Armory 0.96.5

[HCP]

Connections are being added automatically now. 7 is the highest number that I've seen displayed. Thank you for the help!

Yeah, sometimes it just takes a while for your node to discover (and be discovered by) other peers... Is the sync progress actually increasing now that you have a good number of connections?

[RoadStress]

Is there a way to speed up the Scanning part when importing a new wallet? Is the CPU the bottleneck or it's something else?

[goatpig]

Disk IO is the primary bottleneck, then RAM, then CPU cores.

[btcArmory user]

I am running armory 0.96.3.992-beta-8a 7f18a499
qt version 5.9.8
armory offline 0.92.3

I was not running these versions when issues first came up. I attempted to send my BTC. I have a signed transaction that was never broadcast to the network. At that point, bitcoin-qt was out of sync, preventing the transaction from being broadcast, the way it looks. My previous posts have indicated the issues that were encountered getting past that. I have rebuilt the bitcoin database. I have an empty qt wallet and listed, but apparently inactive (grayed-out) wallets for primary and watching wallet on my online system. The balances are (...) on each wallet.
I still have the signed transaction on a usb drive. Where do I go from here? It's probably really easy... I hope.

In armory, 'preparing databases' and 'scanning transaction history' are not active at all - they are grayed out. The wallet consistency check runs successfully in the lower left on armory startup.

I have my armory log file. Is it possible that my Satoshi data dir is pointing to the wrong folder? I must have installed the upgrade into a new folder on the external drive.

[HCP]

I am running armory 0.96.3.992-beta-8a 7f18a499
qt version 5.9.8
armory offline 0.92.3

What is the actual Bitcoin Core version? "Qt" is a library used by Bitcoin Core to display the GUI

Use the: "Help -> About Bitcoin Core" menu option...

If it is anything higher than 0.17... chances are good that it won't play nicely with the older versions of Armory.

You'd need to install the latest 0.96.5 release from: https://btcarmory.com/

I still have the signed transaction on a usb drive. Where do I go from here? It's probably really easy... I hope.

What are you wanting to achieve at this point? Continuing to use Armory on an ongoing basis or just sending the signed transaction?

Depending on the format of the signed transaction... You might be able to simply copy/paste the contents of the signed transaction file into a transaction broadcast tool like these:
https://coinb.in/#broadcast
https://live.blockcypher.com/btc/pushtx/

Etc... The signed transaction would need to be in raw hex format for this to work.

[btcArmory user]

It was bitcoin core 0.20.1

I downloaded and extracted the indicated version of armory. The executable runs and lists the right version - 0.96.5
Transactions do not appear, and I still have a 0 balance. Shouldn't my BTC have been restored to the wallet? I can't see any difference after the upgrade. The armory log file is also identical to the one before the upgrade.
In terms of where I would like to go from here: ideally, I would see the BTC in the wallet again, and then I would generate another transaction. This time, the transaction would be broadcast to the network.

The signed transaction file is a .SENT.tx and begins with a delimiter and this, like a header TXSIGCOLLECT

It has a mixture of upper and lower case letters; alphanumeric chars. HEX has a mixture of counting numbers and upper case letters, 0 through F -- right?

[HCP]

Yeah, Armory is using a custom unsigned/signed transaction format for the files (possibly Base64 encoded)... Although, theoretically, you should be able to click "Offline Transactions", then "Load File", load the signed transaction and then click "Copy Raw Hex", which would give you the hex you need to verify/broadcast the transaction using one of the transaction broadcast tools (or using Bitcoin Core and the decoderawtransaction and sendrawtransaction commands on the console).

Without actually being able to see the Armory log files, it is difficult to determine why the transactions are not showing... it could be that Bitcoin Core is pruned so that Armory is not able to build it databases properly... it's possible that Armory cannot find your Bitcoin Core data blocks (if you used a "custom datadir" Bitcoin Core)... it's possible that there is corrupt data in the Armory database so it is not working properly.

At this point, I would suggest 2 things:

1. Goto the Armory data directory and delete the armorylog.txt and dbLog.txt files. That will clear out any "old" debug/error messages so we don't have to wade through lines and lines of irrelevant log data.

2. Try using the "Help -> Rebuild and Rescan Databases" option.

Then shutdown Armory and Bitcoin Core. Then start Bitcoin Core and make sure it is fully synced, then start Armory. If, after it has rebuilt the databases, it still isn't showing your transactions, then post up the contents of your armorylog.txt and dbLog.txt files (copy/paste to https://pastebin.com and then click "create new paste", then copy/paste the unique URL that is generated into your post here)

[Gazz7483]

Hi,

I'm hoping someone can help with a problem I'm having.

I'm running Armory 0.96.5 on a Windows 10 Pro PC.  Bitcoin-qt is up to date and Armory is online but in the corner it says "Connected (0 blocks)".  When I hover the cursor over it, it says RPC disabled.  Could this be something to do with it being connected but not updating the blocks?

Thanks in advance 

[HCP]

I'm running Armory 0.96.5 on a Windows 10 Pro PC.  Bitcoin-qt is up to date and Armory is online but in the corner it says "Connected (0 blocks)".  When I hover the cursor over it, it says RPC disabled.  Could this be something to do with it being connected but not updating the blocks?

Correct... Your Bitcoin Core is probably not configured to enable the RPC server. By default, running Bitcoin Core GUI does not switch this on.

- Shutdown Armory and Bitcoin Core
- add the following to your bitcoin.conf file:

Code:

server=1

- Start Bitcoin Core and let it fully sync
- Start Armory

Also, is your Bitcoin Core running in "pruned" mode? Check "Settings -> Options -> Main" and see if the "Prune block storage" option is ticked (or if you have a "prune=" line in your bitcoin.conf file). If you have either of these things, then Armory will not work properly.

If you're still having issues after adding the server=1 line and ensuring that Bitcoin Core is not in pruned mode... you'll need to post your logs (copy/paste the contents of your armorylog.txt and dbLog.txt to https://pastebin.com/ click "create new paste", then copy/paste the uniquely generated URL here)

[Gazz7483]

Hi HCP,

Thanks so much for the quick reply 

I added the server=1 line and it's made a difference - where it says "Connected (0 blocks)", this has now changed from purple to green.

When I installed Bitcoin Core last week, I know I set it to pruned   I'll change this setting now and see if this sorts the problem!

Thanks again,

Gary

[HCP]

I added the server=1 line and it's made a difference - where it says "Connected (0 blocks)", this has now changed from purple to green.

Excellent... one problem solved!

When I installed Bitcoin Core last week, I know I set it to pruned  I'll change this setting now and see if this sorts the problem!

Ok... do note that this will require some 350-400Gigs worth of storage space available on the drive where Bitcoin Core is storing the blocks. If you don't have this storage space available, you'll need to either move the storage to a bigger drive or perhaps use an external drive for block storage (not recommended due to I/O bottlenecks on external drives slowing down syncing)

You are also going to need to redownload and reverify the entire blockchain again This will likely take a "long time"™

[btcArmory user]

I downloaded this version of the .zip file and extracted it at the root level of an external drive.
armory_0.96.5_win64
When  the extract had completed, there was an Armorystandalone directory in the path. Is that the way is should be?
Maybe I should be using the win64 installer instead of downloading the .zip file?
Armory is offline, according to a message in the lower right of the dashboard.
Added server=1 to bitcoin.conf

The armorylog.txt starts with entries from 2017, so I cleared it out. Syncing bitcoin core so that I can restart armory. I will post the armorylog.txt later on.
This might be an old version of dblog:

https://pastebin.com/xLRHewqk

[HCP]

I downloaded this version of the .zip file and extracted it at the root level of an external drive.
armory_0.96.5_win64
When  the extract had completed, there was an Armorystandalone directory in the path. Is that the way is should be?
Maybe I should be using the win64 installer instead of downloading the .zip file?

It really depends on how you want it setup... if you just want Armory in a "standard" windows location (ie. the "C:\Program Files" directory) along with all your other apps and to have the Windows Start menu icons automatically created etc, then you should use the Windows Installer. If you want to run it from a portable USB drive, then the standalone would be the way to go.

If you want to use a custom install location... then either will work... but the installer is probably easier and, again, it will automatically create the Start menu icons etc.

[btcArmory user]

I have noticed the armory process still running in Windows. I have started to kill that using task manager prior to launching armory. This message has come up a few times after stopping and then restarting bitcoin core.
Cannot obtain a lock on d:\BTC datadir 96-2 - bitcoin core directory. Bitcoin core is probably already running.

Could that be related to the armory process that has been running after exiting armory?

I used the first line command to launch armory when the posted log files were produced. I have tried the second one, too. I can't shake the thought that the executable might be tryiing to access the wrong datadir. The bitcoin core database files are definitely active in d:\btc datadir 96-2\blocks

D:/armory 0_96_5/armory_0.96.5_win64/ArmoryStandalone/armoryqt -- datadir=d:\armory 0.96.3.992\Armory
D:/armory 0_96_5/armory_0.96.5_win64/ArmoryStandalone/armoryqt -- datadir=d:\btc datadir 96-2\Armory

Tried running the 'scan armory databases' from the help menu in armory. Armory is still offline, and is not coming up beyond the scanning transaction history utility in the lower right on startup.

https://pastebin.com/NxzspU0s

https://pastebin.com/exmFXEyR

[HCP]

Firstly, you're using the the commandline arguments incorrectly... there should not be a space between the -- and the command...

Code:

D:/armory 0_96_5/armory_0.96.5_win64/ArmoryStandalone/armoryqt --datadir=d:\armory 0.96.3.992\Armory

Trying to use the "old" Armory data directory may cause issues due to changes in the data structure... not sure if it did change much... but it is possible.

I have noticed the armory process still running in Windows. I have started to kill that using task manager prior to launching armory. This message has come up a few times after stopping and then restarting bitcoin core.
Cannot obtain a lock on d:\BTC datadir 96-2 - bitcoin core directory. Bitcoin core is probably already running.

Could that be related to the armory process that has been running after exiting armory?

Most likely what was happening was that Armory was spawning a hidden "bitcoind" process in the background... as Armory then got "stuck", after you closed the GUI, the background bitcoind process was still running and preventing you from starting Bitcoin Core GUI ("cannot obtain lock" etc).


Personally, if I were you, I would:

1. Download and install the Armory Windows Installer: https://github.com/goatpig/BitcoinArmory/releases/download/v0.96.5/armory_0.96.5_win64.exe
2. Start Armory
3. In Armory "File -> Settings..." menu:
  - UNTICK the box that says "Let Armory run bitcoind/Bitcoin Core in the background"
  - Set the "Bitcoin Home Dir" to be: D:\btc datadir 96-2\
4. Shutdown Armory and then Reboot the computer (this will definitely kill off any "ghost" processes in the background)
5. Start Bitcoin Core GUI manually... make sure it is fully synced before doing the next step
6. Start Armory

If you're still having issues... repost the log files after you have done all of the above.

[btcArmory user]

I have completed all the steps listed. It looks like armory should be back online and scanning databases, but it's not.

https://pastebin.com/35QvGKmt

https://pastebin.com/qsp4Jbrz

[HCP]

It's still attempting to read the Bitcoin block data from the "default" path... did you set the "Bitcoin Home Dir" to: D:\btc datadir 96-2\ ?

Code:

2021-03-11 22:10:42 (ERROR) -- BDM.pyc:197 - DB error: C:\Users\enduser\AppData\Roaming/Bitcoin/blocks is not a valid path

Also, is that the same directory that is shown in Bitcoin Core as the "Datadir" when you look at the "Window -> Information" screen within Bitcoin Core GUI?

[btcArmory user]

It's still attempting to read the Bitcoin block data from the "default" path... did you set the "Bitcoin Home Dir" to: D:\btc datadir 96-2\ ?

Yes, I did that in Armory. I used the GUI. will have to verify the setting for bitcoin core later on.

[btcArmory user]

Confirmed. Both bitcoin core and armory are set for d:\btc datadir 96-2
Neither has the backslash after the name of the directory, btc datadir 96-2

Could that be a factor? It looks as if the system using the default path.

[HCP]

That is very bizarre... did you shutdown and restart Armory after setting that Bitcoin Home Dir location?

And just confirming that your Armory settings look exactly like this:


Box unticked... "Bitcoin Install Dir" is empty... "Bitcoin Home Dir" is set to d:\btc datadir 96-2... and "Armory Database Dir" is empty?



Also, is there an armory.conf file in this location: C:\Users\enduser\AppData\Roaming\Armory\