<p>Okay, it appears after much trial and error, I figured out that you put the <code>bootstrap.dat</code> file in the <code>AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin</code> or <code>~/.bitcoin</code> folder. You can leave everything else in that folder untouched, just add the <code>bootstrap.dat</code> file in the Bitcoin folder.</p>

<p>I left <code>bootstrap.dat</code> in there, and finally Bitcoin-QT found it, and on the bottom it states "Importing blocks from disk..." I'm currently at 80 weeks behind on the update, compared to 240+.</p>

<p>I was reading crap about using the <code>-loadblock</code> command and extracting/unzipping the <code>.dat</code> file.... well this wasn't needed.  At least it isn't needed on the current version of QT, which I believe is .8.0.5 </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-23T00:11:08.913Z
It didn't work for me. Just left in the same directory of wallet.dat and it did not work. This directory should be empty? Without any block previously downloaded?
Felipe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-18T19:30:18.103Z
On Linux, I made sure the folder was empty when I put bootstrap.dat there. Also, I used a different folder, so I started bitcoin-qt with bitcoin-qt -datadir=/media/downloads/bitcoin . Probably it saved the datadir in its config file, I will check that later.
Bit Chaser
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-17T20:20:45.557Z
2014-03-13T17:47:20.260Z
2014-03-13T17:47:20.260Z
CalicoBrak
<p>I have searched around, and nothing I find works for me.
Downloaded the approx. 10 GB Bootstrap.dat file. Now stuck on trying to link it with Bitcoin-QT.</p>

<p>Tried the following command in the console box in the bitcoin-qt app:</p>

<pre><code>bitcon-qt -loadblock=/path/to/bootstrap.dat
</code></pre>

<p>Also tried copying the file into the AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin file... Still no luck.</p>

<p>I'm running Windows 7, anyone have step by step instructions on how to set this up?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-17T10:53:16.820Z
Your question may be best addressed to the [original post on the BitcoinTalk forum](https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=117982.0).
Colin Dean
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-23T13:20:51.417Z
This does not really answer the question. If you have a different question, you can ask it by clicking [Ask Question](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/ask). You can also [add a bounty](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/help/privileges/set-bounties) to draw more attention to this question once you have enough [reputation](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/help/whats-reputation).
Stéphane Gimenez
<bitcoin-core><bootstrap.dat>
How to use the "Bootstrap.dat" file with bitcoin-qt?
CalicoBrak
# How to use the "Bootstrap.dat" file with bitcoin-qt?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-11-16)

I have searched around, and nothing I find works for me.
Downloaded the approx. 10 GB Bootstrap.dat file. Now stuck on trying to link it with Bitcoin-QT.
Tried the following command in the console box in the bitcoin-qt app:
bitcon-qt -loadblock=/path/to/bootstrap.dat

Also tried copying the file into the AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin file... Still no luck.
I'm running Windows 7, anyone have step by step instructions on how to set this up?

**Tags:** bitcoin-core, bootstrap.dat

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Your question may be best addressed to the [original post on the BitcoinTalk forum](https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=117982.0).  
> **username_2**: This does not really answer the question. If you have a different question, you can ask it by clicking [Ask Question](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/ask). You can also [add a bounty](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/help/privileges/set-bounties) to draw more attention to this question once you have enough [reputation](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/help/whats-reputation).  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2013-11-17. Score: 10

Okay, it appears after much trial and error, I figured out that you put the `bootstrap.dat` file in the `AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin` or `~/.bitcoin` folder. You can leave everything else in that folder untouched, just add the `bootstrap.dat` file in the Bitcoin folder.

I left `bootstrap.dat` in there, and finally Bitcoin-QT found it, and on the bottom it states "Importing blocks from disk..." I'm currently at 80 weeks behind on the update, compared to 240+.

I was reading crap about using the `-loadblock` command and extracting/unzipping the `.dat` file.... well this wasn't needed. At least it isn't needed on the current version of QT, which I believe is .8.0.5

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: It didn't work for me. Just left in the same directory of wallet.dat and it did not work. This directory should be empty? Without any block previously downloaded?  
> **username_4**: On Linux, I made sure the folder was empty when I put bootstrap.dat there. Also, I used a different folder, so I started bitcoin-qt with bitcoin-qt -datadir=/media/downloads/bitcoin . Probably it saved the datadir in its config file, I will check that later.  

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