Blockchain Backup Project: Torrent for Bitcoin Core!

[bekli23]

Hello Bitcoin Enthusiasts,

I'm thrilled to introduce a project I've been passionately working on - a dedicated torrent for the latest version of Bitcoin Core. Recognizing the challenges faced by many in dealing with the large size of blockchain files, my project aims to simplify this process.
https://i.ibb.co/8Ysxx0f/Capture1.png

https://i.ibb.co/wcWTWb6/Capture2.png
This torrent isn't just a one-time thing. What sets it apart is that it includes all the original blockchain blocks, acknowledging their significant size. To keep everyone in sync with the latest data, I am committed to providing daily updates. This ensures you have continuous access to the most recent blockchain information.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Cl42rXLWE31rxwUDwwLX68-MXeGLgayS/view?usp=drive_link
And here's the best part - downloading this comprehensive blockchain backup is completely free! My goal is to make blockchain accessibility easier and more efficient for everyone in our community, from beginners to advanced users.

For those interested in this initiative or having queries, I am all ears and ready to assist. I'm looking forward to your feedback and hope this project will be a valuable asset to all of us in the Bitcoin community.

Thank you for your support, and let's keep the blockchain strong and accessible!

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[ABCbits]

Hello Bitcoin Enthusiasts,

I'm thrilled to introduce a project I've been passionately working on - a dedicated torrent for the latest version of Bitcoin Core. Recognizing the challenges faced by many in dealing with the large size of blockchain files, my project aims to simplify this process.

I appreciate your effort. Although i have to warn that you'll face many skepticism since those who download the backup need to trust you.

There's no need to include wallet.dat, setting.json and debug.log files.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Cl42rXLWE31rxwUDwwLX68-MXeGLgayS/view?usp=drive_link

I opened this link, but Google asked me to login.

[tromp]

i have to warn that you'll face many skepticism since those who download the backup need to trust you.

No trust is needed. The torrent equipped bitcoin node still queries its peers for the most work header. But whenever this node needs a block with a certain hash, it can just see if such a block is present in the torrent and use that instead of asking its peers for it.

[o_e_l_e_o]

For the majority of people, the rate limiting step for the IBD is the validation, not the download itself. If you sync via Bitcoin Core normally, then it validates as it goes. If you download this torrent, then you will have to download first and validate second, and it will probably take longer than if you had just used Core to download and validate simultaneously.

There is also zero risk of downloading malware by syncing via Core than there is from downloading random torrents.

[tromp]

For the majority of people, the rate limiting step for the IBD is the validation, not the download itself. If you sync via Bitcoin Core normally, then it validates as it goes.

Except that it skips the most time consuming validation (signatures) up to a block height specified by assumevalid (defaulting to 80400/Aug2023). So that initial part of history could very well be bottlenecked by download speed.

[gmaxwell]

Except that it skips the most time consuming validation (signatures) up to a block height specified by assumevalid (defaulting to 80400/Aug2023). So that initial part of history could very well be bottlenecked by download speed.

unless you are on relatively lower power hardware, this isn't the case because script validation is highly parallel and all the other processing ends up bottlenecking.

This has been tested in the past and torrent + validate was a massive slowdown.  Admittedly that was years ago, but if it's not true it must be because of limitations or defects in the node software (e.g. causing it to not achieve the potential download speed) as there is no reason using a torrent and separately validating should be faster.

[n0nce]

I really appreciate the effort, but as Leo and Greg pointed out, I don't see the need for something like this. There is no need to 'back up' the blockchain, since it's distributed on thousands of nodes already. It's not like backing up / archiving a certain piece of data that is hosted on a single, centralized server - something I actually do like to do, e.g. archiving Bitcointalk posts or news articles.

[ABCbits]

i have to warn that you'll face many skepticism since those who download the backup need to trust you.

No trust is needed. The torrent equipped bitcoin node still queries its peers for the most work header.

But if the file is corrupted or contain invalid block, then you wasted some time and few hundred GB of internet data.

But whenever this node needs a block with a certain hash, it can just see if such a block is present in the torrent and use that instead of asking its peers for it.

I don't get this part of your statement. OP seems to backup Bitcoin Core files where one .blk file which contains data from multiple blocks.

[n0nce]

But whenever this node needs a block with a certain hash, it can just see if such a block is present in the torrent and use that instead of asking its peers for it.

I don't get this part of your statement. OP seems to backup Bitcoin Core files where one .blk file which contains data from multiple blocks.

That's the normal way Bitcoin Core stores blocks. You can read more about it here:

The blk.dat files in ~/.bitcoin/blocks/ contain raw block data received by a bitcoin core node.

These blk.dat files basically store “the blockchain”.

[...]

The data in blk.dat files is stored in binary, and each new block gets appended to the end of the file.

[...]

The maximum blk.dat file size is 128MiB (134,217,728 bytes)

What tromp means is that if you dump a load of .blk files onto your disk and start up Bitcoin Core, it will ask peers for block headers through the regular Bitcoin protocol (thus not relying solely on the torrent being 'legitimate') and then looks through those files to see if already has the needed blocks for those headers, before asking for them through the Bitcoin network.

[bekli23]

I'm reaching out to address some important concerns and provide clarity about our recent initiative - a dedicated torrent for blockchain (previously referred to as Bitcoin Core). Your trust and confidence in this project are paramount, and I want to assure you of its integrity and purpose.

1. Unwavering Commitment to Authenticity:

    Our top priority is maintaining the originality and security of the blockchain files in the torrent.
    Rest assured, there's a strict adherence to legal and ethical standards, with no intention of engaging in any illicit or immoral activities.
    The files shared are 100% original and mirror those officially released, ensuring authenticity and reliability.

2. Robust and Reliable Validation Process:

    Despite using a torrent, the standard validation protocols of the blockchain node are fully operational.
    This means each block is checked for its integrity and authenticity, mirroring the process of a regular synchronization.
    The torrent simply adds a layer of efficiency by allowing nodes to quickly verify if a specific block is available in the torrent.

3. Prioritizing Security Against Malware:

    Understanding the concerns about malware risks in torrented files, we have implemented rigorous security measures.
    The creation and distribution of the torrent are conducted with utmost transparency, ensuring a malware-free environment.

4. Aiming for Enhanced Efficiency:

    Our goal is to offer an alternative and efficient method for accessing blockchain files, particularly useful for users with limited bandwidth or other constraints.
    While syncing and validating through traditional methods remain valid, this torrent provides an additional, trustworthy option.

5. Open to Feedback and Continual Improvement:

    Community feedback is crucial, and I am committed to making continuous improvements based on your insights.
    I encourage open and constructive discussions to further enhance the project's effectiveness and trustworthiness.

In conclusion, this project is a sincere effort to contribute to the Bitcoin community positively. It's designed to offer a secure, efficient, and reliable method for accessing blockchain files. We are dedicated to upholding transparency, security, and community engagement as our core values.

Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to your feedback and suggestions.

[pooya87]

This whole idea is flawed if you think about what it actually does.
There is this decentralized network where you connect to other peers and download some data from them called Bitcoin. You want to replace that decentralized network with another one where you connect to peers and download some data from them called Torrent! It's essentially the same process and the only difference would be in the sequential download in first network which won't affect the download speed in a meaningful way.

The only scenario where this would be justifiable is if there were far more torrent peers than there were bitcoin peers which will never be true because people aren't gonna waste their time seeding an unupgradable blockchain that every day falls farther behind! In a very short time there won't be any peers (torrent seeders) left for the torrent created from the blockchain today whereas there will always be thousands of peers (aka bitcoin nodes) to download the blockchain from using a full node.

The speed argument is also not applicable here in my opinion considering the assumevalid option that exists in bitcoin core where it allows the user to skip the entire script validation which is the most expensive part. So even if we ignore all the optimizations such as parallelism, the option to skip validation is built in (the minimal leftover validation such as PoW is not a bottleneck).

[ABCbits]

--snip--
What tromp means is that if you dump a load of .blk files onto your disk and start up Bitcoin Core, it will ask peers for block headers through the regular Bitcoin protocol (thus not relying solely on the torrent being 'legitimate') and then looks through those files to see if already has the needed blocks for those headers, before asking for them through the Bitcoin network.

I see, thanks for making it easier to understand.

I'm reaching out to address some important concerns and provide clarity about our recent initiative - a dedicated torrent for blockchain (previously referred to as Bitcoin Core).

Actually your current title is correct. File you plan to share only can be opened by Bitcoin Core (and other software which use identical file format).

[Knight Hider]

    Rest assured, there's a strict adherence to legal and ethical standards, with no intention of engaging in any illicit or immoral activities.

I don't need to "rest assured" and I don't need "legal standards" if I download the blockchain without your torrent. Verify, don't trust.

[AmarBazar]

  I don't see the need for something like this

[o_e_l_e_o]

The files shared are 100% original and mirror those officially released, ensuring authenticity and reliability.

We have to trust you on this before downloading the files. And if you make a mistake or accidentally upload corrupted files, then the end user could waste hours or days downloading useless data. This isn't a risk when syncing the blockchain normally.

The torrent simply adds a layer of efficiency by allowing nodes to quickly verify if a specific block is available in the torrent.

As I explained above, torrenting then verifying is less efficient than simply using Core to download and verify simultaneously.

The creation and distribution of the torrent are conducted with utmost transparency, ensuring a malware-free environment.

Again, trust.

Our goal is to offer an alternative and efficient method for accessing blockchain files, particularly useful for users with limited bandwidth or other constraints.

How does torrenting compared to regular downloading make any difference to users with limited bandwidth? They still need to download the same amount of data (more if your torrent is inaccurate for any reason).

[PrivacyG]

I advise against trusting bekli23 at all.  He has a long history of offering sketchy Services and 'products' and now it is even sketchier that he wants to offer this 'dedicated Torrent of the Bitcoin Core'.

He offered to sell a presumably loaded 8.5 Bitcoin wallet.dat file (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=3256364.msg33918840#msg33918840).  Later the same year he offered a service to 'decrypt wallet.dat files' for which he would ask for Know Your Customer information (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5074536.0).  Then he offered something I do not even understand properly, but I presume he pretended he has the entire list of all Bitcoin Addresses with their corresponding Private Keys which impossible (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5237001.0)?

Now he is offering this.

I am almost confident it is a scam attempt.  Be aware.

[Cricktor]

Is this the content of the torrent? Why do you share a wallet.dat and all the other stuff besides what's only needed, the two folders blocks and chainstate. And could it be that your Bitcoin Core was still running when you made the "torrent" (not the screenshot...) of the upper level bitcoin folder? If your Bitcoin Core was still running, it could likely be that the most recent *.blk files were in a not finalized state.

And someone could overwrite his own wallet.dat if downloaded data is copied without care

If someone dares to download your torrent's data, his or her Bitcoin Core might get upset. (Not sure if it will happily recover, maybe, maybe not.)

I find the need to trust a stranger for the validity of blockchain data something completely opposite to what Bitcoin was created for. And if you fire up a validation rescan of the downloaded blockchain, do you then really are significantly faster. I have doubts.

[ranochigo]

I find the need to trust a stranger for the validity of blockchain data something completely opposite to what Bitcoin was created for. And if you fire up a validation rescan of the downloaded blockchain, do you then really are significantly faster. I have doubts.

Rescan doesn't revalidate blocks and rebuild UTXO. You would have to run a full scale reindex on your files but that doesn't do anything to speed up your synchronization as compared to doing the entire synchronization normally. In fact, as explained it would be even slower.

Regardless, if you were to download the entire folder and use it as a data directory, you would have to synchronize a few days of blocks. However, that defeats the purpose and opens you up to possible attacks by an adversary.

[ABCbits]

    The files shared are 100% original and mirror those officially released, ensuring authenticity and reliability.

I missed this part on last reply, but claiming to be official release means you're lying since you're not even Bitcoin Core contributor.

I advise against trusting bekli23 at all.  He has a long history of offering sketchy Services and 'products' and now it is even sketchier that he wants to offer this 'dedicated Torrent of the Bitcoin Core'.

He offered to sell a presumably loaded 8.5 Bitcoin wallet.dat file (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=3256364.msg33918840#msg33918840).  Later the same year he offered a service to 'decrypt wallet.dat files' for which he would ask for Know Your Customer information (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5074536.0).  Then he offered something I do not even understand properly, but I presume he pretended he has the entire list of all Bitcoin Addresses with their corresponding Private Keys which impossible (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5237001.0)?

Now he is offering this.

I am almost confident it is a scam attempt.  Be aware.

Thanks for the warning. It explains why OP has insufficient technical knowledge and his last reply seems to be generated with AI.

[satscraper]

Sorry to say this but I would never use the torrent-relevant-file for bitcoin seemly because of my trust bias.   There is a risk to get either malware or deceptive chain via torrenting. By optimization of  both  hardware and node's set up  one can   get original data from nodes pertaining to bitcoin network and , at the same time, make the whole process of sync less-time-consuming. A few hours gained via torrent don't matter in comparison with build up security and trust.