<p>Copy the blockchain.dat file into your bitcoind directory, and the application will begin processing the file, checking for validity as it goes. Once it parses the entire blockchain file, it will connect to peers to continue downloading more-recent blocks.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-31T21:08:06.977Z
If I already have data will I have to remove that first?
Ryan Detzel
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-31T20:43:07.130Z
2014-01-31T20:43:07.130Z
Jtibble
<p>If you are downloading the blockchain from scratch I strongly recommend using the bootstrap.dat file, which allows your computer to simply verify blocks and import them without needing to download for days or even weeks on end.</p>

<p>The main issue with downloading from the network is that your client will only download one block at a time. It starts with block #1 and will not try to download anything except for block #2 after block #1 is verified, and so on. As you can imagine, with network latency this can become a rather painful process, as you have endured.</p>

<p>The bootstrap.dat file is widely available on bittorrent, torrent files can be found here: <a href="http://sourceforge.net/projects/bitcoin/files/Bitcoin/blockchain/" rel="nofollow">http://sourceforge.net/projects/bitcoin/files/Bitcoin/blockchain/</a></p>

<p>Direct torrent link: <a href="http://sourceforge.net/projects/bitcoin/files/Bitcoin/blockchain/bootstrap.dat.torrent/download" rel="nofollow">http://sourceforge.net/projects/bitcoin/files/Bitcoin/blockchain/bootstrap.dat.torrent/download</a></p>

<p>Downloading the bootstrap.dat file is just as secure as downloading the blockchain from peers, but since all the data is already there, the only latency you suffer between blocks is going to your hard drive and finding the next block.</p>

<p><strong>You simply need to place the <code>bootstrap.dat</code> in your <code>%appdata%\Bitcoin</code> folder, (on linux/unix in your <code>.bitcoin</code> folder). The file will be renamed to <code>bootstrap.dat.old</code> when the data import is complete. Using this, it took me only 4 hours to catch up with the network, as opposed to the 1-2 weeks it took me before reformatting on the same computer.</strong></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-04T21:33:19.170Z
Only the last paragraph is actually relevant to this question, perhaps you could crop it to that?
Murch
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-07T11:28:23.697Z
On second thought, I highlighted the most relevant part as the other information might be useful to other users.
Murch
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-31T22:20:32.177Z
2014-02-09T19:29:34.737Z
2014-02-09T19:29:34.737Z
Mark
<p>I'm getting the latest torrent and I'm running bitcoind on my linux box. How can I import this once it's downloaded?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-07T11:19:29.993Z
Related: [Bitcoin qt synchronization problems!](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/17644/5406)
Murch
<bitcoind><import>
How can I import blockchain.dat into bitcoind?
Ryan Detzel
# How can I import blockchain.dat into bitcoind?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-01-31)

I'm getting the latest torrent and I'm running bitcoind on my linux box. How can I import this once it's downloaded?

**Tags:** bitcoind, import

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Related: [Bitcoin qt synchronization problems!](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/17644/5406)  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-01-31. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

If you are downloading the blockchain from scratch I strongly recommend using the bootstrap.dat file, which allows your computer to simply verify blocks and import them without needing to download for days or even weeks on end.

The main issue with downloading from the network is that your client will only download one block at a time. It starts with block #1 and will not try to download anything except for block #2 after block #1 is verified, and so on. As you can imagine, with network latency this can become a rather painful process, as you have endured.

The bootstrap.dat file is widely available on bittorrent, torrent files can be found here: <http://sourceforge.net/projects/bitcoin/files/Bitcoin/blockchain/>

Direct torrent link: <http://sourceforge.net/projects/bitcoin/files/Bitcoin/blockchain/bootstrap.dat.torrent/download>

Downloading the bootstrap.dat file is just as secure as downloading the blockchain from peers, but since all the data is already there, the only latency you suffer between blocks is going to your hard drive and finding the next block.

**You simply need to place the `bootstrap.dat` in your `%appdata%\Bitcoin` folder, (on linux/unix in your `.bitcoin` folder). The file will be renamed to `bootstrap.dat.old` when the data import is complete. Using this, it took me only 4 hours to catch up with the network, as opposed to the 1-2 weeks it took me before reformatting on the same computer.**

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Only the last paragraph is actually relevant to this question, perhaps you could crop it to that?  
> **username_1**: On second thought, I highlighted the most relevant part as the other information might be useful to other users.  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2014-01-31. Score: 3

Copy the blockchain.dat file into your bitcoind directory, and the application will begin processing the file, checking for validity as it goes. Once it parses the entire blockchain file, it will connect to peers to continue downloading more-recent blocks.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: If I already have data will I have to remove that first?  

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