[CHALLENGE] Run A Bitcoin Node: 14 Days To 14 Merits

[Ultegra134]

Day 2:


{
  "chain": "main",
  "blocks": 441290,
  "headers": 824497,
  "bestblockhash": "0000000000000000021fd60a6858a99be7c3f444fb53b88400928fb46b3537c3",
  "difficulty": 281800917193.1958,
  "time": 1480523361,
  "mediantime": 1480519168,
  "verificationprogress": 0.19279112899749,
  "initialblockdownload": true,
  "chainwork": "00000000000000000000000000000000000000000030eef7df33b3a16e135a47",
  "size_on_disk": 34759067273,
  "pruned": true,
  "pruneheight": 402547,
  "automatic_pruning": true,
  "prune_target_size": 34999369728,
  "warnings": ""
}

We're making progress, slow but steady, almost 20% and 7 years left to fully sync.

[1715001102]

1715001102

[1715001102]

1715001102

[1715001102]

1715001102

[tech30338]

Day 3 progress

Code:

"chain": "main",
  "blocks": 816806,
  "headers": 824588,
  "bestblockhash": "000000000000000000003e2923c0fa86fb51d66305c3259b5ae036213862238e",
  "difficulty": 64678587803496.61,
  "time": 1700014176,
  "mediantime": 1700011867,
  "verificationprogress": 0.9823025437208665,
  "initialblockdownload": true,
  "chainwork": "00000000000000000000000000000000000000005cff2cb9a692e477a6951b67",
  "size_on_disk": 4717586363,
  "pruned": true,
  "pruneheight": 814354,
  "automatic_pruning": true,
  "prune_target_size": 4999610368,
  "warnings": ""

11 days to go syncing really takes time

[ABCbits]

With 450 MB dbcache, this is going to take a long time. If you have the RAM, you should largely increase this (4096 or even 8192, but don't make it more than half your RAM).

I have 8GB RAM. How much dbcache should I choose then? Yup, it's taking a long timeeee...(Running it nonstop for 7-8 hours)

While other member already suggestion, i'd say choose depends on partial amount of free/unused RAM. Although if you use Windows, i don't expect it'll have relative small amount of free/unused RAM.

--snip--
The only problem is my internet speed. I tried doing other internet related stuff and everything is running as usual. Not very fast not very slow. But the bitcoin core isn't running with all the bandwidth.

Is there any way to prioritize my bandwidth allocation to bitcoin core?
--snip--

Usually no, since it's cause by either:
1. CPU or disk bottleneck.
2. Bitcoin Core happen connect to node with slow connection speed or physically very far from where you live (which cause slower download speed).

You can try close and reopen Bitcoin Core in order connect to different full nodes, but don't expect much difference.

[o_e_l_e_o]

You can try close and reopen Bitcoin Core in order connect to different full nodes, but don't expect much difference.

I agree this won't make a difference, but you don't need to shut down and reopen to change peers. In the GUI, just go to "Window" -> "Peers", right click on any of your peers, and click "Disconnect". After a few seconds Core will fill the gap with a connection to a new node.

You can also check what kind of download speeds you are getting by going to "Window" -> "Network Traffic".

[LoyceV]

The only problem is my internet speed. I tried doing other internet related stuff and everything is running as usual. Not very fast not very slow. But the bitcoin core isn't running with all the bandwidth.

Usually no, since it's cause by either:
1. CPU or disk bottleneck.
2. Bitcoin Core happen connect to node with slow connection speed or physically very far from where you live (which cause slower download speed).

There's a third option: your ISP may not give you the full bandwidth.

I'm now tempted to do a full blockchain download with hourly snapshots, to see how the remaining time estimate changes.

[ABCbits]

You can try close and reopen Bitcoin Core in order connect to different full nodes, but don't expect much difference.

I agree this won't make a difference, but you don't need to shut down and reopen to change peers. In the GUI, just go to "Window" -> "Peers", right click on any of your peers, and click "Disconnect". After a few seconds Core will fill the gap with a connection to a new node.

That's good point, i forget such feature exist.

You can also check what kind of download speeds you are getting by going to "Window" -> "Network Traffic".

But last time i used that feature, it only record download/upload speed after you open that window. In addition, the data removed if you scroll time duration.

[DYING_S0UL]

i'd say choose depends on partial amount of free/unused RAM. Although if you use Windows, i don't expect it'll have relative small amount of free/unused RAM.

My RAM usages is 45-50% on average. And the CPU would get up to 30-50% sometimes. So we can assume my internet speed sucks.  

Usually no, since it's cause by either:
1. CPU or disk bottleneck.
2. Bitcoin Core happen connect to node with slow connection speed or physically very far from where you live (which cause slower download speed).

There's a third option: your ISP may not give you the full bandwidth.

I'm now tempted to do a full blockchain download with hourly snapshots, to see how the remaining time estimate changes.

No 1 is not the case for me, like I said above. I actually did tried that turning on & off. And it works but for a short amount of time.

A moment ago it was 0.07% per hour. Restarted the bitcoin core and now it's 3.00% per hour (eventually it will go down).

Miracle miracle miracle...

P.S: Contacted my isp, said they'll increase my speed but will have to wait a couple of days, as my current internet package still has some days left.

[LoyceV]

My RAM usages is 45-50% on average. And the CPU would get up to 30-50% sometimes. So we can assume my internet speed sucks.  

Or your disk

Contacted my isp

Try speedtest.net

[tech30338]

i'd say choose depends on partial amount of free/unused RAM. Although if you use Windows, i don't expect it'll have relative small amount of free/unused RAM.

My RAM usages is 45-50% on average. And the CPU would get up to 30-50% sometimes. So we can assume my internet speed sucks.  

Usually no, since it's cause by either:
1. CPU or disk bottleneck.
2. Bitcoin Core happen connect to node with slow connection speed or physically very far from where you live (which cause slower download speed).

There's a third option: your ISP may not give you the full bandwidth.

I'm now tempted to do a full blockchain download with hourly snapshots, to see how the remaining time estimate changes.

No 1 is not the case for me, like I said above. I actually did tried that turning on & off. And it works but for a short amount of time.

A moment ago it was 0.07% per hour. Restarted the bitcoin core and now it's 3.00% per hour (eventually it will go down).

Miracle miracle miracle...

P.S: Contacted my isp, said they'll increase my speed but will have to wait a couple of days, as my current internet package still has some days left.

So you have upgraded your internet speed? if there are too much connections in your area it will probably slow during peak hours, the speed upgrade will be useless since your still in the same facility, specially if your box is full or loaded, but hoping that your upgrade will solve your problem.
try also to close other applications and some who runs in your background, chrome also eats alot of memory this days.

[DYING_S0UL]

DAY 4 progress:

Note: Ignore the per hour. It's usually slow at this time (evening).

Or your disk

Try speedtest.net

Disk is fine. It's normally below 50%. On rare cases, sometimes it's going go 60-70% but never 100%  

Last I checked it was something like 5.6+ Mbps  

[Ultegra134]

Day 3:


{
  "chain": "main",
  "blocks": 470743,
  "headers": 824629,
  "bestblockhash": "000000000000000001866dbc6430f507c267cda701eb0aac8eaf385e83daad5a",
  "difficulty": 678760110082.9902,
  "time": 1497153878,
  "mediantime": 1497146450,
  "verificationprogress": 0.254143698617925,
  "initialblockdownload": true,
  "chainwork": "0000000000000000000000000000000000000000005f96f0b4b0e4eb705a6640",
  "size_on_disk": 33094651308,
  "pruned": true,
  "pruneheight": 439692,
  "automatic_pruning": true,
  "prune_target_size": 34999369728,
  "warnings": ""
}

Forgot to keep my computer turned on overnight, still making progress though.

[LoyceV]

I'm now tempted to do a full blockchain download with hourly snapshots, to see how the remaining time estimate changes.

Screw it, I'm doing it

My setup:
Bitcoin Core 26.0 on Ubuntu Linux 20 LTS, with settings:

Code:

./bitcoind -dbcache=4096 -prune=550

Every hour I store the output of:

Code:

./bitcoin-cli getblockchaininfo
free # for memory usage
ifconfig # for bandwidth usage

My system:
Intel i3 laptop with 8 GB RAM, no swap, SSD, VPN and about 70 Mbit/s fibre (shared with the rest of the house).

I haven't tried this with 8 GB RAM since the Ordinal spam largely increased chainstate. If this doesn't lead to surprises, I expect it to be done on Monday. If it does lead to surprises, I'll try the same with 16 GB RAM.

[NotATether]

Progress:

Code:

Day 3:
tech30338
Ultegra134
DYING_S0UL

Screw it, I'm doing it

You can join, but you won't get any merit for it obviously  

[ABCbits]

Contacted my isp

Try speedtest.net

FWIW i've seen few ISP has relative slow speed, but remains fast when you perform test with speedtest.net or similar website . Sometimes i'd just download stuff (such as video from youtube using yt-dlp) for less biased result.

[IBeleiveIGotIt]

Hey guys, can I still join? Would install it on a PI or NAS.

Happy to be part of the community ☺️

[NotATether]

Hey guys, can I still join? Would install it on a PI or NAS.

Happy to be part of the community ☺️

Of course, this contest is open perpetually so you can join at any time.

[LoyceV]

You can join, but you won't get any merit for it obviously  

That's okay, I'm doing it because I was curious
I'm currently at 2020-12-31 (63.38% progress). CPU-usage is around 40%, memory-usage at 23%, chainstate is 5.0 GB and bandwidth continuously varies between 0 and 100%.
System load is 2.6. iostat -dx /dev/sda 5 shows disk %util around 60%, and iotop shows reading 1-3 MB/s, and writing 20-50 MB/s. Memory usage of bitcoind is 12.0%.
I'm not sure what's the current bottleneck, nothing seems to be maxed out. I think most of the idsk writes are updating chainstate. That makes it tempting to do the same on a ram drive.

[Ultegra134]

Day 4:


{
  "chain": "main",
  "blocks": 535612,
  "headers": 824729,
  "bestblockhash": "00000000000000000018c60c528db50835e40501abd09149e03458f47c8f89a0",
  "difficulty": 5949437371609.53,
  "time": 1533641189,
  "mediantime": 1533637263,
  "verificationprogress": 0.3665898299353761,
  "initialblockdownload": true,
  "chainwork": "000000000000000000000000000000000000000002a40999cde10e58dab526f5",
  "size_on_disk": 34202607878,
  "pruned": true,
  "pruneheight": 501138,
  "automatic_pruning": true,
  "prune_target_size": 34999369728,
  "warnings": ""
}

Almost 37%, 5 years and 21 weeks behind.

[oktana]

My system:
Intel i3 laptop with 8 GB RAM, no swap, SSD, VPN and about 70 Mbit/s fibre (shared with the rest of the house).

I haven't tried this with 8 GB RAM since the Ordinal spam largely increased chainstate. If this doesn't lead to surprises, I expect it to be done on Monday. If it does lead to surprises, I'll try the same with 16 GB RAM.

Oh wow, I felt it would require a higher specification system. My system is actually higher than yours, it’s a gaming system from barely a few years back so I believe if you can do it with this specifications then I can too. The difference is just the internet speed. I’ll just start today anyways and just see how it goes.

[tech30338]

Day 3

Code:

{
  "chain": "main",
  "blocks": 824738,
  "headers": 824738,
  "bestblockhash": "0000000000000000000015b6e3b72063bc3dcefb37b60fee1ba3ab59c988b931",
  "difficulty": 73197634206448.34,
  "time": 1704629572,
  "mediantime": 1704626490,
  "verificationprogress": 0.9999967297732044,
  "initialblockdownload": false,
  "chainwork": "000000000000000000000000000000000000000064828ae956f89d0ef207422b",
  "size_on_disk": 4913725693,
  "pruned": true,
  "pruneheight": 822275,
  "automatic_pruning": true,
  "prune_target_size": 4999610368,
  "warnings": ""
}