<p><em>Posting my comment as an answer</em></p>

<p>Make sure your client is up to date... it's possible your wallet in the old testnet got coins that is separate than the more modern testnet3.</p>

<p>Each version of bitcoind has the possibility of being associated with a different test network.  It would be interesting to see if there was a matrix listing releases against test networks (and why the new network was created).</p>

<p>I assume that it's possible to launch older versions of bitcoind and see each testnet independently of each other, but that independence means that there is no way to transfer coins from one network to the other.  (It is <strong>test</strong> after all, and <a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/5816/1878">hopefully one didn't pay for those coins</a>)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-19T23:41:32.980Z
2012-12-19T23:41:32.980Z
2017-04-13T12:47:32.940Z
makerofthings7
<p>Yes, testnets are stable even though they are worthless, people volunteer with their computers, and because there are enough volunteers, it is stable.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-07-26T22:31:24.920Z
2019-07-26T22:31:24.920Z
Number File
<p>I have been recently playing with the testnet (using bitcoin-qt -testnet). I have been able to mine a few coins and do some test transfers, but I have found some problems:</p>

<ul>
<li>The coins appear sent, but a second, receiving client never saw them.</li>
<li>When launching the client some days later the mined coins (and all the blockchain data) have vanished.</li>
</ul>

<p>I have read we are now in the third testnet. I have checked my .bitcoin directory and there are two tesnet directories, one named testnet and a second called testnet3. </p>

<p>Am I connecting to two different networks?</p>

<p>I thought there was just a testnet, but now I have my doubts. If there are many testnets or if the testnet can change, how can I make sure I can still check my old transactions?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-18T19:46:34.080Z
Make sure your client is up to date... it's possible your wallet in the old testnet got coins that is separate than the more modern test net3
makerofthings7
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-19T22:57:51.993Z
I was in the old testnet! I'm not sure what has triggered the change, but now my wallet is in testnet3. I will go on playing. It's nice to know you can also explore the old testnets.
halftimepad
<blockchain><bitcoin-core><testnet>
Is the Testnet stable?
halftimepad
# Is the Testnet stable?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-12-18)

I have been recently playing with the testnet (using bitcoin-qt -testnet). I have been able to mine a few coins and do some test transfers, but I have found some problems:

* The coins appear sent, but a second, receiving client never saw them.
* When launching the client some days later the mined coins (and all the blockchain data) have vanished.

I have read we are now in the third testnet. I have checked my .bitcoin directory and there are two tesnet directories, one named testnet and a second called testnet3.

Am I connecting to two different networks?

I thought there was just a testnet, but now I have my doubts. If there are many testnets or if the testnet can change, how can I make sure I can still check my old transactions?

**Tags:** blockchain, bitcoin-core, testnet

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Make sure your client is up to date... it's possible your wallet in the old testnet got coins that is separate than the more modern test net3  
> **username_0**: I was in the old testnet! I'm not sure what has triggered the change, but now my wallet is in testnet3. I will go on playing. It's nice to know you can also explore the old testnets.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-12-19. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

*Posting my comment as an answer*

Make sure your client is up to date... it's possible your wallet in the old testnet got coins that is separate than the more modern testnet3.

Each version of bitcoind has the possibility of being associated with a different test network. It would be interesting to see if there was a matrix listing releases against test networks (and why the new network was created).

I assume that it's possible to launch older versions of bitcoind and see each testnet independently of each other, but that independence means that there is no way to transfer coins from one network to the other. (It is **test** after all, and [hopefully one didn't pay for those coins](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/5816/1878))


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### Answer by username_2 on 2019-07-26. Score: 0

Yes, testnets are stable even though they are worthless, people volunteer with their computers, and because there are enough volunteers, it is stable.


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