How to open bitcoind -daemon using command line in Windows?

Question

I have created a conf file on the following path:

C:\Users\NAME\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin\bitcoin.conf

When I run the Bitcoind file, nothing happens. My command line window becomes unresponsive as if it's waiting. I've waited ~1 hour, and my computer is pretty highend (i7 processor, 16gb ram).

I want to run the server and fire some commands on the bitcoind server.

I have the following conf file:

# bitcoin.conf configuration file. Lines beginning with # are comments.


 # Network-related settings:

 # Run on the test network instead of the real bitcoin network.
 #testnet=0

 # Connect via a socks4 proxy
 #proxy=127.0.0.1:9050

 ##############################################################
 ##            Quick Primer on addnode vs connect            ##
 ##  Let's say for instance you use addnode=4.2.2.4          ##
 ##  addnode will connect you to and tell you about the      ##
 ##    nodes connected to 4.2.2.4.  In addition it will tell ##
 ##    the other nodes connected to it that you exist so     ##
 ##    they can connect to you.                              ##
 ##  connect will not do the above when you 'connect' to it. ##
 ##    It will *only* connect you to 4.2.2.4 and no one else.##
 ##                                                          ##
 ##  So if you're behind a firewall, or have other problems  ##
 ##  finding nodes, add some using 'addnode'.                ##
 ##                                                          ##
 ##  If you want to stay private, use 'connect' to only      ##
 ##  connect to "trusted" nodes.                             ##
 ##                                                          ##
 ##  If you run multiple nodes on a LAN, there's no need for ##
 ##  all of them to open lots of connections.  Instead       ##
 ##  'connect' them all to one node that is port forwarded   ##
 ##  and has lots of connections.                            ##
 ##       Thanks goes to [Noodle] on Freenode.               ##
 ##############################################################

 # Use as many addnode= settings as you like to connect to specific peers
 #addnode=69.164.218.197
 #addnode=10.0.0.2:8333

 # ... or use as many connect= settings as you like to connect ONLY
 # to specific peers:
 #connect=69.164.218.197
 #connect=10.0.0.1:8333

 # Do not use Internet Relay Chat (irc.lfnet.org #bitcoin channel) to
 # find other peers.
 #noirc=0

 # Maximum number of inbound+outbound connections.
 #maxconnections=


 # JSON-RPC options (for controlling a running Bitcoin/bitcoind process)

  server=1 #tells Bitcoin-QT to accept JSON-RPC commands.
 #server=0

 # You must set rpcuser and rpcpassword to secure the JSON-RPC api
 rpcuser=USERNAME_IVE_CHOSEN
 rpcpassword=PASSWORD_IVE_CHOSEN

 # How many seconds bitcoin will wait for a complete RPC HTTP request.
 # after the HTTP connection is established. 
 #rpctimeout=30

 # By default, only RPC connections from localhost are allowed.  Specify
 # as many rpcallowip= settings as you like to allow connections from
 # other hosts (and you may use * as a wildcard character):
 #rpcallowip=10.1.1.34
 #rpcallowip=192.168.1.*

 # Listen for RPC connections on this TCP port:
 #rpcport=8332

 # You can use Bitcoin or bitcoind to send commands to Bitcoin/bitcoind
 # running on another host using this option:
 #rpcconnect=127.0.0.1

 # Use Secure Sockets Layer (also known as TLS or HTTPS) to communicate
 # with Bitcoin -server or bitcoind
 #rpcssl=1

 # OpenSSL settings used when rpcssl=1
 #rpcsslciphers=TLSv1+HIGH:!SSLv2:!aNULL:!eNULL:!AH:!3DES:@STRENGTH
 #rpcsslcertificatechainfile=server.cert
 #rpcsslprivatekeyfile=server.pem


 # Miscellaneous options

 # Set gen=1 to attempt to generate bitcoins
 #gen=0

 # Use SSE instructions to try to generate bitcoins faster.
 #4way=1

 # Pre-generate this many public/private key pairs, so wallet backups will be valid for
 # both prior transactions and several dozen future transactions.
 #keypool=100

 # Pay an optional transaction fee every time you send bitcoins.  Transactions with fees
 # are more likely than free transactions to be included in generated blocks, so may
 # be validated sooner.
 #paytxfee=0.00

 # Allow direct connections for the 'pay via IP address' feature.
 #allowreceivebyip=1

 # User interface options

 # Start Bitcoin minimized
 #min=1

 # Minimize to the system tray
 #minimizetotray=1

Any ideas how to make the server work?

Answer 1

As far as i know, you are running the bitcoind client as it should be run. You need to explicitly say that you want your bitcoind to be run as a daemon. try changing your server=1 configuration lines to this (your comment may have inadvertently messed with bitcoin... but i don't know that for any fact, just a hypothesis) here's your example modified

# JSON-RPC options (for controlling a running Bitcoin/bitcoind process)

# server=1 tells Bitcoin-QT to accept JSON-RPC commands.

server=1

Also, when in doubt run bitcoind in one cmd window and bring up a second one. Recurse in to the directory containing bitcoind (inside that second cmd window). Then try to run a simple command (try bitcoind getblockcount) if you get a result then you know bitcoind is working, but it is not starting as a background service.

If you are using the bitcoin-qt client, don't edit anything in the config file. Configure the Bitcoin client to start automatically.

" GUI-Settings: Settings -> Options then mark the checkbox titled: [X] Start Bitcoin on system startup " Source: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Running_Bitcoin

Also, if your reason for using bitcoind over bitcoin-qt is due to the ability to pass text commands to bitcoin: the console is accessible from the Help menu (Help->Debug->console)

I am not going to claim i know everything, and im sure some of this is not perfect information, but i will update it and gladly work through issues with anyone i can help. Just be kind ;)