bitcoind in Tails OS

[Krona Rev]

I'm trying to run bitcoind in Tails. I am able to run bitcoin-qt without a problem by doing this:

Code:

cp /media/myusb/bitcoin-0.9.3-linux.tar.gz .
tar xzvf bitcoin-0.9.3-linux.tar.gz
./bitcoin-0.9.3-linux/bin/32/bitcoin-qt -datadir=/media/myusb/.bitcoin/ -proxy=127.0.0.1:9050 &

I can instead start bitcoind the same way:

Code:

./bitcoin-0.9.3-linux/bin/32/bitcoind -datadir=/media/myusb/.bitcoin/ -proxy=127.0.0.1:9050 &

However, when I then try to use it I get the following:

Code:

./bitcoin-0.9.3-linux/bin/32/bitcoind -datadir=/media/myusb/.bitcoin/ -proxy=127.0.0.1:9050 getinfo
error: couldn't connect to server

Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong? Thanks.

[shorena]

Do you set rpcuser, rpcpass(word?), server=1 (or deamon=1? or even both?) and allow connections from localhost in the config file?

Edit: just checked and

server=1
daemon=1
rpcuser=whatever
rpcpassword=SHA256(ofJustAnythingYouDontNeedItAnywayUnlessYouConnectRemotly)
rpcallowip=127.0.0.1

should work. IIRC localhost is allowed by default, so that setting might be redundant.

[Krona Rev]

Do you set rpcuser, rpcpass(word?), server=1 (or deamon=1? or even both?) and allow connections from localhost in the config file?

Edit: just checked and

server=1
daemon=1
rpcuser=whatever
rpcpassword=SHA256(ofJustAnythingYouDontNeedItAnywayUnlessYouConnectRemotly)
rpcallowip=127.0.0.1

should work. IIRC localhost is allowed by default, so that setting might be redundant.

Thanks for the reply. I modified my config file, but it still doesn't work for me. Here's what my bitcoin.conf file now looks like:

server=1
daemon=1
rpcuser=bitcoinrpc
rpcpassword=omitted:)
rpcallowip=127.0.0.1
txindex=1

I already had txindex=1 because I sometimes need to get information about arbitrary transactions.

I can start the daemon, but when I try to use it I get the same response as before:

./bitcoin-0.9.3-linux/bin/32/bitcoind -datadir=/media/myusb/.bitcoin/ -proxy=127.0.0.1:9050 getinfo
error: couldn't connect to server
amnesia@amnesia:~$ ./bitcoin-0.9.3-linux/bin/32/bitcoind -datadir=/media/myusb/.bitcoin/ getinfo
error: couldn't connect to server

I'm reluctant to keep trying because after starting the daemon the only way I can stop it is with "kill" -- which I'm afraid might leave something in a bad state and I won't be able to start by bitcoin-qt.

I can do anything I want through the debug console of the qt client anyway, but I could automate more if I could get bitcoind to work.

[Willisius]

Once the daemon is running with

Code:

./bitcoin-0.9.3-linux/bin/32/bitcoind -datadir=/media/myusb/.bitcoin/ -proxy=127.0.0.1:9050

I don't think you have to use those flags on every call. They may be the problem.

Code:

./bitcoin-0.9.3-linux/bin/32/bitcoind getinfo

[deepceleron]

Is the config file being put in the datadir? You tell bitcoin at the command line -datadir=/media/myusb/.bitcoin/, then that's where the config file has to be.

Tails has network filters to block anything not going through Tor, it is likely the rpcallow= command along with the proxy setting that isn't going to let you connect back into a daemon with the network stack, although loopback<->loopback should work if you specifically allow a non-routable local IP.


https://tails.boum.org/contribute/design/Tor_enforcement/Network_filter/ - notable:

Local services whitelist

The Tails firewall uses a whitelist which only grants access to each local service to the users that actually need it. This blocks potential leaks due to misconfigurations or bugs, and deanonymization attacks by compromised processes. For specifics, see the firewall configuration where this is well commented: config/chroot local-includes/etc/ferm/ferm.conf

[Krona Rev]

Tails has network filters to block anything not going through Tor, it is likely the rpcallow= command along with the proxy setting that isn't going to let you connect back into a daemon with the network stack, although loopback<->loopback should work if you specifically allow a non-routable local IP.


https://tails.boum.org/contribute/design/Tor_enforcement/Network_filter/ - notable:

Local services whitelist

The Tails firewall uses a whitelist which only grants access to each local service to the users that actually need it. This blocks potential leaks due to misconfigurations or bugs, and deanonymization attacks by compromised processes. For specifics, see the firewall configuration where this is well commented: config/chroot local-includes/etc/ferm/ferm.conf

I suspect this is the issue. There might be a way to modify ferm.conf that would work, but for a variety of reasons I don't want to risk this. I'll stick with QT. I hope this thread at least helps someone else later if they run into the same problem.

Thanks again, everyone.

[Igdehi]

you have a good share. I also want to know what mistake you meet.