Amount of time to synchronize blockchain

[rc]

I've been trying to fully sync my (standard) client for weeks. My blk0001.dat and blk0002.dat are up to about 3.4GB total, and I'm about 98% synchronized. Is the multiple week timeframe typical or do I have something configured incorrectly?

[Foxpup]

The blockchain is currently 3.5GB, so there's nothing wrong with your file sizes, and there's probably nothing wrong with your configuration if it's working at all (which it is). Though it certainly shouldn't have taken you several weeks. Usually it should take anywhere from a several hours to a few days, depending on your system. What sort of Internet connection do you have? Were you connected continuously during those weeks, or just (eg) a few hours per day? Also, Bitcoin has to verify blocks as well as download them, so your CPU and hard drive speed are a factor as well.

[Stephen Gornick]

I've been trying to fully sync my (standard) client for weeks. My blk0001.dat and blk0002.dat are up to about 3.4GB total, and I'm about 98% synchronized. Is the multiple week timeframe typical or do I have something configured incorrectly?

You can run several days with a slow computer, an encrypted filesystem, and/or an older version of the client -- especially if all three are true.

Make sure you are using the latest client, that will have the best performing software.

Also, with v0.7.1, you can pull via torrent bootstrap.dat, which will load automatically and get you up to speed much faster.  At 98% you are already past where Bootstrap.dat will help so just let the client finish up at this point.

Going forward, "ultraprune" which is being finalized for inclusion in v0.8 will speed up this process significantly -- it uses a new database system that does much less disk I/O, and is coded to organize the data in a much more efficient manner.

Core Development Status Report #1
 - https://bitcoinfoundation.org/blog/?p=16

[rc]

Thanks guys. I think that what seems to be happening is that on my Mac (running Mountain Lion), whenever the screen locks from inactivity, the syncing process stops actually downloading/processing new blocks. I then have to shut down and restart Bitcoin-Qt in order for it to start up again.