Running ancient bitcoin clients

[Kokomoka]

Dear all.

I am looking to run bitcoin core version 0.1.5 which was released in February 2009. Obviously the download links from sourceforge are now long dead. It is my intention to run this software in a Windows virtual machine with no network connection for testing purposes.

Does anyone know where I can get a copy of the Windows binary?

Many thanks.

[LoyceV]

This is the closest version I found:

See this (Pre release, 0.1.0 and 0.1.3): https://satoshi.nakamotoinstitute.org/code/

Use at your own risk.

[RickDeckard]

I've found a similar thread on the forum[1] where one of the users - achow101 - mentioned the same website that LoyceV. However it seems that the website doesn't have the version you're looking for. In that same thread a user - cr1776 - mentioned that you could find that version here[2] but it isn't available anymore. However, good old WayBackMachine has got your back! If we go back in time there was actually a snapshot that kept the link for the 0.1.5 version! You can see the history of updates for yourself here[3] - look for the Sep 16,2009 release[4] - but be fully aware that the same message from LoyceV is applicable - Use at your own risk.
[1]https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2201726.0
[2]https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/releases?after=v0.2.2
[3]https://web.archive.org/web/20180523142824/https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/releases?after=v0.2.2
[4]https://codeload.github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/zip/v0.1.5

[DaveF]

Following the links and a bit of googling will get you a lot of the old source code.
Keep in mind quoting myself:

Also, compiling them at times will drive you nuts, they rely on a bunch of old packages that are no longer around. I actually had to download gigs and gigs of old linux CDs & DVDs to get what I needed and their dependencies.

If you want to / have to compile it do not try to make it work with newer versions of stuff. Go out download all the old Ubuntu DVDs with all the software and dependencies and install it in a VM and compile it there. The time it will take to hunt down every old package and then trying to get them to work on a 2021 OS will not be worth it. There are copies pre 2010 Ubuntu and other linux distros out there will all the needed packages. Trust me on this. Not saying it can't be done, but it's a lot harder.

-Dave

[Pmalek]

I bookmarked this source some time ago. Maybe it's good to keep as many record of it as possible.
http://web.archive.org/web/20130531044640/http://www.bitcointrading.com/forum/bitcoin-clients/original-bitcoin-source-code-archives/

Download, verify, and trust it if you want. I don't know anything about the forum where it's posted or the person who uploaded the files.

[Andreaslag]

I have tried running very ancient clients, and they could not connect to a peer (so you are alone unless somebody else is also running it). We are talking about early 2009 prehistoric versions.