I do not want blockchain data stored under Application Data folder, how to

GlooBoy

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Leave everything to me!

Quote from: njcarlos on October 10, 2014, 11:33:12 PM

Quote from: jake262144 on February 14, 2012, 10:29:10 AM

On Windows Vista or later, the whole %appdata%\Bitcoin directory can be replaced with a symbolic directory link:
(0) Make sure the bitcoin client is not running.
(1) Move the %appdata%\Bitcoin directory to its target location (e.g. d:\bitcoinData)
(2) Run the command prompt as root and issue the command mklink /d "c:\users\\appdata\roaming\bitcoin" "d:\bitcoinData"
done!

This allows you to keep bitcoin client data anywhere, e.g. on a secure local fileserver.

Great, thank you! I'm surprised there isn't a setting to specify a destination location for blockchain data, etc. With the size exceeding 25GB already, it's probably well overdue.

Yeah,

This seems to be fixed in bitcoin core 0.9.3

I was asked twice: First when 'opening' bitcoin,

and again when starting for the first time with a warning to the 25GB blockchain size

njcarlos

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Activity: 280

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Quote from: jake262144 on February 14, 2012, 10:29:10 AM

On Windows Vista or later, the whole %appdata%\Bitcoin directory can be replaced with a symbolic directory link:
(0) Make sure the bitcoin client is not running.
(1) Move the %appdata%\Bitcoin directory to its target location (e.g. d:\bitcoinData)
(2) Run the command prompt as root and issue the command mklink /d "c:\users\\appdata\roaming\bitcoin" "d:\bitcoinData"
done!

This allows you to keep bitcoin client data anywhere, e.g. on a secure local fileserver.

Great, thank you! I'm surprised there isn't a setting to specify a destination location for blockchain data, etc. With the size exceeding 25GB already, it's probably well overdue.

mrjoebruno

newbie

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Merit: 0

I know this is an old thread but I had to use it a couple times and wanted to share some useful info.

If you want to create a symlink to a new bitcoin data directory in Windows you have to make sure that the original directory is either deleted or renamed. I suggest the following:

Shutdown bitcoin client
rename C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin to something else, like bitcoin_old
Then create the new directory where you want your data to be stored, example E:\bitcoinData
then you can run the mklink command. mklink /d "c:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin" e:\BitcoinData

I had trouble with this and the command fails if the original bitcoin directory is still there. So you have to rename it.

Also, if you want to do the same for a NAS share, you have to specify the full path to the share, and not the drive letter:

mklink /d "c:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin" \\nas-server-name\BitcoinData

asdlolciterquit

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Activity: 1666

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Quote from: taltamir on January 23, 2014, 07:21:50 AM

My solution is to create a bat file in the same directory as the exe for litecoin/bitcoin/dogecoin/etc
You need to disable the "run at startup" option in the client itself, as this would create a shortcut at the startup dir for running the client with the default data directory. Trying to change that shortcut will be futile as it will reset to the defaul form (IIRC whenever you look at options menu)

bat file code:

Code:

IF NOT EXIST .\DATA mkdir DATA
start bitcoin-qt.exe -min -datadir=.\DATA
exit

As you can see, it uses a relative subdirectory called DATA and located inside the client's folder.
It creates that directory if it doesn't exist because otherwise the client will error out saying the directory is missing and self terminate (instead of creating the directory)

Then you just need to put a shortcut to that bat file in the startup directory and set that shortcut to run minimized to avoid an unsightly command prompt coming up every time.
The reason I use "start" and "exit" is to ensure that the cmd prompt itself is gone after the program starts.

oh, and make sure to change bitcoin-qt.exe to litecoin / dogecoin / whatevercoin as needed

Hi!
i need to run the wallet as administrator. How can i change the bat file to do that?

Thanks!

hll

newbie

Activity: 2

Merit: 0

I Would like to part the wallet from the blockchain (database, index and everything ).
Store the wallet on a HDD, and store the blockchain on the, occasionally volatile SSD or external Flash drive.

I'v tried using symbolic links for the blk*, blocks folder, and chainstate folder. when loading QT, it crashes
...Also, it is only supported for destination-NTFS paratition. not all usb flash (such as mine) support these.

I Consider opening a feature request on the GIT. it seems like a VERY needed feature to part the wallet and the BC, for the storage requirements of each very different...

Again, moving the whole data dir is NOT an option, for the fact that HDD are much more prone to erros than flash or SSD.

(Search keywords, what I tried too lookup on google:
offloading the blockchain onto an ssd or flash drive )

litecoinpadawan

newbie

Activity: 35

Merit: 0

Quote from: Fiyasko on August 18, 2013, 12:34:35 PM

Quote from: jake262144 on February 14, 2012, 10:29:10 AM

On Windows Vista or later, the whole %appdata%\Bitcoin directory can be replaced with a symbolic directory link:
(0) Make sure the bitcoin client is not running.
(1) Move the %appdata%\Bitcoin directory to its target location (e.g. d:\bitcoinData)
(2) Run the command prompt as root and issue the command mklink /d "c:\users\\appdata\roaming\bitcoin" "d:\bitcoinData"
done!

This allows you to keep bitcoin client data anywhere, e.g. on a secure local fileserver.

Guys, Really this is the better one, I literally forgot that i was using it, ive been using it all the bitcoin clients across my house's computers it works great and im even using Shortcuts instead!

Not to be the a threadomancer but this set of instructions really helped me out. Bitcoin was getting too large for my SSD and this is the perfect solution. Just make sure you backup you wallet before doing so.

Also in order to make a symbolic link we need to remove the existing bitcoin directory in the appdata folder by either cutting and pasting it or moving it all together.

Wusolini

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no need to carry heavy money bags anymore

Quote from: taltamir on January 23, 2014, 07:21:50 AM

My solution is to create a bat file in the same directory as the exe for litecoin/bitcoin/dogecoin/etc
You need to disable the "run at startup" option in the client itself, as this would create a shortcut at the startup dir for running the client with the default data directory. Trying to change that shortcut will be futile as it will reset to the defaul form (IIRC whenever you look at options menu)

bat file code:

Code:

IF NOT EXIST .\DATA mkdir DATA
start bitcoin-qt.exe -min -datadir=.\DATA
exit

As you can see, it uses a relative subdirectory called DATA and located inside the client's folder.
It creates that directory if it doesn't exist because otherwise the client will error out saying the directory is missing and self terminate (instead of creating the directory)

Then you just need to put a shortcut to that bat file in the startup directory and set that shortcut to run minimized to avoid an unsightly command prompt coming up every time.
The reason I use "start" and "exit" is to ensure that the cmd prompt itself is gone after the program starts.

oh, and make sure to change bitcoin-qt.exe to litecoin / dogecoin / whatevercoin as needed

This is exactly what i've been looking for.

many thanks

taltamir

full member

Activity: 196

Merit: 100

My solution is to create a bat file in the same directory as the exe for litecoin/bitcoin/dogecoin/etc
You need to disable the "run at startup" option in the client itself, as this would create a shortcut at the startup dir for running the client with the default data directory. Trying to change that shortcut will be futile as it will reset to the defaul form (IIRC whenever you look at options menu)

bat file code:

Code:

IF NOT EXIST .\DATA mkdir DATA
start bitcoin-qt.exe -min -datadir=.\DATA
exit

As you can see, it uses a relative subdirectory called DATA and located inside the client's folder.
It creates that directory if it doesn't exist because otherwise the client will error out saying the directory is missing and self terminate (instead of creating the directory)

Then you just need to put a shortcut to that bat file in the startup directory and set that shortcut to run minimized to avoid an unsightly command prompt coming up every time.
The reason I use "start" and "exit" is to ensure that the cmd prompt itself is gone after the program starts.

oh, and make sure to change bitcoin-qt.exe to litecoin / dogecoin / whatevercoin as needed

epivitoras1

newbie

Activity: 10

Merit: 0

thank you for all the replies !!! i just transfered my bitcoin,litecoin,dogecoin appdata folders to my external hard drive disk !!
thank you ! Grin

theta

full member

Activity: 164

Merit: 100

A more user-friendly way of essentially the same thing is using this tool:
http://bitsum.com/junctionmaster.php

Fiyasko

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Okey Dokey Lokey

Quote from: jake262144 on February 14, 2012, 10:29:10 AM

On Windows Vista or later, the whole %appdata%\Bitcoin directory can be replaced with a symbolic directory link:
(0) Make sure the bitcoin client is not running.
(1) Move the %appdata%\Bitcoin directory to its target location (e.g. d:\bitcoinData)
(2) Run the command prompt as root and issue the command mklink /d "c:\users\\appdata\roaming\bitcoin" "d:\bitcoinData"
done!

This allows you to keep bitcoin client data anywhere, e.g. on a secure local fileserver.

Guys, Really this is the better one, I literally forgot that i was using it, ive been using it all the bitcoin clients across my house's computers it works great and im even using Shortcuts instead!

BombaUcigasa

legendary

Activity: 1442

Merit: 1005

Quote from: Timo Y on February 14, 2012, 08:35:26 AM

This is what I have done on Windows 7 using a symbolic link:

1. Open C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin\

2. Move the file blk0001.dat (the large file that stores the block chain) to a different disk, eg. D:\bitcoin-blockchain\

3. Run Command Prompt as Administrator (Accessories>Command Promt) and right click "Run as administrator". CAREFUL! mistyping a command here could damage your OS, so make sure you have backed up all important files before doing this.

4. Go to Bitcoin Folder

Code:

cd C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin\

5. Execute mklink commnand, eg.

Code:

mklink blk0001.dat D:\bitcoin-blockchain\blk0001.dat

This replaces your blk0001.dat file with an identically-named symbolic link file.

Good luck.

This!

Except you can do it better by deleting everything except wallet.dat, linking the whole folder on another drive and redownloading the blockchain.

saqwe

sr. member

Activity: 700

Merit: 250

Quote from: proudhon on April 08, 2013, 10:25:18 PM

Any word on whether the option to specify the blockchain location is getting worked into the main client?

+1

Gamesfreak13563

full member

Activity: 126

Merit: 100

Quote from: Timo Y on February 14, 2012, 08:35:26 AM

This is what I have done on Windows 7 using a symbolic link:

1. Open C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin\

2. Move the file blk0001.dat (the large file that stores the block chain) to a different disk, eg. D:\bitcoin-blockchain\

3. Run Command Prompt as Administrator (Accessories>Command Promt) and right click "Run as administrator". CAREFUL! mistyping a command here could damage your OS, so make sure you have backed up all important files before doing this.

4. Go to Bitcoin Folder

Code:

cd C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin\

5. Execute mklink commnand, eg.

Code:

mklink blk0001.dat D:\bitcoin-blockchain\blk0001.dat

This replaces your blk0001.dat file with an identically-named symbolic link file.

Good luck.

For anyone still struggling with this issue:

You can follow the steps above, but instead, copy the entire Bitcoin folder to a separate drive. Then, in place of step 5, do this:

Code:

mklink /d Bitcoin D:\Bitcoin

This will create a directory link, allowing you to store ALL blocks at a separate location.

proudhon

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Any word on whether the option to specify the blockchain location is getting worked into the main client?

taltamir

full member

Activity: 196

Merit: 100

Quote from: Sukrim on February 22, 2013, 04:34:08 AM

Adding a "Data directory" field in the options I guess.

That way only maybe a "datadir.conf" file would be at the default location pointing to the actual location.

That is a great idea! better then mine

TierNolan

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Activity: 1232

Merit: 1094

Quote from: Sukrim on February 22, 2013, 04:34:08 AM

Adding a "Data directory" field in the options I guess.

That way only maybe a "datadir.conf" file would be at the default location pointing to the actual location.

Exactly, or just add it to the current config file.

New versions of the software and all shortcuts will then work, and no hard links required.

Sukrim

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Adding a "Data directory" field in the options I guess.

That way only maybe a "datadir.conf" file would be at the default location pointing to the actual location.

taltamir

full member

Activity: 196

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I do think something needs pinning but it would be better served with a new thread where the first post is a step by step guide on how to apply the two alternative fixes (with a link to this thread)
Adding to the client itself... I am not sure what you mean there.

arklan

legendary

Activity: 1778

Merit: 1008

Quote from: Fiyasko on February 21, 2013, 12:44:14 PM

Anyone think that this information is worth pinning/adding into the bitcoin client?

pinning at least.

btw, i use the -datadir option, works fine.

Topic: I do not want blockchain data stored under Application Data folder, how to (Read 41756 times)