Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions.

Node Issues

Node won’t start

Symptoms: bitcoind exits immediately or shows errors.

Check logs:

tail -50 ~/.bitcoin-pocx/debug.log        # mainnet
tail -50 ~/.bitcoin-pocx/testnet/debug.log  # testnet

Common causes:

1. Port already in use

   sudo lsof -i :8333   # mainnet
   sudo lsof -i :18333  # testnet
   

2. Corrupt database

   bitcoind -reindex  # takes time
   

3. Insufficient disk space

   df -h ~/.bitcoin-pocx
   

Node not syncing

Symptoms: Block height not increasing, few or no peers.

Check peer connections:

bitcoin-cli -testnet getconnectioncount
bitcoin-cli -testnet getpeerinfo

Solutions:

1. Check firewall

   sudo ufw allow 18333/tcp
   

2. Add peers manually in bitcoin.conf:

   addnode=seed.testnet.bitcoin-pocx.org
   

3. Check internet

   curl -s https://api.github.com | head -1
   

RPC connection refused

Symptoms: bitcoin-cli shows “Could not connect to the server”

Check:

1. Node running?

   pgrep bitcoind
   

2. RPC enabled? Ensure server=1 in bitcoin.conf

3. Correct network flag?

   bitcoin-cli -testnet getblockchaininfo
   

4. Cookie auth working?

   # Check cookie file exists
   ls -la ~/.bitcoin-pocx/testnet/.cookie
   

Miner Issues

Miner can’t connect to node

Symptoms: Connection refused, timeout errors.

Check:

1. Node running and synced?

   bitcoin-cli -testnet getblockchaininfo
   

2. RPC password auth enabled? Mining requires rpcuser/rpcpassword in bitcoin.conf (not cookie auth)

3. Credentials match? Compare bitcoin.conf and miner.yaml

4. Correct URL?

   • Testnet: http://127.0.0.1:18332
   • Mainnet: http://127.0.0.1:8332

No plots found

Symptoms: Miner reports 0 capacity.

Check:

1. Plot path correct?

   ls -la /path/to/plots/*.plot
   

2. Permissions?

   sudo -u bitcoin ls /path/to/plots/
   

3. Plot format valid? Ensure plots created with pocx-plotter

Miner can’t connect to pool

Symptoms: Connection timeout, refused.

Check:

1. Pool URL correct? Verify with pool docs
2. Pool online? Check status page
3. Network access?

   curl -v http://pool-url:port
   

Plotting Issues

Plotting fails or corrupts

Solutions:

1. Check disk space

   df -h /path/to/plots
   

2. Check disk health

   sudo smartctl -a /dev/sdX
   

3. Resume interrupted plots (if supported)

Plotting too slow

Tips:

1. More threads: ./pocx-plotter --threads 8
2. Check I/O: iostat -x 1
3. SSD for temp files if plotter supports it

Pool Mining Issues

Assignment not recognized

Check:

1. Assignment confirmed?

   bitcoin-cli -testnet get_assignment "YOUR_MINING_ADDRESS"
   

2. Correct pool address?

3. Assignment expired?

No pool rewards

Check:

1. Minimum payout threshold - most pools have one
2. Correct payout address in pool dashboard
3. Miner submitting? Check logs for submissions

Systemd Service Issues

Service won’t start

sudo systemctl status bitcoind
sudo journalctl -u bitcoind -n 50

Common issues:

1. Permissions

   sudo chown -R bitcoin:bitcoin /var/lib/bitcoin
   

2. Path issues - verify paths in service file

3. Config errors - check bitcoin.conf syntax

Service starts then stops

Check:

1. Exit code: sudo systemctl status bitcoind
2. Memory limits - service may be OOM killed
3. Logs: sudo journalctl -u bitcoind --since "5 minutes ago"

Getting Help

If stuck:

1. Check debug logs for specific errors
2. Search GitHub issues
3. Discord: https://discord.gg/enQ57bgJdq
4. Telegram: https://t.me/+aqavnqlq2vg0Mzhk

When asking for help, include:

• OS and version
• Config files (redact passwords)
• Full error messages
• Steps to reproduce