Upcoming network event: block v2 lock-in

[jgarzik]

Reminder:

Once a supermajority (95%) of mining reaches block version 2, version 1 blocks will be rejected.  Effectively, this is a network-wide upgrade.  This event seems likely to occur in the next week.

Version 2 block specification: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/BIP_0034
bitcoind 0.7.2 was the first to support block v2.

Watching for the event: http://blockorigin.pfoe.be/top.php  The text is at the bottom:
"We are currently at 100 out of the latest 1000 blocks on version 1 (10.00%) and 899 out of the latest 1000 blocks on version 2 (89.90%)"

Users should not be impacted.  Some ancient miners will produce newly-invalid blocks (v1), that will get ignored.  The easy solution is to mine using a recent bitcoind (0.8.1 or later ideally).  If you are a miner and need help upgrading to v2, ping us on #bitcoin-dev or bitcoin-development@lists.sourceforge.net.

Particular impact might be felt in the merged-mining and 'getwork' mining communities, because they are most likely to be running ancient software that is difficult to upgrade.

[cypherdoc]

One of the devs should really speak to deepbit.

[jgarzik]

One of the devs should really speak to deepbit.

Deepbit has already upgraded.  That's one of the reasons this network event is approaching sooner rather than later.

[cypherdoc]

One of the devs should really speak to deepbit.

Deepbit has already upgraded.  That's one of the reasons this network event is approaching sooner rather than later.

Now that is Bullish news.   

[cypherdoc]

Next up 0.8.1

[jgarzik]

This event is now past.

[Hexadecibel]

This event is now past.

Wheeeee

[420]

waiting on two transactions, 0 confirmations. whats going to happen to my bitcoins?

probably sent from old versions

[cypherdoc]

Has deepbit upgraded to 0.8.1?

[whiskers75]

waiting on two transactions, 0 confirmations. whats going to happen to my bitcoins?

probably sent from old versions

AFAIK, the tx's aren't stored in a (v1 OR v2) block yet...
They need a miner to put it in a v2 block.

[MysteryMiner]

waiting on two transactions, 0 confirmations. whats going to happen to my bitcoins?

probably sent from old versions

AFAIK, the tx's aren't stored in a (v1 OR v2) block yet...
They need a miner to put it in a v2 block.

Does not the block versions affect only blocks, not transactions in them? If the tx is not confirmed it is something to do with miners accepting them.

[knight22]

Can someone explain me how block v2 is an improvement?

[jgarzik]

Can someone explain me how block v2 is an improvement?

Prevents duplicate transaction id's from being creating, and assists in block verification, by putting block height into the special "coinbase" transaction #0 found in every block.  See BIP 34: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/BIP_0034

[Nemesis]

so do user have to upgrade the client?

if so what about the alternative clients?

[MysteryMiner]

so do user have to upgrade the client?

if so what about the alternative clients?

According to https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/BIP_0034#Backward_compatibility it is backwards compatible. Only miners are required to upgrade.

[Mark Oates]

I have 0.7.0-beta.  How will this affect me?

From what I understand, it looks like my client wouldn't recognize v2 blocks.

[jgarzik]

I have 0.7.0-beta.  How will this affect me?

From what I understand, it looks like my client wouldn't recognize v2 blocks.

Older clients will recognize v2 blocks just fine.

This is largely a mining issue.

[sinistral]

According to https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/BIP_0034#Backward_compatibility it is backwards compatible. Only miners are required to upgrade.

Upgrading is only a concern for solo miners and pool operators, correct?

[Mike Hearn]

This thread should be unstickied now.

[Maged]

This thread should be unstickied now.

Sure thing.