<p>Use the -datadir option to specify a new location for the bitcoin data directory.  Copy the existing bitcoin data directory to the new location and then restart bitcoin-qt.  Check <a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Data_directory" rel="nofollow"><strong>here</strong></a> for information on locating the default data directory.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-08T21:53:39.303Z
Please see update to original question.
oshirowanen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-09T19:21:53.583Z
Took about 12 hours to complete and I had to reinstall bitcoin-qt in the end to get it all to work again...
oshirowanen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-08T19:25:13.780Z
2013-12-08T19:25:13.780Z
ScripterRon
<p>I have bitcoin-qt installed on my Ubuntu box which has an SSD as the main OS drive.</p>

<p>I understand that bitcoin-qt is a full client/node and uses a lot of disk activity, which is why I want it off my expensive SSD and want it on my cheaper HDD.  How do I move the client so all the node checking work it does which is disk intensive is done on the secondary HDD instead of the primary SSD?</p>

<p>I have Ubuntu 12.04 installed.</p>

<hr>

<p><strong>UPDATE:</strong></p>

<p>I just edited the file:</p>

<p><code>/usr/share/applications$ sudo gedit bitcoin-qt.desktop</code></p>

<p>and changed:</p>

<p><code>Exec=/usr/bin/bitcoin-qt %u</code></p>

<p>to</p>

<p><code>Exec=/usr/bin/bitcoin-qt -datadir=/new_location/.bitcoin %u</code></p>

<p>I have just tried loading bitcoin-qt and it currently says <code>Rescanning</code>.</p>

<p>Have I made the changes correctly?  It's been scanning for 5 minutes now...</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-08T22:03:02.830Z
That looks correct.  Bitcoin-Qt will verify blocks when it starts and this can take several minutes.  The rescan message says it is looking for missing transactions, which I don't think it normally does unless you import a new private key.
ScripterRon
<storage-footprint>
Moving Bitcoin-QT's location
oshirowanen
# Moving Bitcoin-QT's location

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-12-08)

I have bitcoin-qt installed on my Ubuntu box which has an SSD as the main OS drive.

I understand that bitcoin-qt is a full client/node and uses a lot of disk activity, which is why I want it off my expensive SSD and want it on my cheaper HDD. How do I move the client so all the node checking work it does which is disk intensive is done on the secondary HDD instead of the primary SSD?

I have Ubuntu 12.04 installed.

---

**UPDATE:**

I just edited the file:

`/usr/share/applications$ sudo gedit bitcoin-qt.desktop`

and changed:

`Exec=/usr/bin/bitcoin-qt %u`

to

`Exec=/usr/bin/bitcoin-qt -datadir=/new_location/.bitcoin %u`

I have just tried loading bitcoin-qt and it currently says `Rescanning`.

Have I made the changes correctly? It's been scanning for 5 minutes now...

**Tags:** storage-footprint

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: That looks correct.  Bitcoin-Qt will verify blocks when it starts and this can take several minutes.  The rescan message says it is looking for missing transactions, which I don't think it normally does unless you import a new private key.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-12-08. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

Use the -datadir option to specify a new location for the bitcoin data directory. Copy the existing bitcoin data directory to the new location and then restart bitcoin-qt. Check [**here**](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Data_directory) for information on locating the default data directory.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Please see update to original question.  
> **username_0**: Took about 12 hours to complete and I had to reinstall bitcoin-qt in the end to get it all to work again...  

---

