Cannot get Bitcoin-QT to run in testnet mode

Question

I downloaded Bitcoin-QT for Windows 7 into:

MYUSERNAME/Downloads/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32

I want to run Bitcoin in testnet mode, so I created bitcoin.conf with only the following content:

testnet=1

I put copies of bitcoin.conf into the following folders:

MYUSERNAME/Downloads/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32
User/MYUSERNAME/AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin

When I double clicked on the Bitcoin-QT icon to execute the following, Bitcoin-QT starts up but it does not appear to be in testnet mode.

MYUSERNAME/Downloads/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-qt.exe

Can anyone tell me why it does not seem to go into testnet mode?

I went to Start > cmd to get the DOS prompt. I entered the following and it worked:

C:\User\MYUSERNAME\Downloads\bitcoin-0.8.-win32\bitcoin-0.8.6-win32>bitcoin-qt.exe -testnet

But going into DOS prompt to start up bitcoin-qt is a hassle. It would be easier if I can just double click on the Bitcoin-QT icon.

Answer 1

Create a shortcut on your desktop (or somewhere) to: "C:\User\MYUSERNAME\Downloads\bitcoin-0.8.-win32\bitcoin-0.8.6-win32\bitcoin-qt.exe" -testnet and name it "Bitcoin-QT testnet"

Answer 2

With a standard Bitcoin Core installation under Window 7, the data directory is located under:

{User}\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin

The bitcoin.conf file containing the line "testnet=1" goes there.

The usual way to create this file is with Notepad. Unfortunately, this app insists on giving the file the extension ".txt". This is, of course invisible by default. The file appears to have the extension ".conf", when it is actually ".conf.txt".

Use this procedure to change the extension, and your bitcoin.conf file should be read:

http://www.ehow.com/how_8134776_delete-file-extension-windows-7.html