DCENT_Toolbox Command Reference

DCENT_Toolbox 2.5.0 is a free, GPL-3.0 command-line toolbox with roughly 75 user-facing top-level commands for scanning, diagnosing, tuning, unlocking, flashing, and verifying Bitcoin miners entirely from your own machine — no cloud account, no license server, no telemetry, 0% dev fee. The commands fall into seven families and every one below is tagged read-only or mutating. The canonical first command is dcent doctor <ip>: read-only, never destructive, and it tells you what to do next. A command existing in this reference is never proof it is validated on your specific miner — an adapter and a command name are not a compatibility guarantee.

This page is a grouped map of the real command surface in the public GPL-3.0 source tree at github.com/DCentralTech/DCENT_Toolbox. It lists command names and purpose only — not flags — because flags drift between versions. Run dcent <command> --help on your installed build for the authoritative interface, and dcent --help for the complete live command list.

How to read this reference

Two rules govern every entry below, and they matter more than any command name.

• A command existing is not proof it is validated on your miner. The toolbox reports what it proved, never more: an upload is accepted, not flashed; a reachable device is online, not mining; a parsed package is readable, not safe to install; a detected board is not a safe-to-write board. Treat the command list as an inventory, not a permission slip.
• Every mutating operation must resolve to five things first: exact model, control board, incumbent firmware, evidence level, and recovery route. If any one of those is unknown, the honest answer is "not yet", not "probably fine".

Tag legend. READ-ONLY = inspects or reports; contacts no write path on the miner. MUTATING = can change miner state (config, firmware, power, credentials); these default to dry-run / plan output and gate the live write behind explicit confirmation. Where the repository states a confidence level, this page uses the project vocabulary: Production, Beta, Experimental, Recovery-only, and Detected-but-unsupported — plus Operator-gated for paths that are code-complete and tested but wait for your explicit go-ahead on hardware you own.

How do I install DCENT_Toolbox?

There is no PyPI package and no prebuilt installer or binary download. You run it from a source checkout with Python 3.9+ on Windows, macOS, or Linux.

git clone https://github.com/DCentralTech/DCENT_Toolbox.git
cd DCENT_Toolbox
python -m pip install -e .

Then point it at a miner you own and run the canonical first step. It is read-only, never destructive, and it tells you what to do next:

dcent doctor <ip>

The keygen-style Textual TUI (dcent tui) is the flagship interactive surface and ships as an optional extra of the same checkout (python -m pip install -e ".[tui]"). The Tauri desktop GUI is a scaffold that does not yet install — there is no GUI download to offer.

What does DCENT_Toolbox actually cover?

Version 2.5.0 is 491 Python modules with 87 CLI command modules behind roughly 75 user-facing top-level commands, backed by 4,500+ offline tests passing. It drives four real vendor backends — Bitmain (stock, BraiinsOS+, LuxOS, VNish, DCENT_OS), MicroBT WhatsMiner, Canaan/Avalon (cgminer/ascset), and BitAxe (AxeOS) — across six firmware ecosystems (Bitmain stock, BraiinsOS+, LuxOS, VNish, DCENT_OS on Antminer, DCENT_OS/ESP on DCENT_axe) and seven control-board families (am1-XIL, am2-XIL, am3-BB, am3-AML, cv1835, bcb100, esp32-s3). Gear it does not positively identify routes to a read-only generic cgminer backend rather than a silent Bitmain write path.

Which commands discover and identify a miner?

Group tag: READ-ONLY. These map what is on the LAN and what each device is, without changing configuration. locate is the only actuator — it blinks the unit's own find-me LED and writes no configuration. A MAC vendor hint is not a control board; identification must still be confirmed against the physical unit.

Command	Purpose	R / W	Source file
dcent scan	Discover miners on the network (LAN sweep) — the discovery entry point.	Read-only	scan.py
dcent detect	Identify the firmware type running on a target.	Read-only	detect.py
dcent probe	Deep read-only data extraction across supported firmwares.	Read-only	probe.py
dcent fingerprint	Identify the control-board family (SoC / boot source) and map applicable exploits, with unimplemented vectors honestly marked manual / not-automated.	Read-only	fingerprint.py
dcent controlboard-route	Resolve a fingerprint to the control-board-specific install/recovery route (plan-only; consumes a fingerprint, names the expected route, never writes).	Read-only (plan)	controlboard_route.py
dcent locate	Blink the miner's physical find-me LED to spot it in a rack.	Read-only (LED actuation)	locate.py
dcent ipreport	Listen for the control board's IP-Report button broadcast (UDP, multi-vendor).	Read-only	ipreport.py

Two notes. There is no separate discover command — dcent scan is discovery. And a positive detection sets a Bitmain vendor route only on a real Bitmain signal; unknown gear falls back to the read-only generic cgminer backend.

Which commands run read-only diagnostics?

Group tag: READ-ONLY. Triage, audit, and evidence capture that inspect a miner without changing it. Diagnostic output is read-oriented evidence — it does not by itself establish that any write or flash route is supported on that unit.

Command	Purpose	R / W	Source file
dcent doctor	Canonical first-step diagnostic orchestrator; read-only first pass with partial-result-tolerant reporting, and it tells you what to do next.	Read-only	doctor.py
dcent audit	Security audit — detect backdoors, dev-fee injection, and phone-home behaviour on affected firmware.	Read-only	audit.py
dcent diagnose	Run hardware diagnostics over SSH.	Read-only	diagnose.py
dcent diag	Build a support-safe log archive with automatic redaction — use it before sharing logs with anyone.	Read-only	diag.py
dcent info	Full miner status and info readout.	Read-only	info.py
dcent stats	Live terminal dashboard for BitAxe / DCENT_axe miners.	Read-only	stats.py
dcent live	Live-hardware-as-a-debugger read trio: devmem peek, probe-chain, FPGA regdump.	Read-only*	live.py
dcent monitor	Serial log viewer with colorized output (ESP32 / ASIC debug).	Read-only	monitor.py
dcent forensics	Checked expert system over the reverse-engineering corpus.	Read-only	forensics.py
dcent pvt	Show or validate a SKU's PVT (process / voltage / temperature) envelope.	Read-only	pvt.py
dcent soak	Per-FSM live-soak harness (plan / observe).	Read-only	soak.py
dcent verify-mining	Post-install mining proof against a V1–V14 cold-boot ladder; classifies the result as PROVEN / PARTIAL / FAILED / UNVERIFIABLE.	Read-only	verify_mining.py

^* dcent live is read-only for peek, probe-chain, and regdump; its devmem poke subcommand is a mutating operation and is double-gated.

Which commands configure and tune a miner?

Group tag: MUTATING. These change how a miner runs — clocks, voltages, pools, fans, credentials, power posture — so they carry dry-run and confirmation gates, and safety clamps apply on the tuning and fan paths. Preview the exact diff and keep a rollback path before applying. env-vars is the read-only exception; it only lists gates.

Command	Purpose	R / W	Source file
dcent config	Read or set miner configuration.	Mutating (get is read-only)	config.py
dcent tune	Frequency / voltage tuning — profiles or custom values, with per-board safety clamps.	Mutating	tune.py
dcent autotune	Remote autotuner for BitAxe / DCENT_axe — sweep frequencies and settle on a stable point.	Mutating	autotune.py
dcent pools	Read or set pool configuration.	Mutating (get is read-only)	pools.py
dcent stratum	Stratum swiss-knife: local proxy, tap, share verification, and vbits histograms — it runs on your host rather than rewriting miner config.	Local proxy / tap	stratum.py
dcent fan	Control fan speed — set a percentage, auto mode, or read status; the home-comfort cap is enforced on set.	Mutating	fan.py
dcent curtail	Grid / demand-response power reduction and restore; reversible — the restore step returns the pre-curtail state.	Mutating	curtail.py
dcent harden	Security lockdown — change passwords, remove keys, apply firewall rules.	Mutating	harden.py
dcent rules	YAML-driven automation engine: trigger + action rules with a local audit log.	Mutating (dry-run first)	rules.py
dcent env-vars	List the known DCENT_* environment gates with scope, default, effect, and safety class.	Read-only	env_vars.py

Which commands install or flash firmware?

Group tag: MUTATING — the highest-risk family. The install surface is planner-first: dcent install is dry-run/plan by default; the live write step executes only on an explicit operator confirmation (--yes). Several members (prepare, am2-first-install, bb-nand-first-install) are offline planners that never contact a device. A generic install command is not permission to flash.

Command	Purpose	R / W	Evidence	Source file
dcent install	DCENT_OS deployment planner over SSH for Antminer or ESP targets — dry-run/plan by default; the live write step executes only on an explicit operator confirmation (--yes).	Mutating	Operator-gated	install.py
dcent flash	Firmware write / flash stage; evaluates the write-gate set and stops at the live boundary.	Mutating	Operator-gated	flash.py
dcent prepare	Prepare/unlock is plan-only: the rail is ranked and the recommended archive is built in-process with a reported SHA-256, but nothing is uploaded and dcent unlock is not executed against a miner.	Read-only (planner)	Plan-only	prepare.py
dcent unlock	SSH-enable via authenticated CGI on hardware you own — not presented as live-proven.	Mutating	Operator-gated (code-complete / tested)	unlock.py
dcent stock-unlock	Per-stock-label unlock-strategy dispatcher (plan and list are offline; probe is read-only).	Mutating	Operator-gated	stock_unlock.py
dcent amlogic-unlock	Assisted USB-OTG downgrade-unlock for locked Bitmain Amlogic boards — destructive, gated, and fails closed on an unknown or mismatched model. Not every locked Amlogic board can be unlocked in software.	Mutating (destructive)	Operator-gated (live burn gated)	amlogic_unlock.py
dcent ota	OTA firmware update for ESP32-class miners (BitAxe / DCENT_axe).	Mutating	Operator-gated	ota.py
dcent sdcard	Build bootable SD-card images and AM2 lab SD workflows; the raw writer is guarded.	Mutating (local media)	Operator-gated	sdcard.py
dcent build-flash	Developer loop: find firmware → flash → reset → serial monitor (ESP32 / BitAxe).	Mutating	Operator-gated	build_flash.py
dcent am2-first-install	Typed AM2 / XIL first-install capsule contract + staged plan (offline, plan-only).	Read-only (planner)	Plan-only	am2_first_install.py
dcent bb-nand-first-install	Typed AM335x / BeagleBone S19j Pro NAND OTA first-install capsule + staged plan (offline, plan-only).	Read-only (planner)	Plan-only	bb_nand_first_install.py

Can I one-click install DCENT_OS on any Antminer?

No. The signing chain hits a generational hardware wall, so install readiness is model-specific. The toolbox deliberately keeps unlock state, route state, artifact state, and proof state separate rather than promising a blanket "any board" flash:

• Antminer S9 (am1-XIL): only the Antminer S9 (am1-XIL) has a public network-write / SD-trial route today — a public-beta / SD-trial path, not a finished consumer product.
• S17 / S19 / S19j Pro / S19k Pro / S21: every current-generation Antminer stock first-install is lab-gated, evidence-gap, or no-customer-write. Do not expect a one-click end-user install on these boards.
• BitAxe / ESP devices: real routes — HTTP OTA on a running device and USB serial for a first flash. Upload acceptance is still not boot, thermal, or mining proof.

Which commands handle recovery and backup?

Group tag: MIXED. Partition reads (EEPROM decrypt, BMU extract, NVS dump) and NAND capture are read-only; restores, media writes, and resets write. Capture your NAND and EEPROM state before any risky operation, and prove the recovered image and restore route on the actual unit before trusting it.

Command	Purpose	R / W	Source file
dcent backup	Back up or restore miner configuration; the NAND-dump ritual is recovery-grade and board-family-aware.	Read-only capture (restore writes)	backup.py
dcent recover	Recovery chain orchestrator (doctor + fingerprint + plan-first backup / install). Sources differ on how far the chain runs unattended — treat it as gated and read its plan output first.	Gated	recover.py
dcent recovery	Produce or verify known-good SD recovery media on your host.	Local media write (verify is read-only)	recovery.py
dcent factory-reset	Wipe a miner to factory defaults — destructive, double-gated.	Mutating (destructive)	factory_reset.py
dcent eeprom	Read and decrypt hash-board EEPROM (read-only probe / decrypt; the lower-level writer is a separate gated path).	Read-only	eeprom.py
dcent nvs	Dump an ESP32 NVS partition and read keys.	Read-only	nvs.py
dcent bmu	Extract and verify Bitmain BMU container partitions to a directory.	Read-only	bmu.py
dcent uart	UART rescue / advanced flashing — Developer Preview, default-OFF.	Mutating (experimental)	uart.py

Which commands manage a fleet and power?

Group tag: MIXED. Status and lifecycle reporting are read-only; reboot, PDU outlet control, parallel OTA, and profit-aware autopilot loops write.

Command	Purpose	R / W	Source file
dcent fleet	Fleet discovery, status, parallel OTA update, and export.	Mixed (OTA writes; status / export read-only)	fleet.py
dcent autopilot	Local profit-aware tune / pool loop — run dry-run and status before any unattended use.	Mutating	autopilot.py
dcent lifecycle	Show the toolbox's own device-lifecycle stage coverage (local-only).	Read-only	lifecycle.py
dcent pdu	Smart-PDU / Home-Assistant outlet power control — a real AC cut for units with no software power control.	Mutating	pdu.py
dcent reboot	Reboot miners.	Mutating	reboot.py

Which meta, help, and service commands are there?

Group tag: READ-ONLY / local. The tool's own surface: help, the flagship interactive TUI, the host-side fleet daemon, and release / artifact tooling. None of these writes miner firmware.

Command	Purpose	R / W	Source file
dcent help	Topic-aware structured help (run with no topic to list available topics).	Read-only	help.py
dcent tui	Launch the keygen-aesthetic Textual dashboard — the flagship interactive surface, with operator wizards.	Read-only shell (wizards drive gated ops)	tui.py
dcent serve	Headless host-side fleet daemon: Prometheus /metrics, /status JSON, rules scheduler, and alerting sinks — local by default.	Read-only service	serve.py
dcent changelog	Show firmware changelog / release notes.	Read-only	changelog.py
dcent nfo	Print the DCENTRAL release-group .nfo (scene artifact, local-only).	Read-only	nfo.py
dcent fund	Show the support link for D-Central's open-source firmware and tooling (local-only, offline-safe).	Read-only	fund.py
dcent package	Inspect local firmware-package metadata only — no scan, no upload, no device contact.	Read-only	package.py

Is that the whole command surface?

Not quite. The 59 commands above are the ones operators reach for; the tree ships 87 command modules behind roughly 75 user-facing top-level commands, including reverse-engineering, artifact, and route-planning tooling not broken out here. Run dcent --help on your installed version for the complete live list — that, not this page, is the authoritative interface. Whatever the command, the two rules at the top still hold: existence is not validation, and every write path resolves to an exact model, control board, incumbent firmware, evidence level, and recovery route.

The line we do not cross

DCENT_Toolbox reports exactly what it proved, never more. An upload is accepted, not flashed. A reachable device is online, not mining. A parsed package is readable, not safe to install. A present adapter is not a validated operation. Do not generalise one successful adapter-and-command combination to a whole platform family.

The tool runs locally on Windows, macOS, and Linux with Python 3.9+ from a source checkout: 0% dev fee, no cloud, no license server, no telemetry, GPL-3.0 — built by the mining hackers at D-Central Technologies in Québec, working on Bitcoin mining tech since 2016.

Where next

• Getting started — install the source checkout and run your first commands.
• Discovery & identification — scan, detect, and fingerprint in depth.
• Compatibility matrix — vendors, firmwares, and control-board families.
• Installing DCENT_OS — the honest per-board install reality.
• Toolbox FAQ — common questions and the honesty guarantees.
• DCENT_OS docs · First run · S9 SD trial · Uninstall / revert · DCENT_OS FAQ
• DCENT_axe web flasher · Fund the sovereign stack