Possible to Set up a full node on 10 year old PC?

[bravesoldier]

Hey there,

I'm looking to setup a full node on an old computer.

Specs: 4gb ram / Core 2 Quad / 2.8 GHz

Running windows 8 however when I look at raspberry pies I feel this may be able to work, I don't want to set it up via windows. I would rather do outside of windows and set up the node software like you do on a pi.

I've tried to find tutorials on the tube but unable to locate something relevant to me.

If you can point me to past topics on this forum or other links I would gladly appreciate it.

Thanks

[1715674539]

1715674539

[1715674539]

1715674539

[1715674539]

1715674539

[ranochigo]

It is possible. Don't bother running Raspbian if you don't need to. There's nothing wrong with running Windows, it is worse to be using OSes which you have zero idea about.

Are you planning to install any Linux distributions? If so, install it and follow this guide: https://bitcoin.org/en/full-node#linux-instructions. It doesn't get simpler and more concise than that.

[LoyceV]

I'm looking to setup a full node on an old computer.

Specs: 4gb ram / Core 2 Quad / 2.8 GHz

Up to a few years ago, I ran Bitcoin Core on an Atom netbook with HDD and 2 GB RAM as a backup. Syncing took a long time whenever I turned it on, so eventually I gave up on this.
Your setup should be fine, especially if you keep it online all the time. If you're using a HDD, the initial sync might take quite a while (at least days, possibly weeks). Obviously, installing SSD and more RAM would improve this, but if you just want to use what you have, it should work. It will probably help to increase dbcache in Bitcoin Core's settings to as much as your system can spare. Mind the swap file, it will compete with verifying blocks on disk.

From what I've seen (but never tested myself): Linux should sync Bitcoin Core faster than Windows.

It's good enough, just make sure you have lots of free space (at least 400GB)

With 400 GB, you'll last only a few months. A couple hundred GB more will be enough for the coming years.

[LoyceV]

Good point, i don't always keep up with current blockchain & chainstate/UTXO size.

Mine is currently at 377 GB.

[bravesoldier]

Are you planning to install any Linux distributions? If so, install it and follow this guide: https://bitcoin.org/en/full-node#linux-instructions. It doesn't get simpler and more concise than that.

Ok maybe Linux might be a way which i did ponder. I had a look at the article and noticed nothing around lightning network.

Essentially I want to be able to run something like MyNode where i can utilize the lightning network and have an interface like MyNode to access similar things.

[DaveF]

If you want to run mynode can you get more RAM?
There is a VM of mynode out there but it needs 4GB so you can't run it (well) on a machine with just 4GB.

Since it's Windows 8 I am guessing it's using DDR3 RAM which is cheap now.
Same with SSDs you can get a 512 GB SSD for under $75 and a 1 TB for under $110 (US based pricing)

Side note, so long as it's a legit copy of Windows 8 you can still do the free 8 to 10 update from Microsoft:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

-Dave

[songchunlai]

I use Ubuntu system. Easy setup is use command: sudo aptitude install bitcoin-core.

[NotATether]

There is a windows installer for Bitcoin core on the official download page that installs the GUI and the daemon (and a portable exe if you don't want to install anything). That's pretty much all you have to do on Windows, running a full node is not overly complicated and the same ease-of-setup goes for MacOS and Linux as well.

[HCP]

Essentially I want to be able to run something like MyNode where i can utilize the lightning network and have an interface like MyNode to access similar things.

Basically you're looking something similar with myNode which setup most thing and have UI? For your PC (which is x86), i'm only aware of https://github.com/getumbrel/umbrel.

Most alternative i know (such as Raspibolt and raspiblitz) only support Raspberry Pi and other ARM devices.

I concur with ETFbitcoin... Umbrel seems to be the only "all in one" for x64 based hardware (ie. PCs)... However even the devs don't recommend using it with this sort of configuration and advise that it is very much in beta.

You're probably be better off with a lightweight Linux distro... and just setup Bitcoin Core and one of the lightning nodes like LND... you can then use a nice GUI like Zap to "manage" the LND node.

But the trade off is that this is more of a "hands on" approach.


If you really want the "one-click" option, you're probably going to have to invest in a Raspberry Pi etc so you can just install the RaspiBlitz or Umbrel images etc.