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I want to play around with code to learn about Bitcoin such as synchronizing the chain locally, verifying the Merkle tree, creating a new wallet programmatically.

from what i've researched I will need to prune the initial blockchain, but i don't see the option in setup.

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is there some other way i can install it [with prune] given my low available storage?

update

i pressed ok, and added the config file afterwards.

I am not sure if this config is used, and the GUI is giving me an error when i try to open it.

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  • Isn't better for your needing to use a SPV wallet solution? If you don't store the whole blockchain what's the point to use a core wallet?
    – user51260
    Aug 13, 2018 at 10:15
  • @Cluster2k i guess i should have mentioned why i am installing this. I want to play around with code to learn some things like synchronizing the chain locally, verifying the Merkle tree, creating a new wallet programmatically. I simply don't have anywhere near the 200GB of space on my laptop it is askingn me for :(
    – Sonic Soul
    Aug 13, 2018 at 14:19

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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Yes you can run in prune mode, set prune=550 (or a number >=550, which is a size in MB). As blocks are downloaded others will be pruned to free up space as needed so you'll be fine with 17GB.

You can set the prune values in bitcoin.conf or as a startup parameter.

More details here https://coinguides.org/bitcoin-blockchain-pruning/

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  • not having much luck. according to coinguides.org/bitcoin-blockchain-pruning the configuration file on a mach is supposed to be here: > $HOME/Library/Application Support/Bitcoin/ but /Bitcoin folder was not created. Would I need to install the bitcoin wallet first ? I just downloaded Bitcoin Core. Seems all these help pages are for the wallet
    – Sonic Soul
    Aug 13, 2018 at 20:47
  • You downloaded Bitcoin Core for mac and installed it? Maybe say what steps you've done or share screen shots, etc. Maybe check in /Users/<your user name/Library/Application Support/Bitcoin or use Spotlight search.
    – Fraggle
    Aug 14, 2018 at 0:37
  • updated my question with latest state please take a look
    – Sonic Soul
    Aug 14, 2018 at 12:51
  • You have a bitcoin.conf file in the file listing. That is the configuration file. Did you edit it manually at all? Maybe something is wrong with it. Not sure about that error you show. How are you starting bitcoin? You could try posting the bitcoin.conf file (blank out any passwords or IP addresses, etc).
    – Fraggle
    Aug 30, 2018 at 0:59
  • not sure, it was acting weird on Mac :/ i have since created a droplet on Digital Ocean and did this on Ubuntu and it was a more straight forward process for me
    – Sonic Soul
    Aug 30, 2018 at 11:42
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If you can't locate the config file, you can try to launch the client from the terminal window. Go to the folder where the executable is installed, and launch with ./bitcoind --prune=550. All other settings will come from the default .conf file.

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  • thanks, but if prune needs to be supplied via command flag, how do i know the other settings are used from config ?
    – Sonic Soul
    Aug 14, 2018 at 15:31
  • It doesn't "need" to be supplied there, but it's an option. And I believe that once you set it to prune, it has to keep pruning going forward. I've never tested this. If you prune and then start without prune, does it keep pruning? I don't know.
    – Zelgada
    Aug 14, 2018 at 18:44

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