Guides and Documentation

# Using Existing Bitcoin Data

In some cases, you may want to use Bitcoin data from a different node to get MyNode up and running faster or to save bandwidth. If you have another node that is already synced, you can copy that data to your MyNode.

There are 2 methods, either reuse existing Bitcoin blockchain data from another MyNode instance or copy it from an external hard drive.

# Using Bitcoin Data from Other MyNode

This process assumes you have two nodes up and running. You will copy data from one node with the fully-synced blockchain to another.

# Step 1 - Start MyNode

Start both devices. We will refer to them as the source node and the destination node. The source node currently has a copy of the chain data and the destination node is the one receiving the chain data.

# Step 2 - Copy Data

Next, you need to log into both of your devices via SSH to copy data from the source node to the destination node.

On the node with the source data, ensure the bitcoin block data is readable by the "admin" user. Also, make sure that Bitcoin is not running. Run the following commands on each device.

On source node:
Steps may differ if source is not MyNode device

# Stop Bitcoin and other services
sudo /usr/bin/mynode_stop_critical_services.sh

# Make sure block data is readable by the admin user
sudo chmod -R 755 /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/blocks
sudo chmod -R 755 /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/chainstate
sudo chmod -R 755 /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/indexes

On destination node:

# Stop Bitcoin and other services
sudo /usr/bin/mynode_stop_critical_services.sh

# Make sure old data is removed
sudo rm -rf /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/blocks
sudo rm -rf /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/chainstate
sudo rm -rf /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/indexes

# Copy the blocks and chainstate folders from your existing node to /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/
# For example (fill in with your own IP and path):
sudo rsync -aP admin@othernode.local:/mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/blocks /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/
sudo rsync -aP admin@othernode.local:/mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/chainstate /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/
sudo rsync -aP admin@othernode.local:/mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/indexes /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/
sudo chown -R bitcoin:bitcoin /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/
sudo reboot

This will copy files from your remote node to your local node. After rebooting, your device will sync from the same state as your other node.

# Using Bitcoin Data from Other Hard drive

This process assumes you have one node that is running and a copy of the chain data on an existing hard drive.

# Step 1 - Install & Start MyNode

Start with MyNode standard installation and then Getting started guide

# Step 2 - Stop The Bitcoin Syncing

As soon as the Bitcoin Blockchain syncing process has started, the web interface will displays "Bitcoin Blockchain Syncing...".

At this point, "stop" the syncing:

ssh admin@mynode.local
sudo /usr/bin/mynode_stop_critical_services.sh

# Step 3 - Remove Old Data

Remove any data that the syncing process has completed before you stopped the process.

ssh admin@mynode.local
sudo rm -rf /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/blocks
sudo rm -rf /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/chainstate
sudo rm -rf /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/indexes

# Step 4 - Copy Existing Blockchain

  1. Connect a second hard drive (which has a copy of the blockchain) to your node
  2. SSH into your node
ssh admin@mynode.local
  1. Mount the second drive to some path
sudo mkdir -p /mnt/blockchain_hdd
sudo mount -t auto /dev/sda<X> /mnt/blockchain_hdd
  1. Set access-levels...
sudo chmod -R 755 /mnt/blockchain_hdd/<some-path...>/bitcoin/blocks
sudo chmod -R 755 /mnt/blockchain_hdd/<some-path...>/bitcoin/chainstate
sudo chmod -R 755 /mnt/blockchain_hdd/<some-path...>/bitcoin/indexes
  1. Copy the existing blockchain from the other drive to MyNode's drive
sudo cp -r /mnt/blockchain_hdd/<some-path...>/bitcoin/blocks /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/
sudo cp -r /mnt/blockchain_hdd/<some-path...>/bitcoin/chainstate /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/
sudo cp -r /mnt/blockchain_hdd/<some-path...>/bitcoin/indexes /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/
  1. Change group access...
sudo chown -R bitcoin:bitcoin /mnt/hdd/mynode/bitcoin/
  1. Reboot the node
sudo reboot

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