help with downloading blockchain using bitcoin-qt

[bitterbug]

I'm using bitcoin-qt on Ubuntu to download the blockchain and it keeps reverting to 79% complete. I can't run it 24 hours a day for several days for fear my ISP will throttle my bandwidth which I think they have already started doing.

I have been downloading it for several months now and it seems I can't seem to get past 90%. My connection speed is not the quickest and the bitcoin price since I started downloading the blockchain has tripled!!

What is the advantage to having a downloaded blockchain? Is it necessary? Does it download in blocks so that if one doesn't complete it restarts next time you start the syncing process?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Gabi]

I can't run it 24 hours a day for several days for fear my ISP will throttle my bandwidth which I think they have already started doing.

Is this a joke or what?

This said...

You only need the blockchain if you want to run bitcoin-qt and you want to act as a full node, it is not required of course. If you only use the client sometimes, i suggest you another client like Multibit.

Each block is downloaded in some seconds or even less, please check the number of total blocks when the client is running, it should increase, please remember that number and the next time you start the client check if it decreased or not.

[Enira]

Download MultiBit, it uses merkle trees so you don't have to download the entire blockchain.

[birkomester]

Use another client like multibit armory or electrum

[DannyHamilton]

Use another client like multibit armory or electrum

Not Armory.  Armory requires that you also have Bitcoin-Qt