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  • I have an RPi 3b, the OS is set up and internet works.
  • I'm a programmer, know how to use basic linux (but I'm not great at being a linux admin), but I'm new to RPi and setting up a cryptocurrency node.
  • I plan to use geth to set up a ETH node. I'm not mining yet. An RPi does not seem to be great for mining.
  • I also have a 32GB SDCard and 1TB USB external drive. I have yet to set up the drive for RPi.
  • Internet speed will be at least 35mbps over wifi for the RPi 3b. Thank goodness for 4 USB ports on that thing!

I'll be changing my ISP on Saturday. Can I start downloading the blockchain today (Wed), power off the RPi, and continue downloading the blockchain after I get my new ISP and modem/router?

Thank you! I appreciate your help.

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  • Yes, you should be able to restart your sync.
    – Malone
    Nov 22 '17 at 13:29
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It depends how you are syncing.

If you do the full sync, then you can restart but it can take a huge time. If you do a fast-sync, you are not syncing the full blockchain, but only the state at some point. It cannot be stoped but it is faster.

I think in your case, the best solution is the third way: light-sync. It does not download the entire blockchain, but only relevant information for your use case. Thus, it is impossible to mine with a light-synced blockchain.

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  • You don't need a client at all to mine
    – Tjaden Hess
    Nov 22 '17 at 14:00
  • @TjadenHess : I don't get your comment. At least, you need to get the blockchain, don't you ?
    – Distic
    Nov 22 '17 at 14:03
  • No, you can pool mine without actually having the blockchain locally. You just need block header candidates
    – Tjaden Hess
    Nov 22 '17 at 14:32
  • @TjadenHess: Well, what I meant is simply that miner.start does not work on a light synced geth.
    – Distic
    Nov 22 '17 at 15:18
  • A light-sync might work since I don't want to mine (yet), I just want to be a node. Mining would come later after I get the node running.
    – Bulrush
    Nov 24 '17 at 19:20
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You have to do all at once. Because after downloading the blockchain, your machine will start validating states and it can´t be stopped. If you stop, you have to start from zero.

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  • So, if the power goes out, I have to download the whole blockchain again? That sounds like it could take 7+ days each time.
    – Bulrush
    Nov 22 '17 at 12:11
  • I've used ethereumj (java implementation) and you can stop the node in mid sync. On restart it will pick up where it left off.
    – Malone
    Nov 22 '17 at 13:43
  • Which is why people recommend a UPS? So Linux doesn't crash from a power outage and we don't have to download the blockchain again?
    – Bulrush
    Nov 26 '17 at 18:55

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