Bitcoin Client from USB

[cuz0882]

Is there a way to run the bitcoin client entirely from a usb? I've been moving the bitcoin folder in roaming each time I want to run the client. There must be a easier way.

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[Stephen Gornick]

Is there a way to run the bitcoin client entirely from a usb? I've been moving the bitcoin folder in roaming each time I want to run the client. There must be a easier way.

-datadir=

 - http://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Running_Bitcoin

No matter where you launch the client from it will use the blockchain and wallet data from the directory given by -datadir.

If you are on Windows, here's a howto so that the bitcoin client and data are on the usb drive:
 - http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=22582.0

[Gabi]

Yup, use the datadir thing

[cuz0882]

I got it working but it takes a very long time to load. It seems to be downloading the whole block chain every time I run it. Did I do something wrong? It remembers my balance and transaction history but seems to download it anyway. It's not recreating bitcoin in my roaming folder though.

[Stephen Gornick]

I got it working but it takes a very long time to load. It seems to be downloading the whole block chain every time I run it. Did I do something wrong? It remembers my balance and transaction history but seems to download it anyway.

When the Bitcoin client starts up it will read through the entire blockchain (over 1 GB of data) from the storage device.  That can take several minutes on many computers, especially slower ones.   Over USB rather than from a hard drive that can take even longer.  Even then, once the client launches then it will start to download any blocks that it doesn't already have.  That can take many more more minutes or tens of minutes.  But you can still transact while it is doing that, you just cannot see transactions from blocks that have not yet been received.

Is this what you are describing?  

I've been moving the bitcoin folder in roaming each time I want to run the client. There must be a easier way.

There are thin clients, such as Electrum that you may wish to consider.   Or there is Javascript, client-side wallets like those from My Wallet ( http://www.blockchain.info/wallet ) and StrongCoin.
 - http://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Category:Clients

[cuz0882]

On my hard drive it takes about 30 seconds. On usb it just took 3 hours. It was only 14 hours behind on the blockchain. Hard to believe the usb transfer rates would cause that much difference. That is huge...

[Stephen Gornick]

Is the port USB 2.0? (and the cable is rated for 2.0 also, if using one?)

[cuz0882]

It's 2.0, no cable

[John (John K.)]

That's strange. I just use the batch file command 'bitcoin-qt.exe -datadir=.\Bitcoin' and it loads under 30 second on my netbook, almost 5 seconds if I do this on my stronger desktop.

[Stephen Gornick]

It's 2.0, no cable

Not sure what the problem could be then.  Would you have another computer that you could try running it from then -- that would help to isolate if the problem is with the USB and/or wallet  or if instead the problem is with one particular computer.

Also, there was a new update of the Bitcoin client out today.  I don't think there are significant performance improvements from the previous version, but it never hurts to use the most recent release.

[MaxSan]

Try Multibit - I use that on a USB and works wonders.