Elliptic Curve Discrete Logarithm on Windows

The file ecdl.exe is a binary executable ported and compiled by Brian Gladman. You need to edit the file ecd.bat before use.

Instructions on how to operate these are below. Note that details differ from the previous version so please read them!

You may also like to visit Brian's ECC2-97 page.

1. Make a new directory and download ecdl.exe and ecd.bat into it.

2. Edit the batch file ecd.bat to change the details in UPPER-CASE to match your own. Here is an example (don't just copy it though!):

ecdl batch gladman@seven77.demon.co.uk WinTeam FortyTwo PentiumII Windows98

Don't put spaces in any of your entries and if your computer does not have a name simply use the word 'none' as in:

ecdl batch gladman@seven77.demon.co.uk WinTeam none PentiumII Windows98

3. Save the edited batch file to the same directory where you put the main program (keep its name unchanged) .

4. To run the program locate and double click on the ecd.bat file in a Windows Explorer directory window. This will run the program in a DOS box, which you can minimise to place it out of the way on the task bar.

5. From time to time the program will write a result to a log file with the name log.txt that it puts in the directory where the main program is located (it also writes output to the screen so you can see the progress being made). Don't expect much output though - each point takes about a billion elliptic operations so you will only get a few per day on a typical PC.

- Wait a day or two for several points to accumulate in log.txt

- Rename it to log1.txt

- Email log1.txt to: win-ecdl2-97@pauillac.inria.fr

- Wait for some more points in log.txt

- Rename it to log2.txt

- Send that in

- And so on

If mail to win-ecdl2-97@pauillac.inria.fr doesn't get through then resend the logX.txt files to win-ecdl2-97@rupture.net instead.

Note that each point looks something like this:

6. To stop the program at any time simply maximise its DOS window and type Control-C (that is hold down the Control key and then press the C key). The program will save where it has got to and exit. When you next start it, it will carry on from where it left off.

7. That is all there is to it - join the challenge and win some money for free and open source software!

Good luck,
Rob Harley
Brian Gladman.

PS: Update (September 3rd)

With Jerry Coffin's help, Brian changed ecdl.exe to always run at idle priority so now it doesn't interfere with other stuff that is running. In other words nice is built in.