<p>I got it to work by adding</p>
<pre><code>[test]  
addnode=104.237.131.138  
addnode=151.80.205.132  
addnode=192.155.82.123  
addnode=74.220.255.190  
</code></pre>
<p>to the config file.</p>
<p>The reason is your wallet needs to connect to nodes to connect to the blockchain. Usually it comes with all the nodes required to connect, but sometimes the devs failed to include the nodes or released a new node list after an update (try looking in the bitcointalk page or the official website listed by the coin developers), so you have to add them manually.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-31T15:29:38.720Z
2021-02-06T18:40:58.500Z
2021-02-06T18:40:58.500Z
tqd
<p>I downloaded Bitcoin-QT for Windows 7 into:</p>

<pre><code>MYUSERNAME/Downloads/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32
</code></pre>

<p>I want to run Bitcoin in testnet mode, so I created bitcoin.conf with only the following content:</p>

<pre><code>testnet=1
</code></pre>

<p>I put copies of bitcoin.conf into the following folders:</p>

<pre><code>MYUSERNAME/Downloads/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32
User/MYUSERNAME/AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin
</code></pre>

<p>When I double clicked on the Bitcoin-QT icon to execute the following, Bitcoin-QT starts up but it does not appear to be in testnet mode.</p>

<pre><code>MYUSERNAME/Downloads/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-qt.exe
</code></pre>

<p>Can anyone tell me why it does not seem to go into testnet mode?</p>

<p>I went to Start > cmd to get the DOS prompt. I entered the following and it worked:</p>

<pre><code>C:\User\MYUSERNAME\Downloads\bitcoin-0.8.-win32\bitcoin-0.8.6-win32&gt;bitcoin-qt.exe -testnet
</code></pre>

<p>Bitcoin-QT launches in testnet mode.  However, it is not synchronizing with the network.  At the bottom, it shows "No block source available...155 weeks behind".</p>

<p>I tried adding the following to bitcoin.conf and restarted bitcoin-qt.exe -testnet but it didn't make any difference.</p>

<pre><code>addnode=1.2.3.4
checklevel=2
</code></pre>

<p>After a few hours, it still shows "No block source available...155 weeks behind".  How do I get this to synchronize?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-26T03:53:00.413Z
It can take more than hour to synchronize. Does "X weeks behind" change?
John T
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-26T17:18:49.637Z
It has been a few hours now and it still shows "No block source available...155 weeks behind".
JLP
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-26T19:03:29.920Z
For your first question, I would suspect that you haven't put your bitcoin.conf in the place where the Bitcoin client is looking for it.  The correct folder should already contain files named like `debug.log`, `peers.dat`, and several others.
Nate Eldredge
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-27T04:21:03.947Z
@NateEldredge I have bitcoin.conf in the User/MYUSERNAME/AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin folder.  This folder has the peers.dat, wallet.dat, db and debug files as well.  There is no debug.log file.  Do you have any ideas on why it is showing "No block source available"?
JLP
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-27T05:05:24.350Z
Typically this means it is not able to connect to any peers on the Internet.  One possible cause is bad proxy settings, which is why I wondered if it was using a bitcoin.conf different from yours.  Otherwise, could there be firewall settings or something similar preventing the application from communicating with the Internet?
Nate Eldredge
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-27T17:17:31.200Z
@NateEldredge It did not have a bitcoin.conf file.  I created it.  Bitcoin-QT is running in Windows 7, which is running in VirtualBox, which is running in my Mac OSX. There seems to be no issue with any firewall in Windows 7 as my browser works fine. I have LittleSnitch running on my Mac, which tells me if a program is trying to access the internet.  It told me that Bitcoin on my Mac and a program on Windows tried to access the internet, which I allowed. On my Mac, my Bitcoin-QT (in testnet and mainnet) synchronized fine. On Windows, Bitcoin-QT for mainnet, but not testnet, can synchronize.
JLP
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-27T19:15:14.947Z
That's very strange.  My only other idea would be to look at User/MYUSERNAME/AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin/testnet3/debug.log and see if there is a helpful message.
Nate Eldredge
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-28T05:33:39.937Z
@NateEldredge debug.log does not exist, but User/MYUSERNAME/AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin/testnet3/debug does.  It has a lot of messages.  Do these provide any clues?

2014-01-26 01:15:49 trying connection 93.93.135.12:18333 lastseen=149.6hrs
2014-01-26 01:15:51 No valid UPnP IGDs found
2014-01-26 01:15:51 upnp thread exit
2014-01-26 01:15:54 connection timeout
2014-01-26 01:15:54 trying connection testnet-seed.bluematt.me lastseen=0.0hrs
2014-01-26 01:15:59 connection timeout
2014-01-26 01:16:04 trying connection testnet-seed.bitcoin.petertodd.org lastseen=0.0hrs
JLP
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-22T03:15:37.617Z
I also have the same issue @NateEldredge . But proxy isn't a problem for me. I tried by changing the proxy several times but its of no use ( I use college internet ). It works fine when I run it using my mobile data. I don't know why. I opened a question for the same with clear explanation and debug logs here, https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/52906/unable-to-connect-to-peers-nor-synchronize-the-network
Rewanth Tammana
<bitcoin-core><block><synchronization><testnet>
Cannot synchronize with Bitcoin in testnet mode
JLP
# Cannot synchronize with Bitcoin in testnet mode

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-01-25)

I downloaded Bitcoin-QT for Windows 7 into:

```
MYUSERNAME/Downloads/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32

```

I want to run Bitcoin in testnet mode, so I created bitcoin.conf with only the following content:

```
testnet=1

```

I put copies of bitcoin.conf into the following folders:

```
MYUSERNAME/Downloads/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32
User/MYUSERNAME/AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin

```

When I double clicked on the Bitcoin-QT icon to execute the following, Bitcoin-QT starts up but it does not appear to be in testnet mode.

```
MYUSERNAME/Downloads/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-0.8.6-win32/bitcoin-qt.exe

```

Can anyone tell me why it does not seem to go into testnet mode?

I went to Start > cmd to get the DOS prompt. I entered the following and it worked:

```
C:\User\MYUSERNAME\Downloads\bitcoin-0.8.-win32\bitcoin-0.8.6-win32>bitcoin-qt.exe -testnet

```

Bitcoin-QT launches in testnet mode. However, it is not synchronizing with the network. At the bottom, it shows "No block source available...155 weeks behind".

I tried adding the following to bitcoin.conf and restarted bitcoin-qt.exe -testnet but it didn't make any difference.

```
addnode=1.2.3.4
checklevel=2

```

After a few hours, it still shows "No block source available...155 weeks behind". How do I get this to synchronize?

**Tags:** bitcoin-core, block, synchronization, testnet

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It can take more than hour to synchronize. Does "X weeks behind" change?  
> **username_0**: It has been a few hours now and it still shows "No block source available...155 weeks behind".  
> **username_2**: For your first question, I would suspect that you haven't put your bitcoin.conf in the place where the Bitcoin client is looking for it.  The correct folder should already contain files named like `debug.log`, `peers.dat`, and several others.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 I have bitcoin.conf in the User/MYUSERNAME/AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin folder.  This folder has the peers.dat, wallet.dat, db and debug files as well.  There is no debug.log file.  Do you have any ideas on why it is showing "No block source available"?  
> **username_2**: Typically this means it is not able to connect to any peers on the Internet.  One possible cause is bad proxy settings, which is why I wondered if it was using a bitcoin.conf different from yours.  Otherwise, could there be firewall settings or something similar preventing the application from communicating with the Internet?  
> **username_0**: @username_2 It did not have a bitcoin.conf file.  I created it.  Bitcoin-QT is running in Windows 7, which is running in VirtualBox, which is running in my Mac OSX. There seems to be no issue with any firewall in Windows 7 as my browser works fine. I have LittleSnitch running on my Mac, which tells me if a program is trying to access the internet.  It told me that Bitcoin on my Mac and a program on Windows tried to access the internet, which I allowed. On my Mac, my Bitcoin-QT (in testnet and mainnet) synchronized fine. On Windows, Bitcoin-QT for mainnet, but not testnet, can synchronize.  
> **username_2**: That's very strange.  My only other idea would be to look at User/MYUSERNAME/AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin/testnet3/debug.log and see if there is a helpful message.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 debug.log does not exist, but User/MYUSERNAME/AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin/testnet3/debug does.  It has a lot of messages.  Do these provide any clues?  2014-01-26 01:15:49 trying connection 93.93.135.12:18333 lastseen=149.6hrs 2014-01-26 01:15:51 No valid UPnP IGDs found 2014-01-26 01:15:51 upnp thread exit 2014-01-26 01:15:54 connection timeout 2014-01-26 01:15:54 trying connection testnet-seed.bluematt.me lastseen=0.0hrs 2014-01-26 01:15:59 connection timeout 2014-01-26 01:16:04 trying connection testnet-seed.bitcoin.petertodd.org lastseen=0.0hrs  
> **username_3**: I also have the same issue @username_2 . But proxy isn't a problem for me. I tried by changing the proxy several times but its of no use ( I use college internet ). It works fine when I run it using my mobile data. I don't know why. I opened a question for the same with clear explanation and debug logs here, https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/52906/unable-to-connect-to-peers-nor-synchronize-the-network  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2021-01-31. Score: 1

I got it to work by adding

```
[test]  
addnode=104.237.131.138  
addnode=151.80.205.132  
addnode=192.155.82.123  
addnode=74.220.255.190  

```

to the config file.

The reason is your wallet needs to connect to nodes to connect to the blockchain. Usually it comes with all the nodes required to connect, but sometimes the devs failed to include the nodes or released a new node list after an update (try looking in the bitcointalk page or the official website listed by the coin developers), so you have to add them manually.


---

