Bitcoin Core seems to be stuck while synching?

[truebits]

Hi I am reposting this hopefully in the right forum now?

I am trying to sync one of my computers with the Bitcoin core network since it has been out of sync probably for 6 months or so. It starts off working in Bitcoin core and the window says 89.46% complete and the blocks keep changing. But I have left it alone for over a week and it hasn't change hardly at all? Its up to 93.07% complete? And it appears the blocks are no longer changing inside the window. Its acting as if it has gone to "Sleep" (the Bitcoin software window stay open but it doesn't appear anything is happening).

I do realize it may take awhile to update.

Is there a setting on my Windows 10 computer that it "times out"?

Prior to getting this started, I have temporarily stopped all the windows updates (i manually ran Windows updates last night).

Here's the specs:

Using a VPN - no

Bitcoin Client Software and Version Number: Bitcoin Core v0.20.1
Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit
System Hardware Specs: 2.53 GHz CPU with 3 GB RAM and 400 GB free hard drive space.
Description of Problem: Bitcoin Core seems to be stuck while synching.
Any Related Addresses: None
Any Related Transaction IDs: None
Screenshot of the problem: https://imgur.com/a/F6cQ3Jl
Log Files from the Bitcoin Client: https://pastebin.com/gu2s7p6X

[1714636666]

1714636666

[1714636666]

1714636666

[1714636666]

1714636666

[1714636666]

1714636666

[1714636666]

1714636666

[1714636666]

1714636666

[nc50lc]

Screenshot of the problem:
Log Files from the Bitcoin Client: https://pastebin.com/gu2s7p6X

There's nothing wrong in your client based from your log and screenshot.
But the sync process is rather slow (0.02% per hour), try to increase your database cache into 1500MiB or more and restart Bitcoin Core.
You can set it in the GUI (Settings->Options->Size of database cache) or config file.

But it's not just the low dbcache that could slow-down the sync process, it's also based from your processor speed, internet and disk I/O.

[LoyceV]

With Windows 10 and only 3 GB ram, setting dbcache to 1500 may even cause more swapping.

I guess your system still has HDD (and no SSD), and I also guess your HDD-activity-LED is blinking continuously. Is that right? If so, your sync speed is severely limited by the lack of system memory. If at all possible, I would suggest adding more RAM. I think 8 GB is more or less the minimum for decent performance, so you can set dbcache to 4096.
If you can't add more RAM, you may be better off with something else than Bitcoin Core.

[HCP]

System Hardware Specs: 2.53 GHz CPU with 3 GB RAM and 400 GB free hard drive space.

That's a big ooooof right there... Windows 10 will generally be eating all of that RAM on it's own... let alone trying to have Bitcoin Core do it's thing as well.

If that RAM value is correct, your system is likely page swapping like crazy, which will impact on the disk I/O which is one of the main bottlenecks for Bitcoin Core to sync (hence why SSDs are recommended).

If you can, add more RAM and/or an SSD as well... otherwise, your only real option is to just wait it out

[truebits]

Thanks everyone. yes its a HDD not a SDD, and since its a laptop I believe it is very hard to add RAM? AM I wrong?

Nothing else is running in the back ground (as far as I know-no Antivirus).

[LoyceV]

since its a laptop I believe it is very hard to add RAM? AM I wrong?

It depends on the laptop: sometimes there's a small opening at the bottom with one screw, sometimes you need to unscrew the whole bottom, and in other cases the memory is soldered onto the mainboard.
In your case, I assume there's a 1GB and a 2GB module. It's best to search your laptop type on Youtube for instructions on replacing memory, and find the right module on any memory website that allows you to search by laptop type.

[truebits]

Can I use a flashdrive to assist in the RAM function such as in this Youtube video?

https://youtu.be/G7h4GYKtYr8

Is there any downside to this method?

[HCP]

It likely won't help much... even with USB3.0, the read/write speeds are still orders of magnitude less than with physical RAM... and with a machine with those specs, I'm not even sure it will have USB3.0.

You'll likely find that the HDD I/O is faster anyway... but if you have a spare "hi speed" flashdrive laying around, give it a go and report your findings

[nc50lc]

Thanks everyone. yes its a HDD not a SDD, and since its a laptop I believe it is very hard to add RAM? AM I wrong?

There are types of Laptops that have an integrated RAM, mostly those dual-boot laptops with ARM processors.
Since you didn't stated the processor's name (just speed), it's hard to tell if yours is expandable, but since you said it has an HDD, then it may be expandable.

If you want, you can add this to your config file so your node will skip the script verification of the blocks until height707820 (the tip as of now).
Config file is in bitcoin data directory (location), if you don't have one, create it manually.

Code:

assumevalid=00000000000000000004f68a47d1f55e45da3115c4a5a7f9fe787ec8af1246f6

After that, restart core.
Take note that it wont exponentially speed up syncing the last 8%, and setting it to the tip quite defeats the purpose of a full node.

[LoyceV]

Can I use a flashdrive to assist in the RAM function such as in this Youtube video?

Years ago, I used a slow 512 MB SD-card to support my Linux OS when it only had 4 GB RAM. Despite being slow, it freed up some more RAM by storing data that wasn't needed. So it helped to run everything I needed. But what I should have done was just buy and add 8 GB RAM. It's gave same experience as switching to SSD: I never want to go back

In this case, you could try to put Bitcoin Core's chainstate directory on the USB-stick. That directory is less than 5 GB, and it's much more demanding from your HDD than the (much bigger) blocks directory. I just don't know if (and how) you can move one directory to a different device on Windows.

[DaveF]

How fast is your internet? How are you connecting?
Yes, the 3GB of ram is going to be a killer, but if you only have a limited amount of bandwidth and something else is using it it's just going to make it worse.

Hit crtl-alt-delete and bring up the task manager. How much RAM is core using? How much bandwidth / network.

-Dave

[nc50lc]

-snip-
Hit crtl-alt-delete and bring up the task manager.

Not too important but, it's now CTRL+SHIFT+ESC in Windows10,
the old button combination will open a full-screen menu for "lock", "switch User", "sign out" and the "task manager" instead.