Skip blockchain verification to prevent full download of blockchain on a node?

[Decoded]

I'm trying to start up my Bitcoin node again, and my VPS is pretty much only restricted in its storage space, as I use it as a video hosting service for my friends and I (Scrapes videos off of YouTube, when YouTube is restricted)

I have about 50GB of storage, is there a way that I will be able to sync my node up without maxing out? From what I understand a pruned node requires a full install, and after everything is done, only then does it prune it's database.

So, is there a way for me to skip this verification step? Or even for when it's syncing, it will download a block, verify it from the previous block, and then delete the previous block?

[achow101]

From what I understand a pruned node requires a full install, and after everything is done, only then does it prune it's database.

No, that is incorrect. It does it on the fly and maintains the on the disk the size specified by the prune option. The default is -prune=550 and that results in ~2GB taken up overall (there's overhead, the parameter is only just for blockchain data, not databases). With a new pruned node, at no point in time will you have the entire blockchain on your disk even though you will need to download and verify the whole thing.

[HI-TEC99]

From what I understand a pruned node requires a full install, and after everything is done, only then does it prune it's database.

No, that is incorrect. It does it on the fly and maintains the on the disk the size specified by the prune option. The default is -prune=550 and that results in ~2GB taken up overall (there's overhead, the parameter is only just for blockchain data, not databases). With a new pruned node, at no point in time will you have the entire blockchain on your disk even though you will need to download and verify the whole thing.

Can you switch off your node half way through pruning/downloading, then restart it and continue pruning/downloading? It doesn't restart from the beginning of the blockchain does it?

[jackg]

I'm trying to start up my Bitcoin node again, and my VPS is pretty much only restricted in its storage space, as I use it as a video hosting service for my friends and I (Scrapes videos off of YouTube, when YouTube is restricted)

I have about 50GB of storage, is there a way that I will be able to sync my node up without maxing out? From what I understand a pruned node requires a full install, and after everything is done, only then does it prune it's database.

So, is there a way for me to skip this verification step? Or even for when it's syncing, it will download a block, verify it from the previous block, and then delete the previous block?

Is it not better to try downloading an electrum wallet. Go to electrum.org and install that instead. It works as a bitcoin wallet, but doesn't store the blockchain on your computer - just the private keys and addresses. The only thing that is sent to check your balance is the public key which just stores your addresses and no way to control your funds.

[achow101]

Can you switch off your node half way through pruning/downloading, then restart it and continue pruning/downloading? It doesn't restart from the beginning of the blockchain does it?

If you shut it down properly, it will pick up where it left off.

[Decoded]

I'm trying to start up my Bitcoin node again, and my VPS is pretty much only restricted in its storage space, as I use it as a video hosting service for my friends and I (Scrapes videos off of YouTube, when YouTube is restricted)

I have about 50GB of storage, is there a way that I will be able to sync my node up without maxing out? From what I understand a pruned node requires a full install, and after everything is done, only then does it prune it's database.

So, is there a way for me to skip this verification step? Or even for when it's syncing, it will download a block, verify it from the previous block, and then delete the previous block?

Is it not better to try downloading an electrum wallet. Go to electrum.org and install that instead. It works as a bitcoin wallet, but doesn't store the blockchain on your computer - just the private keys and addresses. The only thing that is sent to check your balance is the public key which just stores your addresses and no way to control your funds.

I don't want a wallet. I want to host a node. My server has a nice, fast internet connection, and the only thing limiting me is my storage.

Thanks for the help Achow, locking the thread now.