Selling a used ASIC miner transfers the hardware, not the seller's mining-pool account. Before handover, the seller should remove the configuration data stored on the device itself — pool connection details, administrator credentials, network settings, and any custom firmware or remote-management configuration. This is distinct from the settings held inside the seller's mining-pool account, such as login credentials, two-factor authentication (2FA), and payout configuration, which remain under the seller's control regardless of who owns the physical machine.

Confusing these two categories creates two practical risks. First, if the buyer powers on the miner without changing the pool configuration, the new owner's hashrate may initially be submitted to the seller's pool account rather than the buyer's own account. Second, if administrator or network credentials are left in place, the buyer inherits access information that was never meant to be shared. This article separates the two categories, then walks through what to check on the miner before it leaves the seller's hands.

Separate ASIC Settings From Mining-Pool Account Settings

The table below summarizes where each type of setting typically lives. Exact fields vary by manufacturer, firmware, and the pool being used.

ViaBTC's documentation places auto-withdrawal configuration inside the account's Assets section, with auto-withdrawal settings processed once daily and subject to the selected payout mode. None of this account-side configuration is stored on the ASIC, so it does not need to be touched when a miner changes hands.

Before You Reset the Miner

A few steps before running any reset procedure make the handover cleaner and reduce the chance of missing a setting.

• Record the miner's serial number, model, and firmware version for the sale listing or handover record.
• Stop mining and confirm the unit is no longer submitting shares under the seller's pool account.
• Remove the device from any fleet-management or remote-monitoring platform the seller uses.
• If the miner runs custom (non-stock) firmware, decide whether to restore stock firmware or disclose to the buyer that the miner will be delivered with the current firmware installed.

Clear Pool and Network Settings

Most ASIC web interfaces allow several pool entries — a primary pool plus one or more backup pools for failover. ViaBTC's BTC mining documentation, for example, recommends configuring multiple connection ports for resilience, which illustrates why a seller should check every saved pool slot, not only the one currently active.

Each pool entry typically includes a Stratum URL, a worker name, and a mining password field. In ViaBTC's BTC configuration, the worker name follows a userID.workerID format, where the workerID portion may contain lowercase letters and numbers up to 64 characters, and ViaBTC’s BTC mining guide lists the mining password as optional. If the miner’s interface requires a value, follow the instructions for that firmware. The mining password is not the same as the ViaBTC account login password — it does not grant access to account settings, balances, or withdrawals. Still, a worker name can identify the seller's pool account, so it should not be left on a machine that is changing hands.

Beyond pool settings, check for:

• Static IP address, gateway, and DNS entries, if the buyer is not expected to inherit the seller's network configuration.
• Router-side DHCP reservations tied to the miner's MAC address — these live on the router, not the miner, and should be removed separately.
• Any Wi-Fi credentials, on models that support wireless connectivity.

Factory-Reset the Exact Model

A factory reset or configuration reset is generally the practical starting point for clearing a seller's miner-side configuration, but the method and what gets removed vary by manufacturer and firmware version. Sellers should follow the documented procedure for their exact model rather than assuming one brand's method applies universally.

As one example, Bitmain's reset instructions describe a physical reset-button method that applies after the miner has been powered on for 2 to 10 minutes: holding the button for 5 seconds restores factory settings, with the device reporting completion within about 4 minutes and restarting automatically. Bitmain also documents a web-interface reset option for certain Antminer models. These timings and steps are specific to Bitmain's published procedure and should not be applied to a different manufacturer's hardware.

Check Custom Firmware and Remaining Data

A configuration reset and a full firmware change are not the same action, and a reset should not be assumed to erase everything on the device. LuxOS, a third-party ASIC firmware, documents this distinction directly: its configuration-reset command removes the miner's Luxminer and network configuration, but installed firmware updates and log files remain on the device afterward. Restoring stock firmware, where needed, is a separate action from resetting configuration.

The scope of a reset should therefore be checked against the documentation for the installed firmware. Before handover, inspect any retained logs and management-tool configuration for seller-specific information, and use the firmware’s supported procedures to remove that information. If the documentation does not explain how to clear relevant retained data, consult the manufacturer or firmware provider before treating the cleanup as complete.

Separately, agree whether the miner will be delivered with stock or custom firmware. Restoring stock firmware should not be assumed to securely erase all retained data, and disclosing custom firmware does not replace removing the seller’s configuration and sensitive information.

Verify the Handover State

After running the model-specific reset procedure, confirm the following before the miner is handed over or shipped:

• The seller's pool account or worker name no longer appears in any pool configuration slot.
• No seller-controlled Stratum URL remains in a primary, secondary, or backup pool entry.
• The miner does not automatically reconnect to the seller's pool account after a restart.
• Any seller-set custom administrator password has been removed or replaced, and the current administrator access method is known and ready to hand over. If the seller previously used the factory-default password, that same password may still work after a reset; this alone does not indicate that the reset failed.
• The miner shows the expected default network state (for example, obtaining a new address via DHCP) if the reset procedure is documented to clear network settings.
• The miner has been removed from any remote-management or monitoring platform, and any router-side DHCP reservation has been deleted separately.

Confirm that any retained logs or management-tool configuration have been checked and relevant seller-specific data has been cleared using supported procedures. If custom firmware remains installed, also confirm that the buyer has been informed.

Secure the Pool Account Separately

None of the steps above require changing anything inside the seller's mining-pool account. A buyer does not need, and should not be given, the seller's account login credentials, 2FA codes, payment password, or auto-withdrawal address. These remain account-side settings that exist independently of which physical miner is connected to the account.

Sellers who want to confirm their account-side security is intact can review that two-factor authentication is enabled for sign-in, rather than only checking that a phone number or authenticator has been bound. With sign-in 2FA enabled, ViaBTC requires both the account password and a second-factor code when signing in. Payout address and auto-withdrawal settings do not need to be changed as part of a hardware sale unless the seller independently decides to update them.

FAQ

Does a factory reset delete the seller's pool account?

No. A factory or configuration reset affects settings stored on the miner; the exact settings cleared depend on the model, firmware, and reset method. Verify that the seller’s pool configuration and custom administrator credentials have been removed or replaced. The seller's pool account itself — including its login credentials, balance, and payout settings — exists on the pool's servers and is not deleted by resetting the miner.

Is the mining password the same as my pool account password?

No. The mining password configured in a pool entry (where required by the firmware) is a separate field from the account login password. Knowing a miner's former mining password does not grant access to the seller's pool account.

Do I need to remove a worker from my dashboard before selling the miner?

Deleting a worker entry from a pool dashboard is not required to sell the physical hardware. What matters is that the pool configuration stored on the miner itself — the Stratum URL, worker name, and mining password — is cleared or replaced so the buyer can connect the device under their own account.

What if the miner uses custom firmware?

Confirm whether the installed firmware's reset function removes pool and network configuration only, or also restores stock firmware. Some firmware, such as LuxOS, documents that its configuration reset leaves installed updates and log files in place. Whether you retain custom firmware or restore stock firmware, check and clear relevant seller-specific data using supported procedures. If custom firmware remains installed, disclose it to the buyer. Neither disclosure nor a firmware change is proof that all retained data has been erased.

Is a factory reset a guaranteed secure wipe of all data?

Not necessarily. Reset behavior differs by manufacturer and firmware, and some resets intentionally leave logs or installed updates on the device. Sellers should consult the documentation for their exact model and firmware version rather than assuming a reset erases everything.

References

• Bitmain Support, "How to reset miner to factory settings?"
• LuxOS Documentation, "resetconfig"
• ViaBTC Help Center, "BTC Mining"
• ViaBTC Help Center, "What Is Auto-Withdrawal? How to Set Up and Manage It"
• ViaBTC Help Center, "How to Set Up 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication)"