so the operating system, your browser, and background tasks stay responsive. Mining at 14 of 16 threads is far more pleasant to live with than 16 of 16.

Step 6: Verify responsiveness

Open a few browser tabs and scroll - any stutter means too many threads.
Move windows around the desktop - lag means back off.
Check CPU temperature stays in a safe range under sustained load.

Step 7: Save the winning number

Write the chosen thread count into the miner config so it persists across restarts. Note it somewhere too, because if you upgrade the CPU later you will want to repeat this whole process from scratch.

A note on hyperthreading

Logical threads from hyperthreading do not always add proportional hashrate for memory-hard work. Do not assume doubling threads doubles output - measure it, because your CPU may prefer physical cores only.

Published May 21, 2026

Frequently asked questions

Do I need special hardware to mine Malairte?

No. Malairte is designed to be mined on CPUs and GPUs that most people already own. A modern desktop, a gaming PC, or even a recent laptop can mine MLRT. There is no ASIC for Malairte, and that is intentional - the goal is to keep mining accessible so anyone can participate, not just industrial operators.

Can I mine Malairte on a laptop?

Yes, with some care. Modern laptops have capable CPUs and many gaming laptops have decent GPUs, so they can mine MLRT. The two things to watch are heat and battery. Laptops have small cooling systems compared to desktops, so run on a hard surface, keep vents clear, and consider raising the back with a small stand. Always run on AC power, never on battery, and cap the power draw so the fans do not run flat-out continuously. Many laptop miners run only when the lid is open and the user is around, not 24/7. Treat it as a learning rig or an occasional contributor rather than a workhorse.

My miner started but is not finding any shares - what should I check?

Work through this list in order. First, confirm the miner connected to the pool - look for a line like "connected to" or "logged in" in the output. If you see "connection refused" or "host not found" the pool URL or port is wrong. Second, verify your wallet address is correct in the config; a typo means the pool rejects every share. Third, give it time - on a slow CPU it can take several minutes to find your first share at default pool difficulty. Fourth, check your firewall is not blocking the outbound connection. Fifth, look for "no jobs" or "stale" messages, which usually mean network instability. If you have done all of that and still see nothing after 15 minutes, switch to a different pool to rule the pool out.

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Start mining Malairte the right way

Malairte (MLRT) is a CPU and GPU mineable coin — no ASICs, no specialized hardware. Download the official wallet and put this guide into practice on the computer you already own.

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Educational resource only — not financial advice.