desktop client won't sync or even connect

[spoonbender]

Hello,

A couple of weeks ago I downloaded the desktop bitcoin client. It started syncing. From the little I knew, I understood it might take quite some time, so I left my laptop open when I went to bed that night. In the morning I had an error message (didn't write it down, sorry), and my wallet was no longer syncing. I haven't been able to get it to sync - or even try to sync since. I've even uninstalled and re-installed it but it just sits there, disconnected. My firewall is not blocking. How can I get my connection to re-activate?

 

[Kluge]

I'm fairly sure Bitcoin client would correct "bad blocks"...

Speculation:
1) Firewall (try disabling for a bit just to confirm if you haven't, already -- it's possibly blocking individual peers, not "Bitcoin" the program)
2) Corrupt, uncorrectable blockchain or something weird going on with peers file (on Windows, goto Users->"Admin Account Name"->AppData->Roaming->Bitcoin and BACK UP, then delete peers.dat, "blocks" and "chainstate" folders)
3) Bad RAM (very unlikely)
4) Proxy was set on -qt which is no longer valid (very, very unlikely, but might be worth going to the "Settings" tab on the -qt client and going Options->Network to make sure a proxy wasn't set, or that it's valid if so)

If none of that works, wait for someone smart to throw out better theories. Then try a fresh install of -qt if they dunno what's going on.

[spoonbender]

Hi Kluge,

Thanks for the suggestions. It was the proxy setting. I had checked it, because I use a proxy, and that's what was blocking me. I unchecked >Connect through SOCKS proxy, and I've got my connection back! Woo-hoo!

Can you explain to me why checking the proxy box broke my connection?

[Kluge]

Hi Kluge,

Thanks for the suggestions. It was the proxy setting. I had checked it, because I use a proxy, and that's what was blocking me. I unchecked >Connect through SOCKS proxy, and I've got my connection back! Woo-hoo!

Can you explain to me why checking the proxy box broke my connection?

Cool, glad (and surprised) to help.

Were you using Tor for the proxy? If so, Tor needs to be active and connected to the same network as last time (or -qt needs to be updated to the new proxy address), IIRC. I haven't used Tor with Bitcoin in a looong time, though - pretty impossible with the bandwidth now needed. If you aren't using Tor, I have no idea what the issue could be, aside the obvious theory that the proxy was no longer valid. Maybe the VPN or whatever you were using decided you were sucking down too much bandwidth and blocked it??

[spoonbender]

No, I just use the standalone Privoxy proxy. So it's running, but I guess -qt isn't running through it...?

[Andereh]

I'm sorry for bumping this old thread!

But I'm experiencing the same problem, I have accidently checked the "connect through SOCKS-proxy".
Now I have tried to uncheck the box, but whenever I click on "apply" it rechecks for some reason. Also tried uninstalling and reinstalling.
Now it doesn't want to sync anymore, does anyone have a fix? It would be much appreciated

PS: using Windows and Bitcoinqt8.2

[orymh]

I'm sorry for bumping this old thread!

But I'm experiencing the same problem, I have accidently checked the "connect through SOCKS-proxy".
Now I have tried to uncheck the box, but whenever I click on "apply" it rechecks for some reason. Also tried uninstalling and reinstalling.
Now it doesn't want to sync anymore, does anyone have a fix? It would be much appreciated

PS: using Windows and Bitcoinqt8.2

Proxy settings can be configured in your bitcoin.conf file; it may be that the client can't (or doesn't want to) overwrite what's in the file. Depending on your operating system, bitcoin.conf might be a few different places. See here for the list: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Running_Bitcoin#Bitcoin.conf_Configuration_File

If you have a bitcoin.conf file, you can open it in any text editor, and look for the proxy setting. It'll look something like this:
 # Connect via a socks4 proxy
 #proxy=127.0.0.1:9050

If you don't have a bitcoin.conf, then that's not the problem.

[Andereh]

If you don't have a bitcoin.conf, then that's not the problem.

Pretty much this, I've been through all my bitcoin's folders including the AppData one, for some reason there's no existence of it..
Quite annoying 

[orymh]

There's also a registry entry for it, if you're running Windows. In the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Bitcoin\Bitcoin-Qt\ key, the value is fUseProxy. Its value should be "false". Are you familiar with Regedit for editing registry settings?

[Andereh]

There's also a registry entry for it, if you're running Windows. In the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Bitcoin\Bitcoin-Qt\ key, the value is fUseProxy. Its value should be "false". Are you familiar with Regedit for editing registry settings?

I don't know why this hasn't crossed my mind before..

Many thanks Sir orymh, have a fine day!