Does a Bitcoin full node need to process transactions after downloading them?

[jgbagley]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, i'm a newbie! 

I have been setting up a full node running on a Raspberry Pi following this guide: https://github.com/Stadicus/guides/blob/master/raspibolt/README.md
I downloaded the block-chain to an external hard drive on a windows computer and then mounted it to my Pi. However, when I start the bitcoin service, I can see in the log files that it is still having to process each transaction which at this rate will take ~1 month.

>>>sudo tail -f /home/bitcoin/.bitcoin/debug.log
 UpdateTip: new best=000000000000000009925ad5866a9cb3a1d83d9399137bccc7b5470b38b1db2b height=330623 version=0x00000002 log2_work=81.49807 tx=51762566 date='2014-11-18 20:42:10' progress=0.147828 cache=1.2MiB(10982txo)

I am wondering what is happening during this phase? Is my system validating each transaction it received? I guess I had assumed all of this happened during the download. Is there a way I could have performed this function on Windows before I began working with the Pi to save myself a few weeks?
Thanks for any help/information you can provide!

[nc50lc]

Could be the data directory, but it's already at height=330623.

You mentioned that you've used a Windows Computer to "download" the blockchain, did you downloaded it from torrent/hosting service or copied from a full synced node?
Because the chance that the source (is outdated) wasn't updated to the latest height is high.

[bob123]

I am wondering what is happening during this phase? Is my system validating each transaction it received?

Yes.

I guess I had assumed all of this happened during the download.

Yes, your windows PC also has done this upon downloading.

Is there a way I could have performed this function on Windows before I began working with the Pi to save myself a few weeks?

Yes, since your windows PC already did this, you can simply copy the blocks- (which you probably did) and the chainstate directory (which is being built upon validating).
After moving the chainstate folder to your PI, core should start and just sync the last few blocks (which are not included in your block and chainstate directory yet).