Windows to Mac migration: Do I have to re-download?

[andycam76]

Hello Brains Trust,

<my knowledge level is basic/borderline intermediate, nothing more>

I finally decided to switch over from Windows to Mac, and unsurprisingly having some issues when trying to avoid re-downloading the entire blockchain - my ISP is already throttling me so bad, and they will probably come after one of my kidneys if I try another 450Gb. Due to limitations on the Windows machine, I was also running a pruned node, which might be the cause of the problem, but I am now frightened to death of being chastised by the community.

When switching between two Windows machines, it was simply a case of copying the Bitcoin folder over, but I read somewhere that this will not work, and that I should try and connect the Mac to the Windows client and download the blockchain across my local Network from one machine to the other. I tried this, but have gone past my knowledge area here. I can see it, because I can ping it and SSH to it, but the Bitcoin client says "Unroutable". I "think" I opened port 8333 on the source machine, but it is not downloading.

With all that said, I did copy the Bitcoin folder over for sh1ts and giggles, and everything "looks ok". The client says it's up to date, and I'm sure it's downloading blocks, but the problem is that my Specter Desktop client is not scanning and finding any of the transactions, and if I try and listtransactions in the client, it comes back with nothing; as if the blocks are empty?!?

As I see things, I either have to face imprisonment from my ISP and download the chain again, persist with some technical people in trying to connect to the Windows machine over the LAN, or debug/understand why the Windows copy of the Blockchain hasn't worked on the Mac?

Any pointers would be much appreciated.

p.s. I'm running Bitcoin Core version v22.0.0 (from yesterday) on the latest MacBook and Mac O/s, with Specter 1.7.2.

[1715352420]

1715352420

[philipma1957]

As a Mac and windows and linux user. I can tell you a few things

if you want a core.

 is it with a wallet with coins?

if so it is kind of a mistake unless you know how to clone the hard drive in the mac book pro.

I use mac minis much more then Mac books for my wallets.

[andycam76]

 is it with a wallet with coins?

Sorry, I'm not sure I fully follow, however I'm not using the core wallet (wallet.dat), I'm using Specter Desktop as my multisig wallet(s) and there are balances in there?

The balances show fine on the Windows version, but re-scanning Specter on the Mac does not find anything in my new Mac blockchain.

[jackg]

You can't sync with a pruned node anyway because your pruned node won't have all the data to sync.

Each node is designed not to trust any and I don't think there's a way to just download the last few blocks as it's probably not been considered a useful feature. (I think the kidney trade might be the best option here if you really want the node on the mac )

[andycam76]

You can't sync with a pruned node anyway because your pruned node won't have all the data to sync.

But I've migrated the pruned node across to multiple Windows machines without issues?!? Providing the UTXO's are in the version of the pruned node, the wallets have always found them ok, and shown my balances?!?!?

I am, however, fearing the Kidney option will be the way to go...

[jackg]

But I've migrated the pruned node across to multiple Windows machines without issues?!? Providing the UTXO's are in the version of the pruned node, the wallets have always found them ok, and shown my balances?!?!?

When you move the directory from Windows to Windows, no syncing happens. Your software just assumes it was where it was before and continues to act as a standard pruned node as it doesn't know it's been moved.

[nc50lc]

-snip- and that I should try and connect the Mac to the Windows client and download the blockchain across my local Network from one machine to the other. I tried this, but have gone past my knowledge area here. I can see it, because I can ping it and SSH to it, but the Bitcoin client says "Unroutable". I "think" I opened port 8333 on the source machine, but it is not downloading.

You can't use that option anyway since Windows Bitcoin Core wont be able to serve the pruned blocks to the Bitcoin Core on your Mac.